The Bone Key

It was the last period, of the last minute, as I took a breath and my best friend in the world high five me, as the bell sounded for the hottest summer ever. Mandy Nobs, was the only person I was going to miss, a five foot, three red head with a body that would make any tenth grader "very happy," and she was in my tenth grade class. I wasn't above making an idiot of myself at least once a day but somehow it seems to happen a lot more. Yes I was that one kid in every class that ended up with a wet Willie or my shoe strings in a knot, but if you would have told me all that was about to change by nightfall I would have laughed at you because my luck was just that bad. You see when Jimmy gave me a high five my hand somehow brushed though Mandy's hair the hottest girl in school, and remember when I said, "My luck was bad well I meant it!" My hand brushed through her hair as I tripped because of a daily shoestring problem, and you guessed it I smacked her ass right in front of her boyfriend. The one and only, Mike the man eater Thompson, our quarterback for the senior football team and pissed off was an understatement. The only thing good about this was it happened at the same time the bell rang and the race was on, Mike's eyes turned red and looked at me as I was his next meal. I grabbed my book bag and ran as Mike almost grabbed me going out the classroom door, but Jimmy had somehow tripped him. Mike was after me, but he turned, and pointed at Jimmy, and you could hear him scream, "Your mine after I deal with your boyfriend!" I had a lot of practice running so getting out of the classroom and to the gym was not that hard. I was out of breath and tired as my sweaty hands grabbed the gym door. When I pulled it I could feel the cool air hit me in the face, as I turned to make sure there was no Mike I saw her Marry Lynn Fusspot the school gym teacher. How she got to be a gym teacher I will never know, "Five hundred and ten pounds of ding dong fat" had taken over her body. Every time you saw her she had one in her mouth or her hands, this time it was no different as the chocolate crumbs fell from her mouth. She said, "Time to go home Larry my boy, time to go home this is no places to play just learn." I thought to myself, "Thank god she was there!" I took a look behind me and there he was. At that moment Marry was my favorite teacher, and knowing she would not turn down free help I offered to carry her stuff to the car. Mike was behind me hitting his palm with his fist, and all I could think was I dodged that beating for a little while. Mike offered to help to so that I couldn't get out of his sight, and the whole time he is asking I was behind them hoping she would say no. We both knew with my luck she took the help with open arms, and believe me when I say Mike was smiling, and that made me worry even more. I made sure to be in front of Miss Fusspot as she explained she needed about four boxes taken to her car. She told us both to follow her into the gym, and to be careful of the folded mats on the floor. Mike cut me off as Miss Fusspot went in first, with his teeth locked shut and with a massive hands he grabbed my shirt. He pushed my small body into a locker, and I had never been so scared. My head slammed up against the medal door and as I started opening my eyes, I saw Mandy grab his arm as his fist was heading for my face. I was so scared, and all Mike could do was want to hit me anyway. Jimmy grabbed my glasses, the most I could tell was Jimmy had talked to Mandy, and she understood. After Mike calmed down, Mandy told him, and he just shoved my head back and walked off with his buddies. Mandy as Mike and his buddies walk away looked back at me and smiled. I thought Jimmy was going to pass out in disbelief, we always knew she could do better, but is it possible she liked me. Jimmy laughed in disbelief as he asked if we were still on for tonight. My dad's car was in the shop, but my mom's van was still running. Mom lets me get away with murder so getting the van was in the bag, or so I thought. At that time Miss Fusspot opened the gym door looking for us, she wondered what happened to Mike but Jimmy offered to take his place. She handed us both boxes full of books and school supplies. We had done this at least a few hundred times already for other teachers. She drove an eighty seven Chevy dark green with black trim, right out front seventh parking spot. Jimmy opens the back door on the driver side, and I pushed my boxes all the way over first then he put his in and started looking around. He pulled out a six pack of long neck bottles and I knew what it was, I asked could I have one and he just smiled and handed me a beer. His dad drink heavily and getting drunk he did well on the weekends, so creeping a few beers was easy. We both took a few drinks as Jimmy went to put his empty bottle in the trash, Miss