My Ex-Bestfriend

Thunderstorms

Once my feet landed on his side of yard he wasted no time in patching up his fragile new friend. Despite his desire to play basketball he put that on pause to run inside to retrieve a first aid kit. 

He met me on the porch as he examined my wounds. His tenderness reminded me of my mom but his time when I thought of her I wasn't sad. It was a happy memory to be reminded of what kindness felt like. Since her passing I handled my own first aid dilemmas, until today.

"This might hurt," Michael said as he squeezed antiseptic on my scrapes. I've always had a high threshold for pain but even if I didn't the warm sensation filling my chest cavity numbed any possible pain.

Michael cleaned it gently then he methodically placed triple antibiotic cream on. Next came the paw patrol band aids that he carefully configured around the wounds. When I noticed the cartoons his cheeks blushed, "I know it's kiddish but it's what my mom buys."

He tidied up his supplies before retrieving his basketball.

I watched him play basketball til the street lights came on. I did that every night for a week. Every morning he would be at the fence by the ladder waiting for me so he could help assist me over. Every night he followed me home depositing me safely on my door steps. 

 After a few days I went from the spectator role to the student as he coached me on basketball.  I clearly lacked his height but I made up for it by being scrappy. We spent our days playing horse and around the world. We played every day till summer was almost over.

Realization set in that these days would soon be over. We wouldn't be going to the same school. He had a fancy private school and I would be going to whatever public school we were zoned for. I was nervous thinking of how I would survive without my fearless protector. It was still weeks away so I tried to enjoy the time we did have together.

Since my dad liked to check in on me at lunch time we would go to our prospective houses for lunch but meet back at his driveway. I was getting stronger each passing day and no longer needed Michael's help with the rope ladder. One day after lunch I climbed the fence via the rope ladder when I heard voices. I followed the voices to the front porch. I recognized Michael's voice  immediately but the other was his Mothers'. I only ever heard short clips of her voice, "Michael Lunch!, Michael Dinner! Time to come in Michael!" Even though I've only heard short phrases I still recognized it as her. 

The first time I met her she appeared out of nowhere on the wrap around porch. Michael enthusiastically introduced me to his mother but instead of a warm greeting it was more sterile. Since then she would always peep her head out from the screen porch door to eye me up and down before shaking her head dismissively. I don't know what she held against me as I never was given the opportunity to offend her. It was as if my mere existence on this planet bothered her.

"Mom, come on?!" Michael pleaded.

I snuck closer using the bushes to my advantage to hide. 

"No Michael. I won't hear it any further. You start school soon and it will be easier this way."

"But I like her," Michael insisted.

I tried to be inconspicuous. My skills as a reporter required it. To not be seen or heard just make observations. I believe I was the "her" he was speaking of. I knew he was an only child and I hadn't seen any other kids he played with other than me. His neighborhood lacked kids our age hence why he had sought me out.

"I don't care if you like her, she is WHITE TRASH! We don't mix with her kind. Plus she is a mute Michael. How can you be friends with someone who can't even talk?!" she spat. "Honey, you know I want what is best for you. You need to play with boys your own age that you can converse with."