Where We Begin

Chapter 42 - Hands To Yourself

Dec 8th, 2002 - Taylor

I looked out the window at the familiar houses and street signs. I could probably drive this route with my eyes closed. But I wasn't driving. I was being driven to my friends house like I had been a million times as a kid. 

"I'll swing by around 6 to pick you up, OK? So you better be here," my mom said. "I'm going to call the house phone in an hour or so too."

I nodded, even though I wanted to scream at her. I was still grounded, but being cooped up at home was making me crazy. I convinced my mom to let me go to Brandy's, after saying I needed to help her study. My mom reluctantly agreed, but didn't trust me to drive myself, so I was being shuttled over. 

When the car stopped, I grabbed my bag and slammed the door behind me. I didn't look back as I stomped up to the front door. I always thought my dad was the strict one, but the past week or so with my mom had been nothing but tension.

"Hey, girlie," Brandy answered the door cheerfully. "How's it feel to be free?"

"Great, because honestly, I'm about ready to strangle my mother."

She frowned. "Is she still acting weird?"

"Weird is a nice way of saying it. I'd say she's being a bitch," I replied. "One screw up and I might as well be a felon."

"Turn around. I bet you'll feel better." Brandy had a twinkle in her eye.

Brent and Busta were coming up the sidewalk with their skateboards under their arms. Busta waved to me, with a huge grin on his face and started jogging up to meet us. Brent kept his slow saunter, looking unamused, as always.

I wrapped my arms around Busta and kissed him. One of his brother's friends lived in the neighborhood and had a new pool that wasn't filled yet, perfect for skateboarding. It was always the plan for Busta to hang with Buddy for a while and meet me over here, but the unexpected twist was that he managed to convince Brent to go too.

"Did you guys have fun?" I asked. 

He laughed. "Oh man, totally, but I'm really out of practice. Brent's not though! He's like a pro. But me? I kept falling and rolling into the deep end. It was pretty hilarious though, right Brent?"

Brent rolled his eyes. "Maybe if you stopped talking so much, you wouldn't fall as often."

Busta gave him a wink and point. "Good advice, dude. But you're so quiet, I feel like I have to keep the energy level up, you know? It's not just about skateboarding, it's about bonding."

"No, it's just about skateboarding." Brent walked past us and into the house.

"He is really warming up to me. I can feel it," Busta assured us. Brandy and I exchanged a quick glance, before nodding in skeptical agreement. We went inside to find Brent in the kitchen making a sandwich. He was still quite at home in his family's house despite having his own apartment. 

"What are you up to, cuz? Want to hang with us?" Brandy asked sweetly.

Brent took a huge bite and shook his head.

I leaned against the counter next to him. "I bet you have plans with Amber, huh?"

He didn't look up. "Maybe," he muttered through a mouthful of turkey. 

"Do you ever get sick of this brooding, bad boy thing? I feel like it would get exhausting."

Brent just shrugged, still eating, still not looking at me. I was annoyed, but at the same time, I felt like this might be his strange way of having a little fun with me.