12 Years Young

Chapter 5

Someone was shaking me. My eyes fluttered open to see Chris staring at me. Gordie's arms were still wrapped around me.

"Where the hell did you go?" I said whispering. I turned around to see that Gordie was awake as well.

"I went out looking for your asses! I heard Ace and Eyeball talking just below the treehouse and went to find you." He said looking me over.

"We must have just missed each other then." Gordie said from behind me.

I gently pulled Gordie's arms away and stood up. I grabbed Chris and pulled him into a hug.

"Why are Ace and Eyeball being so hostile now? They weren't this bad before." I said sighing.

"I don't know. But we should probably all go home and change." Chris said as I broke away.

I looked down to Gordie and watched him stand up. He stood next to me so we were shoulder to shoulder.

"Oh yeah. Chris, Gordie and I, um." I started not sure how to word this. I looked at Gordie for help.

"We kinda, kissed yesterday." He said as if Chris was going to punch him.

"Nice goin." Chris said with a smile. He and a surprised Gordie skinned it.

"Told you he wouldn't get mad!" I said to Gordie punching him in the shoulder.

"Sorry!" He said laughing nervously and rubbing his shoulder.

"Why would I be mad? It's my little sister and the person I trust most in the world." Chris said grinning at us.

"Let's meet back here as soon as we're done changing our clothes." I said moving towards the hatch.

Chris and I separated from Gordie. I realized that was the first time in about 48 hours I had been away from Gordie.

We walked home and snuck in through our window. I grabbed a yellow shirt and another pair of shorts. After I was dressed I looked in the mirror. I looked like shit.

My face was covered in dirt. My bruise from my dad was bad, adding Ace's punch on made it turn black almost all the way. Ace's scratch mark had some dry blood that dropped partway down my cheek and dried. I had twigs and knots all in my hair.

I took a brush and brushed through it. Then I took a shard of mirror and climbed out the window. I walked to the water pipe outside and washed my face. Now at least I looked a little presentable. I dropped the shard in the dirt and waited for Chris to get out.

He had changed into a dark blue shirt and left the same pair of jeans on. He climbed out of our window and joined me at my side.

"So, Gordie huh?" Chris said with a smirk.

"Yeah." I said thinking about Gordie's eyes. I sighed making Chris laugh. We walked through town and then up the dirt path.

When we climbed up into the treehouse, it wasn't Gordie but Teddy.

"What the hell happened to you two!" Teddy exclaimed looking us over as we sat down. "And why was the treehouse turned to shit?!"

"Cobras." Chris and I said at the same time.

"Well you look like shit." Teddy said with his maniacal laugh he does.

"Shut up man just deal." Said Chris sending me a grin.

After about ten minutes Gordie climbed up too.

"They even got Ol' Gordo!" Said Teddy laughing again.

"Ha ha very funny." Gordie said sitting next to me. We sat there watching Chris and Teddy play cards and yell.

"What's up with them?" Asked Teddy pointing at us. Gordie and I were leaned together looking at pictures in a magazine.

"They're dating." Said Chris smirking at us.

"Are not!" Gordie and I said at the same time. Teddy looked at me for a second. Something changed in his eyes for a second, but they flickered back not long after.

"You are too! Okay Teddy, what needs to happen for the people to date?" Chris asked Teddy.

"They have to have been friends for a while, they have to have had one date together, and kissed once." Said Teddy reaching back in his mind.

"You guys have done all of those!" Said Chris laughing so hard I thought he would cry.

Teddy stared at us in shock.

"No we haven't!" I said, but I knew the answer. Gordie was already blushing and hiding behind his magazine. Now I felt my face get red.

"Gordo was the first of us to get a girl?" Said Teddy with a little chuckle.

"I always thought it was gonna be Vern!" Said Chris making them both break into laughter.

"Screw you guys." Gordie said wth a laugh.

"So wait, does this mean you guys can kiss like, whenever?" Teddy asked shooting a grin at Chris.

Gordie and I turned bright red.

"If so, then you should show us." Said Teddy making Chris laugh again.

"Why the hell would we do that!?" Exclaimed Gordie. Honestly I did want to kiss him. Just not in front of my brother.

"Because we don't give you a choice. Do it now." Said Teddy getting a little angry. He was scary when he was mad.

"If we do it will you stop bugging us?" Gordie said glancing at me.

"Sure buddy." Said Chris smiling.

Gordie turned to me and I turned to him. He smiled at me and I smiled back. Gordie and I leaned together and barely touched lips before Teddy yelled making us both jump away from each other.

"Lovebirds!" Said Teddy laughing his head off. I looked to Gordie and smiled. He smiled back shyly.

"Hey do you wanna come over for lunch today?" Gordie asked looking over at me.

"Do your parents want me there?" I asked raising an eyebrow. I already knew the answer.

"I told them earlier that I was bringing someone for lunch. They don't care, hopefully." He said mumbling the last part.

"Okay sure!" I said smiling.

I was going to get to eat a real meal with Gordie! Even if his parents were there.

"Am I supposed to dress nice?" I asked suddenly.

"I guess so." He said shrugging.

"I have one dress. It's not super nice but it'll have to do. What time is it?" I asked grabbing Gordie's watch from the table next to us.

"11:30! Come on Gordo lets go!" I said grinning and opening up the hatch.

We jumped down and ran all the way to my house. When we got there I climbed in my window and started digging through my closet.

The only dress I had was a light pink one with a white collar. I pulled it on and ran a brush through my hair quick.
I looked in the mirror at my scratch marks. I washed away some of the dried blood and touched my bruise on my cheek. I climbed back out the window and walked up to Gordie.

"What do you think?" I asked spinning. It was a little weird. I haven't worn it before. Gordie didn't say anything but just stared at me.

"You should wear it more often." He said smiling. Then he saw my shoes.

"I don't have any other shoes." I said looking down at my converse.

"It doesn't matter. Let's go to my house now." Gordie said linking our arms and walking me down to his house.