by Rue Volley
“Rue... you came to play?”
I tilted my head to the right.
“Someone is coming.”
“I know, it's Johnathan.” He reached out and grabbed my hand and we ran straight ahead, trees flying past us. We came to a stop.
I pulled my hand from his. “Why are we a team?”
He grinned, “You found me, not the other way around. I'm assuming you want to team up.”
“I am here to win... me, not us,” I said.
He flashed from me. It blew my hair in my face. I pushed it away and lowered to the ground.
“Oh my god!” I cried out.
I ducked down, just in time for Johnathan to frog jump me. He ran headlong into a tree and rolled to the side. I jumped up in shock. “Oh God… Johnathan I am sorry!”
He rolled onto his back laughing, “Jeezus, I didn't know you were here, I almost ran you over Rue!”
I reached my hand down to him and he took it, but he pulled me down on top of him.
“Hello, Rue Volley.”
I grinned, “Hello, Johnathan Graph.”
“Oh shit!” he yelled out.
He rolled us, in a flash, to the right and Josh landed where we were. We both stood up brushing leaves out of our hair.
“Way to lose Johnathan.”
Johnathan started to laugh. “Well I had a distraction, I’m assuming you let that happen.”
“Sure did, I knew you were behind me, so…”
I put my hands on my hips. “What…? I was bait Josh?”
“What else…? Best way to take an enemy down... weakness.”
“I found you Josh, which means I win.”
“No it does not,” he said.
Sam and Kai flashed up to us.
Kai looked at all three of us. “Who won?”
Johnathan, Josh, and I all said, “Me” at the same time.
“My money is on, Rue, boys,” Sam said as she laughed.
Josh started to brush dirt off of his pants. “Really...? I don't think so… not a girl.”
Samantha started to laugh harder. “Hurts don’t it?”
“No, because it is not true,” Josh added.
Samantha walked up to him. “Just can't admit that a ninety pound girl took you out.”
Josh sighed, “What a thought… wrong, but a thought anyway. Rue and I were a team.”
I stepped up. “No, I found you fair and square. Me being bait is not a team.”
Josh winked at me, “All's fair.”
I crossed my arms. Johnathan came up behind me and put his arms around me and whispered in my ear.
“We know you won.”
Josh turned and looked back from where we came from. He looked back to all of us.
“Well then... first one home takes the win.” He flashed away from us.
“Oh shit...! No count to three?” Kai yelled out.
We all flashed after him.
I reached the house first. I blew past all three of them, with no problem. I even turned around and ran backwards in front of Johnathan at one point, don't know if he was amused, but I was. It was nice to have fun… really was. I stopped at the steps and Josh was sitting on them like he had been there all day.
“I see that your way includes cheating,” I said.
He stood up grinning. “I never said not to.”
“You never said anything at all... ass.”
I started up the steps and he jumped in my way, “Are you considering messing me up, by any chance?”
I looked up at him. “I am not.”
“We got… ohhh, about forty-five seconds to get busy, before your boyfriend shows up.”
I hit him out of my way. “I think you over estimate yourself.”
“I am exactly what you need Rue Volley.”
I had to look back, to make sure he had that evil grin attached to that statement, but he wasn't smiling.
“You cannot be serious.”
He started to laugh. “You can do what you want to me Josh, I'll let you.”
My eyes got wide. “Shut up!”
“I will collect on it… trust me.”
“You will not,” I muttered.
“Ten seconds for a quickie. Clock is ticking Rue.” He faked a tap, on his imaginary watch.
“Oh my god you’re a dick.”
“But you love that about me… right?”
Just as I was about to respond, even though I was trying to figure out why the hell I even wanted to, they all skidded to a stop.
Kai came up behind me. “Jeezus Rue you are fast!”
I smiled and looked down at my hands. “Yeah… I didn't know.”
Sam walked by me, “Don't be shy about it girl... You rock.”
Johnathan came up behind me and lifted me up, kissing me on the neck. He looked at Josh when he did it. “I think it's hot…”
Josh turned around and went inside.
Johnathan set me down and I turned around facing him, “I appreciate that you have accepted defeat sir.”
He reached down and took my hand, “I'm sure that Josh isn't so gracious.”
“Oh… he's not so bad, some days I guess,” I said as I started to turn towards the door, he pulled me back to him.
“I've missed you Rue. Try to stay with me, okay?”
I thought about that for a moment. “Stay with me” sounded like “I might leave you”
“I'm here Johnathan. I will always be here… right here with you.”
He pulled me close to his chest and hugged me. “I want to hear that every day, from you.”
I put my arms up around his neck and looked into his eyes... those eyes my god…really?
“You sound a little paranoid, Johnathan.”
He looked towards the door. “I'm not paranoid.”
“Listen… I know that you and Josh have this thing.”
