Dreams of Tomorrow

Athalya was slowly walking down the stairs, her backpack swung over her shoulders. She was dressed, and ready for school.

Her grandparents were waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. Her grandmother was fidgeting with her wedding ring, while her grandfather had his arm wrapped around his wife, trying to calm her down a little bit.
As Athalya noticed her grandmother’s stressed expression, she tensed up. Worry flashed into her bright green eyes at the thought that her grandparents might have some bad news to tell her.

“Is everything alright?” she quickly asked, jumping down the few steps that were separating her from her grandparents.

“Did something happen?” she asked quickly, looking from her grandfather to her grandmother before looking back at him.

“No, nothing happened Athalya. Your grandmother is just stressing out for nothing.” Said her grandfather with a laugh.

“What’s wrong Mamie?” asked Athalya, dropping her bag and walking closer to her grandparents.

“Nothing’s wrong sweetie. We just have some things to tell you that cannot be postponed any longer.” Said her grandmother. Athalya took a step back, ready to run out of the front door if it was needed.

“Stop scaring her like that Suzan! Sweetie, it’s nothing really. Your grandmother is just making a big deal out of it. The thing is, when we heard that you were going to live with us, we called your mother’s high school, trying to find persons that would be able to know who your father was…” explained her grandfather.

Athalya’s breath got stuck in her throat, her heart pounding in her chest, waiting for her grandfather to continue.

“Some man contacted us, he was your mother’s best friend, they were really close. He was really sorry to hear about your mother’s death and he wants to get in contact with you. So, he has been trying to have a week end off and he finally free. So…” he stopped for effect, looking at Athalya and then at Suzan.

“So what?” Athalya asked, finally breathing again.

“So, the question is: will you be alright to meet him? Or does it bother you?” asked her grandfather.

Athalya frowned, and bit her lip.
“I don’t mind.” She replied shrugging before picking up her bag again.

“When will he come?” she asked, swinging her bag over her shoulder.

“Friday night.” Replied her grandmother.

“Cool!” she replied.

“Is tha… Is that all? I mean, you’re not going to ask more questions?” asked her grandmother, Athalya just shrugged.

“Why would I bother to ask questions? I’m going to see him, right?” asked Athalya. Her grandparents nodded. “Well, I’ll see for myself then.”

Athalya looked awkwardly at the clock in the kitchen.
“Et merde!” she muttered. “I missed the bus…” she sighed, rubbing her forehead.

“It’s okay, I’m driving you.” Whispered her grandfather, taking the keys from the small bowl on the table in the hall.

“Thanks.” She whispered.

“See ya later Mamie!” said Athalya, hugging her grandmother before walking out of the front door and waiting for her grandfather by his car.

“I thought we might get a reaction out of her.” Whispered Suzan as she watched Athalya disappeared down the few steps that leaded to the front lawn.

“I hoped too, but it’s Athalya we’re talking about. It seems like nothing can get a reaction out of her these days.” Her husband whispered, kissing his wife on the cheek and then walked out of the front door to drive Athalya to school.

**

“Athalya! Where the fuck were you this morning? I was fucking worried!” yelled Johnny, running towards Athalya as she was walking towards a table, she stopped in her tracks and her face lost all colours.
She did not like it when boys were yelling at her, but she quickly regained her composure and smiled at him, sitting down on the table.

“I’m so sorry Johnny! I was talking with my… parents, and I missed the bus.” She lied, not really wanting him to know that she had no parents.

“Oh, it’s okay. Sorry I yelled, I was just wondering where you were you know…” he said, shrugging, trying to play it cool.

“Bullshit dude! You were fucking worried sick! You kept rambling about it during whole fucking period!” said a boy, about Johnny’s age, rolling his eyes as he sat down next to a now pouting Johnny.

“By the way, I’m Matt, but you can call me Matty.” He said, holding out his hand from across the table. Athalya smiled shyly and shook his hand.

“I’m Athalya.” She said softly.

“Oh I know, believe me!” he said, glaring at Johnny.

“Shut up Baker.” Muttered Johnny, shoving his friend a little.

“Baker? Like, Zachary’s brother?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.

