How's this for a Wet Dream? [Nightmare On Elm Street]

Chapter 9: Imagination

Even though it would have only taken us maybe ten minutes to walk to the diner, Mom drove us. She had always insisted that you never knew when something would come up and you'd need you car. She said if you were out later than expected and was either too tired to walk or felt unsafe, then you'd wish you'd had brought your vehicle. Also there was a chance of emergency or a change in plans that made you want to go to other places while you were out. My feeling was that ten minutes was ten minutes. Nothing really unsafe about such a short distance. It would be simply just to walk it even in the event one of those things came up. Even so, I had learned not to argue with her and just go along with whatever. If I didn't, it was usually considered 'back-talk' and deserving of a verbal or physical lashing...or both.

We took our usual spot in the cafe. My mom had a penchant for going out or taking small weekend vacations to get her mind off things. She'd always take me with her. Thinking about it, I realized she didn't really have any friends either. I don't think these little escapes ever worked though and often she'd only end up complaining about finances. It was something I pointed out to her once is that if she was so concerned with money, that not running out all the time and spending money like that would help. And yes, I was yelled out, shoved against a wall, and grounded for weeks.

I looked around the restuarant and saw several other students there. Nobody I knew too well, but I recognized their faces. I guess Phil and I weren't the only ones playing hookey. In light of circumstances, most of the parents in Springwood had become clingy. Even some of the teachers had become lax and gave us more leeway. Of course, a few kids took advantage and there was that one bitter professor who constantly complained that there was shit happening in the world all the time and it wasn't helping anyone to baby children when something did go wrong. I had actually kind of agreed with him. Wouldn't say it though. Everyone at school fucking hated the guy. I put my attention back on the menu in front of me and scanned it with my eyes, even though I already knew what I was going to order.

"I think I might actually get a burger today," Mom stated absentmindedly not removing her gaze from the plastic covered paper in her hands.

"Sounds good," I said, then prompted, "And a milkshake?"

She looked up at me then, lips pursing in thought before shaking her head, "No... No, that would be too much."

I stared at her as she put the menu down in front of her and reached for her glass of water. She had grown quite thin over the last several months. I hardly saw her eat anymore even when we were out like this, she often just picked at her food. She'd told me in the past that when she was upset, her appetite would disappear. I, on the other hand, was constantly hungry. Mom had even put me on diets to make sure I didn't gain weight or so that I lost weight after gaining a few pounds. For the longest, I believed that I was fat. Fortunately however, I started studying myself and others. Percentages and polls of people and their weight and even BMI. It all taught me that I had never peaked higher than six or seven pounds overweight. It still didn't satisfy Mom...

"Aw come on. You're so small, you can afford the extra calories," I told her in a thick voice.

What I said was true, but I hated complimenting her on something she put me down for. I was thin too. I had always been yet I'd never heard her tell me I was as she berated me endlessly about my size. Her reaction told me that my forced kindness had served its purpose. She grinned, reaching her hand up to her cheek and mumbling aw. As fake as I was being, the response was satisfactory. Staving off the beast... In the past, I had always thought my mom and I were close. It wasn't until I started getting older and really understanding the things I liked and the things I was, that I realized that the only reason our relationship had been so good was due to the fact that I was young...incapable of very much independent thought. As a child, you tend to take to heart whatever your guardians say. If they said something was true, it was and if they said something was dangerous, you stayed away. Generally speaking, of course.