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

Common Sense

The next day, I walked home from school to ask Mom and Brad something while they were watching TV.

"Me and Maggie's got a history test tomorrow, is it ok if she picks me up so we can go to her place and study together?"

"Why not here, that's pretty suspicious?" Mom asked.

"Well, we both agreed it didn't matter or not which house. She'll be on her way in a couple hours."

She cupped my face with her hands.

"Look me in the eye Skylar, and say you're gonna study with her at her house tonight."

"...I'm gonna study with her at her house tonight," I said without moving my eyes from hers.

She stared at me before answering.

"Ok...she can pick you up and you can go."

I quickly sighed.

"Thanks Mom. What do you think Brad will say about it?"

"Well, as long as you got permission from one of us and not go sneaking off with those stoners, then you got nothing to worry about."

"Listen Mom, I'm not the type of kid that asks a parent for something and get no then ask the other parent and get yes."

Mom chuckled.

"Now that would be a nightmare wouldn't it Skylar?"

I just nodded.

"You know if you really did a thing like that, you'd be sleeping on the streets."

"I just said I wouldn't."

"Now you're just saying that so you wouldn't get kicked out."

Turning things into a goddamn lecture.

Later, Maggie was here! I gave her the biggest hug imaginable, with my backpack on.

"Hey Sky, you ready?"

"Yeah."

I turned to Mom who was in the kitchen.

"Can we borrow some money for if we decide to order a pizza or something?"

"Isn't Maggie's mother there?"

"She's working really late," Maggie replied.

"And your father?"

"He's dead."

"Oh Maggie I'm so sorry."

She walked to her purse by the door.

"Here."

She got twenty bucks from her purse and gave it to me.

"Twenty dollars."

"Thanks Mom, that's really cool."

"You're welcome, now go on and study, stuff your faces with pizza."

We giggled as we left the house. As soon as my house was out of sight, at the end of the road was Layne's car. There was no test to study for, there was some late night fun with Layne and Matt, Maggie was just the key to getting me out, what a best friend does. Maggie gave me one last hug before she left me with the two boys. I got in the backseat.

"Where we headed?" I asked.

"My favorite place...the arcade," Layne said.

"Means a few rounds of skeeball for me."

"The fuck is skeeball?"

I heard Matt laugh.

"If we find one I'll show you."