A blaring alarm broke his deep slumber as his body jolted awake. Ned got his bearings straight as his hand slammed down on his phone to silence the annoying sound. He groaned and took a big stretch as he smacked his lips together. He got up and opened the curtain to the glaring sun shining down through the glass pane. Birds were chirping outside and for a moment he was kind of lost in the beautiful bliss.
He then suddenly realized that Michelle was coming over today and he immediately went and got ready. Hastily jumping into the shower and washing his body squeaky clean, in a quick five minute time span. Brushing his teeth and combing his hair he was fresh and ready for the day.
Looking at the clock he became conscious of what the time displayed on his phone. It was seven o’clock in the morning, Michelle doesnt come over until the next six hours. He had that much time to get ready, but he was extremely overprepared and had everything set up already, leaving him with nothing to do for the rest of the day.
He made his way to his mother’s room to check up on her. He regretted not apologizing yesterday, even though he felt like she deserved it. He knocked on her bedroom door and waited for a response back.
Silence.
“Mom?” He shouted. “Do you wanna talk?”
Silence.
“I’m sorry about yesterday, I didn’t mean it.” A full frontal lie but it was to comfort her. “Look I love you. I just think that-Gah! How do I put this?” He slapped his palm to his forehead. “I know you already do so much for me, paying for this house and working very long hours. Just maybe if you put down the drugs you can do better.”
Silence.
“Mom? Are you even there?” He turned the doorknob. “I’m coming in.” He walked in. The large bed that took up the most space in the room was empty with the sheets all over the place and multiple pillows leaning up against the wall. The overwhelming stench of something grosseteste filled up his nostrils making him slam the door. He covered his nose and started gagging.
Holy shit it’s never smelt that bad before. What the fuck did she take in there?
He went into the bathroom and snatched up some Febreeze and sprayed the whole room while also searching it. There was no evidence of drug use at all. It puzzled him a lot. The smell he compared to something that was rotting. He recalled a time where he found a dead possum who was left outside in the backyard. He remembered throwing up at the horrendous smell.
Where is she?
A more important question that clouded his mind. After cleaning up her room and tidying her bed he went downstairs and looked out the window to the driveway. Her green mustang wasn’t there.
Oh she’s out and about. Wonder where she went to? I know she doesn’t have work today, maybe she’s working an extra shift. Hopefully.
He closed the blinds and went back up into his room where he plopped himself on his mattress. He rolled over numerous times, his energy rising through the roof.
Calm down Ned, it’ll be ok. Just be yourself. There’s nothing to worry about, she’s already a nice girl, so she’ll like you. Just don’t be weird like that one time, just be normal.
“Normal? Huh?” He gave off a little chuckle. “I was normal that one time in the library, i’ll just repeat that again.”
Then you’ll just come off as boring.
“But I’m scared that she won’t like me for who I truly am.”
You should take the risk. You should build the relationship off of who you are instead of some facade you play like an actor.
“Hmmm. Yeah, that sounds good.” He concluded between a brief argument with himself.
You shouldn’t think too deeply about this. You can hit it off, you’re pretty likable. I’m pretty sure that everything will be fine.
“I hope I’m right.”
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Michelle brushed her long thick black hair back into a nice flowing motion all the way down to her shoulder. Music is blaring from her phone speakers as she dances along to the beat.
A knock ruins her motion and startles her. She drops the brush and turns down the volume on her phone.
“What do you want dad?” She asked as she went back to brushing her hair.
“Can you hand me my razor?” Her dad requested.
She opens a drawer and quickly rummages through it. Sorting through the items she spotted the razor sticking out under a hair tie. She cracks open the door and sticks her hand out and dispenses the razor into the hands of her father.
“Thanks honey.” He said. “Love you.”
“Love you too dad.” She said with a passing tone, like she didn’t mean it.
Her hair looked beautiful as she finished the final stroke to it. She put the brush back into the drawer and wrapped the towel around her, crossing the hallway into her room.
She dressed up and started applying makeup to her face. Blemishing some exposed acne and smoothing out her cheeks.
“Michelle!” Her father yelled from downstairs. “You ready?”
