Wish - H.R. Davison (best books to read TXT) 📗

respond I decide the best course of action would be to decline. “Oh no Andy, I have to get through this homework, calculus is going to prevent me from graduating if I can’t figure out to do these problems.”

 

“Oh, well if you ever need help let me know.” Andy offers, “I mean uuhhh I am a genius and all.” He finishes with a chuckle.

 

That is true. Andy is a genius. He graduated high school at fifteen, doing the same problems I am struggling with now. Maybe I should ask him for help. It would save my dad money from hiring a tutor, which I desperately need, and my dad is already paying Andy to do basically nothing. “Yeah, help would be great.” I concede to his point.

 

“Oh, okay. Yeah. Want me to pop over now?” He asks.

 

“Now?” I ask. Thinking of the mess upstairs in my dad’s room I had left yesterday morning, all of the dirty dishes in the sink I hadn’t found time to wash over the weekend. I hesitate to have him come over now, but there is no way I am going to be able to learn this calculus without help. “Sure, now is fine.” I remark with a sigh.

 

I am still bent over my calculus book when the doorbell rings. I answer the door wearing an oversized tee-shirt and sweat pants, figuring there is no need to dress nice for my nanny, I let Andy in the house.

 

We both crack open a can of Mt. Dew and get started on my homework. After several tries Andy is successfully able to help me understand the equations. My stomach groans in hunger as we are finishing up. I offer to heat up a frozen pizza for us to share.

 

Now that my homework is done and my belly is full, Andy and I are sitting on the couch chatting. Seeing the time, I tell him my favorite show is about to start, a television series about zombies that I watch every Sunday night. Andy says it is his favorite show too, and asks if he can watch it with here since he wouldn’t be able to make it home it time to catch it. Since he is already here, and was nice enough to help me with my evil homework I allow him to stay.

 

Curled up on the couch under blankets we munch on popcorn and watch the television. We both randomly scream at the characters on the show when they do something incredibly stupid, like trip and fall when they are trying to outrun a hoard of the undead. I smile to myself, I need to quit being so hard on Andy. He is actually really great. Even though we just met I feel comfortable around him. His presence puts me at ease.

 

After the show is over I stretch out on the couch yawning. Andy stands up to leave, patting me on the head as he walks by, “Get some sleep kiddo, I will see you Friday.” I lock the door behind him after he leaves, so tired I am asleep the moment my head hits the pillow.

 

*************

 

I am the backyard of my old house, dragging my bare feet in the dirt as I swing lazily in the summer breeze. The crisp smell of freshly cut grass hangs in the air. My mother calls my name from the kitchen window to come in the house for lunch. Procrastinating, I take my time to slip on my sandals before I enter the house, enjoying the feel of the sun on my face too much to go inside.

 

“Kat.” My mother says from the window. “Hurry up dear.”

 

“I’m coming mom.” I call out as I walk into the house through the breezeway. I stop to take my shoes off at the entrance so as not to bring dirt in on my mom’s clean floors. “What are we having for lunch?” I look into the kitchen. My mother’s back is to me as she stands at the counter preparing the sandwiches for our mid-day meal. She is humming a sweet melody as she cuts the crusts off of my bread for me, just the way I like it. Her musical voice sends shivers up my spine.

 

*************

 

I wake from the dream with a smile. Seeing my mother as I remember her from when I was a child brings tears to my eyes. I miss her so much. Sometimes the pain is unbearable. Checking the clock I see that I have overslept and I am about to be late for school. I rush around the house grabbing what I need for school, snatching an apple from the countertop for breakfast on the way to the car, I race to school.

 

My classes are one bore after another until lunch. Lilli entertains me with her impression of the school principal. I am laughing so hard I spit my food out onto the boy sitting next me at the table. Apologizing profusely I throw my napkins at him as atonement for my gaffe.

 

I glance around the cafeteria hoping to spot DJ. I finally locate him at the jock table with all the other track, football, and wrestling stars, surrounded by an entourage of giggling girls. Instantly angry, I try to reign in my jealousy. We aren’t even dating. We aren’t committed to one another. Why should I even care what he is doing? Because I am falling for him, hard, I admit to myself. Well two can play at that game.

