Fall Asleep with the Windows Open

*
February 17th 1988

For the entire summer I watched Reiley and Sam get closer, and his visits more frequent. I watched her sneak out her window some nights and crawl into his damn car.I heard some fights too, where he would get drunk and call her. She still wasnt talking to me completely, but she still came to shows. "To support Mike."

When tenth grade started, it was like every year, all the same classes. It seemed we got into a lot less trouble and classes went even slower than before. By the time Christmas came, her and Sam were supposedly a couple. I guess it was accurate...he would take her and bring her home from school. Its hard to make up with someone when you cant pry them away from there new found boyfriend. Finally my birthday rolled around. Thank god its on a Saturday.

I walked sleepily out of my bedroom, hearing my mom talking to someone and laughing. When I came around the corner I had to do a double take. Reiley was sitting in my kitchen. Like no time had passed, just talking to my mom.

"Hey, uhm, Happy Birthday Bill."
"Hi. I wasnt expecting to see you." She smiled and shrugging. I cleared my throat, while starring at my mother...luckily she got the point and left.
"Okay, Im so sick of this. Would you forgive me for not...forgiving you?" She said furring her eyebrows, confusing herself. I laughed.
"Absolutely." She got up and hugged me. God it was so good to touch her again. Gah. Dont pull away...
"So whats been goin on birthday boy?"
"Nothing at all."
"Me neither just getting sick of all the well behaved classrooms this year." I laughed and nodded.

"Well get dressed and we'll go do something for your birthday." Shit. I was still in my boxers.
"Alright, come talk to me." She followed me to my room while I got on clothes.
"You wanna know what sucks?"
"Hmm?"
"I cant have a party cause my mom wants to have the family over for dinner...you should come and make it not boring, or a torture fest for me." She giggled.
"I think I can manage that." Then there was a minute of awkward silence.
"So...what do you wanna do? I think they are playing Lost Boys at the old movie theater down town. If you want we can go." I asked.
"Definitely." I swear shes the only girl I know who willingly goes to vampire movies and doesnt turn to a guy during a bloody scene, and instead laughs.

After the movie we caught up while we walked home.
"When are you gonna get a damn car Billie?! Im sick of walking all over town." She laughed.
"Pfft no time soon I can tell you that." I missed just being a round Reiley, I hope we never stop talking for that long EVER again. She snapped me out of my thoughts. Nudging me.
"Billie?"
"Hmm?"
She half smiled and looked down at her feet, "I missed you."
"I missed you too."

All through dinner she would poke me and I would grab her knee and make her squirm. No one even paid attention to us. When it was over and the beatings from siblings had dimmed to slaps on the back I walked Reiley to the door.
"Thanks for having me Mrs. Armstrong." My mom laughed...eleven years and its not even Ollie yet.
"Its no problem dear." Then she heard a crash in the kitchen and ran in.
"Happy Birthday Billie." She said hugging me.
"Thanks. See ya later." With that she walked out. When I turned and went into the living room, all my siblings were looking at me smiling.
"What!?"
"Jeez, Bill can you two be anymore obvious."
"Shut up Holly. Shes still got a boyfriend."
"Yeah but your not over her little brother! And she acts like she wants you right back." Allen yelled.
I rolled my eyes and went upstairs...why do they care, its not like they live here anymore.

*

When Sam dropped Reiley off that Monday they were fighting. Should I look? Meh, what could it hurt. I poked my head out the window.
"...yeah Veronica told me that."
"Oh come on its just Carrie."
"Fuck you. Go get drunk and fuck her then! I dont need you!"
"Oh please, your so desperate for a -" Then she smacked him over the head with her English binder.
"Get out. Dont fuckin talk to me again!"
"Fine. Your immature anyway, young little bitch!" Why does she insist on dating assholes.

Once she got to her room, she came over knocking on my now closed window.
"Hey."
"Hi. Im making a pact, to not date for the rest of the year...maybe even until Junior prom...fuck senior prom I dont want to watch fake girls cry over friendships that didnt mean shit to them anyway." She kept looking down at the paper, "Sign it, your my witness." I smiled and did so.
The rest of the night was dedicated to talking about old memories, like when we decided to just start sneaking into each others rooms at night.
"Remember when Holly went to prom, and you asked me?" She asked looking at the pact.
I nodded."Yeah we still should ya know. Like one last school dance." She shrugged.
"Alright. Its a date then." After a minute of sitting there she stood up stretching.
"God I have to go back over."
"Why dont you just, stay over...your already over here. You can just borrow a shirt and shorts." She grinned.
"What the hell, Im here arent I. Why not."

We fell asleep just like we had done a million times before. Just watching her sleep in my old Ramones shirt and blue boxers. I really missed the smell of her hair, and curling up next to her.Thank god I got her back as a friend...here comes the hard part, getting her back for real.

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