Sinking Through the Cracks

Finishing Up

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We finish the meal and I help Franny clean up.  She wipes the counter with a rag when she sees the cake I made.

"Wow.  This is beautiful.  Lets get it on the table," and with that, she lifts off the lid and carries it toward the table.

"Boys!  Dessert!" and everyone comes running back to the table.  Anthony's dad, Joe, cuts the cake and we eat in silence again.  Until Franny starts the questions,

"So, Ally, do you have any particular talents?" she asks, and I'm about to say no when Anthony says,

"Yeah, she's an amazing writer."

"Oh, that's cool.  What genres do you prefer to write in?"  

"Realistic fiction, or fantasy." and the table goes silent again.  Anthony holds my hand under the table, and he gives it a reassuring squeeze.  We each finish our slices and I go to help her clean off the table again, but Anthony pulls me toward the living room.  I trail behind him, still clutching his hand.  He sits on the sofa and when I go to sit next to him, he puts one hand on my hip and redirects me into his lap.  He grabs a thick binder from the end table and places it in my lap, opening to the first page.  I have to cover my mouth to muffle the laughter that escapes from it.  He's painted a bright orange, cross eyed, cow face.  It's so realistic, apart form the color.  The nose even appears wet.

"I like this one," I say and I feel Anthony's chest vibrate with laughter.  I admire it a little longer before turning to the next page.  The next is a series of small, detailed, parachute/ hot air balloons drifting from the top of the page.  I run my fingers over the ruts in the page, loving every inch of the image.  I carefully turn to the next page which reveals an octopus clutching a tea cup, wearing a top hat, and a monocle.  I turn to the next page, even more amused, when I come across a picture of me.  I'm lying on my side, a pillow pressing into my side, and you can't see my face because it's smothered in pillow.  My hair fans out slightly, forming loose ringlets.  We flip through the book and when we finish, I glance at the clock.  It's almost ten.

"I should probably go.  It's getting late," I mutter to Anthony.

"It's fine.  You can just sleep over."

"My dad thinks I'm home."

"Will he check on you?"

"I don't know.  I left him a note saying that I had to work on a paper."

"What homework do we have?"

"Math, french, and literature."

"Can you help me with literature real quick?" 

"Fine," and I climb off his lap, going up the stairs, I realize that he distacted me from going home.  We go to his bedroom and he drags a second chair over to his desk.  We sit down and I try to help him the best I can.  We finish the assignment and sit in the comfortable silence.  I glance at the clock and jump when I see what time it is.  It's nearly 11. 

"Anthony, I really should go home."  He looks at the clock and shakes his head,

"It's not safe to be traveling at this time of night."

"I need to go home..." 

"Fine..." he mutters, dragging himself off of the bed where he had been lying .  I go back downstairs and I grab the hoodie, pulling it on.  I do that akward process of saying goodbye, waving and smiling and insisting that I loved meeting everyone.  Then we get outside.  We sit in the cold car and Anthony drives, the radio playing softly.  I stare out the window, wondering what his mom thought of me.  Then my mind wanders toward food and I feel horribly guilt for eating the amount that I did.  When we finally pull up outside of my house, I get out, and begin walking away from the car.  Thoughs have built up so quickly in my mind that I crave relief.  I get to the base of the tree, preparing to climb when Anthony snakes his arm around my waist.  My breath suddenly gets caught in my chest and I fell a little nervous, hoping that he won't notice how wide I am. 

"Quick question."

"Yup..."

"Will you go to prom with me?" he asks.  My immediate reaction is no.  I would have to buy a dress, go to school for an extended period of time, look horrible, and then get made fun of by Ruby and everyone else there.  I guess that I take too long to respond because Anthony snaps his fingers infront of my face to regain my attention.

"Ally...?  Is that a yes?"

"Anthony, I really don't want to go to prom..."

"Why?  It would be so much fun."

"Would it, would it really?  You and I both know that Logan and Ruby are going to be there."

"So?  Just because they're there doesn't mean that we can't be."

"I reall-"

"NOPE!  You are going to prom with me, end of story," and before I can protest, he pecks his lips against mine and spins me slightly, lifting me onto the lowest branch of the tree.  I sit on it, looking at him, pouting.

"But-"

"LALALALALALALALALALALALALALALA!"

"Anthony!"

"LALALALALALALALALALALALALALALA!"

"Fine," and I climb up to my window sill.