He leaned down and kissed me. He was hungry at my mouth, like we had not been together for a year. I wanted to drag him down onto the porch and do all the things I shouldn't do, all the things I wanted to do to Josh a few days ago. I stopped kissing him when Josh crossed my mind. What the hell was he doing in my mind anyway? What an ass.
Theodore interrupted. “Ahhh, I see… oh I remember some eighty years ago there was this young man, quite the gentleman, well, until we closed the doors at night. He had the most peculiar birthmark on his.”
“Theodore...!” I said.
“Oh… well... neither here nor there. Dinner is ready and I do appreciate the fact that you have all been so kind, as to show up on time for once.”
He winked at me and went back inside. I ran my fingers across the top of Johnathan's hand and we followed.
The meal was amazing. Kai complimented Theodore, who ate it up and claimed that it wasn't his best, although I think it was a lie. I was glad to have someone in the house that didn't spend all his time trying to poison me. I ate everything on my plate and went back for more. I had a hunger that was never ending. I would have normally been embarrassed to eat so much, but everyone did, so I felt right at home. I looked around the table and it hit me, this is my family now. I lowered my fork and stopped chewing for a moment, staring off in space. I was snapped out of my stupor, when I heard the words.
“I don't know why you are so opposed to pink, a library doesn't need to be offensive to the eye.”
Josh started to laugh. “I don't think that the people in this town are going to appreciate your taste level Theodore.”
“I think you under estimate my powers of persuasion, Josh.”
I knocked my glass over and spilled my drink all over the table. “Oh god… sorry,” I said. “The library?”
Theodore came over to me and knelt down. “Oh sweetie, the library you knew is gone, burnt to the ground but I am building you a new one… bigger and better and…” He looked at Josh, “With impeccable taste. I guarantee you will adore it.”
Josh got up from the table and took his plate to the sink. “Minus the mirrors of course.�
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I scooted my chair out and carried my plate to the sink. I stood there for a moment looking down.
“No mirrors? Ah… of course. Good,” I said.
I walked toward the stairs.
Johnathan called after me, “You okay?”
I turned around and everyone had their eyes on me. “Trust me, I am not getting in the tub.”
Sam stood up and smiled at me. “No one thinks that we are on a suicide watch.”
“Good… because I am fine… just perfect, really,” I said.
Theodore came towards me. “Why don't you stay...? It's movie night.”
I scratched my head, which went perfect with the ‘what?’ look on my face.
“Okay… movie night. When did we start that?” I said.
Theodore grinned. “Oh while you slept, we all decided.”
Josh came in and dropped on the couch. “You decided. We…” he punctuated with a hand motion, “had nothing to do with it.”
Theodore gracefully picked up a pillow and smacked him in the head. I put my hand up to my mouth, to muffle a laugh.
“WE have movie night. It is MY night, so we are watching a romantic comedy.”
Kai came in and took his regular spot on the couch. “Yea about that… I have this awesome horror…”
“And that would be a no. You chose the last movie night and I am not going to allow you to disturb me again this evening. I have to get my sleep.”
“You've lived like what a thousand years…? What the hell would scare you?” Kai asked him.
Theodore hit him in the head with the pillow he still had in his hand. He hit Josh too… I guess, because he wasn't done with him yet.
Josh gave him a nasty look. “What the hell?” Josh said.
Theodore grinned. “Ooops... anyway, it is my turn. I will get the popcorn. Sit my dear.”
Sam came in and sat next to Kai, Josh scooted over on the couch, making room for me. I looked at him and then to Johnathan who strolled in and grabbed our oversized pillow that adorned the chair. He lay down on the floor and motioned me over. I gave Josh a quick look and took my place on the floor next to Johnathan. I snuggled up against him with my back and he placed his arm over my waist and ran his hand across my stomach. For a moment, I wished we were alone but no such luck.
Theodore returned with the largest bowl of popcorn I had ever seen. He passed it around insisting we all take some, then plopped down on the couch next to Josh. I munched my handful and lay back down.
“Isn't this just wonderful, movie night, what fun,” Theodore said... obviously excited.
Josh started to laugh. “Yes… just awesome.”
The movie started and I wanted to focus on it and I did for the first fifteen minutes, until Johnathan pressed up against me and I felt his breath on the back of my neck. He leaned in and kissed the back of my neck and let his lips linger, just a bit too long. I pulled my shoulders up a little and I know he knew he was flustering me, because he leaned in and whispered in my ear. “I can feel your heart beating faster, Rue.” Just then, the room laughed at something on the screen…
I whispered back, “You need to quit it.” I could feel him laugh.
“Did you say that you’re cold…? I could grab a blanket for us.”
I turned my head and grinned. He jumped up and came back with a blanket, covering us with it. I knew the game was about to begin, but I didn't fight it. The room was dark and we were positioned to the side, pretty much out of sight of everyone else, who had taken the couch.
Johnathan put his hand back around me and let his hand slide over my stomach. I sucked in my breath with a slight tremble. He reacted by pulling me back against him. Another laugh roared through the room and I jumped from the noise. He interlaced his fingers in mine and pressed me harder against him.
