Sixth: The Boy's Got Something
I would admit that I could sometimes be naughty, which explains why Andrew was always irritated by me. I couldn’t help it maybe because I was just born that way. I wasn’t that naughty that someone could lock me in the closet, no. I was just playfully naughty. One time boredom struck me and I just realized that I should’ve said what I said.
“Pussy Andrew!” I called him while doing jumping jacks on the sand.
Don’t get me wrong but, there was a reason why I called him that. When we were younger, he was afraid of water. The cold, splash of the sea howled him and he didn’t like it. So the Pussy Andrew started. Until he got so pissed off.
Everybody turned their heads and stared at me. But Andrew didn’t even look. The other kids continued their jumping jacks. Once again I shouted, “Pussy Andrew!” Then this time he turned his head, “For damn’s sake, Saydie! Would you stop it?” I had never seen him this red and angry before. I could tell that he was so annoyed that he couldn’t even handle it.
Some of the kids giggled quietly and some stared at me. I felt embarrassed as well. But I think Ethan, for the first time, was on my side because I saw him giggling with me just because he hated Andrew too. He hated the two of us. But he hated me more because I was a better swimmer than Andrew.
We all stopped doing jumping jacks and sat on the sand. My dad approached me and I knew I was in trouble.
“Saydie, you’re here to learn how to swim, not to tease and act childish.” He had his sunglasses on, white shirt and board shorts. The other kids were playing, some were eating. I could hear a few of them talking behind my back. I nodded. He stood and walked away.
I sensed someone coming.
“That was ridiculous.” Ethan laughed.
“Oh, really now?” I turned to him. I tried to stop the tone of my voice but I couldn’t help it.
“You should be thankful because I laughed with you, not at you.”
“You’re lying. I can tell that you were laughing because of my joke. Well laugh all you want because I don’t care.”
“Fine then.” He walked away.
At dinner my mom cooked roasted chicken with barbecue sauce. We were all sitting quietly while waiting for someone to pray. My mom was the only one who did the praying. Then we ate.
“Stupid Ethan.” Andrew murmured.
“I know.” I added.
The taps of the spoons and forks hitting the plate grew louder. The light flickered.
“What is it?” my dad interrupted. Mom looked at us with a glance that said too much.
“Nothing.” Andrew snubbed.
After swallowing, dad continued, “So when will you ever be friends with Ethan again?”
None of us answered.
“You should be friends and start all over again. It’s hard to fake a relationship when you really are friends.” Mom advised.
Yeah right.
YOU ARE READING
A Beautiful Mess
Teen Fiction"I had never thought in a million years that a boy who used to hate me, who used to make me cry, who used to play tricks on me could possibly make me fall in love with him.." Saydie was only four when Ethan started playing tricks on her: purposely s...
