The Heiau

Sleepover

Elizabeth and Haley bypass the car and head for the parks restrooms 20 yards away. George Brad and Jessica sit in the shade of the tree next to the car. "Does anyone have any food left?"

"I still have some chips and musubis left" Brad says reaching into his bag and handing George and Jessica each a musubi.

"Mahalo" George says grabbing his and unwrapping it.

"Thanks man" Jessica says before taking a bite out of hers.

"No problem." Brad responds and reaches into his bag and pulls out three cans of coke and hands those out as well. "Do you think your mom and sister want a coke? I have two left."

"I don't know ask them they are coming back right now" Jessica answers before George can. Brad and George turn to see Haley and Eli walking towards them.

"You better finish that before we leave" Haley informs them. Brad takes the remaining two cokes and hands them to Haley and Eli. "Mahalo Sweety."

They all sit there and drink thier cokes in the shade watching cars pass by. When they are finished Brad and Jessica take the cans from everyone as well as the platic wrap from George's musubi and walk to the nearest trash can a few feet away. They throw the plastic from thier snacks into the trash can and the empty coke cans into the recycling bin that sits to the side of the trash can.

They return to the car where Haley, George, and Elizabeth sit waiting for them. Bread gets in on the passenger behind George and Jessica gets in behind Haley scooting Elizabeth into the middle. When everyone is in and buckled up Haley starts the car , reverses out of the stall and starts her way down the road.

"Brad you have to call your parents and ask if you can spend the weekend too." George says looking into the vanity mirror in the passener side visor.

"Tell them that you will be having dinner with us as well." Haley adds reaching her hand back to hand him her cell phone. "Jess I already asked your grandma and she said it's okay but we have to stop and pick clothes up for you and don't forget your swimsuit."

"Awesoime, Thank you Ma'am" Jessica responds happily. Knowing that she won't have to stay with her grandmother over the weekend makes her day seem a lot better.

Brad calls his parents and like normal they approve him staying over without question. "Thanks Dad I'll be over soon to get clothes and some books. Love you." He presses the end button and says "They said yes. I just need to pick up some stuff from my room if you don't mind Ms. DeLima."

"Oh I don't mind sweety. We will stop by your house before we stop at the Benson house." Haley says grabbing the phone back from Brad and putting it in her purse.

"You're so lucky you get to do whatever you want." Jessica says jealously. She has always envied Brad's freedom. She spends most of her time in her room, watching her cousins, cleaning the house, or running errands for her family. If she isn't doing that she is getting yelled at or physically punnished for anything that her grandparents can imagine. Only on rare occasions does she ever get to spend the night at someone's house. She is going to try her best to enjoy every moment of her weekend that she can. When she goes home she knows that there will be some kind of punishment waiting for her. "The Return To Hell" as sge calls it. She starts thinking about the chores that she will have to do when her weekend of freedom is over.

"Yeah Okay" Brad retorts. If she only knew how much he feels bad for her and what she goes through. His doesn't think his life is harder than hers but he deals with his own things. He is restricted in his house as well. He is constantly pushed to be the top student in his class at all times. The last time he brought home anything that wasn't the best in class was when he brought home a trophy for second place in the 3rd grade spelling bee, being beaten out by Tiana Rose Merideth. His parents were so angry that they locked him in his closet with nothing but a bottle of water, a flash light, and a Websters Collegiate Dictionary. Periodically they would come by and test his spelling quizzing him and threatening starvation on him if he got anything wrong;. The trophy still sits in his room with a little note that says "intellectual superiority is you only goal" That very intellect has its own woes as he is bullied by his neighbors constantly going on about his looks and his family having money. He is called a twig, nerd, geek, dork, rich boy, pansy, four-eyed freak, and many other names when he walks down his street. He has been beaten and threatend with knives and guns for his money, and yet he believes that Jessica has it worse off than he does.