Sticks and Stones

Chapter Eight

“So then Kai went up to the waitress and kissed her right on the mouth. She was completely shocked, but she kept it going!” Aaron laughed this out as a conclusion to his story, swallowing another bite of his hamburger. We were in a crowded restaurant, yelling being the only way we could talk over all of the noise. Aaron had said that this place was famous for it’s over load on greasy, juicy meat; after we sat down, I decided on a small Caesar salad. We had been talking nonstop since we got here, but surprisingly, it had all been about Malakai. I wonder if Aaron even noticed.

            I took a bite of my salad and swallowed. “So, you know all of the deep and dirty secrets he has?”

            “Ayup! He trusts me with everything, so I know it all. Wanna hear something big?” He asked, leaning in closer. I nodded and put my ear next to his mouth, waiting.

            “Malakai has a thing for writing poetry. He goes to a poetry slam every Thursday night, and reads his latest ones. I’ve been to one, but that one was about his parents, so I couldn’t really relate. And I like poetry,  but I definitely don’t think it’s for me. Malakai, though, writes a new poem every week. It’s all about how he feels, mushy mushy blah blah.” At this he laughed, consuming the other half of his hamburger in the silence following. I pushed the last few leaves of my salad around in the dressing on the plate, thinking about Malakai reading poetry, and about his parents. I would have never guessed he’d be into poetry, or anything besides sports and the beach, actually. I tried picturing this—Malakai on a small, dark stage. Lights around him dimmed, illuminating mainly the page in his hand, and not much more.

            Malakai reading his poem while a silent audience awaits the end. And then, after the last stanza, everybody claps, and he walks off of the stage, disappearing back into the old, sandy Malakai Lockhart; the one everyone knows.

            “…Tyler?” I shook my head and I was back at the restaurant. I felt Aaron’s hand on my shoulder and shrugged it off.

            “I need to go home.” I said quietly.

            Aaron stared at me for a few more minutes before nodding, paying the check and walking me out of the restaurant.

                                                                        ***

                        We pulled up in front of my house and Aaron cut the engine. We sat in silence; the last few lyrics in the song just playing were still lingering in the air.

            “… If I had one wish tonight, it’d be to keep you by my side.

                        Forget the world and all the people, you’re my princess and

                                    I’m your hero. One wish …”

            I smiled at the night sky, thinking about tonight’s events. It had been fun, but I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Malakai all night. He wrote poetry. He wrote poetry about his parents, who I had never met. I tried to pretend like this wasn’t so surprising, but it was. When Aaron grabbed my hand, I turned and looked at him, my goofy smile still on my face.

            He took this as a good thing. “Tyler, you’ve showed me a great night. Thank you so much for accepting my apology. Now, may the frog get the princesses kiss…?” Aaron leaned in, eyes closed and lips puckered. I sat awkwardly, hoping he’d open his eyes and see me backing away, but he didn’t. When I looked out the window, I saw Malakai standing there, staring right at me. I gasped and opened the door, running out towards him. He glared back at Aaron, and then looked at me with dark eyes.

            “What the hell.” He said, more of a question than a statement.

            “Aaron took me out tonight, he hit me in the head again and thought it would be a good way to apologize …” I trailed off after realizing that he wasn’t listening.

            “I waited for Tyler at the beach for the last few hours, searching everywhere for her. And you have the nerve to take her out when you knew our plans? Fuck you.” Aaron stood his ground and glared right back, defending himself. I began shaking; I had never heard his cuss, ever. I never wanted to hear it again.

            “And Tyler, I told you I would bring you dinner. I waited for three fucking hours at your house, and you were out at dinner with my best friend. I didn’t know I could begin to care about someone so much, and then let them bail out on me with no notice at all. I’m done with you too. Both of you.” He spat these words at me.

            Malakai began to walk away, not looking back at me. I tried to go after him, but Aaron grabbed my arm and held me back.

            “Forget about him.” He said.

            “No.” I hissed, turning away from him and walking away. “Forget you.”

With tears in my eyes, I ran inside my house, cleverly avoiding my father, who was on the couch watching last seasons re-runs of CSI. When I got into my room, I stripped down and sat in the shower, allowing the scalding water to engulf me and my sobs. No one could hear me, but I didn’t want them to.

            I had finally started to be happy here in Florida. And now, Malakai didn’t want anything to do with me. My father was too preoccupied with Stacie to do much other than make me breakfast in the morning, and I was doing some painting for an orphanage I had never heard of with someone who hates me. At this moment, I was friendless, jobless, and all in all, basically without a life.

            Damn.

            Can my life get any better?