The Boyfriend Diaries

7) The badder the better-

    Chapter Seven: The badder the better-

   With my hand holding the hat on my head as I ran, the wind fighting with me to sweep it away, I dashed for the tree Melissa was still sat against. Gasping for breath, I motioned for Liss to get up from the grass. She dusted herself off.

    “I thought you weren't gonna' show and figured your mum had finally put a leash on you.”

    “Hey! Watch it,” I scowled up at her still doubled over. Boy, I was really unfit. I stood up and pulled on the collar of my jacket. “Of course I got away, why is everyone doubting my skills? I am Shayenne Hall, am I not?”

    “There's not another like you, that's for sure.” Melissa said with a smile I hadn't seen before. I was confused, was that a compliment or an insult?

    “Come on,” I said as I hooked my arm through hers and we started walking. “Let's leave before my mum races down the road and beats me with a wooden spoon.”

    That set Melissa off into a fit of laughter and encouraged her to think up different scenarios in which my mother could punish me even more than she already had, not that I ever took her punishments seriously and stuck to them. Nevertheless Liss was getting really creative, and the sadistic side to her was starting to creep me out.

    It wasn't long before I grew tired of the dreary chore of walking and I began to skip my way down the street, singing at the top of my lungs. Melissa refused to join in with me and tried to hide her face when walking past people. Which only made me that more persistent to get her to join in, albeit reluctantly, and move her arms up and down into what could only be described as the chicken dance. It was only when I spotted the chain-link fence of the skate-park did I cease my performance.

    As we crossed the street Melissa seemed anxious all of a sudden at the daunting scene of guys and tom-boy girls armed with BMX bikes, rollerblades, skateboards and anything else with wheels, conversing and racing around like a giant swarm of angry wasps.

    “What's wrong?” I asked but instantly regretted it.

    “Are you sure this is safe, Shay?”

    “How can it not be safe?” I failed to see just what she was all tied up in knots about. Unless she was planning on laying down in the middle of the park to sunbathe, only to be ran over multiple times then there was nothing to be scared of. “Most of them go to our school. It's okay, they're around our age. They're cool.”

    “How do you know that?” She hissed as I dragged her by the arm across the road. “They could have their own secret club and we'll be outsiders trying to fit in. Or, they could be dealing all sorts of illegal substances and they'll kidnap us and tie us up so we don't compromise their criminal activity!”

    I laughed suddenly, Melissa's mind sure was running wild today. I'm betting she ate too much Coco Pops this morning, this always happened to her when she overdosed on sugar. Which Melissa could do really easily, she was such a light-weight it was embarrassing.

    “Where do you get these things from? Chill, alright? I've been here before, they know me. If anyone asks I'll let them know you're some big-time boarder who's taking a break from stardom.”

    That distracted her. “I didn't know you came here.”

    “It wasn't your thing so I never told you.” I shrugged. Not to mention I had only ever gone at night, which was when the arguments filled the house with it's tormenting screams. The skate-park seemed to have been the only place that distracted me from my dismal worries and teenage angst of homelife. It must have been all the bright yellow over-lights that illuminated the park, and watching the silhouettes of boarders and bikers flipping and twirling. There was something otherworldly about it, something calming. I knew how strange it sounded which was why I had never told Melissa about my midnight rendezvous. She was my best friend and could tell her anything, anything but that. I suppose we all had our secrets.