by JIrwin
Chapter Seven
To Forgive Thine Own Self is True
In his room finally alone, Adam released a heartfelt cry. He had messed up big time, but his parents didn't get crazy and kick him out of the house, beat him or ground him for life. After all was said and done he had admitted his mistakes taken his punishment and was ready to make amends. After cleaning his room, he spent the rest of the day finishing up the chores that he didn’t get to the day before. He owed his parents that much at least. Every now and again he would catch his dad watching him from the French doors or feel his mother’s eyes on him from her window over the sink in the kitchen. He didn’t acknowledge them watching. He just kept doing what he was doing. He knew that what he had done was a disappointment to them both, but they loved him enough to forgive him and move on with life.
It wasn't until later when he was cleaning the pool that his mind wandered back to Eve and what she might be going through. School tomorrow was definitely going to be a lot different. He couldn’t just go back to being the kid who sniffed crayons or Joshua Grace's little brother. People were at his house for a party. He no longer flew under the radar. He was out in the open now, a bulls eye on the Populars' dart board of making fun of people, especially since he had been busted by his parents in front of so many of them.
Adam’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He shifted the pool net from his right hand to his left and grabbed it, unknown number he shrugged and hit the answer button.
“Hello?” Silence. He didn’t hang up. He could tell someone was on the other line because he could hear breathing. “Hello?” He asked again louder this time.
“Adam?” The voice on the other end was more familiar now than it had ever been.
“Eve?”
She paused. “Yeah…..”
“Hey how’d you get my number?” He paused to let her answer, but when she didn’t he added, “Oh it doesn’t matter…I mean…. hey I’m glad you called.”
He heard her clear her throat. “Miriam got it for me, she called David. Hope that was okay?” He nodded his head like she could see him, and then realized she couldn't and planted his palm to his face dropping the net into the pool.
“Oooooh...umm...yeah..... that’s cool.” David! He had totally forgotten about David. Did he know about the party? Was he still mad at him? He needed to call him.
“Are you sure? You sound a little distracted.”
“Oh no, I was just cleaning the pool, no big deal.....You need something in particular? I mean did….did you....” He sighed heavily and stopped trying to reach the pole to the net. “Are you okay?” He was rambling, silently he yelled to himself. Jerk! Shut up!
“No, I uh...I mean…uh….well…I was…” She stuttered and stammered so much he knew she was having a difficult time getting out whatever it was that she wanted to say.
“Eve, it’s okay, we don’t have to talk about it right now.” She smiled.
“Oh no, it’s not that, I was just calling to check on you. I could tell your dad was extremely upset this morning so I was just wondering if you were okay.” Adam closed his eyes. All he had ever wanted was to hear sweet words like that from her. He grinned giving into that feeling.
“Uh, well needless to say, but I'll start with I’m grounded. Not for life just until the first of the year, and I won’t get the green monster until senior year.”
“The green monster?” She paused like she was trying to connect the dots as to what he was saying.
“Oh yeah…." He grinned to himself that she didn't know what the green monster was. "The green monster is what I took you home in this morning. My brother and I nicknamed it the green monster…" He added in the best and deepest monster voice that he could possibly muster. "….when we were little because it sounded like a dragon when our dad started it up....” He laughed nervously, she giggled softly at his story. The silence then grew between them. “Yeah well, anyway, turns out they were going to give it to me as an early Christmas present, but since I screwed up…..um, I uh...mean, since the chaos this weekend they are going to wait until next school year.”
“Hey that’s great!" He could feel her smile fade as she tried to explain her meaning. "I mean that you're getting a truck not that they aren’t going to give it to you until….”
He chuckled a little. “I know what you meant to say and thank you, it's an old monster, but it's my monster!” That last part sounded more like a pirate than monster this time. Their conversation fell into an awkward silence, but Eve picked it back up quickly.
“So you’re grounded, huh?”
“Yep no social life until the New Year, not that that changes much for me though….” He laughed nervously at his own joke, she didn't.
“Well darn that means I’ll be out of a date for New Year’s then…..” She laughed, his laughter stopped.
“Adam? Hello?” Silence. "Are you still there? Adam?" Her voice was quiet, but probing.
“Yeah?”
“Do you think that maybe when you are ungrounded you would you like to hang out with me sometime?”
Adam was speechless. “Uh sure....uh yeah, I mean....I’d like that very much.” He could hear her soft chuckle on the other end of the line.
“Good, I think that I'd really like that too.....” She let her words sink in before adding, “...well now you have my number so text me or call anytime. It seems that I am grounded as well.”
“Grounded?” He questioned.
“Yeah, it seems I've not been acting as the young lady my parents raised me to be.” She altered her voice to sound more like her father's. Adam smiled, she had confessed to her parents.
“So, I guess, I’ll see you tomorrow then?” She added to the silence.
“Tomorrow?” He sounded confused.
“Uh yeah. School? 11th grade? Junior year must go on. Tomorrow is Monday.
He laughed nervously. “Oh yeah, duh! I'll be there bright and early.” He mentally kicked himself this time. Did he always have to be so aloof?
“Hey, um…I’ll be around the flagpole at 7:00 o'clock in the morning leading prayer for FCA if you’d like to join us?”
He looked up in shock. “...but…um...I’m not an athlete.”
She giggled this time sending shivers down his spine. “Oh Adam…." He liked the way she said his name. "….you don’t have to be an athlete to join us for prayer around the flag pole. Just be someone who prays. I’ll see you at 7:00?"
"Uh yeah….I'll be there!"
"Okay then, see you in the morning. Bye!” She hung up leaving Adam speechless and without a clue as to how to wipe the grin off his face.