Neighbor Wars

December-Part 4

“Leo you can't climb the chimney!” four year old me yells to an equally aged Leo that was trying to scale the inside of our fireplace.  

“But I want to meet Santa, and I heard footsteps on the ceiling. He’s up there Marley, and I am going to see him.” He says, rolling his eyes (so sassy, even as a kid). 

“Impossible!” I shout, even when we were considered friends we still fought constantly, over anything. “Don’t you know that Santa doesn’t come until you are asleep, obviously.”

He shakes his head, but still tries to climb the brick. Suddenly nine year old Gwen and fifteen year old Alexander show up behind us. “She’s right bud.” Gwen said bending down, and pulling her brother off the brick. He claws at her, but gives up, sticking his tongue out at his sister.  His legs dangle in the air as his sister holds him from the underarms. 

“See I told you I was right. Santa knows when you are sleeping, and he knows when you’re awake.” I say sticking my tongue out at him too. I laugh a little more. Alexander picks me up, too and sits me down on the couch next to Leo and Gwen.

“Mar, I know you were right, but you can't be so mean about it. Now tell Leo you’re sorry for being so mean.” He said. We both look over at Leo. He makes a fake face that makes it look like he is about to cry, but we all know he isn’t. It’s kind of funny.

“Why? He’s dumb. Everybody knows Santa only comes when you are asleep. I am sure we learned it in school. He’s stupid.” Now he actually starts crying. I remember my language and suddenly feel like a criminal.

“I am not dumb and stupid. I know my A, B, C’s and how to count to 20. Miss. Batemen said I was doing a very good job. He told me Mommy and Daddy that I was smarterer than you.” He says sniffling and wiping his eyes. 

“Fine, smart person, smarterer isn’t a word. And there is no way Miss. Batemen said I was stupider than you. She told me that you are special and need a little extwa help. My Daddy told me that I was the smartest girl in my class.” I stick my tongue out against, and Leo tries to jump on me. It takes both our siblings to hold us both back. 

“No you not!” He yells. Reaching his arms out to grab me. His short blonde hair is almost the same as mine, I try to pull at it. 

“Yes I am, That’s what the teacher told me. That's where you go on Twuesdays during math times. With that one lady.” I try to pull his hair, and he shrieks. 

“No!! Shut-up Marley!!” He yells, grabbing a fist full of my hair, and pulls. I yell, getting the attention of our Moms in the process.

“Leonardo Dawson Martin! Stop pulling on Marley’s hair. That is very mean, get off her.” His Mom says pulling him off me, and prying his hands from my hair.  

“Marley Cecil Papadakis! What did you do?! Little boys don’t just lash out on their friend without you doing something to instigate him. What did you say to get him so worked up?!” Mom grabs me and sits me on one side of the couch. On the other side Leo has been sitting down with his mother. I don’t know what she was saying, but right now I had to focus on my Mom’s questions. 

“Nothing.” I say, lying. She didn’t believe me. So she gave me that Mom look that makes you want to tell them everything, just in case they can actually make sure you don’t leave the house till you are 60. “Fine. I called him stupid and dumb because he didn’t know that Santa doesn’t jsut show up. He waits till you are asleep, adviouswy.” She shakes her head in disapproval.

“Honey, that is not alright to say to your friend.” She says rubbing my cheek with her hand. 

“But he was trying to climb our fireplace. He was going to fall, and could have gotten hurt.” I told her that I was worried about him, but Leo falling was not on my mind.

“Marley, Alex and Gwen had him under control, you didn’t have to worry about him.” She says rubbing my shoulder, thinking I had the best for him in mind. Maybe I did? “But you need to go over there and apologize to him.” She shifts giving me a good view of a crying Leo.

“I’m Sorry I said all of that abwout your smartness. You're swuper smart, I just thought everyone knew about Santa Clwuase and how he waits till you are sleeping. I mean in kindwa in a song. But I’m sorry anyway.” He didn't say anything, but he seemed to have stopped crying. After a few seconds he just sits there, not doing anything. 

Randomly he pulls me into a hug. He stayed like that for a while. Have you ever seen those cute photos where a dog is snuggled up with a cat? It’s like that. Two people you would never think would get along, but do. Like I said, we would almost always argue as kids, over everything. But we were still friends. We were still hanging out almost everyday at recess and hanging out all the time in the summer. We spent snowdays together, from 7am till the street lights went out.  We would do everything together, but still never seem to get along. 

I hear a camera click, and know that Mom is taking a picture. But suddenly I am back in my back again. Back to being a teenager. I look around. I am still laying on top of Alexander, head still on his shoulder. By now Marry has wormed her way off of him. Alexander is wide awake, looking down at me. 

“Wake up sleeping beauty.” He says, laughing easily. “Are you finally going to let us all go downstairs?” I look around the room and notice pretty much everyone is either awake or laying on an air mattress. 

Oh great, I just love the fact that my family doesn’t accept the positive effects of privacy. Nope they actually wish to be part of every waking moment of everyone’s damned lives. I just want to sleep.