Monday, March 18, 2024

And we'll leave this all to gravity


 

"Do these jogging pants make me look fat?" Dory turned trying to look at his bum.

"Babe, you have no butt," Cedric hated to remind him that he (Cedric) had enough butt for the both of them. Still, he felt weird in a tracksuit. "Should we change outfits?"

It wasn't every day they met up at the basketball court at the park. And it was getting late. The sun still hung around but winter hadn't lost its chill just yet.

"No," Dory cracked up. Cedric pulled him in close. If only they could have a quickie before they went, but they were going to fashionable late, anyway. Cedric would hate to leave Axton hanging with dear old Stan.

Naturally, Stan did look out of his element when they managed to get to the court.  There were some other guys there dribbling about and putting in some swift shots in the hoop. Cedric watched carefully. He even danced with an imaginary ball and acted like he knew how to take a shot at the hoop. About then Axton shoved the ball practically in his stomach, but Cedric managed to grab it.

"What are you doing?"  Axton asked as his dreds fell around his eyes.

"Warming up," Cedric bounced the ball back to him. 

"Let's do this," Axton sure knew his way with a layup. Cedric had a feeling Axe would just hang back maybe even find some real players.

About then, two guys came up in long shorts and wearing hoodies.

"You guys up for a game?" The dark-haired one grinned and introduced himself, Alfie, and his partner Gage.

"Oh, we..we've never actually played together," Axton told him. 

"Well, no time like the present," Alfie shrugged and pointed to Stan. "Come on, let's play."

So they started. Two on two.

"He didn't even ask me," Cedric said on the sideline with Dory who had his hands shoved in his hoodie pockets. 

"Why are you so upset?" Dory grinned. "You know you don't like being on the court. You get vertigo."

"It's not vertigo." Cedric shook his head no.

"Losers get to buy burgers at the coffee shop," Alfie smirked and took a great shot from mid-court. But Stan didn't wait. There was a spring in his step. He got the ball and hooked a layup to everyone's surprise.


Saturday, March 16, 2024

Talking all night long



 "I think she'll be all right," Chili smiled when she finished off the sandwich on her plate. She'd said plenty about Maddie and Axton wasn't all that sure he knew who she was talking about. Someone at work.

Chili went on to say that he made the best cold-cut sandwiches in the world.

"I wouldn't go that for," he apologized for not making a proper meal. There was a lot on Axton's mind. Actually, he was waiting patiently to hear from Em who begged him to stop calling. So he just texted Yuki on the hour. It was only a matter of time before Em's water might break. She'd had some labor pains again.

"You should be the chef at the coffee shop," Chili smirked.

"Yeah, right," Axton munched on a chip. He then mentioned how Cedric wanted to meet up with Stan. "I don't know why I have to be there. I mean, can't those two talk alone?"

"What about it?" Chili wanted to know as they sat at the table in her little place. She took a sip of her diet soda. He did the same.

"It seems Dory is teaching Amy's boyfriend to play the violin. Amy has no interest in music, evidently." Axton shrugged.

Chili's brow furrowed. "How come he didn't tell me?" She bit a chip dripping with yogurt dip. He thought he'd left a bag of carrots in her fridge when he made the dip. All she had were potato chips.

"I dunno." Axton shrugged.

"Where will you go?

"Coffee shop, I guess," Axton said that was where they always met up.

"Can't you guys do something else? You know like shoot some hoops?"

"Shoot some hoops," Axton shook with laughter. "Cedric is no basketball player and I dunno about Stan. He's tall, but he looks like golfing might be his forte."

"But you were so good in high school. Didn't you guys go to State?" She reminded him.

"This is about Amy," Axton winced. "Oh, did I tell you..they are going to name the baby Rory?" He couldn't keep his mind off Em.


Thursday, March 14, 2024

Walked into the room you know you made my eyes burn



 WOE.. what had happened to Maddie? Rainy couldn't help but smile when he heard her speak at the coffee shop. Really, she never talked. Especially to him. She asked how he was doing? It was a thrill that shook him to the core.

Once upon a time, Darry mentioned they should date. No, not Rainy and Maddie, but Rainy and Darry.

"But why?" He didn't know Darry that way. Was he just having to play by some kind of new rules? Just to keep the calm?  Really, it was hard enough to know everyone's pronouns these days (not that he would want to offend anyone). But Darry got the idea it was safer that way. Just say they were dating so they could just go on with the crowd. Maybe.

And then that middle schooler practically abducted Darry. It was like spring came early. And well, Rainy didn't see much of Darry from art class. He hadn't seen much of Maddie, either. Oh, she was truly hard to figure out. She was pensive in a mysterious sort of way. It was like something was lost in her, but he didn't know what.

Sure, he'd watched her from afar and then she got with that Rafe. Rainy was certain she was damaged goods, but here she was so fond and very endearing.

"Hey, if you got time, there's this Laurel and Hardy movie marathon at the Youth Center."

 Yeah, didn't sound exactly like a date. He mentioned Darry and Junie would be there, as well as some other people from their art class. It was Friday after school.

"I'd love to." 

