Chad

I woke up wondering what Sonny was going to do that Friday. Why? Because the night previous, after Sonny left, I had hung out with Janna again, who had only wanted to know about my day. I would make it a point to find some guy friends in this complex.

Of course, the highlight of my day had been Sonny's visit. Janna ate it up. Then, she got me to tell her everything I had ever known about Sonny. It was surprising how long that had taken.

Maybe she was planning on going and getting that slinky and spray paint, or trying to figure out how to fit in at a comic book store. Or, maybe she was trying to figure out what to get Tawni and that other girl. What was I doing? Man, I needed to put some juice into my life.

Which is what I started with. Orange juice. Not that Sunny D crap where you can taste the sugar; the natural kind that actually tastes like oranges and smells like citrus fruits. Now I was pouring my last drop from this carton. I'd have to savor this glass.

I sat on the sofa and pulled a blanket around me, sipping in silence, the eerie tick of the clock being the only noise.

---

It is a long and confusing account of how I decided to spend the rest of my morning waiting in line with the first six issues of The Adventures of John Jacob and Jingleheimer Schmidt in my arms, but boy was Sonny surprised that night.

"You really shouldn't've, Chad. How much did you pay for these?" she insisted.

"No, really. Just take them."

"Chad—"

"Sonny…" My hands deflected hers as she tried to hand me back the comics. "Sonny, your hands are freezing! Come on, I'll get you some hot chocolate…"

"Oh, I actually…my mom has been really freaking out lately because I keep getting home late, and I should probably get going."

Well, that was disappointing. "But you just got here. Ten minutes, come on."

"We've already tried this before. Three times. It's ended up being multiple hours." She stepped back towards the door. "It's not that I don't love spending time with you, Chad. You and I have become great friends lately. Listen, my mom is going back to visit Wisconsin soon, and until then I need to show her she can trust me, okay?"

I rolled my eyes. "Do you always have to be on the adults' good sides?"

---

"Hey, Chad! Come in!" Janna greeted. "My mom won't be back for a couple of hours so now's the opportune moment to watch Pirates…I've seen it so many times that my mom gets worried. Would you like to watch with me?"

"Uh…" I winced. I was disgusted with Pirates of the Caribbean. For more than one actor—I mean reason. "Not…particularly."

"That's alright, we can watch something else!" she backtracked, motioning towards the cabinet beside the TV.

I walked over to open it and scanned the titles. Sweeney Todd…Edward Scissorhands…Secret Window…Sleepy Hollow… "I'm beginning to see a theme here."

"Um, y-yeah. Big…big Burton fan," she stuttered.

"Secret Window isn't Tim Burton." I crossed my arms.

She sighed. "Well…we don't have to watch a movie…we could talk in my room or something." She led me to her room, which was pretty plain despite the purple bedspread and neon pillows, and the wall by her bed completely plastered with pictures of…

"Okay, I'm out of here," I announced, not being able to get out of that room fast enough. There was a reason I had never talked to this girl before.

"Wait, Chad, come on…" She placed a hand on my shoulder and I yanked away.

"Oh my goodness, don't touch me!" I stared at her. "Quite frankly, I find your little obsession with Johnny Depp creepy and unhealthy! Not only is he like…three times your age…"

"3.0667, to be more exact…"

"You see?! You see? Just when I think you can't get any freakier," I cried hysterically, making a mad dash for the exit, "you do." I slammed the door behind me.