Don't Worry- a love story

Saturday

     The last week of school went by drearily for Elliott. Jaxon had stuck onto calling him a faggot and cackling loudly. When the weekend finally came life got no better. He was grounded after all, so he would sit in his room reading, or watching the news and hearing Piper grumble. 

     Elliott kept thinking about what Jaxon had said. It sort of killed him. Why did being a bit more feminine make someone gay? Elliot had heard the stereotypes. Jokes like that were always made around school. But.... Elliott wasn't gay. He wasn't!

     He sighed. But Jax was just kidding around, right? Yeah. They were friends......... Right?
Elliott sighed, he didn't want to think about that right now. He had to figure out a way to get ungrounded, not that he really had anything to do after school, but it was just a bad feeling of being grounded. And it was worse with Piper, who was so strict and demeaning. She reminded him every day;
     "Remember young man, you are grounded. You come straight home after school and don't try any tricks."
     Elliott always answered, "Yes ma'am." and went out the door with a groan. Things had always been this way. Piper micro-managed every detail of Elliott's life. She took absolutely no nonsense and demanded respect and manners. That's the way she had put it the day Elliott came to stay with her, and that's the way it had been. Elliott supposed it was the way she had been raised, so she didn't know any other way to parent. Or maybe Piper was just tired of taking care of kids, she was around 80 years old after all and she'd been a teacher in a catholic school for 40 of those eighty years.

     Either way, Elliott trudged on, obeying, staying silent and well mannered. When he turned 18, Elliott would be free to do what he wanted, and he couldn't wait. He couldn't wait to get out of Kingston Heights, he couldn't wait to have a job and pay for his own things and not have to owe anyone anything. But he was only 14, so that wouldn't be for a long while.

     In the meantime though, Elliott stayed, and read, and watched tv, and took naps. Right now, he was rereading Gone With the Wind. Even Pipers bookshelf was limited to classics and cookbooks from 1932. Needless to say there wasn't much to do.
There had to be some way to get out of this grounding, Elliott thought, laying on his bed, his hands folded on his stomach. Maybe he could ask to at least go to the library, or play a game on the computer. (That hailed from 2005).  Elliott made his way downstairs. The hardwood floor creaked with age and dustiness. 

     "Elliott, is that you?" Piper called, reading her newspaper.

     "Yes Piper, I just wanted to ask you something." 

     "Well come over here then.

     "What is it?"

     "Ah, well..... Piper, I just wanted to ask if I could go to the library. I-I know I'm grounded but, can I just go get a book?" Elliott said quietly. He looked down at the floor, and fiddled with his fingers.

     "Absolutely not. I told you just a few days ago, you are grounded young man. And that means you do not leave this house without my permission." 

     "Y-yes Piper that's just what I'm asking, if I could have your permission to go out."

     The old woman glanced at Elliott with a scowl, but said nothing. She paused for a moment and sighed. She looked tired, and softened for a moment.

     "I suppose because it's a Saturday, I'll let you go out. It's about 2:30 right now. If you return by 3:20, with 1 book only, you can go." 

     "Oh thank you Piper!"

     "But not one second later!" Piper called as her grandson race out the door. The old woman sighed and stood up. She was going to take a nap, it took a lot out of her to be so harsh, she felt guilty sometimes. But she'd seen what bad parenting could do to a child. She wouldn't have that for her grandson. 

     Elliott took a breath of fresh air for the first time in days. It was so refreshing to be outside of the house. He smiled at the Sumer trees. School was almost over. The summer would be dreary, but maybe he could convince Piper to take to to the YMCA pool. Or maybe even the beach. Elliott knew he'd have to try and avoid Jaxon. But maybe he could hang out at Summer's house.

     Summer was a bit of an airhead at times, but when it cam down to it she could be a good friend. She gave advice, and really listened when Elliott complained about Piper's strictness. The only problem was that Summer never really realized that Jaxon pretty much was bullying Elliott. She just laughed as if they were having a good time. Which really didn't help her case.

      Elliott made his way down the street, to the library a few blocks from his and Piper's Brooklyn home. He arrived to the building. It was a caramel colored brick building. It had had a reddish flag of a lion hanging next to the doorway for as long as Elliott could remember. On it was printed, New York City Library.

     The library was Elliott's favorite place to be, he loved the scent of paper, he loved the sound of pages turning, pens scratching on notepads and the clack of keyboards. He loved the careful quietness of the librarians, and the organized mess of colors of the spines of the books. It wasn't the prettiest sight to see, it was old, a bit worn down, but it was all so beautiful to Elliott. And it wasn't like he had anywhere better to be. Elliott checked his watch. It was 2:45. He had a half hour or so to find an interesting book to bring home. 

     Time went by so quickly. By the time Elliott found his book (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, By Rebecca Skloot) it was already 3:40. Which meant he had five minutes to get back home or he'd be grounded for longer than he already was.

     The young redhead bolted down the stairs of the library entrance, checked out book in hand. Down the block, around a corner, across the street, down two more blocks. Elliott arrived at the door and checked his watch. 2:44. He watched the four turn to a five as he rang the doorbell. a second later the door swung open so quickly Elliott jumped.

     "Oh good, you're home," Piper looked down at her grandson, "I was beginning to worry. Come inside, lunch is ready." Elliott stepped inside with a sigh of relief.