Chapter 8. Influence.
"What the hell do you mean you're in jail?!"
That was the response that has left me fastened to my home for the past week now. I haven't been permitted to attend school or go to Foreman's house. I have lost almost all privileges and I even almost had my guitar taken away – which happens to be one of the only pleasurable things I've done. After my father found out the charges, he searched my room and took away everything that's seen as unholy. Earlier today, he sent the town's pastor, Pastor Dave, to our house to attempt to talk some sense into me – I just played along in hopes that it would score me a ticket back to civilization. I was waiting currently to find out Pastor Dave's reaction about me to my father.
I haven't heard from Hyde – or any of the others for that matter – since that night. My father has determined that he and the others are a negative influence and that I should seek others to socialize with. While what he said didn't affect me, I feared he would try to cut them out of my life completely.
I was swapping out my Zeppelin record for a Jethro Tull when my father walked into my bedroom, without knocking. He quietly sat on the corner of my bed and waited for me to put the record in before he started talking.
"I understand that we both have been through some shit, however, I want you to realize that all I want is for my little girl to be a little girl. I know you're growing up, but that gives you no right to get into trouble with the law," He paused.
I stood to sit next to him on the bed. "Look, dad…"
"I wasn't finished," He said calmly. "I believe I have punished you enough. And I cannot stop you from seeing your new friends, but if this ever happens again, then we are moving. That is final. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes," I nod.
He gives a small, yet stern, smile, "Good. Now, I told the school you would be returning Friday, which gives you tomorrow to complete your schoolwork that you missed. I'll see you tomorrow morning before work. Sleep well."
He leaves the room. I grab my guitar and start to strum when I hear a tapping on my window. I set my guitar down on my pillow and walk over to the window to open the curtain. There in front of me stands Hyde, shaking on a ladder whilst trying to keep balance. Surprised, I open the window and inquire why he climbed up my house.
"Oh, you know, I just felt like climbing things…" He stretched his way into my bedroom. The ladder he was standing on abandoned him and falls into my backyard. "Shit. Now I have to find a new exit."
"So, why, again, are you here, man?" I asked. I went back to my bed and started fiddling with my guitar.
Hyde looked at my record player and smirks, "Jethro Tull. Nice, man."
"Hyde."
"What?"
"You're avoiding my question," I insisted.
"What question?" He asked.
"Why'd you come?" I, once again, questioned.
"Oh, right, yeah…. I don't really know," He shrugged and sits on my bed next to me.
I laughed, "You weren't worried over me, were you?"
"No, nah…. Totally not, man," He said.
There was a bit of an awkward silence while I fiddled with my guitar. I kept trying to get the chords right to Going to California, but I knew there was something missing. Hyde watched, realizes what I'm trying to do, and moves closer to me.
He holds his hands out, "Here, let me see it."
I give it to him.
"This is where you're making the error," He said, showing me my mistake and adding a bit of flair to the song.
I unconsciously moved closer to see how his fingers were moving. We both ended up moving our gaze upwards at the same time. Our noses touched, that's how close we were. It was weird. It made me nervous. He made me nervous. I didn't know why. My breathing escalated quickly. He didn't pull back. I didn't either. He closed his eyes and tilted his head slightly to the side. My eyes slowly dipped close as well. Our lips were close to meeting when there was a knock on the door that jolted our bodies away from each other.
"Fuck," I whispered. "Get under my bed."
He drops the guitar and does just that.
"Yeah?" I called out.
"I made lasagna for dinner if you want some. It will be in the fridge," My father announced louder than necessary through the door.
"Thanks," I said. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
After the footsteps faded, I told Hyde he could come out from under the bed.
"Sorry, I didn't know if he was going to come in or not," I apologized, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly.
"Don't worry about it, man. Here, let me show you how to play that."
