ASHER
I wake up with the memory of fire on my lips. The fire that warms your soul and leaves you wanting more, the fire you secretly enjoy but would never tell anyone about, because it also scares you due to its amazing power.
Since it is Saturday I lazily walk downstairs and make some toast. No one wakes up early in this house except for me. Then again no one has nightmares in this house, except for me. When the toast is done I scarf it down then part of me remembers Ali telling me she wakes up early too.
With new excitement I pound up the stairs and scale over the piles of old, dirty clothes. I see my phone has a green light flashing on the screen and like a superhero I run to my phone and unlock it in one swift motion, ready to read the text.
It is a message from Ali : wanna go to the fair?
Those five words send me into a psychotic rush of panic. Within seconds I pull on a pair of clean jeans and a shirt. It takes me just a little bit to sprint out of the house and start running towards her.
When i get to her house I realize three things
1. I am at Ali's house without my hair fixed.
2. I never replied to tell her I'm coming.
3. It is 7:30 and my dad doesn't know where I am.
Freaking out I start to run back to my house when I hear a front door open. I turn around slowly and see a shocked Alice standing with workout shorts and a sports bra on.
"Oh my god." I whisper to myself in pure embarrassment as Ali's eyes widen in shock.
Slowly she wraps her arms around herself and yells "What are you doing here?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you!" I scream back, causing her to roll her eyes.
"Come inside then, I will skip my run this morning." She says turning back to the front door.
I run through the long grass that tickles my calves. Ali's house is smaller than mine but I love it. It's like a safe hug that will take you and make you happy and secure again. Maybe that is just because Alice is here.
"Geez, Alice! Your yard needs to be mowed." I say under my breath but she hears me
"I know but I have trouble working the thing and my Mom doesn't have time for it." She explains, pushing the door open.
"I'm moying your lawn. Show me where the lawn-mower is." I say being serious. What is wrong with me today? I hate mowing! It's the butt of chores, and I just offered to cut her grass! Why am I an idiot?
looking stunned she turns around and says "Really?"
It's too late to back out now so I smile and respond with "Sure! Mowing the lawn is terrific!"
Soon enough I am standing in her cluttered garage, pulling the hunk of metal out of the gigantic door and into the grass. Pausing to wipe the sweat off of my forehead I wonder how far her yard goes.
"Alice?" I call to her "Where does your grass stop?"
"Oh, um," she says like she is thinking hard about it "Over past the big oak tree." Her arm juts out as she points to the giant oak tree about fourteen feet away from me.
I sigh loudly causing Alice to burst wsith laughter and I scowl at her response "I didn't find it funny." The words spit from my mouth like stinging acid, looking for it's next victim. Too bad she is the on in closest proximity
"Sorry, I didn't know you were in a bad mood you butthole. I wasn't the one to volunteer you for mowing my unmanageable yard. I was planning on using my next paycheck to hire someone who will do it for us." She retorts turning her back on me to pull some weeds from the little garden box with dying flowers that is beside her.
