Secrets Don't Make Friends

October fidgeted nervously in the kitchen, cutting up the skinned potatoes for her mother. Friday night had been planned, set and (almost) ready for action, and she was more than nervous. Beside her, her mother hummed calmly to herself, stirring the soup; October glanced sideways at Maria, wondering what she was thinking and why she was so calm. Normally a mother would throw the Spanish Inquisition, asking a million and one questions about the boy in question. But instead, Maria kept to herself which worried October more than it should.

Taking a break from the potatoes, October wiped her hands off and looked at the clock. Six forty-five. William was due at her house in fifteen minutes and she wasn’t even halfway decent; still donned in her after school sweatpants and long sleeved v-neck, October raced as quietly as she could up the stairs, trying not to tip her mother off about her anxiety.

She quickly stripped herself of her clothing and searched her closet, finding her favorite deep purple v-neck and black jeans. Just as she was pulling her thick hair back into a pony tail, the doorbell rang, sending a shock of apprehension down her spine. Sending a quick look at herself in the mirror, October raced downstairs but her mother had made it to the door before her, giving her daughter an amused expression.

October walked slowly to the kitchen, trying to regulate her breathing. She heard William’s light voice carry through the house, reply to her mother’s questions. The sounds of their voices got louder as they made their way to the kitchen. October tried to keep herself busy by boiling the potatoes, but the moment William spoke her name she stopped stirring the pot and turned to face William, who was standing in the frame of the kitchen archway.

He took one swift look around the kitchen then smiled lightly at October before her mother interrupted them.

“Well, since dinner isn’t going to be ready for a bit,” she started, “why don’t you two go upstairs, or give him a tour of the house? Do something to pass the time.” Maria shuffled past William’s tall frame, beginning to drain the softened potatoes.

October’s face tinted a light pink at her mother’s suggestion, but nodded nonetheless. Walking out of the kitchen, she grabbed William’s hand and pulled him away from her mother’s prying stare, just missing the look of satisfaction on Maria’s face as they turned the corner. The pair remained quiet as October led him upstairs, he would be the third person to ever enter her room, and October wanted to keep it that way.

Silently she opened the door to her room, stepping aside to allow William in. October shuffled quickly to her bed, sitting herself in the middle, crossing her legs while watching William look around her room. He seemed to be in awe of all the posters that adorned her walls, and the amount of pictures that collaged her mirror. Walking towards the mirror, William bent over to look at the different pictures. Most of them were photos of Chicago scenery: the city lights, the busy streets, Chicago skyline and many of just still-life nature.

“These are really good,” William commented. “Did you take them?”

October nodded timidly. “Yeah, every year I do a project called 365. Everyday I would take a picture of something around me and collage it. I was an aspiring photographer, but I haven‘t worked on my project this year.”

“Why not?” he questioned, pulling the chair out from under her desk.

“No particular reason… just so much has happened lately that I don’t really have any inspiration to pick up my camera and take pictures…” her voice trailed off as she spoke, casting her eyes to the ground. She didn’t want to talk about the reasons why, and William caught the hint, pulling the attention away from her.

“My sister does a similar project. Except instead of putting her pictures in a collage, she puts them in a portfolio for resumes and applications. She’s pretty set on becoming a photographer.”

“Oh, you have a sister?”

William nodded, picking at the faux wood grain on the chair. “Mm, yeah. She’s a few years younger than me. But she doesn’t go to Barrington, she goes to some private art school downtown. Real fancy stuff,” he said laughing.

October smirked and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, letting an awkward silence fill the air. She bounced her knee nervously, worrying helplessly on her bottom lip. She never knew how to keep her company entertained, much less a boy. Jason was an exception, for she was dating him, but having William over was a whole different ball field; she wasn’t too sure of William’s likes and dislikes, and she never really started the conversations.

When being alone with William, he would always find a conversation starter, and work his way from there but tonight he remained silent, looking around her small room with a keen interest. Unable to take the suffocating, uncomfortable atmosphere any longer, October looked at the clock, hoping that dinner would be ready soon.

“Kids?” Maria Lanley knocked lightly on the door, poking her head through.

October and William looked expectantly at her, October holding her breath for the words “Dinner is ready” to fall steady from her lips.

“Anything in particular you would want for dessert?” A disappointed sigh slipped inaudibly from Octobers lungs as both her and William shook their heads no. “Alright, well, I’m making cheesecake, if that’s alright? And dinner’s almost ready, so could you two set the table for me please?”

October almost jumped at the chance, almost tripping on her feet. William and Maria both sent looks of amusement at October’s behavior as she blushed wildly, shuffling clumsily down the stairs.