“Yeap, that’d be me. Do you know him?” he asked, frowning a little. “Gah, of course you would, everyone knows him and his friends.” He said, not letting time to Athalya to explain.

“To say that I know him, would be a bit too much. Let’s just say that I can put a name on the face.” She said, taking an apple out of her backpack and taking the napkin off it.

Matt’s face fell and his mouth made a perfect oh-shape.
“Oh! You’re that girl?” he asked, his face breaking into a smirk.

“Huh?”

“Shut up Matt, call her by her name.” muttered Johnny, glaring at his taller friend, who was eyeing Athalya attentively.

“Is it true that you blew up at my brother, putting him back in his place?” asked, Matty, leaning on the table, his arms crossed and starring at Athalya attentively.

“Stop starring at her dude! And yes, she put him back in his place, he asked for it!” replied Johnny, shoving his friend harder than the first time.

“Having trouble with him, kiddo?”
Athalya looked up from her lap to see a tall figure, blocking the sun from her view. The tall freak was looking at Johnny menacingly, Athalya raised an eyebrow before she started frowning, noticing the orange colour of the boy’s clothe.

“Jimmy?” asked Athalya, her voice weak, afraid she was being mistaken.

“Oh Frenchie! Sorry I didn’t see you!” he pushed Johnny a little out of his way so he could sit down.
“So, what’s up?” he asked, his blue eyes starring straight into her green ones.

“I, huh… Could you stop terrorizing my friend?” she asked, swallowing the lump in her throat.

“Which one, the Baker kid?” he asked, pointing at his left.

“No, I’m talking about Johnny. If you hadn’t noticed, he was sitting here before you and you nearly threw him on the ground. That’s not nice.” She spoke quietly.

“Oh, Seward? He’s used to it." he replied shrugging.

“Well, just because you’re doing it often means you have the right to.” She said, her voice stronger. Jimmy raised an eyebrow in wonder, as Athalya’s eyes darkened.

“And stop starring at me.” She said, looking down at taking a bit from her apple.

“Wow, someone is moody!” he said chuckling. Athalya’s eyes snapped back to Jimmy’s face and the look on her face made him stop laughing right away.

“Why are you here anyway?” she asked.

“I thought Matt was having trouble with Johnny.” He said.

“Well, obviously there’s no problem whatsoever.” She said. “And if you’re staying here only to hit Johnny than you can leave, you weren’t invited but if you’re going to behave and be nice to him, than you’re welcome to stay.”

Jimmy blinked. If anyone else had said that, he would have burst out laughing, but not with Athalya. There was something in her eyes that made him respect her for some reason.
He shook his head softly.

“Sorry for hitting you Shortshit. Have a nice day you three.” He said and then left the table and jogged back to his friends who were sitting under the oak tree.

“How the fuck did you do that?” asked Matty, eyeing Athalya suspiciously. “Are some kind of witch or something?”

“Shut up Matt!” muttered Johnny, elbowing him in the ribs as Matt kept his gaze on Athalya who was taking a bit from her apple.

“Marry me?” asked Matty, completely ignoring Johnny’s murderous glare, as he was batting his eyelashes at Athalya who was paying absolutely no attention to him.

“Huh?” she asked, breaking out of her daze and looking at the two boys sitting in front of her.

“I asked you to marry me..” he said, looking dead serious as Johnny scoffed.

“Aw, you’re cute!” she said, blushing slightly. “But I’m not looking for a boyfriend at the moment, let alone a husband. But thanks for the offer?”

Matty scoffed but then smiled brightly, turning to face his friend.
“She thinks I’m cute!” he said to Johnny.

“Yeap, but she doesn’t want you, and she’s my friend.” He retorted.

Athalya raised an eyebrow at their exchange.
“Okay, stop that.” She spoke. “Johnny’s my friend but you are Johnny’s friend, right?” she asked slowly.
Matty nodded.

“Well, let’s say that Johnny’s friends are my friends too, that’d make you my friend, right?” she asked slowly again.

Johnny and Matty both nodded.
“Okay, so you’re both my friends, happy now?”
They high-fived each others and Athalya just rolled her eyes, smiling.

