The Voice of Caroline

Chapter 4 - An Unlikely Friendship

"Did you get the Hot Pockets?"

"Yes," Gordie answered.

"And the Cheetos?"

"Yes."

"What about drinks? Your parents are not health nuts, are they? Because I am not drinking a smoothie! I don't care what they say is in it."

"We're not having smoothies. I just bought some soda."

"Coke or Pepsi?"

"What's the difference? They're basically the same."

"They are not!" Bryant exclaimed outraged.

"Will you give it a rest already?" Lina asked, "Gordie did everything you asked, now cut it out." She shoved Bryant's arm causing him to stumble.

"Watch it!"

Lina rolled her eyes.

Ten days had passed though it seemed like much longer to Gordie. The three of them were walking down Piedmont Street after being dropped off by the bus. Earlier they had agreed to work on their project at Gordie's house after school.

"So which house is yours again?" Bryant asked.

"The one at the end."

Bryant stopped walking. "Are you crazy? That house is haunted!"

"It's not haunted," Gordie said, "That's a myth."

"Yeah, a myth based on fact! I'm not going in there." Bryant crossed his arms defiantly.

"Stop being such a baby," Lina chided, "It's just a house."

"A haunted house," Bryant reiterated, "I don't want Emma Jane coming after me!"

"Well then, I guess you have a choice. Do you want your Hot Pockets and Cheetos or is your fear of a pretend ghost going to stop you?" Lina asked.

"Lina she's real!" Bryant exclaimed.

"Okay, fine you stay here. I'll eat your share."

Bryant narrowed his eyes on her.

"Fine I'll go but if something happens to me, you'll have to be the one to tell my parents."

"I'd be happy to," Lina said smugly as she began walking again.

At Gordie's house, he directed Lina and Bryant into the kitchen. Bryant was especially careful not to touch anything.

"Your house is nice," Lina said sitting at the table while looking around at the yellow and white striped wallpaper, navy blue curtains hanging over the window above the sink and the scuffed linoleum tile.

"It's better now since we fixed it up," Gordie said, getting out the Hot Pockets.

"Who's here?" Grandpa Arnie called from the dining room. The table had since been cleaned and he had taken to making model airplanes.

"It's just me grandpa," Gordie answered, "And some of my classmates. We have a project we need to work on."

Grandpa Arnie harrumphed. "What's that you're making?"

"Hot Pockets."

"Make me one too and bring me a beer."

Gordie rolled his eyes at Lina and Bryant and took some apple juice out of the fridge, "He won't know the difference," he whispered.