Wings

Chapter three: the wink

At the end of the day, I'm stuck waiting for Sophie. She's probably talking to Dylan, I thought to myself. I figured it was going to be a few more minutes until she's done, so I sat down on one of the benches near the back door.

Soph and I have this tradition where we walk through the field to her house, then I break off and walk up to my street.

Finally, approximately ten minutes after school ended. Almost everyone is gone or waiting for their parents to pick them up. Where is she?

I see Soph walking down the stairs.

“ What took you so long? "

“ I was talking to Dylan. " She replied, shrugging her shoulders. Called it.

“ 'kay, whatever. Lets get going, I want to go chill at home. " I picked up my school bag.

We step through the doors and are about to hit the grass when we hear something, “ Maryah, Soph, wait up! " We turn around and spot James running towards us.

“ H-hi. " he huffed slightly from sprinting over here while carrying a backpack full of text books.

“ Hey, James. What are you doing here? "

“ Walking home, same as you. " he cocked his head slightly to the left.

“ You live around here? " I asked.

He pointed towards the row of houses behind the back fence, “ I moved in over there,  just two houses away from park Harriet Rose.

Park Harriet Rose was a small park for little kids that's been up forever. It's got three little rocking toys that look like horses and one that's a motorcycle, which are in a giant sand box. And then there is a single swing set with two swings on it surrounded by a few pine trees.

“ No way, " Soph exclaimed, “ I live like, three houses away from the train station. " The train station is approximately ten houses away from the park.

“ Cool. Hey Maryah, where's your house? " James asked while tugging at the straps on his backpack, making them tighter to fit his broad shoulders.

“ Down 8th avenue, but I always walk with Soph. It's tradition. " I smiled.

He nodded in understanding. We continued mindless chatter until we came upon the opening of the fence, which had two bars at the bottom that were horizontal, meaning you had to climb over it.

Once all three of us had climbed over, James turned to us, “ Well ladies, it has been an honor to walk home with you both, but this is where we must part. " he bowed dramatically, “ Sophie, Maryah. " He winked at me as he started me and headed up the path to his house, walked in and shut the door.

Soph immediately started squealing and slapping my left shoulder repeatedly. “ What is wrong with you! " I asked, stepping away from her, rubbing my abused shoulder.

“  He's totally into you! " she yelled, almost loud enough to peel the skin from anyone's face within a five mile radius.

“ You have no proof. " I countered

“ Um, yes I do! Remember at lunch? I saw you guys share that little moment when you dropped your pencil, and just right now he winked at you! " she beamed.

“ He did? Huh, I didn't notice. " I lied.

“ You sit on a throne of lies, you did see it. " She knew me way to well.

“ Okay! Okay, I noticed. " I admitted, trying really hard not to smile.

“ I fucking knew it! " she clapped her hands, proud of her minor achievement.

“ So, when are you going to ask him out? " she nudged me with het shoulder.

“ The same day you ask out Brendon Crovine. " Brendon was the biggest loser at our school. Because he's unattractive and he tries to be some kind of smart ass but he just makes a fool of himself in the process.

“ Ew, never! " she shrieked in disgust.

" Then I'll never ask him out. " I smiled

Soph sighed, giving up sooner than I expected. She's usually a very persistent person.

“ Fine, whatever. But when you two hook up use protection, 'kay? I do not want my best friend to be a prego. "

“ Sophie! " I slapped her arm in disgust.

“ What?! I was being honest! " she frowned, rubbing her forearm, “ and ow! You didn't have to hit me so hard! "

“ Yes I did, to prove my point. " I laughed as she glared at me.

“ Whatever, I have to go watch the brat. God only knows what she's destroyed of mine, I'll see you tomorrow. " She waved at me as she hopped her back fence.

“ 'Kay, bye! " I hollered back.

“ Use protection! " She laughed as she slammed the door shut, leaving me outside and unable to respond.

I frown at her house. It's not like anything will amount out of this. I thought to myself. I drag my heels along the sidewalk as I continue my walk home.