STUNNER (Lucky Blue Smith)

2

After my last class and having to explain to the teacher why I was late, I could finally go home. My brother would be at work and my sister would be at her friends house because no one could pick her up. My mother should be flying back in to town sometime tonight so it looks like I am going to be alone for a little while.

When I get to my house it turns out that Grayson is still at work, he graduated 2 years ago and tried to attend community college but dropped out and now co-owns a tattoo parlor in the city. It's funny how I can be related to someone so cool and easy going.

The moving truck that was once parked on my street is now gone and the same lady from the morning is watering her plants on the front stop.

Standing from my very own front stoop I yell a friendly hello to her.

She perks her head up and looks around as though she wasn't sure if she heard someone or not.

"Hellooo!" I call again and she turns over to me and stares for a moment or two.

"Uh...hi." She waves a little and I enter in my house after smiling at her. She was nice this morning and I felt bad for knocking over her box, plus she had been unpacking all day long by herself which doesn't sound easy or very fun.

My house is empty and quiet, not to mention very unclean. My mother will surely clean it when she gets home, but the toys and laundry scattered all around the living room is enough to erk me, so I take matters into my own hands and clean up a little on the first floor.

I hum to myself on my way to my room where I drop my book bag and immediately put on sport shorts and a sports bra. It is so hot outside but I need to get in condition if I want to make the track team again this year. My hair is now in a tight ponytail and my running shoes are tied.

I walk back out of my house and take moment to put my ear buds in so I can listen to music while I run. I begin to trot down the sidewalk and I smell an ashy fume hanging in the air. When I turn to look at my neighbor's house I see two boys sitting on the stairs that lead to the front door.

What happened to the nice woman who was watering plants?

One of the boys is definitely smoking and they other is...I think it is Lucky...What the heck is he doing here?

They both watch me as I stare at them while I run by. Eventually I have to turn to look ahead of me because my head was strained from turning to look back at them. That was awkward and weird. I continue my run all the way passed the school and I am now almost back to my house. Sweat is dripping down my forehead and running down my chest. I breathe heavily as I reach my court and start to slow to a walk.

My heart beats heavily in against my ribs and my body pulses due to the hot blood running through it. My hands rest on my hips and I walk by the houses that lead to mine. The boys are not sitting on the front stoop anymore but I can hear their music from inside the house.

I wonder where the mom is...at least I assume it is their mom.

When I get to my room, I am too sweaty to lay down on my bed and I open up my window because our house is so stuffy. I glance up briefly from my window and see Lucky and the other boy sitting in a room in their house. Lucky is laying on his side on the bed while the chainsmoker sits on the floor talking to him.

His eyes connect with mine and being the idiot that I am I don't look away. He smiles a little and I return it but not because I am happy to see him, just a gesture of kindness.

"Hey." The brunette says from his spot on the floor, his voice is very muffled because their window is only cracked slightly.

Lucky's head turns in my direction while his friend goes to open the window wider. I swallow because I actually really need to shower due to the fact that I am sweating from every part of my body.