The Bones To Nowhere

t w o

After Monday, I don't see Beaumont for another two weeks until I make the decision to approach him. I don't know why, really, just that I do. He's so easy to talk to compared to my other friends who only chat about things I don't really care about. He's also a really complex puzzle that I want to figure out.

When I do approach him, he just kind of sits there. He doesn't really acknowledge me, which is fine with me because I just decide to study. "Do you like music?" He asks out of nowhere. It only took him thirty minutes to speak to me. 

"No. Not really." He's silent for a bit. I wonder if I should've lied? "Well, why don't you come listen to some with me anyway?" He finally spits. 

"Sure." I mean, it's not like I have anything better to do, and grocery shopping can be put off another day for all I care. 

On the way to class, one of my friends asks to hang out, but I have to lie in order to  keep my plans with Beaumont. "Sorry, I've got to go grocery shopping." I guess it's not really a lie, I do have to go at some point, but to which they replied that I always say that I'm going grocery shopping but rarely am I actually grocery shopping. That is a good point, because it's true. 

Usually wherever my friends go, that's where you'll find most of the other students at school in one way or another. This is a small town, and word spreads fast. And I really don't want to have to deal with Tommy again. Oh. His mom came to the school today. She tried instead to complain to my principal since my dad didn't really show interest in her displeasure towards me. I'm guessing dad's threat really pissed her off. Seeing as it wasn't on school property, though, he couldn't really do anything about it, other than the fact that he did call me into his office to make sure everything is okay between us. 

I say it is, because he's already gotten what he deserved. 

I'm not really one to hold grudges or anything. What's done is done. I don't really like him, and now I'm sure he doesn't really like me either. That's fine with me. I'm not here to be liked. 

Beaumont waits for me at what I'm assuming is his bike. "We can take my car. Your bike will fit in the back." But he doesn't accept my offer, he just says he likes to walk or exercise most everywhere he goes. I don't mind, it's not that I'm lazy, it's just that none of my friends really do any physical activities. If walking is even considered a physical activity. 

We're silent the whole way to the club in which this magical band is playing, but I don't mind. It's not rude or awkward, I just think that's how Beaumont is. He doesn't really waste words, he says what needs to be said and nothing more, as I've come to notice. I'm not really much of a talker either. Whereas most of my friends bullshit a way through every conversation they've ever had. Beau is a surprising breath of fresh air. 

"You're very pleasant to be around, Beau. I hope you know that." I don't think he expected that, because although he turns his head away, I see a small blush rise to his cheeks. He doesn't say anything though, just trudges his bike to the rack that sits just outside the bar. 

He immediately makes his way into the building, as if this was routine to him. Although, it shouldn't be. Students weren't supposed to come here, and were usually denied entrance at the front. 

This is a small town. Everyone knows where you are and when you're there. 

The rusted doors creek when I enter, and I see a strikingly familiar face tending the bar, only, I've never met him before. Beau is sitting at the bar, drinking what I can only imagine is cherry coke. He motions me over as I enter. 

I feel so out of place as I look around at all the scraggly men; some were passed out on tables, others were playing pool with a cigarette in hand, one man was even standing over the juke box, swaying unnaturally as if he were about to fall over. Oliver, the town drunk is in here too. But he can handle his liquor well, so if you didn't know him, and if you didn't smell the alcohol on his breath, you probably wouldn't even know he was plastered. 

"I've never seen you bring friends home from school before, what's she? Your girlfriend?" The very young bartender poked fun at Beau, but I can tell it's all in good sport. 

"This is my brother, Harrison." They had oddly old fashioned names, considering it was the year 1997. It suited both boys perfectly. 

"I'm Charlie." I say as I reach my hand out to introduce myself. I don't even know if Beau knew my name, honestly. He never asked, and we never really had a proper introduction. I knew him as the new kid, but how did he know me? If he even did. 

"Well Charlie, why don't you sit your little pretty self down and I'll get you a soda?" I nod, before taking my seat next to Beau. He seems more alive here, as if he's not weighed down. His shoulders have risen slightly like all the pressure has been taken off. Smiles found their way to his face effortlessly here. 

Harrison is the exact opposite of his brother. He's a lot more outgoing, and even wild at times. They have dynamics, and it's very pleasurable to watch. "Did he tell you about the time that he snuck out with me?" I responded by saying no, and nodded at all my cues. I genuinely laughed with these two, something I hadn't done in all my years in high school. That's a feat in itself. They were peeling me back, layer by layer, just as I was doing to Beau. 

I come to realize as Harrison is telling me of their escapades, that I don't really know either of them at all, especially not Beau. Yet, he'd always start off a conversation naturally by saying 'Did he ever mention?' Or, 'Did he say?' Something that, it feels, Beau would never do. 

But Harris just automatically assumed he'd told me everything there is to know about himself. I wonder if it's because Beau is a different person at home, or if it's just because he's brought other friends home with him as well? 

Late at night, we left the club. A band never did come to play, and when I mentioned that, Beau actually smiled at me for once. "I know. I don't really like music either." And I immediately feel my cheeks heat up. Beau offered to walk me to my car, but I declined, I know everyone here and I feel relatively safe. I tell Beau that since I've grown up here, no new face has ever entered town other than his. 

"It'd be way too easy to solve any missing person's case around here. Everyone knows everyone's business." 

Maybe I shouldn't have told him that. Maybe I should've just kept my mouth shut and take up his offer to walk me. Maybe that would've saved his life. He would've been more aware of his surroundings if I hadn't of said that. Ultimately I'm probably the one who opened the door for him to be killed. But life doesn't run on ''maybes,' it just runs on ' I told you so's.' 

So, we say goodbye to each other, a smile never leaving my face for the whole trek back to my car. 

The next day, like clockwork, I began taking my seat in front of him at the empty table in the far outskirts of the cafeteria. Most of the time we didn't talk about anything. 

Sometimes we exchanged glances, and talked about our weekends. Mine were never too exciting, and most weekends he ended up inviting me out somewhere anyway, so it was never often we had a lot to say to each other. 

Somehow, though, it was the most comfortable feeling to sit in silence with Beaumont Greene. I loved every second of it before the morning bell chimed for us to begin our day. 

We had three out of six classes together, so we always managed to snag a seat next to each other. I guess we kind of became inseparable according to my friends. But it was only because we went so well together somehow. 

I'm a gloomy person by nature, so it's quite hard for me to find people to relate with, somehow Beau just gets me. He knows that where most people would say their favorite color was pink, mine was translucent. I guess I'm a little strange. 

"Tomorrow I want you to come with me." I'd taken to walking to and from school with Beau, since he lived not even five minutes away from my house. And he never would've agreed to driving with me to school since he prefers the fresh air. "Taking me on an escapade?" I chuckle at his choice of words. 

"Maybe. If that's what you call it." I prefer to just call it a date, but call me old fashioned. Besides, I'm tired of Beau taking me everywhere. I'm always the passenger and never the driver. This time I want to be the one who brings him to a place that takes his breath away.