 

I make sure to catch his eye, once I have done so I whisper an apology in the boy’s ear next me in a conspiratorial way. I giggle in a high pitched girly way at his response, even though it isn’t funny, getting an odd look from him the process. I risk a quick glance at DJ to see if it is working. To my delight his face has become a storm cloud of anger in the direction of the boy next to me. Satisfied with my performance I leave the cafeteria to get my books from my locker for next period.

 

After school I make a beeline for my car, avoiding DJ at all costs. Having had the rest of the school day to think about my actions, I am highly embarrassed at the scene I made in the cafeteria. I drive straight to the medical office on the outside of town for my appointment with my counselor. An hour later after another boring session of grief counseling and him asking me ‘How does that make you feel’ repeatedly I am starving. Not wanting to eat alone, I drive to the café near to school for quick dinner.

 

As I enter the café Lilli screams my name from a section of tables at the far side pushed together. A large group of people are sitting around talking, but they all go silent as I look in their direction. I casually make my over wondering what the fuss is about.

 

“Oh my God Kat! Where have you been? I have called you like a thousand times!” Lilli shrieks at me as I approach the table full of teenagers hesitantly.

 

“I uhhh, had some errands to run.” I mumble, not wanting to divulge to everyone that I was at grief counseling. The last thing I need is more attention to make me the social freak of the year. “Why? What’s up?”

 

“Okay, okay.” Lilli says excitedly throwing her hands around. “After school right, DJ confronts Ethan and then…”

 

“Ethan?” I ask interrupting her. Who the heck is Ethan? Why would DJ confront him? Oh God, no. Ethan must the boy I spit my food on at lunch. Oh no, what have I done?

 

“Ethan! Ethan!” Lilli exclaims, continuing to wave her hands in the air for emphasis. “The boy from lunch. Anywaaay so DJ confronts him, right? And then before we even know what’s going on he is throwing punches and screaming your name. It was totally off the wall. I mean, DJ has always had a reputation as a short fuse but this was craaaaaaazy.”

 

I am so embarrassed. I fall back into the empty seat next to Lilli. “Oh no.“ I whisper to myself. I need to talk to DJ. I need to apologize and explain myself. I no longer have any appetite. I tell Lilli I will talk to her later as I rush out of the café.

 

Once I am home I crawl under the covers of my bed, crying silently to myself. Dialing DJ’s number for the tenth time since I got home it goes straight to voicemail again. “DJ, uhh hey, it’s Kat, again. Look I need to talk to you. Please call me back.” Hanging up the phone I close my eyes as salty tears make their way down my face. I feel terrible that DJ will be in trouble for my stupid mistake, but I also feel disheartened that he isn’t answering my calls.

 

I can feel my depression kicking up a notch. I consider taking the medication my therapist prescribed for me last spring. I hate taking it. It makes my hands shakes and prevents me from being able to draw. On a whim I call Andy. He answers after one ring, as if he was expecting my call. “Kat?” He answers.

 

“Hey Andy, um…” I hold the phone away from my face while I clear my throat. Now that I have him on the phone I am not sure what I was going to say. Why did I call him?

 

Before I can decide what I want to say he tells me. “I’m on my way.”

 

What was I thinking calling him? This is going to be a disaster. I run to the bathroom to wash my tear streaked face. I am toweling my cheeks dry when I hear the doorbell ring. I race down the stairs and fling the door open. Andy is standing there with his hands in the pockets of his jacket. He takes one look at me and embraces me in a hug, rubbing one hand down the length of my hair. I relax against his chest. All my tension seems to ease away.

 

DJ

 

My phone chirps in my hand. Glancing down at the caller ID I see that Kat is calling me, again. There is no way my mother would forgive me if I answered it now. Not while she is in the process of thoroughly chewing me out. With a guilty sigh I slide it back into my pocket and sneak a look up at my mother. She is pacing the floor in front of me with a red angry face, waving her hands around for emphasis as she yells. I get her point, I am a terrible son.

 

I look to my dad for some help. He just shrugs at me in response. “I’m sorry mom, it won’t happen again.” I mumble during a brief interlude of her tirade. Knowing it is what she wants to hear, but also knowing I will have to sit through this until she has worn herself out.

 

I start to zone out while my mom rants and raves about my behavior and reputation and how it affects her, always about her, never about me. Something she says catches my attention and brings me