Hearts, Scars & Horseshoes

Chapter 1 - Toby

"Tobias!"

I yanked my black T-shirt over my head, avoiding eye contact in the mirror as I did. I wrestled my Vans on and grabbed my board, stepping over a pile of clothes in my room to get to my door.

"Tobias!"

"I'm coming!" I grumbled back, thundering down the stairs as fast as I could.

"Tob...where are you going?" My mom said as I walked into the kitchen.

"I'm hanging out with Lars." I said.

"Skateboarding?" She raised her eyebrow at me.

"I won't do anything crazy." I muttered.

She slid my daily dose of "don't die" drugs to me. A colorful array of autoimmune suppressants and antibiotics so my body wouldn't attack the stranger's heart that was playing its own rhythm in my chest. I swallowed them in one go, chasing it down with the glass of water my mom handed me. I sat the glass the down on the counter, turning for the door.

"You need to eat."

"I'll get something with Lars." I said, reaching the door.

"I'd rather you eat here!" My mom called after me as I stepped through.

I closed it behind me, taking the few steps down the porch to the sidewalk. I dropped my skateboard down, in one swift motion I was gliding down the sidewalk. The sun beat down on my black shirt, warming my skin beneath it. I parted the air, my brown hair blown back, my T-shirt stuck to my front showing off how scrawny I actually was. I jumped a curb, crossing the street and jumped back on the sidewalk, leaning into my turn. I could easily say that skating was my favorite thing. I couldn't wait to get back to the park. I definitely would have already been there had it not been such a delicate topic with my mom. She was sure I was made of glass.

I could see Lars sitting on his front porch, his fingers pounding away on his phone. His feet were rested on his skateboard.

"Hey." I said, kicking my board up to my hand as I stepped off.

"What's up?" Lars asked, shoving himself off the porch.

"Nothing, you got anything good to eat?" I asked. "I skipped out on lunch at my place."

"Just a bunch of steamed veggies." He straightfaced.

"Shut up." A small smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

I skipped up the steps to the front door, dropping my board on the deck. I shoved through the front door, stepping into what I would consider to be my second home. I navigated my way to the kitchen, yanking open the fridge and freezer and staring into it.

"So Dylan texted, said he was going downtown. Wanted to know if we wanted to meet him?" Lars lifted himself onto the counter beside the refrigerator.

"Yeah I'm down."

I pulled a box of leftover pizza out and pulled the lid up. I grabbed a piece, Lars following suit.

"God this tastes good." I muttered.

Not only was my mom a health nut just in general she had amped it up post transplant per recommendation of the doctors. In their defense they didn't know how literal my mom took everything. I appreciated the efforts, I did. But if I had to eat bland, boring food the rest of my life I was going to go insane.

"It's even better fresh." Lars said as he chewed a mouthful.

"It could be left out for a week and rotting and it'd still taste delicious."

Lars laughed, grabbing another piece. I did the same, discarding the box on the counter. I followed him back out of the house, the both of us grabbing our boards with one hand, our pizzas still in the other. We dropped our broads, kicking ourselves off with one foot. I took a bite of cold pizza, enjoying the warm late May sunshine on my skin and the greasy pizza in my stomach.

————————

I cracked open a can of cherry coke, downing half of it in one gulp. I was sitting on a bench watching Lars and Dylan board circles around each other.

"So when are we gonna go to the park?" Dylan asked as we rode past me.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. "I don't know. I'm gonna get Stella to talk some sense into her."

"How is Stella?" Dylan asked.

I laughed through my nose. Dylan had a major crush on my sister.

"Still out of your league and oblivious to the fact that you exist." I told him.

He shook his head at me. "That wasn't why I was asking."

"Yeah okay." Lars and I both said in unison.

"It wasn't!"

"Whatever you say Dylan." I pushed off the bench, my left foot hitting the ground before propelling myself forward on my board.

The sun was starting to head to the horizon and the air was cooling off just a touch. I didn't have an actual curfew but if I wasn't home by dark my mom started getting a little panicky and the last thing I needed was for her to send out the county cops to search for me.

"I should start heading back."

"Yeah me too." Lars said.

"Alright, I'll see you guys later." Dylan said. We started away, the wheels of our boards thunking across the uneven pavement. "Tell Stella I said hi!"

I shook my head, not turning around as I flicked him off. He was hopeless when it came to my sister. I wasn't even sure if she remembered his name yet.

"I'm gonna call in some food. Want to stay and eat?" Lars asked.

I pulled my phone out, calling my mom.

"Hello?" She answered distractedly.

"I'm gonna eat at Lars' house." I said into the phone.

She paused, letting out a long exhale into the phone. She was doing yoga. She took a deep inhale, noise rustling through the phone.

"Lars could always come here for dinner. I made vegetarian meatloaf and cauliflower mashed potatoes." She said.

"Lars likes to eat real food mom."

"It is real food Tobias. More real than that processed stuff you both eat all the time. And better for you." I rolled my eyes. She let out another load exhale into the phone. "Don't stay over there too late okay. It's getting cold tonight."

"Alright, see you later."

"I love you."

"Love you too mom."

"Tell Lars Hello." She said, continuing her deep breathing.

"I will."

I hung up the phone, pocketing it as a smile crept on my face. Two meals in a row, it was a good day.

"So what's for dinner?"