For You

II

Looking at the clock to see it flash 11:57, I sighed and closed the book I was trying to finish. I still had five more chapters left but if I didn't leave now I would be late meeting Molly-Faye at the park, and I would never hear the end of it if I was late again.

Approaching the park bench Molly was sitting on, said brunette glanced up from her book and waved me, a wide smile stretching across her face. "Ciao Peter." Molly's mother had moved here from Italy years ago, teaching both molly and her younger sister how to fluently speak Italian. "You're actually on time today, "There it was. Every two days we meet up here and last month I was 12 minutes late, and she has let me forget it either.

Rolling my eyes as I sat down next to her, I say, "Yeah and I also haven't finish that book you gave me a few days ago." She feigned horror before laughing," I didn't expect you to finish a 700 page book in two days Peter, especially due to your," she paused, "circumstances."

I gave her a look," Molly, its not like anyone died in the fire, you don't have to refer to it as 'the incident' or anything remotely like that." Molly gave a frustrated sigh and leaned into my side, her head resting on my shoulder. Everything was quiet between the two of us before she decided to break the silence., "So how is your mom handling it?"

"How she handles everything: baking." It was true. Whenever my mom stressed out about something, from her friends gossiping to a death in the family she bakes. I remember before she told my dad she was pregnant with my little brother she had baked so many cookies Mrs. Clause would have asked her for tips. "I think she's just grateful she didn't listen to my dad and I when we told her she should give Brett his own room upstairs where her office is." Molly nodded her head, silently agreeing with me.

"Do you know how the fire started?" I visibly tensed up, so before I could say no or come up with a lame excuse, Molly had already shifted her body so that she was facing me; her knees pulled up to her chest. Her brown eyes narrowed slightly, "You do know, don't you?"

"n-No."

"Tell me"

"I don't know, really."

"Peter"

"..."

"Peter"

Her eyes narrowed even more, her forehead crinkling in frustration. I sighed in frustration, knowing one way or the other I was going to end up telling her anyway, so I might as well get it over with. "Okay, I do have a pretty good idea as to who did it but," I add, seeing her getting excited,"i cant tell you here."

She gave another frustrated huff, "Okay then, where?"

"Your house, lets go."

As we stood to leave, I caught a glimpse of black hair out of the corner of my eye but when I looked back to see who or what it was, it was gone. I shook my head, telling myself that I was just paranoid. "You know, I think you should dress up this Halloween?"

I frowned, "I haven't dressed up since sixth grade." She laughed at that, comparing it to the fact she dressed up every year. "Yeah well I think you should dress up this year."

"and what do you think I should dress up as?"

"Spiderman." my frowned deepened. I had dressed as Spiderman in kindergarten.

While Molly and I walked toward her house, talking aimlessly, we had completely forgotten about her book that she had been reading, which was currently resting on the soft grass of the park.