“Just one second dad.” She yelled back as she applied the finishing touches. She cleaned up her room and picked up her backpack. Stepping downstairs her father was waiting by the door with the car keys in his hands.
“You look great sweetie.” He complimented.
“Thanks.’ She said as she tied her shoes.
“Now let’s go. I got to drop you off on your date.”
“It’s not a date! It’s a study session.”
“Yeah, whatever you say.” He jokingly teased.
“Let’s just go.” She shoved him out the door.
They got into the white small four seater and backed out of the driveway and onto the street. She lives right next to the school. Her father takes a right turn up a main street and starts cruising.
“So what’s this boy look like?” He asked her.
“Black hair, blue eyes, like six foot tall I think.” She responded looking out the window.
“Nice?”
“Yeah. From the short time I spoke to him.”
“Good.”
They sit in silence as he stops at a stoplight. “So do I make a left up here?”
MIchelle pulled out her phone and pulled up Ned’s address. “Yeah, on Click street.”
The light turned green and the car accelerated further up the street until they hit a stop sign, the bright green sign labeled Click Street.
“Go on this street for a little bit and then make a right.” She directed.
He did what he was told and took a right on Trotters Lane.
“It’s the second house on the right.”
He pulled up to the curb of the white and brown two story house.
“This the right place?” He asked.
“Yep, it says so.” She opened the door and grabbed her backpack as she took a step out onto the dead grass that littered the front lawn.
“Be careful and have a good time.” He said.
“I will! See ya dad.” She slammed the door.
The car roared up and drove off, leaving Michelle standing there, looming in the shadow that casted down on her from the only tree that stood still as its leaves were rustled by the wind.
She walked up the walkway and under the awning. She stood in front of the white painted door and gave a hardy knock.
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THUMP THUMP THUMP
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Three knocks in a rapid fashion woke Ned up in his bed. He then looked at the time on his phone and realized it was one. He panicked and started rushing down the stairs.
Dammit! I knew I shouldn’t have taken that nap!
He scolded himself as he approached the front door. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He reached his hand out and turned the knob and slowly creaked the door open.
Michelle stood there with her dark red backpack, ripped jeans around her knees, and a yellow crop top to top it off.
Ned was star struck, his eyes couldn’t dart away from her beauty. He was so busy staring that he had forgotten to say hello and greet her in any sort of fashion.
“Hello.” She smiled and gave a little wave then laughed. “Can I come in?”
“Yeah.” He said as he held the door open for her.
She stepped in and looked around at the cleaned up gray couch, and the dark brown dining table that was behind it.
“You can take your shoes off near the door.” Ned suggested, pointing to a neatly stacked pile of various shoes that rested behind the door.
“Thank you.” She said as she slipped off her sneakers and placed them nicely alongside the stack. “So, are we using the table to study?”
“Yeah, I’ve already got it set up.”
“Thanks.” She walked up and pulled out the creaky wooden chair and sat down, placing her backpack by her legs.
Ned pulled out a chair across from her and sat down, his backpack already on the floor zipped open.
They sat there not talking to each other as Michelle brought her books out and put them smack down in front of her. Pulling out some pencils alongside an eraser. She pulls out a green folder and opens it, pulling out notes from the math class.
“So, what do you want to start with?” Ned asked to start the conversation.
“You know the notes we took Monday?” She responded, filing through her folder.
“Yeah, isn’t that what we worked on last time?”
“It is but it’s the thing I’m most stuck with. I can’t seem to get my head around it.”
“That’s fine. I can help.”
She slid him her homework paper and also the notes. “It’s kind of hard to get it down in my brain.”
“Don’t worry we’ll go over it.” He reassured her.
They sat there for an entire hour going through that one little section, almost getting it down to a tee. Practicing over and over again until she’s got it memorized that she can do it off the top of her head.
After completing that central task, both of them had nothing to do. She texted her dad and she had to wait another hour before she could get picked up.
They both sat there in awkward silence as Michelle texted away on her phone.
Come on Ned!
He was thinking about what conversation topic to bring up. He’s never been the best at starting conversations or even carrying them in the slightest.
“So.” He started off. “How are your other classes?”
She looked up from her phone. “What do you mean?”
