“Oh, all right,” Momma agreed.
I jumped up and down and rushed to the bedroom to try and teach my new puppy all there was to know.As we grew up together, I taught her to sit, roll over, walk on a leash, walk off a leash, heel, spin, and do whatever else I could get her to do for a treat.She made it so I wasn’t alone anymore.Fawn was mine and only mine.I was responsible for her, and she took care of me.She was more than a friend.She was my connection to the rest of the world.And most importantly, she led me to Darren.
Chapter Three
Old Friends with New Voices
Song: With A LittleHelp From My Friends—The Beatles
June 14th, 1975
Rocks flew in every direction as I strolled down the gravel road.My flip-flops made a clacking noise with each step I took.Whenever pebbles stuck between my foot and the sole, I would stop and shake them out.The sky was bright blue, and white fluffy clouds hung in the distance.It had been a year since I saw any of my friends.My stomach leapt as I got closer.I didn’t feel like a lot had changed.The only things that were different about me were that I grew four inches taller, my hair got longer, and I dressed myself with more style.
I saw the old play structure and the pavilion we liked to sit under.I scanned the park with my eyes for someone, and that’s when I saw him.Darren was standing on the basketball court shooting hoops.He wore a black band t-shirt and holey light flare blue jeans.His hair was slightly longer, causing strands to stick up in opposite ways.He was engrossed in dribbling the ball while humming some song.I was too far away to make out the title.Darren was my best male friend.We didn’t care about how one another looked, yet it was impossible not to notice how his shoulders were broader and that he was over a foot taller.
I approached him from behind by tapping his shoulder with my pointer finger.
He snapped around and looked at me up and down like I was a stranger.
Breaking the silence, I said, “Did you miss me or what?”
Darren picked me up and jumped, laughing, “Of course I did, Copper Penny.I didn’t recognize you.”His voice became deeper since the last time I saw him.He went from being a falsetto to a baritone, gruff and smooth at the same time.
I tried acting like I did not notice his new voice, so I browsed the court.I ran up to a bright orange portable 8-track player lying by the base of the basketball hoop.“Darren, is that the new portable 8-track player?I can’t believe you got this.We can listen to music all summer long!”I exclaimed.Portable 8-tracks were the newest way to listen to music on the go.I was jealous of his access to recently developed technology.If I wanted something new, I would have to wait months until it went on clearance, or when Momma would give in to my nagging.
He leaned against the basketball hoop pole.“Yeah, I saved up all my money from mowing lawns to buy it.It’s pretty sweet.Isn’t it?”
I nodded in agreement.The hot pavement scorched the bottom of my feet through my flip-flops.“We should go sit down,” I told Darren, trying not to make direct eye contact with his slim face.When I got off the concrete, I slipped off my sandals and sprinted to the gazebo through the lush green grass, taking great pleasure in feeling the feathery blades against my toes.
Darren gathered up his stuff and met me at the picnic table.
When he sat down, I asked, “Where are Zach, Thomas, and Betsy?”Darren’s head fell into his hands.I pried his fingers away from his face and asked again, “Where are they, Darren?”
His pupils dilated as he pleaded, “Please don’t be upset.They all went to some camp in Walla.I tried to convince them not to, but their parents forced them to go.If you knew it would only be me this summer, you might not come.”
I shook my head in disbelief.“You should have told me.Seriously?Summer camp?”
