“Don’t you haveacar?”
“Yeah, but here’s the thing, I’m the only one in the family bringing in any money. Working as a cook doesn’t exactly have me rollingincash.”
“What if I had a way to make some easy money,Julian?”
This was beyond the realm of our usual interaction. He used me to vent his frustration. He didn’t try to helpmeout.
I didn’t answer right away. I knew whatever he was about to suggest would be bad news. Marco was a quick fix type of guy and had been getting deeper and deeper into trouble, if the frequency of our fights was anyindication.
There was acatch.
But I was walking to work, fighting for the bare minimum. At this rate, I’d never get my head above water. I didn’t want to be the guy everyone thought I was. I didn’t want to get caught up in his crap. Against my better judgement, I took thebait. “How?”
“Meet me tonight at Blake’s. I’ll text you theaddress.”
“I don’t have a car, dumbass. If you need me, come pick me up. I get offaroundnine.”
A sigh from the other end and then he answered, “Fine. I’ll see you after work. But I hope you’re going to go through with it.” Whateveritwas. “I’m sticking my neck out here.” Somehow I doubted he would stick his neck out foranyone.
“Yeah. I’ll see you then,” I replied anyway andhungup.
Work was exceptionally slow.No sign of Katie or Gwen in the dining area. Instead, it was a lady named Tabitha waiting tables. Like Frank, Tabitha was a permanent fixture aroundThe Farmhouse.She was the stereotypical diner waitress. Gwen and I had shared a few laughs over how over the top she was with curly red hair piled high atop her head and her deep voice that was obviously the result of years of heavy smoking. She was older, probably in her fifties and had the tendency to call everyone honey ordarlin’.
What’ll be, honey? Can I get you another coffee,darlin’?
On good nights, Gwen might bring me my cash out and call me honey with a deep southern accent. I didn’t think Tabitha was even from the South. I’m pretty sure she was a River Valley lifer, like my family.Likeme.
Not that I wanted to be. River Valley was a great small town. I just wanted more. Before everything went to hell, I had planned to go to school to be a doctor, maybe a surgeon. Anything to get me far away from here. I wanted to travel and see what was beyond thesemountains.
I had wanted somethingbetter.
These days, I was watching my dreams slip further and further away from me. Maybe that’s why I had agreed to go with Marco, even though I knew it was a bad idea. I just wanted to see what it was like on the other side after being here forsolong.
Turns out, I didn’t want it bad enough. I may have had the reputation for being the bad boy. But deep down I knew if I went down that road there’d be norecovering.
So when the guys had told me their plan to start making meth or some shit, and that they wanted me to get in on it, I told them no. Marco was pissed. He had cussed me out and told me I was a disappointment, that he didn’t have a brotheranymore.
The words stung about as much as the strikes tomyface.
Marco hadn’t been the one to attack me. No, he had let Blake do the dirty work. He hadn’t stopped it and he didn’t have a problem with me walking home, which now instead of the three miles I was used to, was a nice five miles. I debated whether or not to call Gwen to drive me home. I knew she would, but I didn’t want to have to explain what had happened. She took it personally every time I showed up to work with a fresh bruise. I just walked as quickly as I could and hoped my mom was asleep when Igothome.
After the long walk in the dark, I wasn’t prepared to see a figure in the shadows that surrounded my house. The sight stopped me in mytracks.
I was a little jumpy after what had happened earlier, but after taking a steadying breath, I looked closer. It was Katie sneaking into my back yard. Her back was turned toward me which allowed me to remain unseen. A glance down at my phone told me was after eleven. What the hell was she doing? I followed her, taking care not to make anysound.
I watched as she walked quietly toward the trampoline in the backyard. The thing was old and the fabric part of it was faded and separated from a few of the springs. Marco and I were too old to be jumping on it anymore, but for some reason it had remained in our backyard all these years. Katie looked around the yard, not seeing me leaning up against the corner of the house behind the bushes. After making sure the coast was clear, she did the weirdest thing. Katie hopped up onto the trampoline and sat down, wrapping her arms aroundherlegs.
The weather had been getting cooler at night and I couldn’t help but notice she was wearing a tank top and shorts that looked an awful lot like pajamas. I was wearing a light hoodie, but even I could feel the sting of the cool air. What must a girl from Florida be feeling, wearing practicallynothing?
I didn't want to care. I hated the way my thoughts went to protecting Katie. Ignoring her would be so mucheasier.
I ran upstairs to my room as quickly as possible without waking my mom or turning any lights on and came back down with the comforter off my bed. As I approached her on the trampoline, I could see Katie was shivering. She was cold but she stayed looking up at the stars. I debated on what to say when she let out the most pathetic laugh I’d everheard.
“What’s so funny?” I asked before I could stopmyself.
She jumped up and let of a shout of alarm before her eyes finally found me in the darkness. I watched as they narrowed in my direction. “What are you doing here?” sheasked.
Now it was my turn to let out a strangled laugh. “What am I doing here? Last time I checked, it was my backyard. I have every right to be here. You, on the other hand.” I instantly regretted saying those words, knowing I was provoking her for no goodreason.
