CAMP MARS

Chapter 8

Very nervous (scared, maybe) to play in front of him, he kept on urging me to play, saying he likes my voice and that it puts him in a better mood.

"Not yet. I'm not in quiet the mood to sing yet." I tell Jared as he crossed his arms and made a pouting face.

"Then, while we wait for you to get in the mood, tell me about yourself." Jared says as I grew very hesitant to do so. Jared then reminded me of our starting over. "Come on, we agreed to start over. I won't make fun of you or anything. I just wish to get to know you, that's all." He then got smart as I smiled. "And I want a little more than you being a girl."

Thinking it over, I decided what the hell as I began telling him my life tale (some of it, anyway).

"I'm from Indiana, I live with my Mom and sister – who I call the Spawn of Satan." I say, confusing Jared. "She's sixteen."

"Oh, I get it. I know how sixteen year olds act. I was one." Jared told me, laughing as he began telling me about his sixteenth year of life. "I was a monster. I started fights for no reason, I wanted to be by myself, I got interested in girls – mainly sex..." Jared then coughed a few times before continuing, "Also drugs and alcohol, and the usual sixteen year old stuff. Cannot tell you what I did to Shannon that whole year. Well, to be fair, I got all that from him when he was sixteen. He was no better than me, I'll tell you that. Man, sixteen; the year the monster come out. Anyway, enough about me. Continue on." Jared said as he waved his finger in a circle as he gave me his undivided attention.

I had to say was I impressed. No one can talk that much without breathing heavy or coughing, but he managed to pull it off.

Refocusing, I got my head on straight as I continued with my story. "Let's see... I'm currently unemployed, but I'm looking for a job. In my spare time, I write music and or play on my keyboard. And that's about it." I said, patting my legs as I throw my hands in the air.

Jared then crossed his arms as he raised an eyebrow, giving me this 'I'm not buying it'. "That can't be everything. What about your parents? Tell me about them. What do they do?" Jared asked as I shook my head.

"No, you don't want to hear about my family like that." I say as he waved it off.

"No, it's okay; in fact, I insist."

I sighed heavy as I began sharing my tale of my parents. "Well, my story is no different that yours or seventy-five percent of children who grew up with me. My parents broke up – they were never married – when I was young. I'm not very close to my father, he in fact really doesn't want me around. I haven't even spoke to him in... ten years, give or take. Last I heard, my Dad was helping some other woman raise her kid." I say, trying my best not to cry as I began thinking of something else besides him.

"So... he replaced you, is that it?" Jared asked as I nodded my head slowly.

"Yeah... okay, he replaced me. Big deal. His loss. I don't need somebody like that in my life. He didn't want me, then he shouldn't have slept with my mother... twice." I say inadvertently.

"Twice? You mean your sister?"

"No... She has a different father..." I say, closing my eyes and secretly self hating myself. "I have an older brother. We don't talk about him because... he doesn't really want us to. He hates our Mom because my Dad told him lies about my Mom, so now, he won't even see us. Which is kinda good, because he's not a good influence to have around. Smokes drugs and drinks a lot." I share as Jared began feeling very disturbed by what I just told him.

"I'm sorry to hear that... You know, I wasn't completely honest with you last night, Katie. About my father – my real one. When I said he left when I was very young, I lied. I wasn't even born yet. My parents divorced before I was even born. And when I finally got to me him – the first time I ever saw him... was his funeral. That was the first and last time I ever saw my father. There, Shannon and I met our two half-brothers, but I wish it was under better circumstances." Jared told me as I began feeling bad for him.