On Purpose

~8~

"Get a hold of yourself!" Christy told me when I arrived to their house.
"I am." I told her.
"Then quit picking on your old man."
"He started it!" I protested, I saw my dad poke his head out from the kitchen and wiggles his eyebrows at me before disappearing.
"Be the bigger person." She said.
"Are you being serious? I beat him and he yelled at me." She looks back to make sure my dad wasn't listening before leaning in to talk to me.
"Your dad can't play video games, go easy on him."
"I heard that." We both look back at the same time and my dad stood with two beer bottles in his hands. I look at Christy and sigh. "You've been busted." She shot me a playful glare and moved away to let my dad sit in between us. He hands me the beer in his left hand and keeps his eyes glued to the TV screen. I don't tell him that he's watching collage football and not the NFL, but he seems so interested in it, I keep my mouth shut.
"How's your job going, Olly?" I heard Christy say, her eyes glued to the screen too.
I rub my palms on my jeans and hold my beer bottle between my legs again.
"It's going...fine." I force, but my mind always wanders back to Stacey and how sad she sounded, like this bakery is her life but her real life keeps getting in the way.
"You help people out with their dreams. Hey, you might help make a new logo for Chuck .E. Cheese." I look at my dad who doesn't say much. He taps his foot with anticipation of the game.
I look over my dad and at Christy. Her hair was in a high ponytail. No grey hairs in sight, only because she dyes her hair whenever they try to pop up. It's kinda funny how my dad doesn't do that.
"Thanks for the encouragement, Chris." I say sarcastically, but smiling.
"I'm so glad I could help you out." She looks at me when she says it, but grabs my dad's arm and hugs it.
I stand and make my way to the kitchen to find something to snack on. To my surprise, there was food. I dug my way around and found some left over Mac N' Cheese. I pull it out and place it on the counter.
I wanted to call and check in on Stacey, make sure her husband was okay, but I didn't wanna seem too weird. If only my boss would give me the client he's trying to hand over to Lexus I would be busy with work today. I have a ton of ideas for logos and designs. I even drew a few of my own last night after I dropped Isabelle off at her sister's house.
I went to open the foil on the bowl of Mac N' Cheese when a buzzing came from my front pocket. I removed the foil to at least look at how much was left for me before pulling my phone out and glancing at the caller id.
It was Jessie.
"Hey, it's Jess."
"Hey, Jess."
"Are you busy today?" I was gonna be busy in an hour. I agreed to take Isabelle to the movies and watch The Jester that had came out in October, but to my surprise, they're still playing it in theaters and she wanted to watch it.
"Yeah, sort of, why? What's up?" I tucked the phone between my shoulder and ear as I made myself a plate of the leftovers.
"I kinda wanted to see you again. I had a fun time with you at the library Wednesday." I nod, but forgot she couldn't see me.
"Yeah, no problem." I place the plate in the microwave and heat it up for two minutes before turning my back on it, gripping my phone in my hand now.
"Hey, I'm going to the movies with a friend in an hour. We all could go, since you and I are friends now." I heard her breathing slow.
"I was hoping it could be me and you again, but I'd love to go. What are we gonna go see?" I smiled, knowing Jessie hates scary movies or anything that had to do with blood or murder.
"You'll find out soon enough."

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"Dude, I'm not waiting, I have to pee now." Isabelle said while we waited in line for popcorn.
"Not yet, just in case she shows up." We waited for Jessie, but it's been fifteen minutes and she's still a no show.
"Maybe your girlfriend isn't coming, now can I go pee?" I look at her.
"Just for that, no." Her eyes darkened again.
"Fine." I say, "but hurry up." I felt her smack my arm. "Don't rush me, Dip-Noodle." I look at her, our eyes linger for three seconds before she's off to the ladies room.
I sit and wait for the people ahead to finish getting there things before I moved up the line. While I wasn't paying attention, I accidentally bumped into a woman, she held her daughter on her hip as the little girl turned to face me, I held up my hand an inch, "My bad." I whispered. I watch her mom turn to face me, and I'd wish she hadn't.
"Oliver?"
"Mariah?