The Back Harlow Road • Stand By Me

Chapter Six "Girl Fight"

It has been six days since Ray went missing, and I can't say it has gotten easier. At times I did things to get my mind off of his disappearance, but with no new updates from the police I couldn't muster any hope.

Clair told the whole friend group about what happened the other night and I couldn't care any less than I already do. They are certainly not my friends anymore and I'm ok with that. However my parents didn't react well when they heard what I did and when they found out who I've been hanging around.

I don't see why, sure some of my friends do bad things sometimes, but they care about me. That's more than I could say about the array up on The View.

Vern also told the other guys that I started hanging out with The Cobras and as you could imagine, they hated the idea of it. But I guess they dealt with it because I haven't heard a word about it since.

Cheerleading started and I've been trying to distract myself from all the drama with that. But there is drama even there, so I quit the team in spite of myself. My mother got angry and said that I was throwing my life away.

Just because I'm not their idea of a perfect child doesn't mean they can't support my decisions. In return I stopped talking to them, which only resulted in them getting angrier.

Things haven't been peachy between my parents either, my mother was having an affair with the milkman, it was quite obvious actually that there was something between them. I guess I never really realized how Ray was the glue in our family. He held us all together.

My fifteenth birthday was coming quickly and I was so very ready, although I believe my parents had forgotten with all of the things going on in our lives.

For my birthday I didn't plan anything special, I was just looking forward to everything about it, except for the fact it was without Ray. This year I had gotten him an autographed baseball, by one of his favorite players.

I had it hidden in a shoe box, under my bed. I pulled the shoe box out and looked at the hand white baseball. I ran my thumb along the red lacing and cried for the first time about Ray.

I quickly stopped myself and put the ball back into the box shoving it under my bed. Don't think, don't feel. It was a simple concept that seemed to work, I learned from the master himself, Ace.

I heard a knock on the door and I made my way downstairs. Four familiar boys stood at the door to my parents disappointment. Instead I just closed the door behind me and followed them to wherever they may be going, which I knew wasn't the tree house since we were walking in the opposite direction

We walked into town and thankfully people have stopped giving me sympathetic smiles every time I had past them. I entered, behind the rest of the boys, the small, familiar diner.

Today was strange, because I wasn't in a talking mood. So instead I just listened to the guys conversation.

"Guys, I think I'm gonna give up on finding those pennies. It's been nine months and I've checked everywhere, sincerely," Vern said and I remembered the quart jar of pennies he had buried. He drew out a treasure map to find them again, until his mom cleaned his room and accidentally threw it out.

It's true, he's been trying to find those pennies for nine months. But what poor Vern didn't know was that Billy took them and spent all the money.

"Billy probably took the jar you idiot," Teddy said and I tried my best to hide the smirk widening on my face, he hit the nail on the head.

"No, he couldn't have," Vern said in doubt and I felt bad.

"Come on Vern don't give up looking yet, you'll find them," I said and even though I was giving him false hope, the smile on his face eased my guilt.

"You think so, Connie?" he asked and I nodded.

We talked, and ate, some more until Lando and Clair came in. Oh no.

"Look who it is," Teddy whispered from beside me and I rolled my eyes.

"The wicked witch from The View," I said a bit too loudly and I heard hushed laughter as Clair gave me a death glare. I guess she heard too, oops.

"Wow, still a whore I see," Lando said and I looked at him unimpressed with his insult.

"Wow, still thinking that you're hot shit I see," I shot back and I can't say it wasn't the truth. That's my main problem with them, they think they are so much better than everyone else. But who are they to think they were born better, they've done nothing to prove their greatness.

"Why don't you just back off! No one likes you, not even your parents. Everyone knows that you are just a reject, that's probably why Ray killed himself. Because he was so sick of you. So stop acting like you are so cool, because you ditched us. News flash! We've never liked you anyway," Clair said in a bitchy tone and I snapped.

"Who the fuck even are you Clair? You are fake and the most self conceded person I know. I sorry that I even thought you were a real friend. I listened to you bitch and moan for hours about the stupidest things and here you are acting like I ain't shit. Well you must love the was ain't shit tastes because my name is always in your mouth," I said standing up, but I didn't stop there. I walked up to her and took my fist to her face. I swung directly at her nose to give her a matching one that her boyfriend had. She fell backwards crying and I smirked.

I stormed out of the diner with the guys hot on my trail, cheering.

"That was fine Connie! Just the best!" Teddy said and I was proud of the scene that just happened. I could tell that I was changing, and maybe it wasn't for the better. But for now I was just happy I stood up for myself.

"Sincerely, that was the best thing I've ever seen," Vern agreed and I smiled.

"I can't say she didn't have it coming," I said and Chris nodded "and you were the one that finally gave it to her."

Gordie stayed silent throughout this whole time, I guess he still didn't like me but it wasn't as bad as before. I have came to accept that not everyone has to like me, and I was ok that he didn't.

I looked up to the big clock sitting in the middle of town. It was 12:02 and I panicked, I was supposed to be home by twelve.

"Ah shit!" I exclaimed turning around "I got to go my parents are going to kill me!" I started at a dead run for my house, I was running for my life.