Quicksilver - Jamilton -

Chapter 11: Sleepover

"Thomas! You're here." He sits down next to me. I hide my face from him.

"You scared me there, calling me like that. I was really worried, you know?" 

I look at the lake. The sun is now replaced by stars that reflect on the water. The soft breeze brushing my hair makes me cold. I should have brought a warmer coat.

"Sorry." I say silently. I could say more, but I think James understands my silence. He's able to read me like no one else, I don't think I could ever hide anything from him.

"Life's hard sometimes, huh." He glances at me warmly. He could ask me what's wrong or what happened, but he doesn't and I'm grateful for that. Frankly, I don't think this is about what the guys said. I heard many, and when I say many, it's many insults toward me or my family. And they never feel good but you get used to them. You brush them off, telling yourself they're all just jealous. If I spend my days being sad about what someone I don't care about says, I would always be sad. It's more about what happened in the last weeks. I feel so out of my comfort zone. Every day are just so stressful! I'm trying to get us to it, but I can't. I want my old life back! I want to always have someone next to me, walking with me. I want the world to feel small again. I want to win those matches and have the acclamations of all the students at my school. I want to call it my school, my school, and not be an outsider. I just want not to worry every day about being rejected by everyone. Not to wake up and think to myself "what's going to happen today?". Dad always told me Jeffersons are never scared, but I'm always scared! There must be something wrong with me. 

"Hey, Thomas. It's gonna be alright, don't worry. I know it's been hard for you with the whole changing school thing. But I know everything's going to be fine."

"If you say so."

We look back at the lake. It's very calm out here. I like it. 

 "Hey, you want to do something fun?" I remember him telling me that the night I got punish. So I quote myself too.

"Jammy James, I love when you have that look." We smile and it makes me feel a little better.

"Come to my house, we're having a sleepover!"

"Aren't we, like, punished?"

"Who cares! they really thought we wouldn't see each other for two weeks?"

"Yeah, you're right. They are delusional."

We laugh the whole way to his house. We have so much to say! So many days to fill in one night. When I think about it, it's so overwhelming! I don't need to get my things, I already have a drawer at my name in his room. I know we're close to being adults now, but we do sleepovers often. 

"My maid can't see you, ok?" I nod my head as a yes. He enters first as silently as possible and I do the same when he tells me the coast is clear. We directly go to his room. I flop on his bed. 

"How is it that your bed is always more comfortable than mine!"

"Don't know. Maybe you're just weird." I throw a pillow at him.

"If I'm weird, then you're even weirder."

"If I'm weirder, then you're bizarre."

"If I'm bizarre, then you're odd."

"If I'm odd, then you're peculiar."

 "Can we stop?"

"You want to stop 'cause you know I won, you don't have another synonym."

"Who said that! I still have... Outlandish." I move my eyebrows up and down with a smirk of victory.

"How did you found that?"

"My big brain, child, my big brain."

"Ok, get out of my bed."

"NooOO! I'm good here."

And obviously, a pillow fight started.

"So, wanna play Mario cars?"

"Oh, I do wanna kick your ass."

"Please, I'm gonna win without a doubt."

"We're gonna see that."

James' a great friend. I know he's really trying to make me feel better. I kinda called him without realizing it. I was alone and I thought that I really needed my best friend. He immediately answered and when he heard me, he seemed to panic. The rest is history. What would I do without him?

"Ohhhh, look who beats you! Little Jeffy lost!"

"Shut up." 

"No way! I'm celebrating!" He does his dance of victory. The funny thing is, he's only like this with me. with other people, he acts all reserved and serious. I was often asked why I'm friend with him. We didn't seemed like a good pair. But that's just because they don't know us, or him. I know James is just awkward and that's why he's like this in public. He may seem calm and all, but, really, he's over-thinking inside. When that happen I would come to his rescue and talk for him. He always seems thankful.

"Want to watch a movie?"

"Sure."

"So, The Incredibles or Pirates of the Caribbean?"

"I would say The Incredibles."

"Well, tonight you're the boss, but next time, I'm the one chosing and I'm going for Jack Sparrow."

He goes take the chips and other snacks. I put on the movie on his computer. We basically talk more than really, thoroughly, listening to it. Playing critics and saying what we like and dislike, how we would have done it, and some "Why would you do that??!" comes out. In the middle of it, we hear knocks on the door.

"James, it's your mom."

Our eyes widen. 

"Wait a sec'!"

He points me to his bed, I directly understand and I go hide under it. He says it's okay and so she enters.

"I see you're watching a movie."

"I was bored."

"Was it fun with your grandmother?"

"Yes, as always." When we were walking, he told me that his grandma agreed to keep it secret that he went with me if he agreed to learn how to cook something else than just pasta.

"Well, I was with Thomas's parent."

She was? My parent didn't tell me.

"We could talk about it over dinner, no? I'm kinda occupied right now."

"You're right. I just wanted to tell you your punishment is finish. Actually, I would like you to be there for him more. I told you before that the  business they work in was in bad shape? Now, well, let's just say it's going to be difficult for them. So I want you to be a good friend for him, Okay?"

What? It's going to be difficult for us? She means financially? And James knows? He didn't tell me? All this time I talked with him about how my parents aren't telling me what going on and he didn't bother to tell me! why? Since when he knew? After or before the punishment? Even if it's after, we talked a lot tonight and he didn't mention it. Why would he do this? I hate being kept in the dark. It's unfair. I should have the right to know. Do they think I'm too sensible to take the truth? I'm not a baby! I get out of my hiding spot when his mother gets out. I want to scream at him or at anyone but nothing got out.

"I'm sorry, Thomas." I sigh and just exit his room. His mother sees me but I don't bother explaining. I exit the house and start to walk toward mine. This feels like a Deja Vue, walking alone at night. The difference's that I'm going toward my house. The moon shines bright above me but I don't look at it. The ground is where my eyes find refuge. Some minutes later I'm home. My parents are waiting for me, Mrs. Madison probably called.

"Why were you at the Madison's house?"

I don't listen to them and go directly to my room.