Don't Get Angry

3- Otis: Weakness

I sat on the front porch with my grandmother helping her fold our washed clothes. She handed me a shirt and watched me fold it. I took my time and did as she instructed; sleeve to sleeve, end to end, fold sleeves inward, fold shirt in half. I looked at the pile of crap on my lap with wide eyes, then looked at my grandmother. She stared at me with raised brows. "Is that what I showed you?"

I sighed. "No...I'm trying -"

She hit me on the back of my head, then ripped the shirt off my lap and shook it loose. She rested it on my lap again. "Again."

I groaned. "Grandma -"

"Until you learn to do things right, you must learn from your mistakes. She put her arm over my shoulders. "And I'm always here to teach you."

I smiled at her, then sighed aloud and started folding again. My attention was quickly directed at the car coming up the street. I watched Penny's car pull into the driveway. She and Dalta got out holding shopping bags. Penny pointed at me and smiled, saying something to Dalta. Dalta shook her, then she walked up the steps after her. I squinted at her wondering what Penny told her to make her react that way. "Hmmm." I threw the unfolded t-shirt in the basket of folded ones.

"Otis," my grandmother yelled.

"I'm going over to Peter's."

"Are you sure they would let you back on their property?" She raised her brows at me and scoffed. "After the stunt you pulled with their daughter, you think they'll let you back into their house?"

"We'll see."

I skipped down the steps and walked across our lawns, then I walked up the Mahoys' front steps. I rang the doorbell. The door opened to Mr. Mahoy. He stood above me, strawberry blonde hair and dimples like both his kids'. "Otis," he sang my name in shock, his brows arched and a forced smile on his face.

I cleared my throat. "Good afternoon, Mr. Mahoy. I'm here to see Peter."

"Uhm..." He pursed his lips and pushed up his glasses, his dimples still denting his cheeks. "Otis, I'm not sure Penny would be fine with that."

"She's fine with it," I said knowing she would be. "I saw her today at the mall." Penny had had a crush on me for about a decade. How'd I know? Penny stared at me any chance she got; in class...when I mowed their lawn with Peter...in my bedroom. I had to keep my blinds shut twenty-four seven. She would also point at me and whisper to her friends at school. Funny, she still didn't think I knew she liked me.

"Okay." Mr. Mahoy nodded, still skeptical about letting me back around his perfect kids. "Well, if she's fine with it... you can come in."

"Thank you."

I walked into the house. I made my way up the stairs and walked down the hallway knowing Penny's room was right across from Peter's. I looked at her closed pink door then I looked at Peter's white one. Penny and Dalta were talking inside. "I honestly can't stand him," I heard Dalta arguing with Penny. I furrowed my brows and turned back to the pink door, stepping closer to it. "He's, like...so heated -"

"As in hot?" Penny giggled.

"Ewe, no. He's, like, average looking. Like...he's okay to look at. I don't blame you on that part."

I smirked.

"But once you take that away, he's just horrible."

I rolled my eyes.

"I mean, what kind of guy pushes his date into a river? And he's so rude. Whether he folds clothes with his grandma or not, I bet he would never do that for you. As a matter of fact, I don't think he would do anything nice for you. I don't know how many times I have to remind you of what he did to Betty in tenth grade. He doesn't respect women. He's a sexist and he thinks we're weak-"