My Best Friend From Childhood

Chapter Four

I had a lot of habits growing up; one of the habits that I used to never be able to get over is the inability to fall asleep in moving cars. It wasn’t that I couldn’t sleep; it was because even with my eyes closed, I’d imagine the road and count the number of the turns that it would take to get home. Now… now I sleep like a child once I get thrown into a car; I spend too much time driving around the town too many times the past 2 years to pick up Kyle Saturdays from his friend’s house or whatever house he’d be partying in the night before. So now when I get into a car, I just feel tired and bored, then somehow fall asleep.

Last night was no different. I managed to break my childhood habit of not being able to sleep in the car by falling asleep on the ride home from Kyle’s Family dinner. I didn’t question how I ended up in Kyle’s room in the morning; I just rolled to the side on King size bed and looked over the body pillow the was placed between us. As usual, Kyle was laying on his stomach with his head facing the other side.

Deciding not to take him up, I slowly climbed out of bed and walked out after picking up my heels off the ground. I wasn’t surprised when I saw my reflection in the mirror when I walked into my room; I was still in my dress from last night, hair was a mess due to me falling asleep with it untied, eyes slightly swollen due to the mascara still being one, and my liner smeared at the corner of my eyes.

“f*****g hell” I breathed as I looked at the mirror.

Since it was nearly 9 a.m., I didn’t bother taking an early morning shower, I changed into my black jogging leggings and its matching quarter zip long sleeve top, then slipped into my while jogging sneakers. I then tied my hair into a low ponytail before I moved to the bathroom to wash my makeup and brush my teeth.

“Of course you’re up, you passed out cold last night” I heard Kyle voice.

I continued rubbing the cleanser on my eyes as I tried to remove the one-day-old mascara “You could’ve at least tied up my hair last night or work me up to remove my makeup” I complained.

“I did wake you up” he chuckled “You told me you’re going to shower in the morning anyways so it’s fine”

When  I was finally satisfied, I washed and dried my face then turned to Kyle who was still standing by the door of the bathroom. He was still dressed in his t-shirt and shorts that he was wearing when he was asleep. Kyle doesn’t usually sleep with his shirt on, but whenever I was sleeping with him in his room, he’d put one on for my sake.

“You’re not dressed” I told him.

He shook his head “I know, I don’t feel like jogging today” he said “the guys and Annie are coming over in an hour. We’re lazy video game day”

“I don’t understand Annie’s relation to this” I frowned confused.

“She overheard the guys talking last night and invited herself. You know the usual” he explained “Dan was nice to her and he told her that it was okay that she joined”

I threw the towel I was using at his face as I passed by him “Good luck with that then” I said.

I grabbed the phone and headphones table next to the door then jogged to down-stairs. I was barely halfway down when Kyle’s voice called me and caused me to stop.

“You’re coming back right?” he asked.

I nodded confused “Where else would I go?”

“I don’t know” he shrugged nervously “I just wanted to make sure that my GIRLFRIEND would make an appearance when ANNIE and they guys are over”

I gave him a fake smile as I flipped him then jogged downstairs.

“Thank you! I owe you big time” he called “And lose the active ware, you look like a sporty Nun”

When I jog with Kyle in the morning, we usually would take the same jogging track we always do. Usually, we’d take half an hour jog passing through the block, our local supermarket, then up the street where our elementary school is; but when I jog alone, I’d usually jog two times the distance. I usually pass by our elementary school, into the jogging trail by the woods, then pass the bridge at the end of the track that takes to the park by the Lake on the edge of the neighboring town.

When I reach the park, I’d usually just end up using the restroom of the small coffee shop by the park, get something to drink and snack on, lay by my favorite tree by the lake for a while. I usually would jog back but if I feel too tired, I usually would end up taking the bus home or ride home with Kyle’s mum since she works close by to the park.

I carried on the same routine today. I made my way up the park. The only sounds I was able to hear was the sound of my feet hitting against the conacred floor and my jogging playlist as I tried to control my breathing and heart. I passed by the same people I usually pass by when I reached the jogging track by wood; I passed by the two couples walking their golden retriever down the track, the group of girls that always cycle the opposite way, and the three guys that always seem to be taking a break when I stop by the drinking water fountain by to the 200 meters sign.

