"Oh no!" I say, as we pull into the Pinkette driveway, because even though the sun hasn't fully set yet and the street lights haven't flickered on, my dad is home and he's outside sitting on the porch. I don't know why he's home this early, but more importantly, I don't think it's a good idea for me to show up in the Pinkette kid's car.
"Stop!" I hiss, but it's too late. My little outburst causes Dean to hit the brakes, fast, and the car jerks forward, just a little, but still catching the attention of my dad.
Now he was going to think I was going around with a bad driver.Nice.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"I'll be honest Pinkette." I say, "I don't think my dad likes you." I shrug and jokingly give him a look that says, can't blame him. "So thanks for the ride, see you tomorrow." I wiggle my fingers goodbye and reach for the door handle.
But he reaches for my hand and stops me, not saying a word until he's properly parked and the engine is off. "He has to like me." Is all Dean says, sounding determined.
I laugh and slip my hand out of his, "Why?" I say, ignoring the warm feeling in my palm and the warmer feeling in my chest.
"Because we're next door neighbors, for God's sake!" He opens the car door, "And I'm sick and tired of being deprived of my extra hours of sleep on the weekends. So I'm going to be friends with your dad. Starting today."
Good luck, I want to say, thinking that he's only joking. Friends with my dad? Ha!
But being the cocky little boy that he is, who can't possibly live with the fact that someone, somewhere doesn't like him, Dean saunters over to our lawn and towards my dad while I'm still laughing at the idea.
What the hell was Dean doing!
In the last few rays of orangey sunlight, I swear I see my dad flinch the moment Dean's sneakered foot touches the first blade of grass. With all the years that the feud has been going on, you'd think we'd have a Pinkette detector already and booby traps on the lawn. I grab my bag and run after him, just in case.
I arrive maybe two seconds after him. I stop and catch my breath, keeping an eye on the two of them.
"Hello, Mr. Blythe." Dean extends his hand, "I don't know if you remembered, I'm the boy who lives next door. Dean Pinkette." Dean smiles, "Mr Pinkette's son." Dean says the Pinkette part slowly and deliberately.
I watch my dad carefully as he grasps Dean's hand and shakes. "Yeah, I remember." He narrows his eyes. "Hello." Then, glancing at me first, he adds, "Dean."
I snicker at the two of them. This was ridiculous.
Satisfied with their silly conversation, Dean turns to leave. My dad and I watch him walk away.
