taking chances
part
7
I woke up to a distant
argument. I looked around, my head pounding.
"Oh my God. We fell asleep in a tree." I said, rubbing my aching
neck. Brian untangled himself from me. I gave him a hug and
kissed his lips. He kissed my nose and smiled.
"I love you." I said in his ear. He leaned foward and whispered
in my ear.
"I love you more." I smiled and the argument got louder. It was
coming from my house.
"I have to go." I said quietly and sat up. I squeezed him one
last time and stood up. I made my way down the tree, him
following behind me. I kissed him one last time before running
off.
"I'll see you soon!" I called over my shoulder. "Not soon
enough." I mumbled loud enough for only me to hear. I picked my
phone up from the rock I'd left it on and shoved it in my back
pocket, keeping up my run.
"What's going on?" I asked in the kitchen, out of breath. My mom
and sister were yelling back and forth.
"Don't be surprised if one day, you wake up, and I'm gone!"
Brittany screamed and ran out the door, tears streaming down her
face.
"What was that all about?" I asked, watching her walk out the
door.
"Nothing. Where have you been, young lady?" My mom put her hands
on her hips.
"I took a run." Luckily, I was out of breath, so it seemed like I
did take a run. I looked back in her narrowed eyes.
"I took your phone away. Why do you have it?" She snatched it out
of my hand and put it on the refrigerator. "You are not to take
it until tonight." She stated firmly. I sighed and walked
upstairs. I walked into Dave's room. He was listening to loud
music.
"Do you know what the fight was about?" I sat on the end of his
bed as he turned his music off.
"What fight?" He asked.
"Figures." His music was too loud that he'd hear anything. "Why
are you up this early?" I asked, looking at his
clock.
"I don't know, why are you up so early, Squirt?" He asked and put
his hand on my knee. "No, really. Why are you up so early? You
sleep in for hours." He narrowed his eyes. "Where've you
been?"
I didn't answer. Instead, my cheeks turned beet red and my hand
flew up to my key necklace.
"You were with a boy. Oh my God, Danielle. Did you lose your
V-card!?" He sat up straighter. "Details!" He said in a girly
voice. I laughed. He was only joking around. I could tell by his
face.
"No, I didn't. Thank you for being so concerned."
"So, you were with a boy." He said, folding his hands on his
lap.
"I dunno!" I shrugged and smiled.
"You were."
"Don't tell."
"Did you like sleep in his bed!? Did you have some kind of
make-out session or something?"
"No, and yes." I said, considering the question. "We slept in a
tree." His eyebrows raised on his forehead. "And yes, we did make
out."
"My sissy's growing up so fast!" He teased. I stood up and walked
to the door, pointing a finger at him.
"Do. Not. Tell."
He put his hands up in surrender. "I won't!"
----
"Mom, have you seen Brittany?" I asked the next morning. "I
haven't seen her since yesterday."
"No, she's been talking about a party. Maybe that's where she's
been." She shrugged her shoulders and continued reading the
paper.
"No, the party is next week." I said, narrowing my eyes. "Mom,
you're not worried?"
My dad busted through the door.
"Oh, thank God you're here." He said and breathed a sigh of
relief. "Where is Brittany?" He asked. He was out of breath.
"Where is she!?"
"Why, Dad!?" I walked a little closer to him. He started
pacing.
"Brian's dad got out of jail." He said, worried. "He's on the
loose."