Guys could act like idiots even in America. Was it a good or a bad thing? She’ll never know.

She had no idea why, but she felt more comfortable hanging around with Johnny and Matty than with Zacky and Jimmy… which was weird because Johnny and Matty were younger than she was… and usually she was getting on better with older persons…

Johnny and Matty decided to walk her to her next period. It was a funny thing to see, seeing as Athalya wasn’t exactly small and Johnny wasn’t exactly the tallest person here.
Some jocks were making fun of their little group, but Athalya just simply ignored them, waved at her two friends and walked into class.

It was Math.

Athalya took the sit by the window, at the back and started taking her things out of her bag and setting them on the table, getting ready for the lesson. Math was a subject where she had to focus, especially when it was in English.

The teacher walked in, closed the door and immediately started talking about how important the lesson was. Athalya sat up straight in her chair when the door opened and a student came in, quickly mumbled an apologize and walked to the back. He pulled the chair next to Athalya and sat down.

Athalya barely looked at her left, just enough to see Jimmy taking out a notebook and a pen. He smiled at her and started writing what the teacher was saying. Athalya shook her head in disbelief and started writing too, completely focussed on the words that were flooding out of the teacher’s mouth at an incredible speed.

“Oh god…” she mumbled, setting her pencil down and rubbing her temples with both hands.

“Are you alright?” Jimmy asked, looking worriedly at her.

“Huhuh…” she whispered, nodding slowly. Her head was killing her, she did not understand a thing from the lesson and she just wanted to lie on her bed.

They stayed quiet as the teacher kept writing on the blackboard and she picked up her pen to keep writing. Finally, the bell rang and Athalya let out a deep sigh, sinking down on her chair and closing her eyes.

“Thank god it’s over!” said Jimmy, gathering his stuff and putting them in his backpack.

“Yeah, can’t wait to go back home.” She agreed, stuffing her notebook and pencil case in her bag.

They both walked out of the classroom side by side.

“Do you need a ride?” he asked, rubbing his neck.

“Aren’t you supposed to see your friends?” she asked, looking up at him.

“They ditched school. So, you want a ride or not?” he asked again.
Athalya frowned, and rubbed her neck.

“Take that as an apology for hitting Johnny earlier? You seemed mad at me…” he trailed off.

“You sure you don’t mind driving me home?” she asked, biting her lip.

“No, don’t worry.” He said smiling and they both headed towards Jimmy beaten up car.

It was weird for Athalya to be sitting next to Jimmy in his car seeing as she hadn’t be the nicest to him only a few hours ago. He opened the passenger door for her and then went to his side. He threw his backpack on the backseat and sat down.

Athalya blinked a few times, her eyes glued on Jimmy’s backseat. She bit her lip awkwardly and sat down, keeping her backpack at her feet and buckled her seatbelt.

“I don’t want to sound rude or anything, but… do you live in your car?” she asked, looking at Jimmy as a small blush tinted her cheeks.

Jimmy rubbed his neck awkwardly and started the engine.
“It’s that obvious?” he asked, keeping his eyes anywhere but on Athalya’s face.

Athalya’s face fell a little. She was half joking when she asked that.
“Well, the pillow and covers and the cans of beer kind of gave you away…” she said, trailing off.

“Oh well, I should have put everything back in the trunk but I forgot…” he said, laughing awkwardly.

“Does it happens often?” she asked, after she told Jimmy to turn left.

“What, me sleeping in my car?” he asked.

“Yeah…” she said softly.

“It depends, sometimes I can crash at my best friend’s, or usually I sleep at Val’s but I can’t because her parents are away for the week and Matt is staying over… or I can sleep at the Laundromat.” He explained, shrugging. “Or I sleep in my car.” He explained like it was nothing at all.

Jimmy stopped the car in front of Athalya’s house and turned to look at her. She was looking at her house, a thoughtful look on her face before her face light up and she turned to look at Jimmy.

“I’m hungry, what about you?” she asked.

“Hum, yeah?” he asked, unsure.