Her smile said everything. Really, he was touched and possibly the most giddy fool on earth. 

"Really?" He left the question hanging. He didn't think it would happen, but she met him after school. Damn, he was sure he'd mess it all up. Rainy was happy to go anywhere with her. He let her lead the way. 

Such an intoxicating feeling. Some would run from it, but not Rainy. Oh, he wanted to see just how far this would go. Still, he felt he was watching from afar, even being so close.

She reached for his hand. Seriously,  Rainy thought he might fall apart, but not just yet.

He bought her a slice of pizza and a drink for eight bucks at the commons. They talked about a few art projects. She talked about how she'd neglected using her creative muscle as of late.

"Oh, you can always catch up," Rainy smiled back. He met up with a group every Wednesday and they drew Anime in the quiet room at the library. "It's only the three of us." Even Darry had stopped coming.

"I didn't know," Maddie looked as if she'd been missing out on something great. Rainy was still in shock that she was so open. She was not sad around him, as he remembered. It was a delight to watch.

Later, they shared popcorn and a Big Cherry Coke from the endless bucket cup and laughed at everything that happened in those very old movies. It was a great time. Of course, he was barely an inch taller than her. He wondered if she noticed.

She kept smiling at him as if he were her very own prize. 

But he found himself wincing hard in the bathroom after the movie marathon was over. Wondering when it would expire. Maybe even tonight. He cleared his throat and knew he'd have to take it like a man. He bet that Rafe was stalking her and when he made his presence.... Poof! It would be as if Rainy didn't exist at all.

Yet, on that walk home with still a bitter winter chill in the air, neither seemed to notice. And a block away at the little park not far from either's house, they took a detour to the Merry-Go-Round. 

Like a dance, Maddie jumped on first and Rainy ran with the Merry-Go-Round. Faster and faster the Merry-Go-Around stirred. He could feel her laughter in the night air.

"Come here," Maddie said as if she was someone else. Not that girl in the art room who never showed anyone her notebooks and always looked a bit ill.

Rainy's chest ached. Was it really true?

They met in the middle of the dizzy ride and she kissed him with such zest that they found their way to the bottom of the vibrant ride. 

Rainy thought he might die, but it would happily.

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

You're a fragile flower in its finale hour



 Chili embraced Maddie and she began to cry too. She hated to see Maddie so distraught. After all, she was such a shy thing.

"Do you even want to be here?" Chili wanted to know as she rested her hands on her shoulders. "Maybe you need to just, go home and rest."

Maddie said no, but her eyes were red and watery. She looked a bit sickly. 

"But Rafe's here." Chili reminded her.

Maddie took a deep breath and pressed her lips tight. "I can't let him win." Her face puffed as she frowned.

"Look, I know it's hard," Chili could see how hard it was to grow up. Sometimes, being with someone didn't mean huge disasters, but perhaps just misunderstandings.

"Are you afraid of him?" Chili had to ask as if she was ready to fight for Maddie.

"No." She stood up straight and looked so innocent with those pale eyes of hers.

Chili smiled. All this time she thought Maddie led a sheltered life, but it was true, she was shuffled around from one relative to the next. Perhaps, like something was left behind, but ever so often someone might have mishelved her. Sure, they cared about her but didn't want to know how she was really doing. After all, Maddie seldom expressed her feelings.

"I'm just sorry you are having to go through this," Chili told her there at the empty coffee shop. After all, Maddie dropped in to see of any changes in the schedule, but as soon as she saw no one was there to help Chili with the customers, Maddie went to work.

The door jangled then, and she went to get the customer's order.




Rafe was watching from the kitchen. He went to pile some more flour on the shelf of supplies and loaded up more syrup in its place. He sighed wondering if Chili would find him, but he kept working. Couldn't he just keep quiet and everything would turn out fine.

Although, Maddie gave him the cold shoulder at school. It was like she'd taken to the wind and flown off to a special place like in those Chinese dramas she watched. She was nowhere these days.

Yes, he'd had a falling out with Mercer when he found out she'd talked to him. It was like he was on her trail, but it turned cold. Why did she have to avoid him like this? This was not about Maddie. Couldn't she see this?

"Well, it's never been about her, now has it?" Chili hissed as if she might really be a demon at heart.

Rafe almost fell over when he heard her words. Suddenly, it was as if all this was taking a toll on his heart.

"What are you talking back," he snarled back.

"This, this with you and Maddie," she looked him straight in the eye as if she would be his judge and jailer. "I had such hopes for you. I really did. I thought you were getting better, but somehow, you'll always be a self-centered ass, won't you."

Her words hit him like a ton of bricks. "You know, you think somebody might change when they go off to war, but that's not a sure bet, either."

She looked back through the window where people were being served. Maddie had her best face on. 

Rafe put down the flour and walked forward to see what was happening. Maddie was having a quaint conversation with some other schoolboy. Someone from art class.

"You better let her go." Chili hugged herself.

"But-" They hadn't even broken up. Still, he hated the idea of even talking to Maddie.

"You know what they say, LOVE isn't love until you give it away."

Rafe's frown was small, but when he looked at Chili now, he thought she was just a sorcerer in disguise.