Fall ❈ Benny Rodriguez

xi. sadness disease

CHAPTER ELEVEN!
SADNESS DISEASE　URBAN CONE

　

　

JULY HAD FINALLY made its arrival, and it was the perfect summer day. The front door was ajar, pouring fresh sunlight into the entire house, providing perfect warmth and an air of inexplainable joy.

　In the kitchen, Mom was making pancakes, despite the fact that it was already noon. This only pushed the perfect feeling further. Tessa was in her blue walker, sort of getting the hang of the thing (she kept trying to push backward and instead twisted around). Dad was on the couch, socked feet propped on the glass coffee table; he was watching the television, some show I didn't recognize. And I sat on the porch, rocking lightly on the chair, writing a story.

　Luke had gone over to Elizabeth's house only a few minutes before. So it wasn't too terribly surprising when the Rodriguez house's door swung open and out came Benny and Brandy, making their way toward me.

　"Hi, Makayla!" Brandy chirped, and her smile was almost as bright as the sun overhead. She wore a loose white t-shirt—probably one of Benny's—tucked lazily into floral shorts.

　Benny was dressed quite the opposite. His t-shirt was black, and it set a golden tone to his skin. He wore a pair of comfortable-looking white Nike pants; his hands had vanished in their pockets.

　The most embarrassing thing, however, was what I was wearing. It wasn't the white tank top or the black drawstring shorts. It wasn't the knee-length white tube socks, striped with black at the top, or even the crystal pendant that lay between my collarbones like always. It wasn't any of those things. No.

　It was Benny's old jersey.

　On the back, printed in blue, was the name: Rodriguez. The number thirty was placed in several places. It was a piece of Benny, a real piece of him, something he had given to me—and I could not remember why I had decided to wear it at all. For one thing, I had not expected to see him, at least not while I still wore it.

　"Hey," I greeted in return, sounding slightly cautious. After closing my notebook, I brought my knees to my chest, in a pathetic attempt to hide my attire.

　Not seeming to notice anything weird, Benny pointed a thumb behind his back, toward his own house. "Um, your brother and my sister are getting a little too excited, if you know what I mean. Mind if we chill out here for a minute?"

　Grimacing, I shook my head. "No, I don't care. But I swear it's like they're trying to make up for lost time. They're so nasty!"

　Benny and Brandy mounted the steps, onto my porch. Brandy immediately settled onto the ground, just in front of me, and said, "Sex is natural, you know."

　For some reason, hearing it from her mouth came as an enormous surprise. She looked so innocent, and...well, she was right, it was natural, but still....

　"Yeah, but..." I shrugged. "Until I've done it, I think I'm still going to think it's gross."

　Brandy's soft brows rose in surprise. "You're a virgin?"

　"And proud."

　Benny, who leaned against the smooth white pillar, just behind Brandy, looked down at the ground. The edges of his lips were curling up. I frowned, and almost asked him what was so amusing, until Mom called for me to come get my pancakes.

　"Um..." I stood to my feet, gathering the pen and notebook I had been using. "Do you guys want some?"

　Brandy stood, shook her head, and said, "Thanks, but I'm not hungry."