Adapt

CHAPTER NINE

SWEATER AND THE NERD

" The measure of intelligence is the ability to change." - Albert Einstein

      We drive for a few minutes as we enter one of the nicest neighborhoods in this small town. Miles pulls into a driveway and stops the car. I look around the house. It's not as nice as mine, but it's still amazing.

" What's this Miles?" I ask him. He doesn't open his car door, instead he just hops over the door.

" This is my house." He says. I try to contain a stoic face, not revealing anything just in case he takes offense. When we were friends, he lived in a trailer park. Apparently not anymore.

" What-how? I mean, no offense but I'm pretty sure that you were dirt poor." Miles keeps staring at me as if he knows that I am dying to ask the real question. And of course, I have to open my big mouth.

"I don't mean to ask, but is this drug money?" I say quickly, as I get out of the car. Miles raises his eyebrows, but smiles. His face seems to say, there it is. I squint my eyes together, and bite my lips.

" Sorry, still trying to get out of the whole diva habit." I talk with my hands. He nods and starts to walk towards his house.

" Nah, we're cool. Anyway, my mom got lucky. She got a scholarship to Harvard Law." I arch my eyebrows.

" Doesn't it cost a lot of money? I mean tuition is steep, but it also takes many years to become a lawyer, let alone a good one." He shakes his finger.

" No, no. I never said that she became a lawyer. I said she got lucky." He hints at me. I make an o with my mouth as it hits me.

" So you have a rich step father now, huh, Sweater?" Miles smiles at his nickname and nods his head with nauseated look.

" They got married near the end of sophomore year. We moved into this house, I got a car, and I quit my last 'job'. My mom is happy, I guess. But the guy is kind of a jerk. The money just blinds her. I guess she doesn't like living in a trailer park." I chuckle along with him and we head inside.

I hear shouting from what I'm guessing is the kitchen and the living room.

" Where is the beer, Sandy?" A manly voice shouts.

" I don't know, Dan, you were on grocery duty this week remember?" Another voice shouts. Miles rolls his eyes and puts his hands around his mouth,

" Hey, mom, Dan, I have a guest!" I turn to Miles with my eyes wide.

" What are you doing? I don't want to meet your parents, you forget that I ruined your families reputation." Miles puts his hand on my arm.

" Yes, we did forget. We don't live in fear or pride. Our reputation doesn't matter to us."

I feel awful, and I don't get a punishment? I treated Miles and everyone else at school so terribly, and I get away with it? There is no possible nor logical explanation. 

I catch movement on the side of my eye and see Miles mom making our way towards us. Her eyes light up in recognition. Does she remember me from ruining her sons life or from the one time that I came over at the beginning of high school?