He whispered in my ear again, “Can I sleep in your bed tonight?”
“Oh my god what?” I said.
I could feel him laugh quietly. “No Rue, it's not like that, I just want to lie next to you… just for the night... Will you let me?”
I turned to him, “Just lay there right... sleep?”
He smiled and how could I deny him, he was so pretty, so warm.
“I guess… Just lay there…? Okay I guess…”
I turned back towards the television and noticed Josh looking at us from the couch. He quickly looked away when our eyes met.
Johnathan leaned up in my ear. “I love you Rue... I do.”
I felt a wave of warmth come over me. I wanted to hear the words, but I couldn't return them. I just couldn't. We lay there for another hour, Johnathan stopped doing little things to drive me crazy and I felt myself start to drift, my eyes were getting heavy. I’d slept for a month, so the thought of sleep surprised me. Maybe it was the fact that Johnathan was so warm and that moment felt so normal... family normal, something I had not enjoyed in over a year. I snapped out of my stupor when the credits started to roll.
Josh rose up off of the couch. “That was ridiculous Theodore. You are officially out of the rotation on movie night.”
Theodore laughed. “Come on Josh, romance and comedy. Completely charming.” He turned to Samantha, “You agree, don't you?”
Sam grinned, “Oh yea… very realistic.”
“What a shame that I am the only one, of the three of us, who believes in love.”
Johnathan started to laugh, “I don't believe in love Theodore… it's a wasted effort.”
Theodore got up and came up to Josh. He took his hands and started to immolate ballroom dancing with him. Josh pulled his hands out of his grip.
“Love is a war worth fighting. You should not dismiss it so easily.”
“Whatever… I'm going to bed.” Josh headed for the stairs.
Theodore grinned and called after him, “So grumpy.” He looked at me and winked. “He's really quite the romantic, just wastes time on harlots.”
Sam smacked him on the arm, “Talk this century Theodore, please... I guarantee this town has not one bordello in it.”
Kai picked up the empty popcorn bowl and walked towards the kitchen. “What the hell is a bordello?”
Sam rolled her eyes. There she was, good. “A bordello is where men used to go to pay women for their services.”
He came trotting back in. “Their services?” A light went off in him, “Ohhh… sweet.”
Sam rolled her eyes again and added a disgusted sigh, “I am going to bed.”
Kai walked after her. “I've got a twenty in a pair of jeans. You think maybe?”
She turned around and stopped him dead. “I will slap the stupid out of you, I swear to god Kai.”
I pressed my face into the pillow to quiet my laughing, but Theodore took care of that by laughing out so loud that no one would have heard me, except for Johnathan anyway.
Johnathan stood up and reached down to me, I took his hand and he pulled me up from the floor. I bumped against him as I rose and he let me stay there for a moment longer than needed.
I looked up at him, “I'm going to bed, Johnathan.”
He grinned, “I can just sleep on the couch, it's cool.”
I thought about it for a moment. I wanted him to come up, I really did.
“No… you can come with me, it’s fine,” I said, and I started to regret it immediately.
I put my hand back in his and we headed upstairs.
Theodore called after us, “Be aware of what house you are in children.”
We looked back and he winked at us. “It's not like that Theodore… trust me,” I grinned and climbed the stairs, with Johnathan behind me.
We entered my room and I closed the door behind us gently. I don't know why I felt like I was sneaking him in. It's my room and we are just sleeping, that's it. Johnathan walked over to my bed and pulled the covers back. He sat down, took his socks off and lay down. I looked at him for a moment and started to get nervous. “I… umm, I'm changing into my pajamas K?”
I opened my closet
and grabbed a pair of sweatpants and turned back to him. He was laying there watching me. “We are just going to sleep,” I reiterated.
“Yes Rue… just sleep, I promise I will do nothing to make you uncomfortable, I swear,” he said smiling.
I lingered a moment, messing with my hands and went into my bathroom, closing the door. I changed slower than usual and emerged to find him taking his shirt off. I stopped and started to look away from him.
“You sleep without your shirt on…? Of course you do.”
“If it bothers you, I'll put it back on… I just get hot when I sleep.”
I grinned. I had heard that before, only it had come from the boy sleeping in the next room.
“No… no it's fine, really.”
I climbed into the bed and lay on my back, pulling the covers up to my chin. Johnathan giggled.
“What?” I asked.
“You are a very peculiar girl.”
“I don't see why you think that,” I tugged on the comforter.
“Rue… really, you need to relax, I'm not a serial killer or anything.”
I rolled on my side and he turned. He reached over and pushed my hair over my ear.
“I really just wanted to be close to you… that's all,” he smiled as he said it.
“I know, I'm sorry. I just don't want you to think that I, you know… wanted things.”
He got a crooked grin on his face, “’Stuff and Things’? I know.”