Blue Letter Night

11. Beth is nervous

I was more than a little relieved that the heat wasn't going to be an issue when Max went to hunt for his bugs. Mostly I hoped that on this trip he might make a friend. Sure Max talked to his science club friends, but he needed a real friend who didn't only talk about Newton's third law of physics.

We all brought the necessary supplies for a day at the park; I brought a blanket to sit on and a book to keep me entertained if I needed. Max was, of course, overly prepared to hunt for bugs. Eddie and Mason brought a basketball for a game of one on one they were way too excited for. I thought Macy might've mentioned something about Mason being on the basketball team at his last school, and Eddie played just about every sport there was.

I had an optimistic outlook on the day despite the beginning. I still couldn't believe Mason stuck his saliva covered finger in my ear to wake me up. I would get him back for it indefinitely.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Anne asked walking at a leisurely pace beside me.

"I'm scheming," I told her flatly, "to get back at mason for this mornings incident,"

"Ah. Well, I couldn't help but notice your fights are slowly turning into playful arguments," she said innocently.

"I just think that Mason has finally realized maturity is the best road to go down," I told her. Anne chuckled.

"Yes, 'cuz a wet willy is totally mature," I laughed at her. I was not going to humour the idea that Mason and I were, by some miraculous turn of events, becoming friends.

"I am so gonna win this bet," she mumbled. I turned to her.

"And what bet would that be Anne?" I asked half joking half sternly. She only giggled and sped up her pace.

The park was quiet and calm that morning. A shade patch provided by a large tree was where I set up camp to read, while Anne sat beside me telling me of all the the break ups we needed to add to our list. I hadn't heard a word out of any of the boys before they ran off to their separate activities. On the basketball court another two boys were playing a one of one game. It came to no surprise that no one else was collecting bugs.

Hours had gone by before Max was satisfied with his collection of bugs and wanted to go home, but Eddie and Mason refused to let him leave until they taught him how to play a game of one on one.

I put down my book because I was not going to miss Max attempting to play a sport. First Eddie and Mason demonstrated the game stance, a slight squat with body forward and arms out. Then, they simply passed the ball back and fourth then to Max who just filched out of the way. They practiced this one concept until Max managed to catch the ball and pass it without fear.

Next was shooting at the basket. Anne was recording now, because she figured Machelle would be happy Max was trying something new.

Just as Max got a basket and Eddie was passing out a round of high fives, a ball came from behind and knocked Max in the back of the head. Hard. So hard in fact, that he stumbled forward and sat down on the pavement. The boy who threw the ball rushed over with Eddie and Mason to crowd around Max. I stood up and tried to see what was going on but couldn't see, so Anne and I rushed over along with the others.

"Hey, you okay?" The boy asked offering Max a hand up. When Max finally looked up at us, blush covered his face and embarrassment filled his eyes. The poor kid was overwhelmed and couldn't have been more embarrassed. He took the kids hand who helped him up.

"I'm so sorry, my friend and I were just passing the ball and-" the boy was apologizing profusely before Max stopped him.

"It- it's okay," he chocked out. The kid let out a breath of relief.

"Right. Uh, I'm Oliver," he addressed all of us and pointed to the kid he was playing with, "that's Kyle,"

We all introduced ourselves and, somehow, Max ended giving us his bugs to take home while he went to spend the rest of the day with Kyle and Oliver.

"Wow," I exclaimed. Everyone mumbled in agreement as we watched the three thirteen year olds wonder off towards the ice cream stand in the far side of the park.

"Well I vote we go home and get some lunch," Anne suggested.

"Agreed, I'm starving," Eddie nodded. So, the four of us wondered back to the house, leaving Max alone in a social situation. I was nervous for him to say the least. The poor kid had awkward genius syndrome; a condition Anne and I found in all the genius kids where they've been overly educated on facts and math and science. The problem is that they're so smart in school they're dumb in the topic of human interactions. Max had always been that way.

With the arrival of four teenagers comes a loud mumbled conversation of us all talking rapidly over each other. This made it obvious to Machelle as soon as we walked through the door. She met us in the kitchen, leaning against the bar.

"Hey guys, I got home early want some-" she scanned the group, "where's Max? Please tell me you didn't forget him at the park,"

"No," I told her with a chuckle, "he's actually hanging out with people who aren't us or his science club friends,"

"I don't believe you. What did you do to him?" She asked suspiciously.

"We're actually serious Machelle," Eddie defended. She eyed all of us thoroughly before deciding even must be telling the truth.

"I can't believe it," she stated in shock, "I can't fuc-" she began to cough to cover up the cuss she was about to spout out.

"In other news," Machelle began as we all took a seat at the table and she began to make two boxes of kraft dinner, "Cousin Lisa is engaged,"

"Again?" Anne, Eddie and I groaned.

"Yes, again," Machelle sighed.

"Cousin Lisa?" Mason asked.

"Machelle's cousin, Lisa," I began.

"She's been engaged more times than the number of years I've been alive," Anne finished.

"She's kind of known for it now. She always invites even the most irrelevant friends, which means most people in town sense she grew up here," Eddie clarified.

"Oh yeah," Mason exclaimed, " I think we've been invited to bunch of those,"

"Yes, Lisa's a bit reckless, but she's never actually been married," Machelle chimed in.

"Yeah, because the engagements always falls through," I pointed out. Everyone mumbled in agreement.

"Either way, she's planned for the wedding to be in a month and a half," Machelle sighed and put the wedding invitation on the table before heading to the living room.