Strange as IT Seems

Chapter 35: Steps

What are you up to?

Mia writes on a piece of paper from her notebook. She rips it out and folds it. She then goes across the hall and slides it under her cousin's door.

She then goes back to organizing her tutoring books and working out a schedule. Sorting out the days she would need off for big tests or to finish projects and then thinking about what to teach on what days with Jane.

She looks up when she hears the faint sound of paper sliding back under the door. The shadow of Bill is visible. Smiling, she goes over to retrieve it.

Homework is the response. Boring as hell do you know anything about the War of 1812?

Mia smirks and writes her response.

Bill waits until the paper slides back under to his feet.

Besides the fact that the British/Canadians burned down the original White House, not much. Sorry. Take a break if you need to, and go outside.

The teen looks at the Math homework that he'd finished and the stack of science questions next to it. It sucks that he can't ask Stanley anymore whether he got the equations and answers right or not. He figures he can just call Ben about History since he and Mike were their historians of the former Loser's Club.

He then looks at his sketchbook and pencils, deciding he'd been inside long enough.

Slipping out of his room, Bill nods to his cousin as he heads toward the stairs.

"Y-You never saw me," he whispers.

Mia motions that her lips are sealed and then goes on to tackle her own homework by shutting the door.

Bill pulls on a coat and goes out to the curb again. His father was working, and his mother and Georgie were out back finishing raking the leaves... at least his mother was. He had a good twenty minutes or so before she called him back in to complete his homework. Thank God for the yard having a lot of trees out back and Georgie's desire to jump in leaf piles.

He sits down and begins to sort through his drawings. He looks at his Bill the Brave and Will the Wise image of himself as a knight and the kid, Will as a wizard. He smiles, remembering how Will helped him develop this character and the many creatures they might encounter along the way. Maybe it could make a good comic book or graphic novel...

A lightbulb seems to go off in his head and a smile spread across his face. Bill immediately pulls out a blank sheet of paper and begins to make a list of ideas for settings and other characters to be a part of his story.

...

"Sorry Will, you just missed him," Mrs. Wheeler says.

The teen's face falls in disappointment at the news. Again, he'd missed Mike to hang out.

"He finished his homework and then was allowed to go over to Jane's house," she continues.

Of course, Will groans in his mind. Of course, he'd go see her.

"Well thanks anyway Mrs. Wheeler," he says, walking from their front door towards his bike.

However, the disappointment doesn't last long when he sees the Bill kid sitting out with his drawing supplies. He smiles and quickly walks over to meet him.

"Hey!" Will says.

Bill looks up and smiles. "Hey."

"Is this just where you draw now?"

"I g-guess," he says. "I just needed a b-break from homework and to g-get out of the house."

"Been there," Will agrees, coming to sit next to him. "Any progress on your Bill the Brave drawing?"