Sarah stepped off the bus at her best friend's house, sweeping her dark brown hair from her face. Her friend, Jessica, followed. Then, moments later, took the lead up the long driveway to her house, her hazel colored ponytail swishing from side to side.
Jessica's older step-brother sulked a few paces behind them. He walked slowly with his hands in his pockets and his head hung sullenly. Jessica turned towards him but continued making her way to her house...just backwards.
"Hey, Ashton! Why are you acting so grumpy?"
Sarah stayed silent and observed, wondering if this would end the same way it usually did. Ashton picked up a gray rock from their driveway and chucked it at his younger step-sister. Jessica laughed and dodged the rock. Sarah joined her laughter, knowing she'd be safe.
Ashton knew better than to throw things at her unless he made sure to miss. Angrily, he threw another rock, barely missing Jessica's leg as she moved away. We laughed harder. Ashton chucked a rock near my feet and, even though I knew he'd try to miss, I jumped anyways.
Sarah remembered previous times when this same thing, or similar to it happened. Ashton would grumpily threaten to tackle Jessica and Jessica, not taking him serious, would giggle. Sarah guessed that if they weren't in gravel Ashton wouldn't hesitate to take her down. He played football for junior high so this sort of stuff was normal.
The rock throwing and loud laughter ceased when we reached the long, one story house. It was a very beautiful house, Sarah thought. It had a modern style and up to date appliances. It had a front and back deck and glass doors on the outside. There was even a hot tub on the large back deck. The three middle schoolers entered from the back like they usually did.
Their parents, Ashton's father and Jessica's mother, seemed very sophisticated but cracked a joke every now and then and Ashton's father was a bit more immature than he seemed to be sometimes. They were both fairly layed back and either dressed very nicely or hardly dressed at all. One thing Sarah didn't quite understand was this: they both smoked but Sarah never smelled a trace of smoke on them. Ashton's father always smelled clean and fresh. Jessica's mother always had a sweet, flowery smell on her.
"How was school?" Jessica's mother greeted them.
"Good."
"Good."
Ashton didn't answer.
About now was the time they all usually had an after school snack and spoke about exs, crushes, and strange guys that liked them. Or they'd just bring up recent drama that had been going on. Then after that, Jessica would somehow annoy her brother and he'd lightly threaten or insult her. Sometimes small conversations would strike up and everyone all makes jokes and chuckles at them. And basically, that's what happened next.
If it were warmer outside Ashton would probably be outside perhaps on the trampoline. Then one of the girls would maybe suggest going outside with him and playing a game. Sarah noticed how Jessica and Ashton liked to make up games. They were often very fun.
Sometimes they just kept to the classics. Once, when they played hide and seek, Sarah hid in a ditch at the edge of their woods. She would duck down whenever she heard someone and the seekers began to get worried because they couldn't find her. Eventually Sarah came out when no one was around so no one knew about her hiding spot even though she was inquired about it a lot.
But since it was a little colder, they stayed inside the house. Sarah and Jessica stayed in Jessica's room for a good fifthteen minutes on their phones before creeping out and seeing what other activities were going on around the house. Jessica's mother was preparing dinner, Ashton's father was out of sight, and Ashton was dominating at a video game.
Sarah and Jessica sat on either side of him in the carpeted floor and watched him shoot down enemies. He was so focused it was a little funny. The girls begged him to let them have a turn. They awkwardly stumbled around in the game, unsure of controls. Ashton grew impatient and stole a remote from Jessica and played.
Everyone was called to dinner for some sort of fish, which Sarah loved, salad, bread, and meatballs. Ashton, Sarah, and Jessica sat and ate at the bar and the parents ate at the table nearby.
Once dinner was over with, Sarah was surprised when Jessica's mother asked to her to come here so she could ask a favor of her.
"Ashton went through a horrible breakup a few days ago and he isn't doing so well. As you can see, he's been upset lately, not doubt much or eating well, and his grades are falling."
"That's very unfortunate, but what do you expect me to do about it?"
"Be his girlfriend."
Sarah stood still and silent for several long moments, shocked.
"So..." She struggled to find words. "You want him to go out with me? How does that even work? He's in eighth grade. He's two years older than me. Besides it's not like I can make him like me or anything."
"Age doesn't matter at all. And he can like you. That's an easy fix."
"But what do I even do? Even if I wanted to anyway..."
"I'll pay you if you do this for me and Ashton."
Sarah again stayed silent, observing and thinking. Before she could think of an answer, Jessica's mother said thanks and walked away. Sarah stood in the room by herself, still very shocked and unsure.
