Breaking Boundaries (unordinary love story)

Chapter 41: One in a Billion

I'd been saving up over the few weeks from working at Secret York, and was able to produce a couple hundred bucks. Not much, but half a loaf is better than none. It could still help. I spent some of the cash on pretzels at Pretzelvania, but other than that I kept the rest for good use. Dad never found out about my job or even suspected anything about it, as far as I was concerned, because he'd been getting home pretty late from work everyday, and by the time he was back I was already home. Max had his share of the money from working at lunch. We kept our savings safe and counted each coin. If we still had to move away somewhere, that's another story. It was still worth the effort.

That weekend I was chilling on the porch with Max and Mikey. We were sitting and enjoying life while munching on cookies.

I bit into my circle of sweetness, the decadent taste like a bite of heaven. It was toasty, chocolate melting on my tongue.

Max sighed. "Life is tough." That came outta nowhere but it was relatable.

"Ya think?" I said.

"Yeah. Football and everything is."

"But so are you, so...you'll live."

"I just can't stop thinking about mom. The pain is still there. As always. It's just there."

I nodded. "It's a pain we share. We can learn to live with some pain, right?"

"I guess."

Mikey reached for a cookie. "I just want things to go back to the way they used to be. If mom were here, half my problems would be solved. Including math problems. Plus, I'd feel more loved."

"But you are loved," I said.

"Like you have any idea," said Mikey.

"So," I said to Max, ignoring Mikey's comment, "what are you gonna miss the most if we ever move?"

"I don't know, a lot," said Max. "I wouldn't bother to think about it. It hurts too much."

"Yeah, I know. I would miss...the people."

"I would miss our neighbor, Ms. Cromwell. The lady who brings us pastries every week. Like the cookies."

"Nice."

"You know another boy likes Everly too?" said Mikey.

OK, did I mention that ever since Mikey told me his love interest, he just won't shut up about Everly? I don't think I did, but I felt like punching him if he mentioned Everly again. It was just getting weird. And he kept asking me for advice with girls. Like OMG, I had no idea, just cut me some slack, little bro!

"That's great," I answered. "Who does she like then?"

"I don't know," shrugged Mikey. "Maybe nobody. But at least she doesn't like Tim."

"Girls don't like boys who chase after them non-stop," I said.

"I didn't chase after her. I just told her I like her."

"Do you even talk to her?"

"Nope."

"She doesn't know you or want you then. Sorry," I said.

"Ouch," answered Mikey. He left.

A moment later he returned with a slingshot. He started slinging mini bean bags at me and Max to get under our skin. It was so annoying! Like dawg, Mikey, cut it out!

"Stop doing that, mouseface!" said Max.

"I don't look like a mouse at all," said Mikey. "But that girl named Lucille that you have a crush on does."