Catastrophe and the Cure

Chapter 20

I find my pants just sitting there. No, they weren't sitting on their own. I must've thrown them after I changed. I always love changing into my Long Johns. They're just soo comfortable and awesome.

I pick up my pants and I freeze. I know they hold more than what they appear. I know that in one of these pockets, holds a letter I've been trying to avoid in some ways. I know I have to read it, I know it but I'm scared. The thing is, that I don't even know why I'm scared, I just know I have this feeling of just anxiety and I'm scared I might just pee myself. Silly? Yeah, I know, but its these kinds of feelings I can't ignore.

"Ok Lora, you gotta get this letter and read it. What could go wrong? Don't be a weenie!", I told myself twice too many times.

"Hi Lora. My name is Anthony, I'm 17years old and I love punk music. I have 3 brothers and sorta of a little sister. I have an older sister too but I don't consider her much. I have a mom, and my dad is somewhere around, maybe fixing cars. I love gummy bears, and to play music.

Look, the reason why I'm doing this, ALL of this is because I'm very sorry we got off through a rough start. I'm very very shy, I'm never one to just talk to someone. Specially a girl. Specially a pretty girl. I'd like to get to know you, and maybe you'd get to know me. I'm not too bad of a guy. I'm very shy, so I'm sorry for that. So.....can you tell me about yourself....please? :) Ant. "

And with that, I melted completely on my bed and squeeled like a girl. I couldn't believe I was soo scared of this yet this had made me feel soo special and I think he might've just called me pretty. Omg!, he did. Atleast I think he did!!

As I'm lying in bed with the letter on my chest, my heart making the clean white paper ripple with the beats of my heart. All I can do at this moment is lay there and imagine his eyes, his skin, his lips, the way his hair shun and the tips of his hair curled just a bit. His dreamy face with gentle skin and warm energy, all captivated in me. My thoughts keep going around in my mind like chicken noodles soup.

I put my thoughts aside as I hear my phone buzz. I look for my phone, but its no where to be found. I get closer and closer to the sound, until I dig through all the mattress sheets and find it.

"Hello?" I ask.

"Hey its Stephen, what are you up to Dorkous?" It's my brother.

Stephen is my favorite and closest brother. He's 2 1/2 years older than me and we get along perfectly.

I'm kinda his mini-me, so they say, because we've always been really close and I'm always up for a challenge, and who better at a challenge than Stephen? My brother who knows me soo well, treats me like a brother yet with a lot more protection than a psycho mom. He's been a bit over protective after

8th grade and all of his High school friends began to notice me a lot more and in new ways, ones he was definitely not happy about. But he's still made me feel like a tomboy, even though with long hair, and a bit of make up.

"Hey bro, what's up? I'm just at home. How about you?".

"I'm just about to take Megan out, wanna come ride?".

Megan is his quad. He calls it Megan after Megan Foxx. A guy can only dream.

"Uh, sure. I'll get my stuff ready."

"Alright bro, I'll be there in 5 minutes. Open up the side gate so I can load up your quad. Which one are you taking?"

"I'm thinking Ana Nicole. Yeah, I'll take her. Alright, well I'll see you in a few".

Ana is my pink quad, he's pink and huge, with glitter on the back fenders well, what's left of it. Most of the glitter is peeled off from all the dirt. It had taken me 3 full days to get all the glitter and stones on it. My family laughed at me until they noticed my bike was the coolest one riding on the dirt. And just hearing my brother yell 'you go bro!' While riding Ana, it felt nice and silly. My brother calls me bro, he tries to make me a bit less girly by calling me that.

I grab my purple and black bag with my neon pink and bit of purple and green outfit and helmet. I always make sure I have an emergency safety kit with neon band aids and all. I'm not the girliest but I do have my moments. It's always funny to see my brothers and I with neon band aids at the racing tracks or afterwards when we go grab something to eat. It's nice to be able to have silly moments with my brothers.

My ears and attention are now drawn to the loud engine roars my brother's diesel truck is making. Almost sounding to the rythim of my nervousness I had earlier just by reading Anthony's letter. As much as I wish I can just sit here and think about what I am going to write back to him, I can't. I know I'm overly excited and riding will do me good. I'm soo happy that I'm willing to try new moves just because I feel soo fearless. Can't wait to ride.

There's a tap on my window, "Hurry up Dork! Let's go and ride!".

"Alright, I'm coming!", I yell back.

I'm about to head out when I see the letter on top of my coffee table. I know I shouldn't feel paranoid but thoughts of Starr creeping into my room when I'm not here, go through my head. I quickly grab the letter and shove it into one of my converse high tops hanging behind my door, very neatly organized. By that I feel accomplished and finally head out to meet a very inpatient brother of mine.