Better Than The Movies

Chapter Ten

Saturday morning is spent helping my mother clean the whole second floor. That means washing, wiping, and dusting every available surface in the living room, kitchen, and dining room. I had to hold back the urge to throw up every time I was forced to look at those hideous green walls. I don't understand how Jace can love a color this disgusting.

After the whole cleaning spree is finished I get a text from Dylan who wants to hang out at the mall. Apparently, it's his mother's birthday tomorrow and he's yet to buy her a gift. I'm not surprised, he told me that it took him until he was 16 years old to remember his brother's birthday; obviously, his memory isn't up to par. I agreed, only if I could pick the mall because I'll be damned if I go to any of the ghetto hood malls. He agreed and he texted me his address since I offered to drive. I needed to be ready in an hour even though I haven't picked an outfit or showered or figured out the hair situation since it's in a bonnet at the moment.

I did everything before I tackled my hair. I just decided to gel it up into a skull snatching ponytail that showed my massive bush. For clothes, I just threw on a Beyonce t-shirt and ripped jeans with my Nike Air Max 270s. I remembered stepping into Jace's closet yesterday just for fun when he went to the bathroom and seeing every sneaker imaginable. He had at least twenty pairs of 270s all in elaborate colors. It was like sneaker heaven; I may have almost shed a tear.

I left soon after I did my hair and nobody was home to stop me. While I was in the shower there was an emergency meeting at the church, for what I couldn't care less. All I know is that I don't have to be there.

Dylan's house isn't very different than mine. His neighborhood was ten minutes away from mine and he lived in a two-story brick house almost identical to every house on the block. He had the same metal fence surrounding his property as me. I honked the horn causing some unwanted attention from the people sitting out front on their porches. Dylan runs out and hops in the car, narrowingly missing the shoe being thrown at him on the way out. I notice the black durag on his head and Adidas tracksuit to match. I decide not to comment on his choice of clothing and instead take a look at the sweat rolling down his face. He's probably hot from the ridiculous durag.

"Sorry, my mother's pregnant and the hormones are getting to her." He says in a rush. "She is freaking out since it's her 39th birthday tomorrow and feels like she's getting old."

I took a look at his mother, she was gorgeous and obviously very pregnant. She was standing on the porch with a bonnet and long nightgown. I sped off after we waved to each other and she went back inside the house. We talked about random life things to pass the time mostly about his family. I learned his brother goes to UCLA which is amazing considering it's across the country. His mother had his brother at 19 making him almost 20 years old and they shared different fathers. The guy who knocked her mom up with the new baby was Dylan's dad after his dad had left for a few months and came back. His mother was so happy that he came back to her that she rushed into the bedroom and when she got the pregnancy test results back, he was nowhere to be found. I felt bad for Dylan who had his father leave in and out of his life. I've never been able to relate to my friends with single parents because my parents were still happily married. He told me about his family looking to God for help in their dark times and I had to force myself to listen to him preach to me about what God can do. His cross was swinging from his neck as he spoke about his experience in various churches and etcetera.

By the time he was finished we were already here and I couldn't get out of the car fast enough.
People talking about religion kind of freaks me out. It makes me feel out of place when everybody expects me to be one thing, but my heart and mind expect me to be another. Jace is the first person I've met who shares my lack of belief, that makes him special.