Paper Hearts | ✓ | [ e d i t i n g ]

Chapter Eleven - Ding Dong Ditch

list guy was right; the smaller things were scarier.

All we had to do, was step up to the door, and click the doorbell. Then hide in their bushes to watch their expression. 

Even Theo, who stood so close to me I could feel the fabric of his jacket brushing my shirt, wasn't ready. This was horribly hard.

I could feel it in my heart, the way it beat horrendously fast, and I could feel it in my mind. What if he came at us with a newspaper? It didn't make it any better than we had choosen the most notorious house for our ding-dong ditch stunt. 

Mr. Draper had been ding-dong ditched at least once everyday for the past two years, and he was tired of it. As soon as it reached year two, he started to sit by the door and wait for people to ring his doorbell. Rumor had it, he kept a shotgun above the doorway for people who tricked him.

Theo said, " you know, I ding dong ditched him once."

Corra and I both looked at him, amazement on our faces. " How?" She asked, eyes wide.

" Very carefully."

She scoffed, " well of course. But I mean, how'd you get away alive?"

The story began: " I did the whole ring the doorbell thing, and ran. I mean, I didn't even stop to see the mans face. There wasn't anytime. There was no way in hell I was getting shot over a ding-dong ditch." 

" wow." Corra and I said in unison.

I smirked, " A little rebel, how cute."

He shot me a glare, but a smile teased his lips. How condradicting. I gave a nod, " alright, I'll do it." Then I turned, " It was an honor to know you. In the event that I die, I want you two to run and never look back. When you marry, both of you name at least one of your children after me, if not all of them. You're a good team, thank you, for everything."

Corra nodded, wiping a faux tear from her eye, " i'll never forget you."

Theo even hugged me. It was a one armed hug, but a hug none the less, " Try to survive." 

" I'll do my best." 

After hugging Theo back, I put on my bravest face and walked up the door. There it was, the doorbell, with it's taunting orange glow and menacing textured surface. My finger slowly erased the distance between it and the ringer.

ding-dong-ding-ding-ding-dong-ding-dong

I spun on my heels and dove into the bushes, directly atop of Theo who was expected a body to land on him. Catching me with his arms and chest, we laid in the bushes, unmoving. I rested my head on his shoulder and waited.

A older man's voice sounded, " damn you kids! Fuck off!"

He waved something around in the air, and instantly relaxed when I realized it was only a newspaper. He grumbled some more incoherent words, before going back inside and locking the door. 

I looked at Theo, and smiled, " good catch."

" I'd say good fall but it was really inconvenient." He replied, arching a brow.

I pulled back, scooting off of him. Corra waved her eyebrows at me and I promptly replied by shoving her back into the dirt. 

Things didn't just happen spontaneously. There was always a flame before the forest devouring fire.

We clambered out of his bushes and started running, incase he heard the branches being broken and came back out with something else in his hand. Something about the soles of my shoes slapping the pavement and Corra's laughter made ding dong ditching a lot more fun that I thought it would be.

We stopped at the end of my driveway, hands on our knees, panting. Theo straightened, " Well, you survived."

" I did." I replied, catching my breath, " and I regret nothing."

Corra tossed her head back in laughter while Theo smiled. It occured to me I had never really heard him laugh.