Before and After

Chapter Two

I decide that I'm gonna get something to eat before I go home, I stop in at Annie's it's a little diner that's by my house she's kind of like my surrgate grandma she grabs me and hugs me when she sees me i always pretend that I don't like her hugs but I really love them, she lets me pick my seat and when I pick a booth that has a nice view of the playground a street over so that I can sketch the park. She brings me my usual; chicken noodle soup and a vanilla milkshake I eat as I sketch there's a group of kids playing tag, they look so innocent so untouched by pain and misfortune I envy them but then again I don't mind living the life I have it's not great but it's far from the worst. Sure dad drinks he gets angry and he gets violent but he would never hurt me hurt me.

When I finish my soup the door jingles alerting a new customer and I hear Annie squeal with delight I look over and I see Peter, he spots me and his smile broadens. Annie looks over at me and she drags Peter closer to me.

"Perci, this is my grandson Peter." I laugh Annie was always telling me stories about Peter how when he was three he was afraid of hte toilet so he refused to pee in the house he would only pee outside he only started coming inside becasue Annie told him that if he didn't a bug would crawl inside him when he was doing his business and he would die. It was mean but it was the only thing that worked. I didn't know that the Peter I met was Annie's Peter I never would have guessed.

"Do you mind sharing a booth?" I shake my head and Peter blushes knowing that Annie told me things about him.

"How bad is it? The pee story?" I laugh and shake my head.

"It wasn't bad I thought the stories were adorable." He shakes his head and holds it in his hands.

"Oh great just what every guy loves to hear...adorable." He says it with such disgust that I laugh again. I look out at the kids at the park.

"She loves you." I look at him and he's studying me and I start to blush.

"I know she does. How long have you been coming here?" I shrug.

"Probably ten years my mom used to bring me here when I was little, I stopped coming when she died but last year I missed Annies soup too much so I had to come back." He smiled and he looked at the park.

"When my parents died Annies soup was the only thing that made me feel normal, she used to make it when I was sick. It's a good thing it wasn't her BLT's or I'd be 300 pounds right now." I laugh and he smiles at me. Now that I know he's Annie's Peter I know that his parents had been out on a date one night and Peter was with Annie they got hit by a drunk driver on their way home, he was only seven. We just sat there looking at the park thinking about our childhoods, he grabbed my hand. It didn't feel like pity it felt nice, there weren't any sparks like people talk about but I would hold his hand all day if I could. I smiled at him.

Annie came by the table to bring Peter his food and then to take our plates we stayed sitting there for two hours talking and laughing and I knew that going home late would cost me but it was worth it I need a friend and Peter's so nice I look at him and he smiles.

"I gotta get going." It was already almost nine and I wanted to get home before it was completely dark. He stands too.

"I can give you a ride."

"No." I all but shout it and he looks shocked, dad would freak if Peter dropped me off, I laugh nervously.

"It's just i like walking." He nods hesitantly.

"I can walk with you." I look at him and give a crooked smile.

"If I say no?" He grins.

"I'll follow anyway." I laugh.