Unexpected Turns

Troublemaker

"Hey," Jerry calls to me at the bottom of the steps of my house.

"Hi," I reply from my porch swing. I close the book I'm reading.

"What are you doing? I'm not interrupting anything right?" He asks with a smile.

"No, it's just a book I'm reading. Did you need something?" I ask, "come up, sit next to me."

He comes to sit next to me and says, "this is exactly like the time we first met."

"It is isn't it, except this time it's less awkward."

He laughs, "true, very true... I came to tell you something," he says tangling his fingers together.

"What is it? It's not about Dick is it?"

"Why would it be about Dick?" He asks confused.

"Well, when we are at lunch at school he is not paying attention to us he's just reading his book."

"That's what he usually does, you haven't noticed?" He laughs.

"I guess I never did, I was probably to focused on your handsome face."

His pale skin turns a little pink and he smiles awkwardly.

"What is it you wanted to say?" I change the subject.

"It's not bad news. Actually it's dependent on your answer."

"Go ahead," I encourage.

"Do you want to go steady with me? I've known you for years and so I don't think a first date is necessary," he lets out as if it weren't a big deal. Which it really wasn't but for some reason when asking, it seems to be.

"Okay. Yeah, sure. I'd love to," I give him a kiss on the cheek.

"That was...nice," he blushes, "and very unexpected," he chuckles.

-

Jerry and I have been going for many months now. It's a great relationship! We communicate and understand each other in ways I never thought a boyfriend and girlfriend could. He adds on to the kisses and hugs, and it makes me wonder how long it will last. I want it to last until I die.

Dick was very uneasy with this relationship at first, I could feel a little hostility and jealousy when we are all together at times. But then we settled some ground rules and everything was back to normal.

We made sure that we didn't touch each other when we were around Dick or make him feel like a third wheel in the relationship. Especially when playing baseball, I picked to be on Dicks team, unlike usual, so that competition was all that occupied our minds at the time. Causing Jerry and I to win randomly rather than all the time. But I think it was a lot more fun that way.

I still hang out with Dick and actually more than I do Jerry now. He's become the friend that I could talk to about things I can't talk to a boyfriend about. He's become so comfortable to me that now he's opened up a lot more. He tells me stories of his times in New York and his school, the problems he faced, and the problem that Jerry had with his girlfriend.

"That was one thing I regret," he begins, "I honestly felt so bad. I didn't know my brother was that paranoid."

"You don't know your brother very well then, he's one sensitive guy."

"What did he tell you?"

"Can't say, I promised him," I reply, "he trusts me and I'm not going to break that trust."

"Can I tell my side of the story then? Please?" He asks.

"I'm not going to stop you."

"Okay," he begins, "When we were in that high school most girls had crushes on me and I knew. I was a very cocky boy then and I made sure that everyone knew, especially Jerry since he's my twin and all. I realize now how bad that is and even though I know girls here still pay attention to me, I don't to them. Anyways," he goes on, "Jerry finally scored a steady girlfriend and she was very beautiful, just like you," he smiles.

I blush, "thank you."

"You're welcome," he goes on, "Jerry was so proud of her and liked to show her off. Then he became paranoid when she began talking to me. We were only friends and talked like us two are talking but he didn't believe it. And I left him to believe it. She reasoned with him, argued with him, but he still wouldn't budge. I didn't help, I would make little remarks like, 'she has such a beautiful smile' or 'I think I'm going to wear this shirt to school because she is so fond of it,' you know stuff like that. Then the relationship of theirs ended, she stopped talking to him and stopped talking to me."

"That is one heck of a breakup. You make me feel like I'm going steady with a psycho."

"You might be," he jokes.

-

There was this one time that Dick was having trouble with these boys at school. They seemed to be so jealous of the way Dick is that they started to bully him, and Dick, not being as sporty or tough as Jerry or Greg, doesn't know how to fight back. He takes the other route of telling adults and I think it's a smart move but everyone thinks that he's a rat. It made him hide away for a while at his spot.

One day, I came up to his room and found him on the roof. I went to the window and smiled.

"Hey, Bud."

He looks back at me and smiles a fake smile, "hi," he replies.

"Are you doing better?"

"No."

"You seem so out of it."

"I am, that's what I do when I come here."

"Can I do it too?"

He laughs.

"Come on, show me your ways."

"Okay but you can't say a word, you just need to be quiet the whole time so I could think."

"The whole time?" My eyes widen, "how long is that?"

"As long as you want, you can leave anytime," he smiles, "I usually brings something up here like cards to entertain myself."

"Can I bring snacks?"

"Okay."

I rush into Jerry's room to get my backpack.

"Where you going?" He asks.

"I'm going to Dick's spot," I reply.

He turns away from his books and homework, "he never allows anyone up there."

I shrug, "he likes my company, I guess."

"Okay, tell me what it's like," he laughs, "he doesn't do much up there than keep quiet or talk to himself."

"I know," I grab my box of cookies from my backpack, "bye."

"Bye," as I walk out the door he says, "don't be gone long."

I rush back to Dick and ask if he wants a cookie as I climb through the window and take a seat. He holds the box for me and takes one out. I do the same and place the box in the middle of us.

The roof isn't very steep, in fact it feels like your sitting on the floor. His feet reached the brim of the roof, while mine was about 6 inches away. And our backs were up against the wall with our heads looking out and beyond. It was breezy up there and very comfortable. The rest of the time we were there we just ate cookies and I watched Dick play magic tricks and more cards back and forth in his hand in a very cool fashion.