“Like are you having trouble with them as well or is it just math?”
“Oh no, I have straight A’s across the board but math. I’ve always had a problem with math ever since first grade.”
“That’s nice. I also have A’s in all of my classes.”
“That’s not surprising coming from you.” She giggled.
“Heh.” He giggled along with her. “Yeah I get that a lot.”
“I bet you do.”
“I’ve been good at school throughout my whole life, I never had a grade that fell below a B. Always had to make my mom proud somehow, even if she didn't notice.” His voice trailed off in almost a whisper near the end to where Michelle couldn’t even hear it.
“That’s very sweet.” She said, “I bet she was very proud of you.”
“Yeah.” He sighed. “Yeah she was.”
“What about your dad?”
Ned looked down. “I don’t have one.”
MIchelle looked shocked. “Oh, sorry I didn’t know.”
“Don’t worry it’s fine.” He put his hands up in front of his chest. “It doesn’t bother me.” He put his hands back down. “He didn’t die, he just left when I was born.”
“That still sucks.”
“I know, but it hurts less that I didn’t build a bond with him.”
“I guess.” Michelle finally put down her phone. “So you just live with your mom?”
"Yeah, but she’s not here right now.”
“Is she out working?”
“Maybe.”
“You don’t know?”
“She just left this morning and I haven’t seen her since. We had an argument last night, but I don’t want to get into that right now.”
“I understand.” Michelle slid her chair closer to him. “Sorry if this is depressing, but I know how it is to live with a single parent. I live with my dad, my mom left us when I was five.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, he hasn’t dated anyone ever since.”
“My mom also.”
“Isn’t that weird.” She chuckled. “It would be crazy if they started dating each other.”
“Yeah it would be crazy.” He played along with the joke but also pondered the ludicrous thought of that actually occurring.
A loud bang came from the front door that startled them both. A jangling of keys rattled the door knob. They both heard the keys drop to the ground and the person on the other side cursed.
“Ned!” A female voice muffled through the door shouted out in a slur. “I know you’re home, open the door!”
Shit, she’s home.
Ned’s sense of ease turned into boiling anger.
I told her to not be here when she comes over, and now she’s making a huge scene now.
“Is that your mom?” Michelle looked over at him.
“I think so.” He got up from the table and walked up to the front door.
“Ned! Open the door now!” She started slamming on the door.
Godammit.
He reluctantly flung the door open and Sandra came stumbling in and collapsed onto him. He held her up by her shoulders as she drooled over his shirt.
“Hey there.” Sandra turned her head and saw Michelle sitting at the table. “How’s it going?”
“I’m good ma’am.” She waved at her.
Ned leaned in close into Sandra’s ear. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Give me some slack sweety.” She spewed out. “A girl’s got to let loose once awhile.”
“Not like this, you’re wasted. Come on, I'll put you to bed.” He put her back on her feet.
“Come on, I want to talk to her.” She pointed at Michelle.
“No! You need to lay down, you’re in no condition to be standing. Wait! Don’t tell me you drove here.”
“No you silly, of course I didn’t.”
“Good.”
“Want me to help?” Michelle stood up.
“No, I can do it on my own.” He lifted her up the stairs.
“Can you at least give me some more beer?”
“No!” Ned yelled at her.
He dragged her across the hallway and threw her into her room where she landed on the bed. She slowly crawled under the covers and nested softly in the softness of the cushions.
Ned couldn’t hold back anymore. “What the fuck were you even thinking!?” He shouted. “First you just left in the morning without telling me and when you come back you're basically black out drunk! Not to mention the fact that Michelle was over in the first place, like what the fuck is even wrong with you!?”
Sandra was loudly snoring, completely oblivious to his rant.
Ned sighed and closed the door. “Of course, you never listen.” His phone buzzed at him and he was quick to pick it up and look at the notification.
It was a text from Michelle.
I had to leave, my dad had arrived to pick me up. Hope your mom feels better and thank you for teaching me. Would like to do it again.
He gave out a smile before throwing his phone on his bed then jumping into it.
“At least some good came out of today.” He said to himself. “Just wished it lasted longer."211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VYA9vGQlr
