Sarah Bell

Locked Freedom

They began watching the game, and Dad, Sarah and I went into our room. He walked over to our closet. He pulled a jumper out for Sarah, “Dad I’m ten years old, that’s for babies.” Dad rolls his eyes, and puts it back in the closet. He pulls out her blue-stripped shirt, and a pair of light blue jeans. He hands them to Sarah.

“Change.” He said. Sarah looked at me and I nodded, she was lucky my dad was busy looking in the closet for me. He gave me a yellow tank top and caprees. I changed keeping my back to him. He wasn’t watching anyways, he was brushing out Sarah’s hair. I found my hairbrush and started brushing my own hair out.

“There, now isn’t that better?” He had finished her hair, “Come here Amelia, let me help you with that.” Sarah and I both had blonde hair, and we defiantly didn’t get it from our dad. I walked over and sat on the floor at his feet, as he brushed it out. I didn’t want to but I was too afraid of what he would have done if I denied.

 “There you two are pretty as a peach. Well we do have guests.” Dad gestured to the door. I gave him a glare; he shot a worse one back. I took Sarah by the hand and lead her back out into the family room.

 “Hey” They all cheered when my dad returned. The guy with the tattoos, Nathan, came over to me again. I tried to shake his arm off, but he was clearly not taking no for an answer. We all sat down, Nathan just about sat on me. I let Sarah sit in my lap. The TV was turned off, and dad sat on the coffee table blocking it anyways. The other girls’ hair was tied back in a scarf and her rolled up sleeves reveled a crisscross of pink scars. Sarah was staring at them.

 I whispered, “There just like the one dad leaves, but I think she did them to herself. Anyways just try not to stare. Okay?” She bobbed, Sarah’s form of understanding.

“What are you two whispering about?” My Dad asked.

“Huh?” I played dumb, that was going to come back to haunt me.

I bounced Sarah on my knees. Nobody said anything, Dad and they guys all were drinking beer, and the lady played with something in her pocket.

 Finally, “Jess you wanna go smoke?” Nathan asked.

She nodded and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of her pocket, previously she was playing with it. They stood up, and walked to the front porch. The other two guys glanced back and forth form each other and my dad.

“We could go throw a ball around.” Dad suggested. The guys looked like they’d much rather go somewhere and get high but the shrugged, and walked toward the front door. “You and Sarah can play too.” He looked at me. I took that as a, you two are going to come play because he said so. My Dad found a football somewhere; I didn’t even know we owned one. Sarah jumped off my lap, and pulled me out of the house.

When we got out there the other two guys were talking to Jess and Nathan.

“You’re Dad coming?” one of them asked.

“Ya, he’s getting a ball.” I lead Sarah down the steps, and Nathan asked, “Are you two playing?” I nodded. “I’m playing then.” He threw his cigarette on the ground and crushed it with his foot. All I could think about was how dad was probably going to make me clean that up later. My dad came out, he had to inflate the ball, we hadn’t used it in so long.

“Whose team am I on?” My dad asked.

“How about us three,” points to Nathan and my dads other friend, “against you three.” points to Sarah, him, and me.

“No way not fair, I have the two girls, and you have an age AND weight advantage.” He argued.

“Oh get over it,” the other guy said.

I didn’t really have a clue what was going on for most of the game. Sarah kept dropping the ball, and Nathan kept picking me up and putting me over his shoulder. How cute. Some how we managed to “win”. Jess sat on the steps of the porch and watched. She added an occasional, “Good one,” or “You almost had it,”. We played for what felt like forever. It was sort of fun; Sarah seemed to like it at least.

One of the guys finally said he was hungry and we all went back inside to eat. My Dad ordered pizza. The rest of use sat quietly around the table. My Dad paid for the three pizzas and brought them into the kitchen. We all sat around the table, Nathan on my right, Sarah on my left. I got Dad and his friend all a beer, and Sarah and I a glass of juice, each.

“Your going to have to get more beers, there’s three left.” I told my Dad as he sat down.

“Thank you.” He gave me a smile, and passed out paper plates. The grown ups talked about who they wanted to win the super bowl for a while then they went on to talk about well drug dealers, and stuff a ten year old shouldn’t hear. Sarah didn’t say anything she just ate quietly. I said a few things now and than but kept my mouth shut for the most part.

Sarah’s favorite food was pancakes but pizza was a close second. She had three slices before anyone could notice. It was only two in the afternoon and I wanted to go take a nap, or lie down, and not talk to these people anymore. Once Nathan had finished his share of pizza and beer, he scooted his chair closer. I gave him a glare.

He looked at my dad, “can I talk to you in private for a second, please.” He said it with a less than happy smile.

My dad nodded and stood up, he looked at me and then Nathan nodded. They stepped out into the hallway. They were only loud enough for me to be able to hear a few things. The other guys mumbled about something, which only made it harder to hear my dad. I caught, “ remember the money,” “you said she’d like me.” “She does, and she will,” So many questions filled my head.