Chapter 4 Like a Spider

I took a shortcut home. I wasn't particularly fond of the route it was lonely, thick with tree plus the tales of it being haunted. But it was short and that was what I needed. I was five minutes away from home by my calculations. The blanket of darkness that was the sky glittered with tiny diamonds. I was still relishing in the beauty of the night sky when I saw a figure up ahead. Grey top, bum shorts, backpack and nice curves. It was her, Bella. I pedaled faster.

I was a feet or two behind her, I called out to her. It didn't seem like she heard me. I then noticed that she had her head sets on. I stopped and got off my bike, I pushed it as I walked up to her. I could hear how loudly the music was playing.

Her eyes widened as her body jerked involuntarily. "Jesus! You almost scared me to death" she said trying to catch her breath and placing her hands over her chest before taking off the headsets. I could still hear the music playing.

"You shouldn't be listening to loud music when it's this quiet and dark you know" I said smiling. Her scared look seemed so natural and mundane to me. So this goddess was human after all.

"Yeah, no shit!" she said as we continued to walk.

"I didn't know you were walking home," I said "I could have walked you." The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them. She took a moment to look at me and I felt uneasy while she did it.

"I thought you'd want to spend some time with your friends. Besides you've obviously got a bike" she gestured "it wouldn't have been nice of me to have you walk me would it?"

I actually don't mind. I could walk with you to the ends of the earth. As long as I get to listen to you voice and stare into those grey eyes. This time, I managed to keep the words in my mind, preventing them from going out my mouth.

"Yeah you're right," I told her "but Sheriff White broke up the partish hangout anyway... I don't know what to call it."

"I think that would suffice"

Her phone rang and she picked. "What do you want?" she asked then there was silence on her side. "Sorry? Sorry doesn't cut it. You do this all the time. And I have had enough." I began to get a sense of who it was she was talking to. There was silence. "I don't think I have any more chances to give" she said. More silence. "Yes I am out." Silence again. "You're not my Dad, I don't have to tell you my whereabouts." She sighed "I can't do this right now. I'm in the middle of something. Bye." she said and hung up. In my experience, people were always in the middle of something. They left me to get back to something. But that wasn't the case this time. I was the thing someone (not just anyone but the girl I love) was in the middle of. The person they needed to go back to, the person who was more worthy of their attention. And it made me happy.

I kept my face expressionless. Maybe sympathetic, I was happy, but I didn't want to be smiling when she was obviously upset. "Sorry about that" she said "it was..."

"Blake?" I asked cutting her off. Her facial expression was all the confirmation I needed. "Yeah I figured" I told her.

She smiled, slightly. "Does the offer still stand?"

"What offer?" I asked, a tad confused.

"I believe you wanted to walk me?" She said askingly.

"Yeah, yes right, of course" I said a bit angry with myself for not understanding what she meant in the first instance. After all I did offer didn't I?

We walked, and I pushed my bike. When the silence that ensued was approaching a state of awkwardness, "what were you listening to?" I asked. I wasn't a music person, I liked a few artists, but I wouldn't say I was a music enthusiast. I just had nothing else to say. She told me it was Lewis Capldi's someone you loved. I knew the song but that didn't stop her. She turned on the headset and gave it to me. She wanted me to listen. It showed me how much she liked the song. I slid it unto my ears, and I listened. When the song finished playing, "It's a pretty emotional song" I said.

She smiled "all songs should carry emotion, if not what's the point?" she took a small glance at me "besides it suits my mood." She added. I simply nodded in agreement. We spoke a little more about Lewis Capaldi. And by we, I mean her, she did most of the talking. It turned out she was a huge fan. She told me every little detail about Lewis. Even things I suspect may not have been public knowledge.

When we got to Bella's house, I returned her headset which had been hanging from my neck the whole time we talked. She hugged me and I least expected it. I was okay with just waving good bye. I had learned not to get my hopes up. "I really enjoyed your company" she said "I've never been this free with someone I don't know so well."

