Theories of Global Warming

~Provence~

"It's a great plan, though!" I exclaimed, flopping onto my bed. Lee stood in the doorway, a smirk on his face. "What?"

"Not a bad theory, just poor execution plan. It's not going to work, doll face," he stated. I groaned into my pillow. "Even Terry knows that."

I threw my head out of my pillow, "I think it can work. It just needs a slight.... Modification..." my words were stretched out so that I could show my desperation. "Here, I have a copy of my plan," I pulled out a piece of crumpled up lined paper from my pillow case and put it out in front of me.

Lee rolled his eyes. He came forward and grabbed it out of my hand. With his hand, he pulled his shaggy bangs out of his face and scanned it, his face squinted. It took longer would be expected for him to read my concise version of the theory.

I've been begging that kid since he's been ten to get his eyes checked out. You could tell that he had a hard time reading. I would sometimes even catch him in class, his work only about an inch away from his face. He wouldn't even have to wear glasses, he could just use contacts. But, apparently, his eyes are 'sensitive'.

"Your eyes hurt, Lee?" I questioned, taking the page back from him. As if on cue, he rubbed his eyes.

"I don't need glasses," Lee insisted, using the same phrase as he has many times before. "Anyways," he continued, "like I said, not a terrible idea at all. But we'll need something to test the co2 levels with to make sure what we are doing is working."

Contrary to popular belief, Lee could care. He just had to put his mind to it. I could go on and on about a topic, and all he would do is nod. However, if it was a topic he cares about and if you caught him at just the right time, perhaps when he were in a good mood, you might would actually get something out of him. In this case, it was a Friday night, he didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn tomorrow, and he was sick and tired of sweating is butt off.

"What should we use then?"

"Well, there's such a thing as a portable carbon dioxide tester. We could buy one, but it'd be expensive. Or we could make one, but we'd have to get the materials," Lee suggested. I considered that thought for a moment. It'd take a lot of work and some delay in our plan, but it'd make our progress more efficient.

"That would probably be the smartest thing to do, I suppose," I furrowed my eyebrows, creating a strain in my forehead as I ran my hands through the rough, sky colored comforter below me. "Anyways," I decided it was about time to change the subject for the night, "do you want to go out for a few hours? It's already unbearable in here," It was true. There were wet globs in Lee's thin eyebrows and surrounding his hairline. Although he seemed he was sweating, he wouldn't take of his stupid jacket.

"Why not," he shrugged, turning to head out the door.

"Hold up, cowboy. Take the jacket off. You're gonna die of heat stroke." I jumped up and pulled it off of him. In the process, the ripped parts expanded, making it more ruined than it already was.

"Hey!" he barked, turning around and grasping his chest in fake hurt. Wrinkles formed on his gray shirt because of this action.

"For crying out loud, Lee... If you're going to wear a jacket in this heat, use the thinner one I bought for you. I used up all of my birthday money on that piece of cloth for you!" I threw my arms in exasperation, causing the jacket to fall onto the floor. As it did so, a small rectangular package with a camel printed on it fell through a pocket. I felt the blood rush to my head. Without thinking, I grabbed them. "You're 15! What's-" I cut myself off, not wanting to offend him, knowing he can be sensitive when it comes to this particular topic.

As mentioned earlier, it was no surprise that Lee smoked cigarettes. I thought that maybe he had went on hiatus or something... I suppose that I mostly wanted to believed that all of Arnold's packages of them got lost in the fire. Knowing Lee, of course he had one box smuggled in his coat pocket, even when he went to school. The only thing was, he didn't care.

Lee turned his head, causing his shaggy split ends to brush in front of his face, "Can we just go to the park now?" his voice cracked at the word 'just'. I opened my mouth to counter him, but slammed his fist against the wall and continued, "Stop... I know what you're going to say. Don't waste your breath, Provence." A penetrating shiver slithered up my back, dumping into my shoulders. I tried to meet his eyes, but he turned his back. Then, he yanked his dad's match box out of my grasp, and exited in one swift movement.

I wanted to follow him and prevent him from doing something dumb, but I couldn't move. That sort of electricity that had settled in my shoulders spread throughout my body, causing me to feel paralyzed. All of a sudden, all that energy released.

"Fine then!" I called after him, "you can jump off a cliff for all I care. It's your stupid life!" The frustrating thing was, I did care. Although I didn't want to. I felt immediate regret for saying what I did to him, but I knew I couldn't take it back. I'm not a Terry.

Bang! The door from downstairs was slammed shut, causing myself to shiver. I threw myself on my bed, sprawling my limbs out like an octopus. A groaning noise escaped my mouth.

Why? Why did I just simply let him leave with that package of cigarettes? I had no answer for myself. There was no answer. No big deal.... I am just potentially a factor in my friend's life. The only thing I want is to be a beneficial one. I want Lee to grow up and use his brain for something useful.

After pondering for what seemed like forever, there was a tapping at my already opened door.

"What?" I hissed, not bothering to look up. It was probably the ghost that Lee was convinced lived in my house.

"Is Lee okay?" it was my mom. I sat up, waiting for a follow up question from her. She raised an eyebrow, still waiting for an answer to her previous question.

"Lee is fine," I lied, "he's just being a butt." My mother sighed in dissatisfaction and took a few steps towards me. Her grey eyes looked as if she had seen a war, for they were cloudy and faded. I mean, It's practically as if she has seen a war. She grew up in this world only to slowly watch it fall apart. The world that she has grown up in was crashing just like how the twin towers did on her sixth birthday.

There was a crash from downstairs. Most likely our ugly cat getting into something again.

"Ugh, that must be Quincy. I'll be right back, hun," My mom turned around and left the room to go see what that cat was up to this time.

I stood and pulled off my cardigan, letting it drop to the floor, revealing the white v neck and jean shorts I was wearing. My shoulders were getting sticky from wearing it all day, I needed a break.

Without bothering to slip on my shoes, I opened up my window, and crawled out. I needed to talk to Lee. He was my best friend, and quite frankly, there was no way I could formulate this plan without him.