“Cool, come on then!” She said, grabbing her backpack and getting out of the car. Jimmy killed the engine and slowly followed Athalya to the front door. She opened it and let Jimmy in before she closed the door, kicked off her shoes, put her backpack next to the stairs and hung her hoodie on the pattern.

“I’m back!” she called out.

Her grandmother appeared in the kitchen’s doorway and her face broke into a smile when she saw the boy that was standing behind Athalya.

“And I brought a friend…” she said, pointing at Jimmy from over her shoulder.

“Mamie, that’s Jimmy.” She said, hugging her grandmother and then walking in the kitchen.

“Nice to meet you Jimmy!” said Suzan, a warm smile on her face as she looked at Jimmy. Sure, he looked weird with his orange bathrobe and his blond hair spiking up in all directions but Suzan knew better than to judge someone by its appearance. And plus Athalya introduced him as her friend… It was a good thing.

“Jimmy, do you want a coke, orange juice, milk? Or something else, like a beer?” Athalya asked from over her shoulder, holding the fridge open. Jimmy starred at her with wide eyes and Suzan laughed.

“Athalya, sweetie. The legal age to drink is 21…” said Suzan, as Athalya turned to look at them, blushing.

“Oh… sorry… In France we can drink beer at the age of 16…” she said, rubbing her neck nervously.

“Well, if you want a beer Jimmy, it’s okay, I’ll act like I didn’t see anything!” said Suzan, smiling as she walked out of the kitchen.

Athalya smiled and then looked at Jimmy again,
“So?”

“Hum… I’ll take a can of coke.” He said.

“Okay!” she grabbed two cans and then closed the fridge with her hip before tossing one at Jimmy who caught it easily.

She walked out of the kitchen, grabbed her backpack and made her way upstairs, not before she made sure Jimmy was still following her.

She dropped her bag next to her desk as Jimmy stood awkwardly by the door.

“Sorry, you can sit on the bed if you want. Or you can look through my CDs, I feel like putting some music on…” she said quickly, motioning to the pile of CDs on her desk.

Athalya walked over to the window and opened it, before she sat on the windowsill, looking at the blue sky.

“Is that a drumstick?” Jimmy asked, holding it up and looking at Athalya in wonder.

“Yeah…” she said absent-mindly, still looking outside.

“I had no idea you played drums.” Jimmy said, sitting on the mattress.

“I don’t… It’s not mine.” She explained, before she turned to look at Jimmy. “It’s Tré Cool’s drumstick. Green Day’s drummer.” She added.

“You met them?” he asked, looking at her posters.

“You could say that…” she said, trailing off.

“Oh, what’s that?” he asked, holding up a CD case.

“A CD case…” she replied.

“Jajaja, funny… No, I meant what the name of the band?” he asked again, rolling his eyes playfully.

“A French band.” She said.

“Oh! Can I put it on?” he asked.

“Sure…” she said, looking outside again.

Jimmy put the CD in the player and waited for it to start, and sat on her bed.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, watching her closely as she was now hugging her knees against her chest, looking lost.

“Nothing… just something I heard this morning and I don’t know what to think about it.” She said, running a shaky hand through her hair.

“Want to tell me about it?” he asked.
She looked thoughtful for a moment but then sighed.

“An old friend of my mother is coming at the end of the week, he wants to see me and I don’t know whether it’s a good or a bad thing.” She said. “Because he might tell me things about my father that I’d rather not know or whatever… I don’t know, I don’t think I’m ready to see that guy yet.” She added, frowning.

“Huh, I’m going to sound really stupid but, I thought it was your mother I saw downstairs…” he said.

“Nah, that’s my grandmother, my mother’s mother.” She explained. “I live with them.” She added, looking down, ashamed. “My mother’s dead and I don’t know my father.” She added in a whisper, afraid of Jimmy’s reaction.

Jimmy eyes widened a little at the sudden information.

It was obvious something was bothering Athalya, you could see it with the way she was acting and behaving, but he hadn’t no idea it was that bad. He was always fighting with his parents but he couldn’t bring himself to imagine what it would be like if his mother had died and if he didn’t know his father…

“I’m sorry to hear that Athalya.” He said, sincere. “But you know, it can’t be a bad thing that your mother’s friend wants to come and see you. Maybe he isn’t a bad guy and wants to help?” he suggested, which makes Athalya look up, her eyes a little humid from trying to hold back the tears.

