Pitiful I Know

Chapter 41

"... so then Blakey here, runs the hell out of the lake, and what do you know, there really is a leech," Josh said, laughing even more.

We were still sitting around the table. We'd just finished eating the desert, Nanaimo bars, which I had learned, were one of Anita's many specialties, and Josh had kindly agreed to tell me embarrassing stories about Blake even though the one concerned had all but choke Josh from across the table. His parents were on my side, and urged Josh to go on, laughing at the memories with him.

"How the hell was I supposed to react? A freaking leech. Just so you know, it's not the best feeling in the world. And I was freaking nine years old," Blake scowled beside me, looking annoyed.

I laughed beside him, which earned me a glare.

Ha ha

"Wait, you ain't even heard the funny part yet. So Jay and I, we tell Blake that he has to take his shorts off because there might be leeches hidden in them. And what do you know? Next thing, Blake is wriggling out of them, screaming like a newborn baby," Josh burst laughing while Blake hung his head in shame in his hands.

"Ow, poor Blake," I laughed.

"Oh, it's not even the worst part," Josh grinned, and then Blake raised his head.

"Please, for the sake of me, please just stop," Blake begged.

"Heck no," Josh grinned wider and then looked back at me, "So you have this butt naked Blake, leech on his leg, screaming and crying, while his brother and I are all but pissing ourselves and that's when Catherine decides to show up."

I started to laugh hysterically right there.

"Hey it's so not funny! You wouldn't be laughing if you had been in my position," Blake scowled beside me, his hands covering his face.

"Oh, but I would never have been stupid enough to actually take my shorts off," I laughed.

And I really wasn't the only one.

Josh of course was clutching his stomach with laugher, and Anita's shoulders were shaking with them, and Blake's parents chuckled lightly too, but there was something about the way they looked at me.

I really shouldn't be self conscious like that. They probably weren't even looking at me, but at Blake. But it just felt like their gazes were on me. It was strange.

"Oh, trust me. If you had grown up with my brother and Josh you'd have taken your pants off. Those two together would have scared away the freaking devil," Blake snorted.

"Thought you and Josh were the perfect pair," I said, still laughing a little.

It was a funny story. And I also grasped at any embarrassing story I could have about Blake.

"Oh, when they were younger Josh and Jay were often mistaken for twins actually. And people thought Blake was their little brother tagging along," Sophia said, a small smile on her lips.

"Tagging along? You make me sound like a dog," Blake rolled his eyes.

"Aw, don't take it the wrong way my brother from mother. We actually enjoyed your company when you weren't engrossed in one of these many books of your," Josh told him, still laughing.

"He was the booky type when he was younger?" I asked smiling a little.

Blake was leaning his head in his palm, elbow against the table, bad etiquette right there, and was shaking his head slightly, discouraged.

"Yeah, he was the perfect little loner kid, with his painting and piano playing and reading. But then, me and Jay, we corrupted him," Josh grinned widely.