Chapter 4

A Month Later

Things had been better and I was able to hide the bruise which only lasted for a couple of days. I was only grounded for a week and a half. My dad never mentioned anything about that day again. My mom sensed tension between us for the first week, but we both denied it.

My dad finally got a job. He worked during the day and my mom worked during the night. I hardly ever saw my family. My mom would sleep during the day until she had to go to work. I would go out with my friends after school until my curfew, so I didn't see my dad. It didn't really matter though, he usually went to sleep as soon as he got home, so it didn't even feel like he was home. I also stayed in my room and talked on the phone a lot, usually with Kevin. Like today.

"So Boo are you ready for the big homecoming football game? Are you nervous?" I asked.

"No, I'm never nervous. The other guys on the team should be nervous," he said confidently.

"Oh that's right, they don't want to run into the "Train," I said while lauging.

"Damn straight," Kevin said.

"So what are you doing after the game?" I asked.

"Some buddies of mine and I are going out to celebrate our win. Do you want to come?" he asked.

"Sure, I'd love to. How about we call Brain and ask him if he wants to go out with us?" I suggested.

"No, he has plans this weekend. Remember, he's going camping so he has to wake up early tomorrow morning," Kevin reminded me.

"Oh, that's right. Now I remember him mentioning something about that," I said.

"It'll just be me, you, and the guys, and some of their girlfriends," he said.

"Well that sounds good!" I said happily. "Well, I better get off the phone and pick up, if I want to go out tonight."

"Okay. Steve and the guys will pick you up at 6:30 p.m.. I'll see you after the game," Kevin said.

"No, you'll hear me at the game! I'll be cheering for you along with your parents. Well, good luck Boo! Not that you'll need it though. Bye, I'll see you later," I said happily.

"Thanks, Pumpkin. Bye!" Kevin said.

As soon as I hung up the phone, I rushed around the house picking up everything in sight. My dad was supposedly watching televsion, but I could hear him snoring.

I went into the kitchen and looked around. There were empty beer cans all over the place. I sighed and started to pick them up. He was always able to hide them before Mom got home. The job situation was better, but he still continued his drinking.

I finally finished picking up, and now the hard part, asking. I always hated asking him to go out, but I didn't want to stay home, so I decided to take my chances.

"Hey, dad," I said as I slowly shook him to wake up.

He reeked of beer and I wanted to get out of the house right then, but I knew that I had to get permission first.

"Dad, I need to ask you something," I said as he slowly began to wake up.

"What? What do you want?" he asked sleepily or actually drunkenly.

"Can I got to the homecoming game with some friends of Kevin's and out with them after the game?" I asked.

"Yeah, sure. But be home by curefew," he said.

"Yes, I know 11:30 p.m., no later. Thanks," I said as I walked away.

I turned back around to say something else, but he had already fallen back to sleep.

Honk! Honk!

I grabbed my purse and keys and ran out the door.

"Hi guys!" I said as I hopped into Steve's truck.

I sat in the front along with his girlfriend. In the back there were a bunch of other guys, who were Kevin's friends and a few of their girlfriends.

It was 10 o'clock, and we had won the football game. It was so exciting and I screamed the entire time for Kevin. My throat hurt a little, but it was worth it.

After the game the football players came back out and I met Kevin. We went out into the parking lot and stood by Steve's truck, along with his other friends. We were deciding what to do.

"There's a party at Lisa's house. Her parents are gone this weekend," Steve suggested. Then he looked at me and said, "Oh wait, I think you're a little too young to go."

"Oh, that's okay. You can just drop me off at home," I replied.

"What about you Kev? Do you have to go home now, too?" Steve asked sarcastically.

"No! But I'm not going to some lame ass party either. How about we go to a drive-in Pumpkin?" Kevin asked.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to that party? Don't let me hold you back," I said.

"No, I'm tired. I just want to hang out with you," Kevin said.

"Okay. A drive-in sounds good to me. Let's go," I said.

We all piled into Steve's truck and headed to Kevin's house. He dropped us off and sped away. Kevin got his car keys and we got into his car and left for the drive-in.

"What should we see?" Kevin asked on the way there.

"How about Look Who's Talking, since it's the only movie that I can actually see. You know this whole age thing is beginning to become a real pain in the ass," I said while Kevin was laughing. "Thanks for doing something with me. I know you wanted to go to that party, but you didn't."

"No prob Bob!" Kevin said smiling at me.

We paid for our tickets and found a parking spot. He got out the blanket and we sat on the hood of the car.

We decided to throw M&M's back and forth at each other. We caught most of them in our mouth, but there were the occasional few that flew into people's windows. Everyone around us rolled up their windows and continued with their make out session.

After we were through with that, I laid back against the wind shield and fell asleep. The movie wasn't very entertaining, so once I laid back I was out.

"Hey wake up Shorty," Kevin said as he shook me lightly.

"Oh, hi Boo. I guess I got a little bored with the movie," I said, sitting up. Then I realzied that it was really late at night. "Oh my gosh! What time is it?" I asked worried.

"It's 11:45, why?" Kevin asked.

"Oh no! I was supposed to be home at 11:30! I promised my dad I would be home by curfew and now he's going to be so upset with me," I said while hopping off the hood of the car and beginning to pick up our things. "Come on Boo. Hurry up, we have to leave!"