LIFE AFTER DEATH.

STAKE PRACTICE AND ROOM PROMISE.

Mel rushed over to me; Curly was behind her.

‘’ Peyton, you okay? ’’ she bent and touched me by the arm.

I tried to speak, ‘’ yeah… ’’

‘’ that was a rough fall, you okay? ’’ Curly asked too.

‘’ I’m... I'm fine. ’’ I raised my head and staggered to a stand.

‘’ your forehead, you might wanna cover that. ’’ Mel pointed at me.

" Shit... "

By the way curly retorted, he too may have seen what Mel saw.

I touched a spot at the middle of my forehead a noticed a little wet area, it was blood.

‘’ f**k, you feeling dizzy? ’’ Curly appeared in front of me, he was worried.

‘’ I’m fine, I’m fine. I just need to cover it. ’’ I made eye contact with Jojo, she was no longer seating, she urgently stood and watched.

‘’ Jojo, ’’ Mel called, ‘’ you got the__

‘’ I got it, ’’ she replied.

We all got outside the pit and I was given a yellow band and barricaded my minor injury. The pain I initially felt had subsided, although it gave a little tingling sensation.

‘’ Next time, you look before you leap. ’’ Jojo replied, placing the water bottle inside her bag.

‘’ did good for the first time, ’’ Mel complimented.

‘’ fourth time, first start run. ’’

‘’ whatever, I’m pressed, ’’ she turned to Jojo, who led the way.

Curly sat on the bench and began cleaning the tip of his trousers with his hands.

‘’ you invited them? ’’ he asked me,

‘’ I didn’t. ’’

He paused and looked at my forehead, ‘’hopefully you don’t fall tomorrow,’’

‘’ look before you leap, good advice. ’’

‘’ Jojo is pretty good herself, ’’

‘’ yeah? She didn’t get inside the pit. ’’

‘’ I’ve seen her skate before, she’s good. ’’ He provided.

‘’ what’s with the weird tension you got with her? ’’

He hiccupped, ‘’ you got water? ’’

I stared around, ‘’ No, ’’

He hiccupped again and held his chest this time.

‘’ wait, I’ll go ask Jojo. ’’

‘’ don’t…’’ He was interrupted by another hiccup.

I didn’t wait to listen to what he had to say, I immediately left and went in search for the water source.

As I made a curve by one of the highest dump heaps, I overheard human sounds and was sure I headed the right direction. They had all hanged together today, but I could still see that they were trying to keep whatever the cause of their problem is, far from them. Jojo did a terrible job at ignoring it, her action of keeping a far distance, told that in loud volumes.

Mel on the other hand extended a friendly path as usual, she even called Curly fish and he answered. He went comfortably just with the flow. I was sure of something, and it shouldn’t take me to have the experience to know it, it was a way of life and habitual. As long as there were living beings gathered together and coexisting, there is sure to be issues rising.

I remembered how many times I fought with Frieda; it got physical sometimes. For this group of what I believed used to be old friends, maybe they work out their issues, maybe they don’t, but surely ignoring one another wasn’t going to work.

‘’ she’s not a bad person, ’’ I heard Mel’s voice, I once again stopped and eavesdropped.

‘’ I suppose you have a filter for good people.’’ Jojo replied.

‘’ what’s your problem with her? ’’

I listened closely for I also wanted to know.

‘’ what’s my problem with anyone? ’’

‘’ this is about Scott, isn’t it. ’’

‘’ it’s not__

‘’ it is. I like Peyton and I’m going with her to retro, now are you coming with? ’’

No way, I absolutely did not want Jojo moving with us. The important reason was because I would be hanging with Scott. I already had Curly to deal with, I didn’t want to enlist Jojo too.

‘’ if I say no? ’’

‘’ I’ll take it that you’re a piece of s**t that is letting one s****l experience tie her down to one guy. ’’

‘’ it’s more than that, believe me.’’

‘’okay fine, you fell in love with him, f*****g move on. ’’

‘’ just because I didn’t go out with Ramsey__

‘’ and Donald, Pedro, Emiliano__

‘’ Emiliano was a d**k, ’’

‘’that sexy swimmer dude, what his name?’’

‘’ Caleb, ’’

‘’ Caleb, you know, I thought you liked him. ’’

‘’ I did like him, just didn’t like his face, ’’

‘’ you come up with one excuse or the other. ’’

‘’ fine, I’m going to retro. f**k. ’’

‘’ that’s what I want to hear, don’t let the failed attempt with Scott ruin your social life. ’’

I perceived their footsteps pattern changing, they were done.

‘’ that’s enough, I said I’m going to retro. ’’

‘’ and be nice to Peyton, even if they’re gonna date. She and Scott? ’’

I heard Jojo scoff, ‘’ please, that’s not gonna happen. ’’

I hurriedly stepped further back as they approached my location, and commenced fresh movements. I wouldn’t want them to suspect that I had been listening to their conversation.