He reached for my guitar once more to guide me step-by-step through the Zeppelin song. He stayed with me for a few hours that night. Once I knew my father was asleep, I helped him escape through the front door. He collected his ladder from the backyard and left.
I lay awake in my bed that night and wondered what would have happened if my father didn't knock on the door when we were close. I couldn't tell if I was developing feelings for him or if it was just teenage horniness, but there was definitely something going on inside of me when I thought of him.
Friday came quicker than I imagined and, honestly, I was ashamed to say that I kind of still wished I was banned from school. My father insisted on going into work late and driving me for my first day returning back, however I convinced him that it was alright and I could get myself home safety by myself, which seemed to appease him somewhat. Of course, I didn't tell him that that meant riding with Eric. Eric wasn't a bad influence, at least; well, neither was Donna. I wished my father could see that, however that would mean he'd know Hyde and Kelso were the more negative impacts of the group – a rebel and a dumbass kind of spell trouble – and I didn't want him to know that fact. I would've tried to blame the rebelliousness on Jackie, but everyone knew that the rich girl couldn't do any real shit with her reputation; honestly, I couldn't believe she was even friends with the group. I'd have to inquire later to how that happened, although I probably already knew the answer. Kelso.
The school looked a bit more vibrant today. I said goodbye to my father and he left to go to work. Once he left, I walked to the parking lot where the gang typically hung out before school. They were all there except Kelso and Jackie who were "running late."
"Saige, did you hear that the President is coming to Point Place?" Donna asked me in between the chatter.
"Wait, no way, man, really?" I was pretty shocked to say the least and I'm sure it showed on my face.
Why the hell would Ford want to come to some small rut in Wisconsin? I mean, the damn state has cheese and idiots scattered amongst the perimeters. Seattle was better than Wisconsin was and when I lived there, the weather was ninety percent rain and ten percent "Is that smog? I think that is smog," man.
"Yeah," She said. "I mean, since they announced it recently, it means we get to at least get out of third period for an assembly about it."
"Wicked, man," Hyde chimed in. "No calculus."
"I don't have gym now!" Eric beamed.
Donna chuckled and muttered, "Well, you surely don't need to be in gym class…."
"Hmm, Donna?" Eric retorted sarcastically.
"Oh, me? Nope, that was Hyde talking," Donna said quickly.
Hyde playfully shoved Donna in the arm, "Cool it, Pinciotti."
Jackie and Kelso pulled up in their car next to Eric's. Fez was in the back of the car waving towards everyone, overly cheerful; he probably heard the news and thought he'd be able to meet the President himself. I felt kind of bad; I didn't mind Fez as much as the others did and really wanted him to have the opportunity to meet the President if he wanted to do so, but that was a long shot in America. Eh, one could dream, nonetheless.
They all filed out of the car, greeted us, and not too long later the bell rang, alerting us to go inside the school building.
Two periods and then the assembly, I kept thinking as the two hours seemed to drag on. I had my two most obnoxious classes first in the day, so missing third period felt like a waste of a missed period. Regardless, I was still content with missing class; since I wasn't skipping, it meant missing class and no follow-up detention, which was worth it.
The school was all called down to the auditorium between the second and third period bells. I tried my best to find one of my friends through the crowd, but had a bit of difficulty considering how many people attended Point Place High. I missed having a large campus and small amount of students in Seattle; life was so much simpler there; I missed it. I eventually met up with Donna who helped me locate the auditorium. Our friends were standing in the back, far away from the others when we arrived.
Most of the assembly was boring nonsense about respecting the President like we would our elders; I kind of almost fell asleep a few times, but Donna woke me up because I kept falling on her. Returning to school after two weeks was more difficult than I imagined it would be, especially since in those two weeks I reverted back to sleeping during the daytime.
After the assembly was over and we went to lunch, Hyde started talking about the President's arrival and his brilliant plan to mock him. Eric and Kelso chimed in with ideas as well. Honestly, messing with the President didn't sound like a horrible idea.