Boys And Guns

"Nothing is wrong. You have to get out of here. They can't know that you're here. They will stop anyone who tries to get in their way."  

Silence slowly filled the dark cold room as Cal slid his navy blue polyester jacket off, help me put it on, and slowly started heading for the fire escape outside my window. 

Cal was my best friend for a while now. Ever since the first grade when he saved my Barbie from the trash can we have been very close. Just recently he asked me out and I said yes. We have only been dating for about 2 weeks, but it feels like forever. He's tall ( well taller than me), with bright blonde hair, blue eyes that sparkle like the waters of the Bahamas, and a smile that lights up any room he strolls into. 

In the moment he left I heard the sound of the heavy front door slam. It sounded like thunder booming with every step you could hear my mom take. She reach the door finally then stopped, and I didn't just see one set of feet, but two.  

I wondered if Cal had gotten caught, but it couldn't have been him unless he changed his shoes. He had been wearing neon green converse sneakers, not black Nike sandals. So it couldn't have been him.  

My mother's voice broke through my thoughts as if a baseball had just made contact with a now shattered window. 

" Sweetie, Are you awake?" 

"Yes mom. Give me a sec to throw on some pants it's chilly in here." 

She always acted nice with company around, but today she seemed normal for once. 

My dad died in Vietnam 4 years ago and ever since then she has been changed. Went from eating too much to starving herself. She also went super strict, ( that's why me and Cal have to sneak around to see each other). She just needed help but would never get it. 

I threw Cal's jacket into my burio drawer, put on my comfy pajama pants, and turned on the TV when she busted into the room. 

" Where is he? I know he's here." 

While my mother kept yelling questions, I stood there trying to figure out who the kid was next to her. He had dirty blonde shoulder length hair, emerald green eyes, and dimples. Then it hit me like a bug hitting the windshield of a car speeding down the highway. 

"Teddy!" 

I wish I wouldn't of said it at all. The moment I did, my mom smacked my cheek so hard it felt as if my soul had shattered inside my body. He ran over as if the world was ending, picked me up, and hugged me. Next, he ran somewhere in the house and came back with a bag of ice. He placed the bag on my cheek and started to walk away. 

"Why are you here?" 

The words could not have come out of my mouth any faster.  

"My brother wasn't home and I was worried, but it doesn't matter. Are you okay?" 

Yes Teddy and Cal are brothers, but they were both cute. Cal was about 3 years older than Teddy was, but Teddy had always been the cuter of the two. Yes, Cal is 4 years older than me, but he's the sweetest guy in the world and sometimes I forget he's older. 

"Are you okay?" 

" My cheeks stings a little, but I'm fine." 

"Good! So are you ready for Tuesday?" 

" What's tue-" 

" Teddy, I have not told her yet. I wanted you to do the honors." 

" So Nichole, you haven't given her the-" 

His voice was cut off by my new cell phone. I soon realized what was going to happen. I picked up the phone and read the text from Cal, and then the one from my mother. Cal's had asked if I knew where his brother went. My mom's said I better say yes to whatever happens next or else and I was worried. His voice was sweet as the words rolled off his tongue.