We met halfway as Jojo almost bumped into me,

‘’ can I get some water? ’’

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

I got the final verdict over the Jojo situation I had going on, but I didn’t know yet how to solve the issue. Or perhaps it wasn’t an issue, I wasn’t sure I could stop talking to someone just because another person said not to. The issue would probably lag until it somehow expires, if it doesn’t, then I would just play along and see what would be Jojo’s future actions. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be anything drastic.

Knowing fully well I wasn't prepared for a negative outbreak should have made me changed my plans for retro. But I waxed on strong, somewhere deep inside of me possessed a strong yearning to go. That should have been my cue to warn me that I was already falling for the new life.

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

Curly and I parted ways as I walked into my house, I assumed he’d gone into his. I was seriously fatigued and felt pains all over my joints. As I made way up the stairs, my phone dinged. It was a text message from Scott asking where I was. I felt my spirit entered back into my body, my mood lightened and instantly replied him.

While I was still on my phone, I walked into my room and saw Curly taking off his shoes inside my room.

‘’ what the hell? ’’ I replied as I threw my bag on my bed.

" Oh hey, " He casually began, " What are you having for lunch? "

" I dunno, whatever is in the kitchen? "

‘’ there’s this new pizza place called, Semi-li… ’’

‘’ Semi-li? Is it owned by a Chinese person? ’’

‘’I dunno, you wanna check it out?’’

I took off my earrings, ‘’what I wanna do is take a bath and go to bed, I’m tired.’’

‘’oh,’’ He sounded as if he felt bad

‘’maybe tomorrow, I don’t know, we have skate practice.’’

He nodded, " It's fine, I get that you're tired. "

" Thanks for understanding. "

He sniffed inside his shoe.

‘’that’s disgusting.’’ I retorted as I took off my necklace.

‘’so, you and Scott.’’

I froze at the beginning of that statement, that conversation with him was long overdue.

" What... what about me and Scott? "

" Nothing, I just uh... is he asking you out already? "

For some reason I felt tensed having the conversation with him, I became highly uncomfortable.

" He's not asking me out. " I managed to balance my voice as I answered him.

" Are you sure? "

I turned to curly, " I'm pretty sure I'll know when someone asks me out. "

" But will you tell me? "

I sensed the seriousness mixed with tender in his voice, " Do you want me to? "

" Of course. "

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

That action from curly placed me in an uncertain position. I became positive that curly had somehow developed some sort of feelings towards me, and it made me feel funny.

Although, he hadn't come clean with his emotions and all, but I could sense it. I immediately thought of the possibility of Scott asking me out, and I tell Curly as he'd said. What will be his further actions? will he tell me to not go out with Scott?

What will be my decision later on, if I'm faced with that scenario? what would be the outcome of our friendship then? yes, at this point, I considered curly my friend.

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

" He asking you out on dates? "

As though it was timed, Scott replied my text message, saying that he was coming to pick me up to eat out. With immediate effect, I began putting back on the ornaments I initially removed, forgetting the current state.

‘’what are you doing?’’ Curly inquired.

‘’uhm… I uh,’’ My hands were at the back of my neck, fastening the locks.

" I'm going somewhere. "

‘’you going somewhere?’’ Curly repeated my statement.

‘’Scott just asked me out for lunch.’’

I saw the look of disbelief in his eyes.

‘’you said you were tired,’’

‘’I am, I won’t take long.’’

I grabbed back my bag from the bed and offloaded the books that were inside, I managed to see Curly’s disappointed look at me before I flung myself outside my room.

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

After a fun date with Scott, I returned home by 9 pm, it was late but it was nothing unethical. Scott had dropped me off and driven away, and no, we didn’t kiss or anything. We had lots of fun at a game house called, Ted’s Terrane.

There was enough snacks and drinks as we played different games. I had never embarked on such an experience, and I now I understood and agreed with my sister, Frieda, social gatherings wasn’t so bad after all.

‘’where are you coming from?’’ My aunt’s voice caught me from the hallway as she came out from my room.

I didn't reply her, I was hoping to keep her silent and peacefully move out of view.

" Peyton, I'm talking to you. "

I sighed, ‘’ went out with a friend. ’’

‘’ which friend? ’’

" What? "

" Which friend? " She asked again.

I began getting annoyed, my brows raised, ‘’I don’t suppose you know all my friends.’’

‘’ a name would be good. ’’

‘’ fine… uhm, Peter. '’ I randomly said.

‘’ you’re lying, why are you lying? ’’

‘’ Scott! ’’ I let out angrily, ‘’ okay, Scott. ’’

‘’ don’t talk to me like that. ’’ She voiced out, her expression stiff and trenchant.

‘’ avoid me and I won’t. ’’

‘’ avoid you? We are basically living together. ’’

‘’ yeah and I didn’t want that. ’’ I turned and began moving away.

‘’ I’m not done yet, the next time you leave on dates or whatnot__

‘’ its not a date__

‘’ Just, ’’ she touched her forehead, ‘’ just drop a message. That’s all I’m saying. ’’

I said no more words as I left her presence.