"I enjoyed your company too" I said. She turned to go. "So the thing with the negatives, does it make you feel better? Writing them, burning them and scattering the ashes" I asked.

She started towards the house but facing me and walking backwards. "Nah not really," she said, "the only thing that makes me feel better is weed and booze" she whispered probably because she was so close to the front porch. I smiled. I assumed she was going into the house through the front. But she didn't, she went to the side of the house. She looked back at me and placed her index on her lips, as if she was telling me to hush. Then she climbed the wall, hand and foot, foot and hand. The action repeated until she got to the window. She was like a spider. It amused me as I watched her quietly. She opened the window and climbed into what I assumed was her room. She glanced at me one last time then closed it shut.

I stood there on the lonely quite street, smiling. Then it hit me. I reached into my pocket, for my phone, when the screen came to life, it was 7:56. I had totally forgotten about my curfew. I was too carried away with Bella. Lewis Capaldi's someone you loved started playing in my head, but slowly, laced in melancholy and the lyrics were; I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead with changing melodies. My house was on the third street, and I feared I would not get home in time.

I raced home on my bike, praying my Dad won't remember the curfew or better still that the shear strength of alcohol would have knocked him into sleep. I didn't want to check the time, because time was not my friend and I knew it would be 8:00 already. I parked my bike on the lawn. No, more like I left it tumbling unto the grass. I didn't bother to chain it, there was no time. I stormed in, and there he was, sitting in the same spot I had left him. The only difference was that he now had a beer in his hand.

"Hi Dad" I said.

He looked at me, without replying my greetings. "What says the time boy?" and my heart may well have skipped beats. I looked at my phone. I couldn't believe my eyes.

"7:59" I said.

He looked at his wrist watch, "8:00" he said. My throat went dry, and I was beginning to sweat. He fixed gaze on my half dried jeans. Then he looked back at me. "You can go."

"Okay sir" I said.

I went up to my room. Changed my clothes, slipped on my fluffy slippers, then I went back down. I was famished. I opened the fridge in the kitchen. It was basically empty, except for the rows and rows of beer bottles, a handful of vegetables and a jar of milk that looked stale. I shuffled around searching, before I finally decided fast food would be my best bet. So I made noodles and scotched eggs.

"Dad I made noodles you want some?" I asked just before I started feasting on my bowl.

"Bring me another beer will ya?" He yelled from the living room.

"Okay sir" I murmured. I grabbed a beer and took it to him. He opened it and then took a long gulp. I left. He was like this machine whose fuel was purely booze and tobacco.

I reentered my room after I finished eating. I crashed into the bed and picked my phone from the headboard. Fully charged. I unplugged it. A new message from Erick. I tapped it.

Heyyy Bones... I hope Bigfoot didn't get you on your ride home?

Funny very funny. I texted. I waited for his reply. It took a minute or so before my phone buzzed again.

I'm not the one who went about telling the whole of 1st grade I saw Bigfoot. He replied. In first grade, I may have told all of my class mates that I saw Bigfoot. In my defense, I did see something in the woods maybe not Bigfoot but I swear I saw something.

It was years ago. It doesn't matter anymore... everyone's probably forgotten by now! Except you! I texted.

Except it does matter. I think that was what shredded every ounce of self confidence you had... God I can't forget the look on your face when Bella your supposed crush lead the laughing squad. He replied.

Worst day of my life... I'm really tired, I think I'm going to bed early... had a long day. Goodnight I texted.

Goodnight get ready tomorrow's your first lesson How to get your dream girl 101. There a good chance you can get your girl. But not without help... I know you so well. You are bound to fuck everything up. He texted.

How so? I have never even had a girlfriend so what chances have I fucked up? I texted, my eyes were becoming heavy but only then did I realize what Erick actually meant.

My point exactly... he texted.

Goodnight Erick. I texted, I put the phone on my headboard and closed my eyes. I was unaware as to when exactly sleep came so seductively, but what I know is that she came. I drifted off to sleep, dreaming of grey tops, bum shorts and magical Urn-flasks.