Sinematic(Devin Sola)

2

My eyes scan my parents as they talk to their guests about who knows what. Probably something that has to do with my dad's ridiculous job. A small sigh leaves my lungs as I watch the older adults mingle and laugh like nobody is listening to their gross words. The blue orbs in my eyes run back to the clock hanging on the wall, scanning it for the 5th time in the past 3 minutes.

I'm supposed to meet Chris at the park a block away in eighteen minutes. My parents have already forgotten my presence so it wont be hard to slip away. I was the center of attention for a brief 5 minutes before they got bored talking about how "beautiful I'm becoming.", what an eye roller.

I quickly become impatient with sitting there and push myself off of the chair I was sitting in. Does it matter if I get there a bit early? More time for me to be away from here. My feet slowly and quietly pad their way to the back of the house where the garage is, luckily it's on the opposite side of the house. I slide a random coat hanging on the rack beside the garage door over my arms, knowing if I dont the cold will probably kill me. My feet quickly push their way into the snow boots I have sitting by the door, and I quickly make my exit.

My hands turn icy as I make my way down the frozen sidewalk, my walk almost over the park around the corner. I press the palms of my hands together rubbing them quickly across each other, warming them up for a few moments. As I turn the corner my eyes spot a lonesome boy sitting on a swing.

The snow starts crunching loudly under my shoes as I turn off of the frozen sidewalk onto the white sparkling grassy plain. My stomach turns with anxiety as the boy's head lifts up, probably hearing the crunching of my shoes. I can barely see his features the light coming from behind him, but I can make out enough to confirm it was the boy I met earlier. It makes me feel a bit better, but still weary.

"What the fuck are you wearing?" He asks me after his eyes do a quick scan of my body.

"This is why I needed to escape. They were yelling at me because I refused to put the dress on. I fucking did everything else they asked but they still made me wear this stupid dress. I'm done with their shit dude." I push out a loud sigh, sitting myself on a swing beside him, a quick shiver running through me.

"You look cold." He states the obvious.

"I'm freezing." I reply, my hands running up and down my arms quickly to try and warm up a bit.

"I know we did just meet and people have been taught stranger danger their entire life but, it is freezing. Would you like to chill at my parents house for a little bit? Its warm there and may be better than sitting out here or going home." He quickly rambles, stumbling a bit over his words. That awkwardness that was there earlier coming back.

"Wouldn't your parents freak that you brought a girl over?" I ask, actually considering the idea.

"No, they don't really care as long as Im not making a fuck ton of noise, not that they can really control what I do anymore." He shrugs.

"Why is that?" I ask, curious as to why they cant.

"I'm eighteen." He states simply.

"I mean yeah you're eighteen, but you still live under their roof, would that not be disrespectful?" I ask, my words obviously anxiety filled.

"If you dont want to hang out there it's cool, I get it. My parents are really chill and dont really stop or fight me with anything I do." He shakes his head a bit.

My brain cant find the words to reply to what he just said. Part of me feels bad that I pushed, but I cant help the questions I have. There's a moment of silence as I try to find something to say to diffuse and not make worse. But I'm usually better at the latter.