Smells Like Lavender

Chapter 4

Justin

I kept walking, getting farther and farther from the house.

From Rosemary.

Past some houses.

I stopped at the edge of someone's property and hid in the trees as the door opened and someone stepped out.

When I looked around the corner she was standing just beside me, staring at me.

I jumped. "Shit!"

She just stared at me, reaching into her pocket.

She pulled out a piece of paper and made a writing motion.

"Oh." I said, searching my pockets and finally presenting her with a pen.

She held the paper against the tree and wrote.

Why are you stalking my house?

I rolled my eyes and took the pen from her.

I'm not. I'm just getting to know the neighborhood.

She read this over and looked at me suspiciously.

Aren't you grounded or something?

I nodded and she continued.

Then why are you here?

I shrugged.

She shook her head and quickly stuffed the paper in her pocket.

Then she shoved me back into the trees.

I peeked out and saw her speaking with a woman.

Well, signing.

Then the woman took Lavender's hand and dragged her away.

She looked back at me, smiling and waving.

I waved back and turned around, continuing my journey.

I like this one.

She's friendly.

Not too bubbly. Not too serious.

Not too bad looking either.

Very developed when it came to puberty.

And not too foward.

If she liked me she doesn't have any difficulties not showing it.

So I gave her my number.

Not like she would ever text me.

But it was worth a try.

If Joey knew that I was trying to pick up a deaf girl he'd punch my shoulder and tell me that if I was successful I would be called King Pretty Boy for the rest of my life.

That's only because I'm very selective and girls that I like are usually different.

I'd tried dating the most popular but that was too much drama.

Too much hand-holding.

But Lavender was the most popular in her own way.

Everybody knew her and everybody loved her.

She'd be really good in politics when she gets older.

I walked a few more yards and turned around, starting the walk home.

I didn't notice a car coming down the street as I walked out into the open.

The car screeched, trying to avoid me.

It spun around and came to a complete stop. The door swung open and the principal came running at me.

"Are you Ok?" She asked. "I didn't hit you did I?"

"No." I said and kept walking.

"Good. Now do your parents know you're out here by yourself?" She asked.

I pointed towards the woods. "Yeah. We're getting to know the neighborhood. They're right there, see?"

She looked where I was pointing and I took off running toward home.

If she beat me there I'd be in even more trouble.

I ran at full speed, through the trees, scrambling up onto the roof and to Briana's window.

She peeked out the curtains when I knocked and signaled that she would meet me upstairs.

I climbed up to my windowsill and dove into my room as soon as she opened the window.

I closed and locked the window, watching for the Principal's red convertible.

"What did you do?" Briana asked.

"Almost get hit by a car. Where are Mom and Dad?" I asked.

"Downstairs. Mommy's making soup and Daddy's sleeping." She said. "She forgave you already."

"I know." I said, sitting down at my desk. "

"Tiny brain?" She asked. "Why are you smart?"

"What?" I asked.

"Mommy showed me your report card from the last school and you got all A's." She said.

"So." I said, searching through my bag.

"So why can't you be smart instead of bad? Then you wouldn't have to be in trouble all the time and you could play with me." She said.

"I still play with you." I said.

"Only when Mommy and Daddy aren't looking." She said. "And you'll never get to spend time with your girlfriend if you're always in retention."

"It's detention and she's not my girlfriend." I said.

"Dinner!" I heard my dad yell from downstairs.

I took off my shoes before grabbing Briana's hand and pulling her out of my room.

She skipped ahead of me. "I'm a big girl now. You don't have to hold my hand."

She got to the stairs and stopped, staring down.

I stopped where I was and she looked back at me.

"Go ahead. You're a big girl now." I said.

She looked back towards the stairs and then at me. "Well maybe I'll wait a little bit longer to be a big girl."

I laughed and picked her up, putting her on my back.

I bounced on each step and she giggled all the way until the end.

"Hey. Put her down before you drop her." My father said.

"But Daddy I'm having fun." She whined as he grabbed her off my back.

"You can have fun taking a bath later and even more fun watching the back of your eye lids." He said, sitting her down. "Now go eat."

She ran into the dining room and he looked at me.

He held out his hand and I gave him the detention slip.

"Son, I just can't understand. You've got the grades, you've got the looks but your behavior sucks." He said, signing the paper. "I need you to do better. Find something to do better for and do better."

I nodded. "Ok."

"By the end of the school year or next year you'll go to The Boys school of reformation." He said. "I can't let that happen. But it's gonna if you don't get your act together. We're running out of options."

"Ok."

"I'm serious." He said, giving me a look. "Now go eat."

I took my detention slip and went to sit at the table beside Briana.

When my mom had turned away she whispered. "I want you to get better too."

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Chapter 4!!!!

Leah💋💋💋💋💋💋💋💋💋