Camera With Defective Lenses

Chapter Three: Pranks with Oaklen

   "Wait, before we do anything that I might regret in the morning, we need to take a picture to have evidence." I said to a fuming Oaklen.

   "Yeah, I definitely have cameras lying around my goddamn house!"

   "I have one, but I left it at home today since I went out for coffee. We can go get it then come back." I think I calculated that right.

   "Won't she be there though?" He asked deep in thought.

   "Nah, she's at cheer practice until five thirty. We'll be fast enough so she won't see us," I paused, "wait, are you even allowed to go to my house? What about your punishment?"

   "Your parents didn't tell you they talked to my judge?"

   "No..."

   "I'm allowed to go over to your house if for some reason you couldn't make it to my house one day." He simply responded.

   "I don't trust you."

   "I don't care." He replied.

   I shrugged my shoulders and got into the car.

   The car ride was not silent. But the conversation wasn't between Oaklen and me. Oaklen was talking to his drug dealer I think. He was talking really quietly, but well, I was sitting right beside him with the music off. I heard words like weed and dough. Not really sure what else I was suppose to think his colloquy was about.

   The car ride was quicker than I thought it was. I grabbed my camera and then we went back to Oaklen's house. When we got back though there was another addition to the mess. Someone had thrown toilet paper all over his house and trees. And sadly, it was beginning to rain. The toilet paper was going to get all mushed up into the grass and just be a disaster. Oaklen started swearing wildly as rain pelted down our backs.

   "I can help you." I started bending down to pick up the mess.

   "No! Don't! Take the picture first." He demanded madly.

   "My camera isn't water-proof. I can't take it when the sky is crying out here." I sighed. I wasted gas on this boy.

   "What if I wrap it in jackets? Would that work?" He asked excitedly.

   "Yeah, that could work," I shivered, "and Oaklen?"

   He turned back to look at me with his face wet and his hair plastered against his head. It was a good look for him...

   "Can I have one too?" And to help prove my point, my body shook uncontrollably.

   Ten minutes later, I was standing in front of Oaklen's house ten times warmer. His sweatshirt smelled like cigarette smoke and some fruity shampoo, but it didn't bother me. I had quit shaking and now I was wrapping my camera up hoping not a drop would touch it. I took pictures of the toilet paper covering his house and his car that barely had eggs on it. The rain had washed all but about two that had gotten stuck in the tire and the windshield wiper.

   Just as I snapped the last picture, a car pulled up in the driveway. A guy got out wearing a crisp dark gray business suit. I assumed it wasn't Oaklen's real dad because they shared nothing in common look wise. As he walked closer, I could see a mean glint in his eyes. Maybe it was just because he was angry.

   "Did you do this?" He pointed a finger at me.

   I just shook my head frightened senseless. But why would I help clean up if I did it?

   "Oaklen, just wait until I tell your mother about this." It was like he was thirteen and got off on getting people in trouble. Maybe it would be a good idea to start tutoring at my house. I never wanted to run into him again!