Calm Before The Storm (A River's Edge Fanfic)

Paying It Forward

After school the next day, I went to the hangout outside the school building to see Matt leaning against the metal pillar smoking a joint, seemed like something was troubling him...oh yeah...I think I know, Jaime's death, we were all trying our best to keep it a secret and pretend it didn't happen. I walked to him.

"Hey Matt."

"Hey Sky," he quietly replied.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm ok thank you."

"Can I take a hit?"

I pointed at his joint. He shrugged and handed it to me, I took a puff and gave it back to him.

"Is it your stash or one of those joints we got from Feck the other day?"

"Feck."

I nodded.

"How are things at home? It's a stupid question I'm sorry Matt."

"Better than the last time me and you talked alone, a couple days ago. Your questions are never stupid to me Skylar. It's been decent...pleasant you know."

He offered his joint to me, I took a puff and gave it back to him.

"Layne told me this morning he had to rescue you from dinner table prison last night. Pot roast right?"

"Yeah, meat's too dry for me to fucking swallow, just keep on chewing and chewing."

"Have they tried to hit you yet?"

"No...I don't know if they might in the future. They might sooner or later."

"Come tell me and I'll give them a piece of my fucking mind, I said it before I'll say it again."

"I say I will each time."

He smiled.

"I took some money from my mom's purse. Wanna go to the hot dog vendor with me down the road?"

"Sure, I could eat."

We went to get me and Matt a hot dog a piece and had a seat at one of the tables in front of the stand.

"Thanks for paying," Matt said.

"You're welcome."

"I would've paid if I had money because I'm a gentleman."

"You didn't have to anyway."

"What if I had money and I wanted to pay, would you say yes or no?"

I nodded smiling.

"I guess I would say yes...because I know how sweet you are."

He smiled, I swear I feel some shit when I see him smile. No wonder I like him better than the rest of the gang. 

"You wanna know a fact about Klondike bars?"

I nodded.

"That they used to be called Eskimo Pies."

"Did Layne tell you?"

"Yeah...this morning. You bought one for him after he rescued you right?"

"Yeah, we just went out for a couple hours, I don't wanna fuck him or anything if that's what you're thinking."

"He told me he was gonna ask you out before he realized what happened with you and your mom."

"He confessed his crush on me."

"I know Layne, he just wants to get in your pants."

"Yeah he reacted to my rejection smoothly and understanding."

"He's not as bad everyone thinks he is, he's not a bad person, just all the drugs and alcohol in his system fucking his brain out."

"You're not terrible either despite getting stoned when you get the chance. You care for your friends, your mom and siblings. It's true I like you more than everyone else we're friends with, I play favorites...kinda, you know."

"You wanna go out with me?"

I froze.

"I don't know...I'm scared to have a boyfriend while living with Mom and Brad. I'm hanging out with you guys when I'm not supposed to, but having a boyfriend would make things more unpleasant between me and them. Like what if you ask me to dinner at a fast food place or something but I get caught sneaking out, they see you waiting outside for me. I'd be fucked."

I sighed.

"God I wish I could just run off to live with my dad!"

"What happened between your mom and dad?"

"Mom was having an affair with Brad, she fell out of love and started cheating on him. Mom refuses to let him have at least half custody of me, he lost the custody battle because Mom told the judge he was unfit because he works all day six days a week, she thinks he works too long to pay attention to me. Since then, she talks absolute bullshit about him around me...to me. He's the kindest person I've ever known, I really wish I had a say in all that but I didn't. She uses me to get back at Dad for her alleged lacking sex life with him. She wants him to be miserable. She got me and Brad out of my home state to live here in Cali."

"That is fucked up Skylar, this is the very reason I hate step parents and divorces...because of bullshit like this, using their kids to bicker like debating presidential candidates."

"Yeah...and obviously the reason she loves Brad is because he fucks her so hard and long they're paralyzed from the waist down and her pussy bleeds, I see the tissues when gathering trash."

He laughed.

"I know...their love life is foggier than a metal concert."

"I could probably say the same for my mom and Jim, all he does is fuck her and eat her food. He's not afraid to raise a hand at me and my siblings."

"Our home life is equally bad."

We put our hot dog wrappers in the trash can and left the place.

"I gotta head home, I'll come up with an excuse for my tardiness on the way."

We smiled.

"Ok, see ya Sky."

I hugged him.

"Bye Matt."

I went home.

I walked in to Mom and Brad on the couch watching a soap opera.

"Where have you been young lady?" Brad asked.

"My Science teacher asked me to stay after school and help her set up for tomorrow's group activity, you know with the burners and beakers and stuff."

"Yeah...are you lying to us?" Mom asked.

"No."

"I can call her at the school if she's still there right now."

"No need, she went home after...you can believe me. She asked me and I said yes, I'm just paying it forward, her being a fun teacher."

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't."

I just shrugged my shoulders and went to my room. Chee Chee meowed and jumped on my bed as I sat down.

"Hi little girl...how was your day?"

As I petted her, she brushed herself against my arm.

"Aww, you're such a sweetie...yes you are."

I laid down, I felt her make herself comfortable beside me.

"You know I had a little date with Matt today, we went to get a hot dog and we chit chatted about relationships. I think I wanna date him...but it's too risky with Mom and Brad controlling my life. I promise we'll run away back to Portland together."

We both relaxed on the bed.