I ignored the burning from the cold air hitting me in the lungs, I didn't think about how my legs hurt. I slipped around on slush as I raced for Chris' house. I didn't glance over my shoulder, I was afraid if I did I'd see my mother chasing after me. I already knew once I got back home I'd be in even more trouble.
Finally I slowed down, leaning over to catch my breath I was huffing and puffing, probably red in the face. Coughing, and hawking spit onto the wet pavement below me, I finally straightened myself out. I felt out of shape, wheezing.
I didn't have a plan, when his house came into view, I paused looking at it, I couldn't just knock on the door. What if one of his parents answered? What if my mom called to give them a heads up? I couldn't really get into the back yard without being seen climbing over the fence. Frowning and shuffled the toe of my shoe in the snow.
What would I say anyway? I had nothing to actually apologize for. He cheated on me. If I could call it that, we weren't really an 'official' thing, but then again we really couldn't be. I stuffed my hands into my pockets, feeling awkward for just staring at his house, so I shuffled in the other direction down the street.
Stopping myself half way. I didn't just dig myself deeper in the hole for nothing. Wiping around I stomp towards is house, passing by as causally as possible, like I wasn't trying to make myself go up the front walk. Why was it so difficult? My hands curled into fists.
Taking a deep breath I marched up to the door, and knocked. Praying silently that his mom didn't answer. As the door unlocked, I almost bolted. My sneakers edged towards the street. The door swung open and relief poured over me. It was Eyeball, I would later find out he wasn't just there for the holiday season, and his wife gave him the boot for a month or so. He grunted, "Lachance, whatta you want?"
"Is Chris here?" I tried to peek passed him into the front hall but he was too close to the screen door for me to see. He snickered, "So you can rough him up more?" Eyeball's head cocked to the side. Regardless of how old he got he'd still have a little Cobra in him, with his trying-to-be-tough look.
I didn't have time for this. "Is he here or not?" Came out sharp. Eyeball pulled away from the door to shout into the house, "Hey Chris! Someone's here to see you!" I heard footsteps and my heart beat quickened. The words were disappearing from my head. Eyeball has vanished in the blink of an eye, and I could see Chris coming towards the door.
My sneakers wanted to pull me away, and I would've gone with them if I could've moved. I don't know what it is about Christopher Chambers, maybe it's the fact that I've known him so long, maybe it's his comforting smirks, or kind eyes, whatever it was I just couldn't force myself to run off.
"Let's take a walk." He said already reaching for his coat. I just nodded, and turned around, I heard the screen open and the door close, He was right beside me. Once we got down the street a little ways I finally found my voice, "So where've you been?" there was the crunching of snow under shoes, the sound of a passing car.
"Under lock down." He said a bruise was fading on his jaw. I didn't ask about it.
"Not for our fight, right?" I asked daring to keep my eyes on him for more than a second.
"Not for our fight." He returned eye contact for a split second. "It was Marlene." When I didn't say anything he went on. "She told her mom, I pressured her into sex. Her mom went ballistic, called my mom furious, screaming to the high heavens. I got chew out like she did. Didn't believe me when I said I didn't. Told me I was just like my brother when it came to chasing skirts. Been suck in the house ever since." I just nodded slowly. I knew she was no good.
"Guess she wanted to get me back for embarrassing her." He shrugged, as we rounded the corner. The streets seemed vacant. It was quiet for a while.
"I tried to sneak out, and my mom saw me leave. I just made mine worst." He was lighting up a cigarette, he passed me one, "I'm surprised, Gordo." He said slightly muffled around the tobacco stick. Just the way he said it made my head wonder from the conversation, to take a look and realize how mature we'd become. How older we seemed. "So why'd you break out?" Brought me back to earth, or at least Castle Rock.
"I needed to talk to you." Came out sort of mumbled. We ducked into an alley. It seemed appropriate "The whole, Marlene…" Searching for the right word, but it just wasn't there, "Thing. It was shitty, Chris. I don't care if it was another attempted to be like everyone else. Fuck them." We were in the wintry shadows, I stepped a little closer.
"It wasn't fair to me. You don't get it, when you're off flirting around with girls you don't get jealous because you're the one doing it!" I gave his shoulder a shove. He just looked at me with wide eyes. I flicked my half smoked cigarette on the ground, and crushed it with my toe.
He went to say something but looked down. For once I felt in charge, but guilt was fluttering in my chest. Some slipped out of his mouth but I couldn't hear it, it was so quiet. I raised his chin up so I could look at him. "I'm sorry." Echoed off the dirty walls of the alley.