When I stopped by the drinking water fountain, the guys turned to look at the guy sitting on the left as I locked eyes with the chocolate brown eyes guy for a second before I lean down and drink water. I then take a seat on the ground on the opposite side of the fountain watched the elderly lady sitting with her husband on the bench a few feet away from us.

I held my breath when I saw a pair of legs come to my view from the corner of my eyes. When the legs stopped in front of me, the brown eyes guys crouch down with his full lips pulled into a small smile. He said something as he did moved his arms in a small wave, but I couldn’t hear him through my headphones. I didn’t pull them out right away, I was too busy taking in his features. I couldn’t help now to let my eyes wander this wavy brown hair, then down to his flushed face as I studied his think brows and lash, then down his broad shoulders covered by his maroon shirt that compliment.

When he slightly frowned, I realized that I was being rude by still having my headphones in.

I quickly pulled my headphones out and gave him an apologetic smile “Sorry, were you talking to me?” I asked.

He looked around then chuckled “I mean I am crouching in front of you, so I guess I am” he said with the brightest smile, then he offered his hand out to me “Luke”

“Nice to meet you, Luke” I said as I shook his hand before I started to stretch my arms as I tried to relax my tense shoulders.

He chuckled again as he shook his head, this time because I avoided giving him my name.

“So my friends and I have this theory” he started “We’ve seen you around here a couple of times in the past 3 months, but we never saw you anywhere else. So, we’ve come up with three theories and made a bet on which one is more accurate. I need you to tell me who is the getting a free one month pass on not paying for take-outs”

I turned to the two guys that were sitting on the other side, they both waved with a polite smile.

“Rio, the one on the left, is betting that you are homeschooled so that’s why don’t see you at school or anywhere. Isaac, on the other hand, is betting that you are with us in school but you’re one of those girls we’ve never noticed because you’re never around” he said.

“And yours?” I asked.

“You’re on a break and visiting someone around her”

I shook my head with a smile “Guess everyone is paying for takeout”

“Yeah, I guess we’re buying YOU take outs then” he smiled brightly again.

I shook my head as I got up “Thanks, but no thanks”

“Are you jogging to the park?” he asked.

I looked at him confused.

“I’ve seen you there a few times” he said “We’re heading there too if you want to join us”

“I think I want to stick to my rituals”

He chuckled “Don’t worry, we’ll slow down for you, short legs”

I looked at him with a smirk than a fake offended look “Slow down for me? Honey, it will be the other way around” I said before I turned and jogged away from him “Try to catch up, Slow feet”

I heard a chuckle along with a few loud shouts before the sound on feet hitting against the cement of the road next to me. We didn’t talk, we just jogged up the road to the park in silence. I was always a step ahead of them with my headphones on, while the three boys were behind me jogging and chattering. They tried to talk to me, but I didn’t respond since I had my headphones were in and I didn’t want to talk to anyone during my silent jog.

 I felt a little tap on my shoulder, so I turned to the side to the girl next to me. The girl smiled at me brightly and pointed at her ear asking me to take my headphones off. When I took my headphone off, the girl smiled at me brightly.

“Hey, I’m Chloe” the pale curly redhead girl said “You don’t mind if I jog with you instead of those idiots right?” she asked as she pointed to Luke and his friends behind me.

I shook my head “It’s fine, anything to help” I smiled at her back “Kimberly”

“So, Kim?” she chuckled.

I nodded “That’s what my best friend calls me”

“I only have one nickname, it’s one that Luke gave me when we were younger” she said rolling her eyes “Butter feet”

I looked at her confused, which caused her to chuckle.

“I’m the clumsy twin out of the two of us” she explained “Instead of dropping things because of my butterfingers, I used to trip and fall all the name, so Luke started calling me butter feet instead”

I looked at her, taking in all the details of her features, ones that did not match Luke’s at all. Unlike Luke, her hair was fire red, big and a tad curlier than mine. The majority of her face was covered in different shades of brown freckles, her kind hazel eyes lined with short dark lashes from the mascara she was most probably wearing and light pink lips that were pulled into a smile. The girl had a small figure; she’s wasn’t the type of skinny that people would wish they were and did not look like she could be called overweight, she just an average looking figure with average looking everything.

