A Bit More of You

Chapter Eleven: You're My Best Friend

(Photo from scrapbook: Me (far right) hanging out with my old friends in front of Grandpa's house, 1976)

Serenity and I woke up early the following morning. It had been a struggle falling asleep. Ringo's cruel words about Mum were playing in my mind, over and over like a stuck record. Was he telling the truth? Had my mum made up stories about who she really was? I couldn't be sure. However, one thing I was certain about was how cranky I was bound to be after such a restless night.

Serenity acted like a little hostess, offering me cornflakes with extra sugar, butter for my toast, and refilling my orange juice whenever the glass ran dry. It was nice to have someone waiting on me hand and foot.

She seemed to be trying extra hard today. She wanted to be my friend, and I wanted to be her friend as well.

I was thinking about all this when my thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of someone knocking on the front door. The little golden knocker went bash-bash-bash against it. Serenity and I glanced at each other warily. Who could be knocking at seven o'clock in the morning?

"Maybe it's the postman?" I suggested. "Our one always comes early. Well, he used to. Back at Grandpa's house, that is."

Serenity shook her head. "No mail on Sundays."

"Who could it be, then?"

"I have some idea."

We rose from our breakfast and wandered out into the hall. Whoever was banging on the door seemed to be getting even more frantic. It was a wonder they hadn't broken the door down. It was getting a little irritating.

"All right! All right! We hear you!" I shouted. "Just cool your toothpaste and give us two damn seconds to answer the door!"

The visitor stopped their hammering almost immediately. "Is that you, Reeny?" an anxious, reedy voice called out.

Serenity smiled then opened the door.  There was a skinny-limbed, bony-wristed boy standing on the front step. His eyes were bright blue and he had a mop of curly ginger hair on his head. Freckled dotted his pale skin like sprinkles. I thought he looked a bit strange, but Serenity grinned at the boy like he was her best friend.

He was her best friend.

"Hi, Adam!" Serenity said cheerfully. "What are you doing here?"

"Coming to see you, of course," Adam responded. He still seemed nervous. "Was that you yelling before? Why did you tell me to 'cool my toothpaste'? I don't even know what that means!"

"I didn't say that." Serenity glanced at me, her eyebrows raised. "I think my silly half sister said it."

Adam appeared to only just notice that I was present. His blue eyes widened to the size of teacups when he saw me. Maybe it was because I was still in my makeshift pyjamas: black butterfly t-shirt and tatty, grey jogging bottoms. My hair was a mess, falling out of its ponytail and trailing down my back. Serenity looked gorgeous compared to me in her pretty, pink nightdress and fluffy blonde hair.

"I didn't know you had a half sister," said Adam.

"I didn't know either until last week!" Serenity replied, laughing. "She's really nice, Adam, don't worry."

"So you're the Adam kid I've heard so much about," I said. Then I turned to Serenity. "Isn't he the guy you have a crush on?"

Serenity's face flushed bright red. "Georgia! Stop it!"

I grinned at her, unable to resist a little tease. "He's certainly a cutie, just like you described him."

Now it was Adam's turn to turn scarlet. (Did everyone in this neighbourhood have a weird tendency to go as red as tomatoes?) "I'm not a cutie," he murmured, "but thanks."