Pistanthrophobia

tween boys

I sat on the couch at my boyfriend Jonathans house our brother Will and Lucas at on the floor infront of the two of us. It was november 5th 1983 and we were finishing up the movie called the outsiders that came out a few month prior. My head was on Jonathans shoulder when my brother suddenly stood up. “Whats wrong Lucas” “its 8pm” he said shortly and Will stood up as well. “Oh come on the movie is almost over” Jonathan whined “Lucas and I promised Mike that we would be there by 8:30” Will said to his brother.

“Fine fine go get your stuff” Jonathan said as the two boys raced to Will’s room “can’t they just bike over there” I said as I lifted my head from his shoulder “nah they left their bikes over there” “then they can use my skates” I suggested as I remembered that I had left a pair over her last week and I had brought a second pair today. “They would bust their asses Val” Jonathan laughed as he stood up “ughhh” I groaned and pushed myself off the couch. “You are so cute when you’re annoyed” he said as he pulled me up and gave me a soft kiss “oh shut up” “wow I be nice to you and you tell me to shut up?” he faked bitterness and the two younger boys came back into the room.

“Alright to the car” Jonathan said a the four of us walked out into the cold of november. I sat in the passengers seat wth lucas and will in the back. “What time are you coming home tomorrow?” I asked my brother and he just shugs “it depends on how long the campaign lasts” Lucas said and I sighed “Try to be home before 12am Monday because if you are mom and dad are gonna flip their lids” I told him and turned back to look at the radio. I flipped thru the stations until I hear the beat from Dancing queen by ABBA.

“I do not wanna listen to this crap” Jonathan said as he turned off the radio “oh wow ok then” I said and looked out the window. “You are so dramatic” “shut up Jonathan” I turned to look at him as he was driving “don’t look at me like that” he said as he kept his eyes on the road. “Can you two stop flirting its making me sick” Lucas said as he read his Spider-man comic “I don’t think we are making you sick lukey you are probs getting car sick”. “I was exaggerating Val and don’t call me lukey”. “Ok ok you turn 12 and suddenly you’re too good for me” I said as we pulled in the wheelers driveway.

The two tween boys jumped out of Jonathans car “You better be back by 12 monday Lucas I am not getting in trouble because of you” I said as he came up to my window. “I promise I will be back by 12 monday” he smiled “ok good I love you” “love you too” Lucas said and he ran to the door with WIll who had just been saying the same things to Jonathan. The two of us watched as our brothers ran up to the door and began to bang on it when Mikes older sister nancy opens the door and lets the two boys in.

Jonathan pulled out of the driveway turned towards my house which is only a few down. He almost immediately pulled into my driveway and unlocked the car doors. “Um i’m picking up another shift tomorrow so you can’t come over” Jonathan said “oh ok thats fine” I said to him. “I’ll see you on monday” my boyfriend said before his kissed me and I got out the car “yeah see you on monday I love you” “love you too” he said and I made my way to my front door.

I opened the door and was immediately tackled into a hug by my 8 year old sister Erica. “Where have you been you have been out allll dayyyyy” “I was at Jonathans with Lucas” “Ooooo your boyfrienddd” my sister teased “yes yes my boyfriend” I said back to her as she let go of me and I shut the front door. “Do you wanna play barbie with me” she asked “yeah ok” I said and she dragged me off to her room after I gave a quick hello to my parents.

“Here you can play with this one” she said as she shoved her dream glow barbie that she got for christmas into my hand and she took the black barbie she had also gotten for chistmas into hers. The two of us played with her dolls for atleast 30 or so minutes before the two of us got called for dinner. Erica and I made our way down to the kitchen and sat at the table “what time did Lucas say he will be back” my mother asked me as she placed the food on the table “I told him to be back by monday” “I have work monday I am not staying up for him to show up” my father said. “I’ll stay up and anyway can I hangout with Kim and Tiff ommrow” I asked before shoving a peice of chicken into my mouth.

“Kim yea Tiff no I don’t like that girl shes bad news” My mother said as she thought about the ginger girl and I sighed “Alright” I said and my mother smiled at me. Dinner continued on like it normally would with Erica asking for new toys and my parents just nodding along pretending to listen as I actually made a mentally note on things to get for her 9th birthday. See I tend to do that a lot I listen and and take notes and then suprise the person with it. I had done it for Jonathan that Valentiens day he had been talking about wanting a cassette tape for since he got a cassette player that christmas. So for Valentiens day I had gotten him michael jacksons thriller on cassette and he was so happy.

“VALERIE” my sister yells and snaps me out of my thoughts “what Erica” I looked a her "mom said you have to wash the dishes before you go to bed”. “Oh um alright” “Goodnight” my sister said before she ran off to her room probably to play with her dolls more “GOODNIGHT I LOVE YOU” I called after her and was answered with her dooring being shut. I sighed and began to clean the table off putting the dishes in dishwasher.

Once I was done I went up to my bed room it was the farthest away from the stairs with a large keep out sign on the door. I stepped into my room and threw the bag I had been carrying to the floor and I walked over to my record player and gentle placed in a day at the races by queen and the music started to fill my room. I began to pick up trash around the place so I wouldn’t have to remember to do it before Kimberly came over the next day. “Well shit i’m glad I started cleaning now” I muttered to myself as I picked up a half empty box of cigarettes that Eddie must of left here on Friday.

I shoved the pack into my bag giving myself a mentle note to return them when I saw him before I flopped down onto my large bed. I pulled out my sketchbook and began to draw. My bedroom was covered from head to toe with drawings and paintings that I have made. Art is my escape from this hell town I know that when I leave when I graduate I leave my friend, my family, and most importantly my boyfriend but the one thing I won’t leave is my art. My fingers gripped hard onto my pencil as it ran over the pages in the warn out book sketching something that my heart knew but my brain didn’t. This is how most of my nights went I would pick up my book and draw until my wrists gave out and sometimes that wouldn’t stop me and I wouldn’t stop until my alarm would ring. Tonight was no different as I drew until my clock read 3am and I finally put my pencil down and let my head hit the pillow.