When we passed by a group of men jogging, they instantly turned their attention to Chloe’s chest as jogged next to me. I didn’t the same, I couldn’t help not to look down at her choice of activewear. I just found it odd that she’d be comfortable running with her full cups and behind in a shirt of bicker shorts and a sport bra. I wasn’t judging her or anything, it was just that I would never gather the courage of the guts to wear such a thing.

“I’m going through a closet cleanse” She explained “I used to dress differently and a few months ago, but now I’m trying to change back into my old self. I was going to throw these out as well and get something proper to wear, but sadly I can’t just throw all my closet out and buy a new one”

“I wasn’t judging” I explained.

She gave me a small smile “You don’t have to explain yourself, it’s fine” she said “I know that you’re probably thinking that this kind of cloths attracts too much attention and probably makes me look slutty”

I shook my head before I chuckled as I slowed down “No, it makes people that are sitting on their asses want to get up and work out” I told her, I then stopped and took off my top leaving me in my cropped t-shirt I had below then handed it to her “Jogging would probably feel more fun when people stop steering at you and causing you to be uncomfortable. Take it”

She smiled as she took “Um… thank you” she said before slipping it over her head.

Sadly, due to our little stop, the boys were able to finally catch up to us then started to jog along next to us.

“Are you new here, Kim?” Chloe asked.

“No, I’m not from here” I told her “I live a bit ahead of St. Mary elementary school”

“Wait, you jogged all the way here?” Luke asked as he started to jog next to me.

“Yeah” I said “I like jogging and I love the view here”

“So, Kimberly, does that mean you go to Hawkins?” he asked.

I nodded.

“I guess that means you’re a big football fan” he stated “Red and gold, right?”

I shook my head “Not really” I told him “My best friend plays though, that’s mainly the reason I go to those games”

“Is he any good?” he asked.

I shrugged “He’s the Quarterback of the team” I told him.

“Holy s**t, you’re friends with that Anderson guy” Rio said as he caught up to us.

“You guys know, Kyle?” As I slowed down and started walking instead.

“We played against him a few times” Isaac said “Won both times”

“Littlerock?” I asked.

Chloe nodded “Luke plays center, Rio is the Runner Back, and Isaac is the Quarterback” she explained.

“And you are?” I asked Chloe with a giggle “The cheerleader?”

She chuckled “I was at some point” she said the smirked “But I’m not anymore. So, to answer your question, I’m the ghost, the ghost that never shows up to games”

We spend most of the jog there talking. Surprisingly, the guys were actually fun to be around and were big on humor. I spend most of the time talking to Chloe; she practically told me her life story. We talked all about how she used to be named the school’s biggest slut and how her friend got shipped to a boarding school and that she was trying to change. I didn’t judge her; it was wasn’t fair for me to judge her past.

We talked about my life too. We just talked about how I was living with Kyle, and that I didn’t really have friends around school or anything. We even talked about my none existing love life. I told her all about my friendship with Kyle and how people were scared of approaching me because of him, and I have the tendency of trying to stay away from guys as much as possible because I know every guy’s history because of Kyle. Then we talked some more about Kyle and how close we are to each other. We even ended up exchanging numbers in the process.

“How tired are you?” Rio asked when we reached the park.

I smiled at him “Not a single bit”

“So, we have this ritual” he said “Once we reach the park after such a long jog, we usually end-up in the basketball court for a few games, then get ice cream from the coffee shop and sit by the lake till dark. You’re in? We need a fourth player because Isaac is too much of a cowered to go against me”

“f**k you, Rio” He said “I’m just not in the mood for your stupid games today”

“I’d love too, but I need to head home” I said “I have a long way to go and I rather not jog home after dark”

“You don’t have too” Luke said as he rubbed the back of his neck “I could drop you back home. I mean we are going across town to a friend’s house after this anyways. I could drop you on the way there”

“We are?” Rio said then quickly shut up when he got elbowed in the stomach.

“We’ll you weren’t invited so of coursea you don’t know” Luke said with a slight blush on his face.

Chloe put her arm around my shoulder “I’ll make sure you get home to your best friend at night, but till then, stay. I promise you will have fun”

I smiled at her “Sure, I guess”