Rise Up

Ops

It had been an hour since Justin had fallen asleep and his tea was still sitting there. He sat there looking as childish as ever. I think it was the best part of staying with him. He had started snoring at ten minutes after he passed out. Right at the hour mark he would start mumbling about his dream or something. Past the hour he would start to move his foot to the rhythm of the music in his head. I would tease him when he woke up, but that's because I do all that in my sleep too.

Sure enough, Justin muttered under his breath. Something having to do with my Uncle Jared. I giggled. Then I heard a knock at the door. I looked at sleeping Justin and asked him, "Who the heck did you call before picking me up?" Before I could answer the door, the knocking got louder.

"Justin! Open up!" I felt my heart beat go faster. Gramps was going to go haywire when he finds out that I'm staying with Justin. I ran to the door. If he got me in trouble, who cares. He wouldn't be mad for too long. When Gramps saw me he gave me a toothy grin. He had a frame that was built and healthy. He was my exact size. Not to mention that he was of a dark hispanic complexion. He had a clean face with dimples and smile marks. "Good, you're out of that hell hole." He remarked. I was happily surprised, never had he bad mouthed Max. Justin suddenly answered Gramps from his sleep,

"She's staying here... she's getting sick... again... no, I want ice cream." Gramps gave a hearty laugh and threw a pillow from the couch at him.

"You told me that over the phone you over grown kid." Gramps hugged me and swiped up Justin's tea. "He let it get cold, did he?" Gramps took it to warm it up in the kitchen. Like always, Gramps made himself at home without an invitation. "So hows your... stunt craving coming along?" I should have known better than to worry. Gramps wouldn't have minded my staying here. The question had to do with my lifelong dream of circus act. Mom had never liked the idea, but Gramps and Uncle Jared would take me to dance and gymnastics. Justin somehow got me to train with a wonderful group of flying ribbon dancers. When I was fourteen I came up with a mix of all those things for an act. Just because I wanted to do something different. Uncle Jared liked it a lot. Gramps was fond of the stunt, but Justin was iffy. He begged that I have a net ready, but I wanted a free falling effect.

"The stunt is still being built. Cassidy is trying to find a five and a half foot wide metal hoop, and Drake is getting the ribbon ready. I felt a shaking sensation on my spine. "Then Harry is trying to fix up my costume and makeup." Gramps gave me a big hug and turned to get his warm tea.

"You're going to do great. Is Justin still working tech?" Gramps knew all the lingo. I nodded. Justin started stirring. "Well good morning sunshine!" Gramps shouts at the top of his lungs. Justin jumps startled and turns to us. He rubs his eyes and relaxes.

"I forgot I had called you." Justin mumbled. Gramps gasped and huffed.

"A wacky old man like me? Forget me? ME? Why how could you?" Justin threw a pillow at him, which Gramps neatly dodged, and answered,

"Because I fell asleep old man. How did you get here?" I looked at my grandfather. He couldn't drive, and Uncle J wasn't here. How did he get here?

"Well I drove over here." I nearly killed Gramps.

"What?" Justin was asking the same thing. Gramps driving was worse than a student driver, a horrible student at that. Gramps laughed.

"Jared, my great son, gave me a ride. He's going to come back." He placed his tea down and picked up the pillow behind him. "You both are so easy to tease."

I rolled my eyes. "Can you blame us? You went across the train tracks and stood there as a train approached, twice!"

Gramps rolled his eyes back at me. "Just that one day. I'm not that crazy." Just then, there was a knock at the door. Justin walked over groggy-like. Before he opened the door, Gramps went into the dining room out of sight from the living room.