Fusspot grabbed the rest of the six packs, asked for mine, and she grabbed her cell. We knew we were going to have a bad day, as we were marched to the office. My mom and she talked for a long time, and that was a bad sign. We must have sat there for hours, I thought time was going so slow but only ten minutes had pasted. He had a picture in the office that was behind the desk and all the chairs were in front of it. It was the founder of the Ben Moss High School, Mr. Ben Moss himself. He must have been a hundred in that picture because it was black and white, and he just looked it. I just hated being in that room I could swear his eyes followed me, and that just freaked me out. A few more minutes had past and our principal Mr. Brains came in with my mom and I want lie, "I was worried." We sat there as they talked back and forth never saying a word to us, I knew we were dead. Then out of nowhere a knock on the door, we both was so scared and now we both had a reason to be worried! It was Jimmy's dad, and when he came to the school we knew not to say a word. He had to take off from work early just to make it and I could tell he was not happy. Jimmy's dad looked at him, as Mr. Brains gave his dad what was left of the six packs. The school just let our parents deal with us since it was the last day of the school year, Mr. Brains said, "we could go, but don't do it again." My mom opened the door shaking her head, making sure I understood it wouldn't happen again. I was grounded to my room for two weeks and Jimmy got three because he brought the beer. When we left the office Mandy slipped me a note she was waiting on her dad, Mike had just left her for no reason. I smiled as she waved, and she smiled back at me. Jimmy was coming out and seen it all. He yelled, "Lucky!" but you better hope Mike don't find out. I knew he was right but I have had a crush on her for years, I had to take that chance. Mom never said a word in tell we got into the car, and then she let it rip. On and on, "you know Jimmy's dad he is just like your uncle Ricky he drinks all the time and you know it will mess you up." I told her Jimmy brought it but it didn't matter. She was yelling so much she almost hit a black dog that ran out in front of us. I couldn't wait to get home two weeks sounded badly but anything was better than this. My grandfather would get drunk, and beat my grandmother, when my mom. He hit my mom once and then went to hit my brother Ricky; he tripped over there dog and fell off the porch into the trash. Every time she tells that story I laugh, mom gets so mad but I can't help myself it is so funny. He stopped drinking after that but it was too late, it killed him that next summer he died in the hospital. I understood why she was telling me the story and I don't mean to sound like I didn't care, I do but mom has been telling that same story sense I can remember. Mom pulled into the gas station to get gas as she circled the pumps looking for one; there was a man out front of the store. I could tell he was upset at someone; he started screaming so loud a police officer getting back into his car asked him to calm down. The man gave him the finger, I couldn't help but laugh mom looked at me, and I knew to stop I was already in enough trouble. I did watch as mom pulled up and got out at pump three. It was getting good the officer asked the man if he could see his identification, the man started yelling again. The man mooned him as a woman going into the store walked into a parked car. I heard her screaming as she limped in the store, a man in the car told her to be careful, as my mom was coming out from paying. The man took off behind the store as the cop ran after him; we pulled away from the pumps and on the main road. The man and the cop disappeared behind the store. I was thinking he had to be drunk as we pulled out of the gas station, and then mom's cell went off. I could hear her say, "hello" after that she passed the cell phone to me and told me not to be on long you are grounded, it's Jimmy. He asked about the note Mandy handed me after school. I had already forgot about it and told him I would call him back after I read it. He said, "Whatever fine!" So I opened the note Mandy wrote. Everyone knows my mom and dad went out of town, and I was all alone in tell Monday, please call for the address see you at nine. Jimmy laughed and said, "It's a trick Mike will be behind the door and when Mandy lets you in you know that right." Jimmy said, "Let me go in first you hang outside for about ten minutes or so, and then I will make up a story so I can leave and if Mike is there at less it would be two on one." I told Jimmy I would meet him in front of the park at eight o'clock he said, "Cool." Mom loves her radio and singing was her favorite thing to do so she didn't hear a word the only real test was getting out without getting caught...