After sweeping under the couch, and redoing everyother chore he had already done that day, James resigned to his room.
He sighed looking out the back window at the path to the beach, hoping he could go back one day, soon.
Craig had passed out on the couch again, at around eight-thirty, but James didn't want to push it any more today. Instead he snuck down stairs, took one of the house phones, and made away with it back up the stairs to his room. He called Jareth, one of his best friends.
"Hello?"
"Hello Mrs. McWraith, is Jareth there?"
"He sure is, James. Jareth! Phone!" She called for him.
"Got it! Thanks mom" Jareth said picking up the other line.
"No problem, see you later James"
"Bye, Mrs. McWraith" He heard the click as she hung up the phone.
"Hey, James, what up, man?"Jareth said casually
"Not much, just sittin' around..."
"How's your old man treating you?" Jareth question. He was one of the only ones who had actually witnessed the abusive behavior.
"Eh..." Replied James.
"That bad, huh?"
"Nah not really. Theres been worse." Huffed James.
"That's good to hear," Jareth replied.
"Yeah... So, I have something crazy to tell you, can you come over tommorow?"
"Uh... Yeah I think so"
"I know you don't like coming over to much... but I dont think my dad will be to bad around you."
"No, it's okay. What time?" asked Jareth
"2:30-ish good?" James replied
"Sounds good to me! Can't wait to see you man!" Jareth said with enthusiasm
"You too, bro"
"See ya!"
"Peace"
*Click* James sighed.
He wondered if his dad would let him go down to the beach for awhile.... "He should be a little sobered up by now" James thought, hopefully.
He marched down the stairs, crossing his fingers behind his back.
"Hey, Dad?"
"What?" snuffed his dad.
"I was wondering if you would let me go down to the beach for a little bit." James asked, hope in his tone.
"Did you do the dishes?"
"Yes" Replied James.
"Sweep under the couch?" Huffed Craig.
"Yes'sir"
"Rake the back yard, and everything else?" Gruffed is dad, a little annoyed.
"Yes'sir."
"Fine. One hour. And no more. No less. GET!"
"Thank you Dad!" James said, excited.
"Yeah." Craig said, falling unconcious again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
James sprinted to the beach, excitedly yanking his shoes off on the way down the woods that smelled of summer. He couldn't wait to skip stones again, and maybe swim out to see if the stones were bouncing off of something.
