The Nerd Has A Boner 2: Summer Deeds

Chapter Five

"I dream about what it would be like to be with you. In a pile of wonderful mistakes and happy endings. Where it's only us. But, that's not reality. In reality, I'm trapped and you're running from the bad ending to your life."-Anonymous

Darcy Higgle

The gathering went as planned. Sarah got high and, her friend got enough embarrassment to last for a lifetime. I made a call pretending to be a neighbor. Betty's overprotective mother hauled herself here in minutes. Daddy knew Summer's father from business deals. It's how we pulled this off and much more.

They would have never thought we would be friends. I need to check on a little someone Betty has been missing. Fredrick. It isn't hard to tell how close he stuck to her. Tutor or not, there was more between them. And since Juliet got sentencing to ten years, someone has to pick up her dirty work. Betty is Sarah's friend and, why not her be the next target.

"Dad, I need another favor. It's a tiny one. Can I see the cameras for the basement?"

As usual, he's in his office. "Darcy, you know that is a private space for our deeds. Bad deeds." My hand knocks over the stack of cash he just counted.

"But...that's not fair," I say sternly. My Dad pushes back his chair to cross his arms.

"A tantrum at your age?" He watched me disgusted. I huff with my hair flowing back.

"Would you like it if I told everyone about how you deal drugs?" My hand reaches forward to push the cash onto the floor. His teeth clench.

"Darcy, take it and leave," He flings his computer towards me. I catch it with open arms.

"I only learn from the best." He only gives me his fatherly talking-to, which fades the farther I walk away. I'm standing on top of a patterned rug. I stomp and hear a creak. I push the fabric with my shoe. It reveals the keyhole in the ground. The key fits perfectly. The floorboard comes up to show a long ladder going down. It's dark and smells like death. My phone emits a flash of light. I hold it and head down the long ladder. The deeper I go, the worse it smells.

Once I am down, the basement becomes clear. In the middle, a single chair has a figure hidden by the lack of light. Two big men are standing at the ladder I climbed down.

"Hello, fellas. Dad gave me the key. How's the asshole been?" I ask, looking at the men that did not stare in my direction. Their posture is stiff and unmoving.

"Not responsive," one uttered. The other stayed silent.

"Not responsive. Hmm," I reiterated. I walk to him. Fredrick's face looks sullen. His shaggy hair is matted and, his clothes are dirty with bloody. The ground under him has fresh blood droplets. He's been through some shit. Fredrick has difficulty lifting his head to see me. I push his chin up. His eyes still hold a cold glare while being the one tied up and betrayed.

"Poor you. Your people used you and left. They took the money to set you up with my Daddy and pretend to arrest you." I smile with an evil glint in my eye. Fredrick shakes his head.

"What do you want with me?" He asks. A cough of blood surfaces to his teeth.

"Oh, nothing. You were getting a little too close to Betty and, you also tried to rob a store. After all, she is Sarah's friend," I laugh.

"That's what this is." He scowls up at me.

"My Daddy doesn't take orders from anyone except me. Remember that. Enjoy your stay at the Higgles residence," I walk away. I can hear him curse me under his breath. It doesn't make a difference in his chances of living. Sarah's only making her summer worse.

Betty Winkle

My mother is grasping one side of my ear while my father recites every prayer he remembers on the top of his head. "Mom," I whine, annoyed. My mother gives me a look to quiet myself. There is no way I can get out of this. I dug myself a hole. My curfew wasn't until minutes when they showed up. None of their decisions is fair.

Our religion feels like it took over who we are. Who my parents are. Before this, my parents were lenient and carefree. Nothing could hold us back or restrict us. Now, we rarely go out as a family or interact when it isn't about god. The front door slammed by my mother's foot. She let go of my sore ear. I wince while turning my head.

"Get your bible and start reading," My father rest his keys down.

"Why can't I explain myself?" I question.

"You being at that party is enough of an explanation. Revealing clothes and possible drinks!?" My father bellowed. His voice can project for miles. My mother stood next to him with a nodding head.

"Dad, it is a pool party. What do you expect?" I angrily take off my shoes. My teenage life is going to waste stuck in this house." Hearing that, my father marched me to the stairs himself.

"Wait, I'm sorry." He's taking me to the closet.

"I expect you not to follow them. I've had enough of your attitude. Do you want to be stuck here? Fine, god will deal with you." That was the last thing I hear before they closed the door shut on me. They don't say anything after that. Supplies from the church were given to us and stored here. I can see stacks of bibles and pictures on each wall.

There is no window or entertainment. This is the first time they've gotten this mad. "I'm sorry. I won't go out and do that again. Let me out," I implore. A click of a lock is the response I get.

How long will they leave me here?

It's already late at night. My bag fell off my shoulder on the way here. I'm hungry from not finishing my hotdog earlier. All I can think about is if I did things differently. I could have brought a couple of people from church for dinner and danced to religious music all night. Maybe then, I wouldn't have ended up here.

I wonder if Sarah is okay. She didn't look like she knew there was weed in the fondu. Summer told me before I got there. My summer feels like a punishment. Imagining somewhere else is my only escape. That I'm sitting with Fredrick while he picks a flower out from the prettiest sugar maple tree. The fall festivals make my heart swell. We lay looking up to a better day. A day I am not in a strict religious household. A day he is no longer missing. I wish.