SCAR TISSUE

two

ADAM KESSLER
DECEMBER 7th, 1997

"everyone ready to go, guys? busy day today." venetia dropped her backpack against the island counter and spun towards the pantry. it was midterms week at aden lukas's high school and he needed to be there an hour earlier than normal. venna and i were going to pick up a quick shift at matilda's, the town's diner, instead of just coming home for an extra two hours of sleep. we were pretty tight on money since i refused to touch the money our mom had left for me, so anytime we have the chance to pick up a shift for some extra money we take it.

"ready," aden lukas stepped out of the bathroom pulling a misfits t-shirt over the long sleeve shirt he already had on. venetia poured him a bowl of cereal, frosted flakes, and slid it across the counter towards him.

venetia then shot me wide eyes and nodded her head at him the second he wasn't looking. "talk to him," she mouthed to me before grabbing her backpack and heading for the door. i watched as she left and when i looked back to aden lukas, he was already staring at me expectantly.

"i hate frosted flakes." i said, pointedly, hoping this would go smoothly and i wouldn't have to get yelled at for not being able to communicate with him. i couldn't interact with him, it was just something about him. he looked so much like my dad, probably because rory looked so much like my dad. but the problem was, i looked nothing like either of them.

"i know she told you to talk to me, you don't have to force it." he nonchalantly took another bite of his cereal. he then looked back at me with a grin.

"i think it would be good to start a relationship, i wanna get to know you better." my voice had a slightly higher pitch. i wasn't lying, i was simply improvising.

"oh yeah?" one of his eyebrows went up and he lowered the spoon back into the small blue bowl.

"uhhuh, how about... tell me something venetia doesn't know." i thought on the spot, leaning into the counter how i do at work.

"mmm," he thought, having another spoon full. "i don't want to be called aden lukas, isn't aden enough?" he said while chewing. i smiled to myself as milk spilled out from his lips as he spoke with his mouth full.

"okay, aden, that's fine by me." i emphasized his name.

"good, then it's settled. we communicate just fine, don't we? can i go to school now?" he pushed the bowl away from him.

"yeah, go ahead. i'll be out," i watched him carry his backpack out the door. that wasn't so bad. the kid doesn't like his name, huh. did venetia know that? i'm already a step ahead. i quickly rinsed out the bowl and followed after him.

"why are you guys here so early?" nora said from under ethan's arm. they came by every morning before class started for coffee, though nora drank tea. they had been a couple since the beginning of time and they were so predictable, everything they did was marked on a day-by-day agenda.

"you guys do know you're supposed to come in through the front door, right?" this was an example of how every day was the same for them. Every time they came to Matilda's, they came in through the back and through the kitchen, past the bar, it would be quicker if they did just come in the front.

"i prefer coming in the back." ethan pressed a kiss on my cheek as he passed us, snickering at his gross joke, then smiling at venetia innocently. they threw themselves onto the same two stools they sat at every day and went into normal conversation.

"so, how's hockey going?" nora picked up a menu even though we all knew what her order was going to be, it was the same every time. black tea and the breakfast dish, but no hash browns and heavy on the pepper.

"i'm not doing playing this year." i said, picking up dirty dishes from the man who had fallen asleep in his seat.

"oh, adam! why? you're so good at it," she dropped the menu, dramatic as always, and rest her arms on her elbows, holding her face up with her hands.

"yeah, come on, cat. you're practically our best player- besides me." ethan stretched his back and cracked his knuckles. "we won't go to state without you, man."

"i'd love to keep playing hockey, but i just have bigger priorities right now." i glanced over at venetia and shot her a look. if i didn't have to babysit aden with her, i'd be able to play hockey. i turned back to ethan, but he was no longer interested in whether or not i was gonna play, but more interested in making out with nora. i couldn't watch.

"smoke break!" i grabbed a pack of cigarettes from under the counter and hurried outside. i rocked back and forth on my feet, rubbing my arms for a moment. i didn't think it would've been that cold. i fumbled with the pack and pulled one out, lighting it and setting the lighter and pack down on the window ledge.

"everything good?" the door creaked as venetia stepped down the old wooden stairs.

"uhhuh," i nodded. i was fine. i puffed the cigarette and offered it to her, somewhat upset when she actually took it. she wasn't a huge smoker, so it was meant as more of an empty offer. 

"you kind of stormed out a second ago, it was weird." she blew the smoke down towards the snowy sidewalk below us. "do you like her or something?" she still stared down at the ground.

"what? no." i shook my head even though she wasn't looking.

"well, do you like him?" she looked up then, offering the cigarette back which i took hesitantly.

"no! the fuck, ven?" i shook my head, faster this time. where was she coming from with this?

"just checking," she gave a small smile and went back inside.

what a truly strange question to ask me, why would i like ethan? i don't even like him as a friend that much, he was just sort of always there. he was always everywhere.

i dropped the cigarette and stomped it out under my beat up nike's. i needed new shoes, and soon. i hung my head and ran my fingers through my hair, fluffing the front, and picked my head back up. i felt dizzy. i waited for a moment before pulling the door open and stepping back inside.