In the morning, as I was getting ready for school, I got a surprise hug from Barley.
"Oh, hey!" I said. "Are you feeling better now?"
"Yep!" Barley said hugging harder. "Much better!"
"Alright, but I have to get ready for school now," I said, struggling to breathe.
"That's right. So, you're going to have to let him go, sweetie!" Mom said.
After I was released and had time to catch my breath, I left before anything worse could happen.
It ended up being a really great day at school. I got an A + on my test. But when I got home, Mom wasn't there. Just Colt.
UGHHHHH.
"Hey, what's all the excitement about, huh?"
"Eh, nothing. Just something I wanted to show Mom."
"If you can show Mom, you can show me."
"It's really nothing. Just an A+ on my test."
"Oh, good job! You've been studying hard, I see."
"I guess. Where is Mom, anyways?"
"In jail."
"WHAT?!"
"Just kidding. "
"Ha, ha, very funny."
Barley came out of his room.
"I heard you got a new phone," he said.
"Uhh…. yes," I said.
"May I see it?" he asked.
"No," I said.
"Aw… why not?" Barley asked.
"Because!" I said. "You'll just break it, like you break everything else!"
"What? No! That's not true!" Barley said, accidentally bumping into a lamp and knocking it over.
"See! That's exactly what I'm talking about!" I said.
"Alright! Who did that?!" Mom asked, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.
"Uhh… Colt did it!" I lied. "He knocked it over with his big horse butt!"
"Stop lying! It was me," said Barley. "I was just being clumsy… as usual."
"Maybe it's best for you to get out of the house for a while," said Mom. "Look, it's a nice sunny day!"
"Yeah, we could…" I mumbled.
"Of course we can!" Barley said. "Come on; let's go to your favorite burger place!"
On our way there I was silent for several minutes before finally gaining the courage to speak up.
Or, at least I tried.
"So…," I said. "Umm… you… I mean… are you…"
"I'm fine," Barley said. "Don't worry about me. You worry too much lately, y'know?"
I fell silent again and tried to think of something else.
Mom and Colt were alone together in the house now. Ew, no. I didn't want to think about that,
The trip there was smooth. It was on the way back that the trouble started.
I had been taking a quick nap but I was jolted awake by a loud, sudden noise.
"Oof," said Barley. "Looks like we got a flat…"
"Don't you have a spare tire?" I mumbled, still tired.
"Ahh… what?" Barley asked, going pale. He seemed distracted as his jaw dropped and he stared right through me.
"You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost," I said, laughing awkwardly.
"A spare! Yes! I'll sort this out…" he said. "We should call Mom and tell her so she doesn't worry about us."
"We? You'll call her," I said.
"No. I'm working on the tire," said Barley. "You're not doing anything, so why don't you call?"
"Oh!" I said. "I…umm… don't have my phone with me."
Barley gave me another weird look but shrugged it off and got to work.