The Walk Towards Sunshine

Chapter 15

When I went home form Henry's house after finishing a group work, I immediately told mum about the meteor shower and that I'm going to watch it with Deanna. I assured her that I'm going to go home as soon as it's over. When she finally agreed and said that she will try to catch the shower, I took a bath real quick, brushed my teeth, and ate three toasts before going to Deanna's house. I sprint to Deanna's house and let the cool air dry my damp hair and sweat. Who knows if Dean is still actively spying at this time of the day? Specifically eight fifteen in the evening.

When I reached their lawn, I catch my breath and fixed myself: my hair is combed neatly, checked if my fly is open then made sure I don't look like I ran to their house. I breathe deeply and ring their doorbell twice and Mrs. Damien opened the door.

"Hello Andrew. You and Lorrie will be watching the shower tonight?" She grinned. Mrs. Denise Damien is wearing her floral apron and has few grease stains on it.

"Yes, ma'am." I flash a quick smile.

"Come in, come in." She stepped aside.

Their house smells like tomato sauce and garlic, but there's no food served at their table. I must say, I'm a little disappointed because the smell made my stomach growl. Mrs. Damien must be washing the dishes now.

"My apologies for the garlic aroma. We had pasta this dinner." She picked up what I believe is an air deodorizer and sprayed.

"It's fine. I like the smell." I sit on their lumpy but soft couch.

"Please make yourself at home. I'll just call her." Deanna's mum trudged up stairs.

I didn't see Deanna's father around so he must at work. Somehow it made me breathe a little knowing that he's not here. Not that Deanna's my girlfriend or anything. My eyes wander around their house. I noticed how simple they are and how beautiful and serene their house is like the family itself. My eyes landed on the ledge on top of their fireplace. I stood and walk there and see Deanna's childhood photos. It's almost like a timeline. The first picture frame shows Deanna as a cute newborn baby, then when she was a toddler, her eleventh birthday, and the fourth picture is her and her prom date. Of course it's someone I don't know. The fifth picture frame shows when she graduated in high school. Her smile is saying that she is ready to take on the world and her enemies are going to be sorry. I smile at that thought at the same time Deanna came running down the stairs with a quilt and a long pillow. She is wearing a dark blue shirt with white polka dots and white shorts. She paused to look at me and frowned.

"Great. Now you saw how ugly I am before." She moaned and threw the quilt and pillow at me. I laughed. "Mom I told you to remove this frames last night!" Her mum shouted something like she forgot.

Deanna went to the fridge and got two bottles of cola and told me to follow her. I went inside their kitchen and there I see an open door but the screen is locked. She closed the blinds of the window beside the door before going out. She closed the door and the screen and we walked to the middle of their backyard. Dozens and dozens of flower pots around the perimeter and there's tire swing hanging from a tree. On the far side lay a hose and some gardening tools.

"My mom loves flowers, as you might have noticed." Deanna spread out the quilt and lay it on the grass. We took off our shoes and she lay down on her pillow. I look at her and raised an eyebrow.

"You're seriously going to let a stranger lay down on your pillow?"

She rolled her eyes and giggled. "Really, Drew? Until now you consider yourself a stranger?"

I lay down laughing. I can smell her lilac and lavender shampoo on the pillow. "For the record, you look absolutely adorable in your baby picture. Good thing your mum forgot to remove those photos." I cross my arms and lay flat on my back, starring straight at the sky.