Paired With The Potterhead

Chapter Four: Bonding Over Bertie Bott's

Pull Me In - Paper Lions

Chapter Four: Bonding Over Bertie Bott's

I waited until things got quiet downstairs before making my way to the kitchen. The place was a mess; dad's evidence of an attempt to make himself a sandwich was all across the counter and floor as I tiptoed down as quietly as I could. Peanut butter from the looks of it. Poor guy was too drunk to cook for himself and I wasn't around to do it for him.

My old man was sound asleep in the living room with the tv on. His favorite sport was football and that was exactly what he was watching as I peered in. Asleep on the recliner with a bottle in his hand, I carefully covered him over with a quilt that my nana made for him for last Christmas. He never moved an inch.

My skateboard was in the garage where I always keep it. Since my dad was completely out like a light, it was only easy for me to grab it and hit the road. It was dark out but it was bright enough for me to see where I was going. The boys were probably all waiting for me at the skate park.

I loved to board. Ever since I played Tony Hawk's Pro Skater on the GameCube back in the day, I had saved my allowance and bought my own board. Surprisingly, I caught on pretty quick and learned a few tricks to impress the guys at school.

Pushing my board to go even faster, I made a turn and did a kickflip over the edge of the sidewalk. I could see the skate park and the shadows from where I rolled down the hill, picking up speed as I went.

This is where I went to get away from everyone. Nobody was forced to talk at the park. We could just skate all we wanted and we didn't have to talk about our feelings unless we really wanted to. Nothing was forced and we were free.

It was also where Dallas went most nights. Dallas was (in my opinion) the cutest guy at school. He liked pretty much everything I did; video games, horror movies, anything punk, and we got along really well. Though we didn't talk much in school, we mostly did our chatting at the park while eating junk food and showing off with our boards.

"Lane! Dude, you're late! We went ahead ordered pizza without you," Dallas sang out as he saw me enter the park. He was on the other side of the Pit, as we called it, dressed in his usual clothes of a baggy t-shirt and ripped skinny jeans.

"You know I'm not picky when it comes to pizza!" I shouted back. "Plus I already ate so it's no biggie!"

Dallas grinned and mounted his board, dipping down into the Pit and skating his way over to where I sat on the cement edge. "I figured you already ate. But that's never stopped you from having more."

"True," I laughed. "My love for pizza knows no boundaries."

Dallas grinned and sat beside me. His curly hair blew in the calm evening breeze and his green eyes scanned the park as the other skaters moved about. "So. I heard about English class. Brutal stuff, dude."

I scoffed. "You too, huh? I was kinda hoping word wouldn't reach you."

"Yet here we are," he chuckled. "Honestly? I don't think Nora is that bad. She's a really sweet girl. She helped me clean my shirt when I spilled chemicals on it during Chemistry. Didn't even hesitate."

I remembered that day. Though I'm not in his Chemistry class, I remembered other people talking about how a bottle of something tipped over and went all over his shirt. Nora had been the first to act, potentially saving his life before the acid could burn through his skin.

"Anyway, I don't think she's a bad person to be around. You're letting everyone mess with your head, Rubia."

I swat his hand away as he poked my forehead. "As if. Nobody messes with my head, Reynolds. Not even Nora the Nerd."