City Of Dreams

Seventy-One

I closed my eyes, letting the smell of Darren cooking pasta fill my lungs.

"Charlotte, guess what?"

Darren called from the kitchen.

"Yes dear?"

I heard him giggle a bit.

"Rumor has it, Shrek the Musical is on Netflix now!"

I laughed and rolled off the couch.

"So, you're saying you want to watch Shrek the Musical?"

I stepped into the kitchen.

He nodded with a giggle, his shaggy hair ruffling as his head moved.

My eyes ran down to his feet.

"Hey!"

I cried, causing him to jump a little.

I pointed to his feet.

"WHY ARE YOU WEARING MY WEED SOCKS?!"

He sheepishly looked down at his own feet at the pink knee socks with little "leaf" designs.

A grin spread across his face.

"Do you want them back?"

I nodded, playfully crossing my arms.

"Then get 'em"

He darted to the left and out of the kitchen.

I scoffed and chased after him.

He laughed and ran ahead of me.

"No fair, D! You know I can't run!"

He snorted.

"You sure ran back from Cali!"

I groaned and sped up.

He laughed more, doubling over onto his knees and chuckling to the floor.

"AHA!"

I cried, tugging my socks off his feet.

He whined.

"Come on. Get up. The pasta is going to burn."

He groaned again and scurried into the kitchen.

I rolled my eyes, pulled my socks on my own feet, and started to get plates for dinner.

We were quiet for a bit.

The silence was peaceful and comfortable.

"I saw Addie at Starbucks today."

He said to his pot of noodles.

"That's nice."

I said, not really hearing him over all the other noise jumping around in my brain.

"I think she misses you."

I hear him this time.

"I mean...I wouldn't. I did her a favor. And its not like we aren't going to ever talk again.... I.. I just want to take a break. It seems like every time I have a down day its because of whatever is hanging over her head. I want now to be different. I don't want to be the "antisocial headphones kid" or the "fidgety freak" anymore. If I just conceal myself for a bit, then maybe I can thrive instead of just survive."

I turn around.

Darren is holding his pot of noodles.

"That was deep."

I shrug and put two plates on the counter.

"Why?"

I look up at him, reminded of my small size.

"Why what?"

He takes a fork and scrapes pasta on the first plate.

"Why are you upset with her?"

I pick up the plate with my left hand, balancing it on my palm.

"I'm not upset. I just want a little distance. She should be thanking me. I'm helping both of us. She doesn't have to deal with me. I don't have to hang behind her. She did nothing wrong. I just want to break free a little. Its hard to explain."

I pickup the other plate the same way as the last.

"Please don't drop those."

I laugh.

"I won't!"

I put the plates on the table in front of the couch.

Darren fiddles with the remote until he finds Netflix.

"Did they really call you the fidgety freak?"

He snorted a bit.

I nodded, getting a blanket from the closet.

"Yeah. Real creative those high school kids."

He shouted in victory when he figured out the controls for the television.

"And where are all of they?"

I scratch my head.

"Probably either jail or working at Lowe's."