The Kings of Summer

nine.

Karen raises her hand to knock on the Keenan's door. She was in desperate need of help, and she knew Frank wouldn't do anything but be his usual bastard self. She runs a hand through her hair and wonders how she remembered their address.

A young woman opens the door; her eyeglasses perched high on her nose. "Hello, Karen." Her hand was placed firmly on the door, ready to shut it on the alcoholic at any second. "What do you want?" Karen's eyes widen for just a split second before she replies. She had never heard Patrick's mother this...rude.

"I need your help."

"With?" she replies, her hands now firmly on her hips. She never liked her, and she always shamed the way she treated her kids. It was so unlike her perfect parenting style.

"I want to change?"

"Is that a question?"

"No. I want to change for Charlie. I know she hates me, but a part of me knows she'll come back home. And when she does, I want to be the perfect mother for her." Mrs. Keenan watches Karen in awe. She never in a million years expected behavior like this from her.

"Well, come in." Judy sweeps her arm in a wide circle, motioning the other mother inside. She sighs before closing the door behind them. Mrs. Keenan brings Karen in to their kitchen, straightening up as she went along. The two mothers both sit down and stare at each other in an odd silence before someone speaks up. "Why did you come for me for help?"

"Well, you're the only other mother I knew. Charlie usually doesn't let me meet her friends' parents."

"Charlie?"

"Yes. Her name is Charlotte, but her father nicknamed her Charlie." Judy Keenan nods, but still finds the name odd. If she was a girl, then she shouldn't be getting called Charlie. That was a boy's name. "So, can you help me?"

The mother considered her offer for a second. She did thoroughly enjoy cleaning up other people's acts. She also enjoyed perfection. But Karen was an extremely rare case. Judy never surrounded herself with people such as Karen, so she had no idea where to start. But maybe she could take some tips from Karen.

Karen was so carefree. She didn't care about what people thought of her, and maybe that's why Patrick ran away. Maybe Judy was too uptight and obsessed with perfection.

"Fine. What do you need help with?"

~

Joe lies down in the tall wheat field Charlie and him came to. This was where they had their first kiss. This was where Joe really felt at peace, that he had someone he liked and a perfect house away from adults and rules.

His fingers brush over one of the flowers he picked for Charlie, and he grimaces. She didn't even care that he picked them; she was probably too busy thinking about Patrick.

The teen male groans and bites his lip, sick and tired of Patrick. He always got what he wanted. He had a natural and easy comfort with himself, whereas Joe had to force himself to seem cool and collected. He had the perfect family who cared for him—although sometimes awkward and overbearing—and now he had the perfect girl.

He thinks back to the night before and feels the pain all over again. He thought for sure she liked him. She kissed him and flirted with him. She was so nice to him, and she complimented him. Now, he just wants to never see her or Patrick again.

The stress becoming too much for him, he stands up abruptly. He looks around for Biaggio—he knew he was here with him—but didn't see any sign of him. "Biaggio!" he yells. His voice echoes around the field before the small teen pops up from behind tall wheat. "Jesus Christ, dude. Stay above the surface where I could see you, okay?" Joe sighs. "Um...look, I'm going to go for a walk. Don't wait up." He begins to walk off somewhere, not exactly knowing where he was walking.