How Unexpected | Brance | The Black Phone

Chapter 8

Vance

Thursday Night

I get home from school, it's been fun this week. That group of kids were real funny.

Sassy Ginger, Griffin, is unapologetically himself. It's admirable.

Crookey, Billy, is undeniably fun and comfortable to be around. It's nice to feel safe around someone like him.

Finney is quiet but talks so much about space. He's a little nerd but it suits him.

Robin is fun to make mad. He and I have actually grown this unspoken vow to protect the rest of the group.

Bruce. Well, he's just so amazing. Smart, funny, kind, pretty. He's great to be around. He helped me with English during lunch yesterday. He was really patient and I appreciate that.

I snap outta my trance when I hear momma open the front door. I get up from the couch and help her carry in some bags.

"What's all this, Momma?"

"New paints! They were on sale for 2 dollars for 5 paints! I got all the colors! We were running low on a few. They did not have any gold or silver or pinks, but I did get every color they did have!" She seemed very excited. With Dad on a business trip and me spending the night at Bruce's house, she was going to use all of those paints. I'm glad, she deserved a night to herself.

"Momma, happy ur getting me out of the house, I assume?" I say, winking at the end. She slaps my arm.

"Non! My goosh, Vance, venever u can, u put ze words in me mouth." Her accent started peeking out.

I chuckle, "Momma, u gonna have fun while I'm gone? How mean." I say, wiping a non-existent tear.

"Oui! Only time I have house to self. U with friends and ur father away. U still going? With ur friends?"

Friends......

Bruce. Lovely, amazing, and beautiful Bruce.

I had to ask her. Now.

I nod, "Mhm, Momma.....est-ce vraiment mal d'aimer quelqu'un du même sexe?" (Is it really wrong to like someone of the same gender?) I ask, looking down.

She stops pulling out her paints and looks at me, "Vance? Mon chérie? Veux-tu me dire quelque chose? Parce que ce n'est pas. Ton père serait.....pas d'accord mais il n'a pas à savoir. Hm?" She says, gently holding my arms. She looks up at me, a small smile on her delicate face.

(Vance? Sweetie? Do u want to tell me something? Bc it's not. Ur father would....disagree but he doesn't have to know. Hm?)

She looks just like me, we were splitting images of each other. Where she was gentle, I was sharp. Where she was delicate, I was rough. She looked like an angel, acted like one too. While I was a ball of fury and rage, uncontainable and unlovable.

I couldn't ever believe how she could possibly marry someone like my dad.

"Qu'est-ce?" She asked. (Who is it?)

I look into her eyes before looking down at our feet. She wore her white flats, the ones with a small bow on top.

"Un ami? De l'école? Parle-moi, Chérie." She says.

(A friend? From school? Talk to me, darling.)

I take a deep breathe and let it out. I nod. A friend. But...he's not a friend. He's a crush.