Jimmy got up and went to sit on the windowsill too,
“I think it’s a good thing that he wants to meet you, it means that he really liked your mother, because I’m sure your mother had loads of friends but none of them actually cared enough to make the displacement and meet you.” He added.

Athalya simply looked at him, her green eyes watering once again.

“If I were you, I’d be really excited to meet him.” Jimmy said, his hand resting on her lap as she furiously wiped her cheeks.

“Thanks Jimmy…” she whispered, looking at the blue eyed boy. He just smiled.

“No problem.” He said, patting her thigh.

There was a knock at the door.

“Come in!”

“Jimmy, do you want to stay for dinner?” Suzan asked, looking at the two teenagers, smiling.

“Hum…” he trailed off, scratching the back of his head.

“Est-ce qu’il peut rester cette nuit? Ses parents sont parti et il ne sait pas où aller, je prendrai le matelas de la chambre d’amis!” said Athalya, really fast, her eyes glued on her grandmother, a hopeful look on her face.

( “can he stay the night ? His parents are out and he has nowhere to stay. I’ll take the mattress in the spare room!”)

Suzan nodded, and smiled at Jimmy before she walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.

She made her way downstairs, and into the kitchen where her husband was washing his hands in the sink.

“Thank God!” she whispered, smiling, her hands joined and looking at the ceiling.

“What happened?” he asked, drying his hands with a towel and looking at his wife.

“Athalya came back home with the Sullivan kid, Jimmy. He’s staying the night here.” Explained Suzan excitedly while her husband’s face fell.

“Oh no! No, no, no! Not like that!” she said, frowning. “He’s her friend, I guess. His parents’ are out of town so Athalya asked if he could stay here tonight. There’s a mattress in the spare room.” She explained, talking with her hands rapidly. “Oh! I need to start making dinner!”

“Honey, calm down! It’s alright.” He said laughing as his wife started running around the kitchen, to start making dinner.

**

“No, he’s not!” she said, crossing her hand over her chest, frowning.

“I’m sorry Athalya, but he is! Look at that poster!” he said, pointing at the poster with the drumstick.

“Whatever you say! It’s just because you’re a tall freak!” she muttered and lay back down.

“He’s a dwarf!” he said, laughing.

She rolled her eyes and turned so she could look at him.
“Billie Joe is not a dwarf, he’s just the right size, stop talking shit about him!” she growled, her green eyes darkening like they did earlier.

Jimmy huffed and let his head fall back on the pillow.

They were both lying on Athalya’s bed, they had already eaten and Suzan had made a delicious dinner.

Afterwards, they went back in Athalya’s room and Jimmy decided to make fun of the Green Day picture next to her desk.

“You know, when you look at me like that, I know you’re mad!” he said, frowning.

She stayed silent, lying on her back, gazing at the ceiling.

“Okay, I’m sorry I made fun of Billie Joe! Forgive me?” he asked, turning to look at her.

That’s when he noticed that she was crying.

“Hey! No, I’m sorry! Aww no, don’t cry!” he whispered, panicked as he reached over to the bedside table and grabbed a tissue from the box and started wiping her cheeks.

“You… You just can’t make fun of Billie Joe…” she whispered, closing her eyes tight shut and then covering her face with her hands.

“Aww, I didn’t know! I swear, if I knew it would have made you cry, I wouldn’t have started!” he said, biting his lip.

They both know it wasn’t really because Jimmy had made fun of Billie Joe’s size.
He’d never tell her, but when she had left to go to the bathroom, he saw the envelop underneath her pillow, he had seen the picture she had taken with Billie Joe.

“I’m sorry Athalya.” He whispered, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her against his chest.

Athalya tensed up when she realized he was hugging her but relaxed and hold on tightly on his black T-shirt he had put on after he had taken a shower.

“It’s okay Athalya, it’s alright.” He whispered against her hair.
He wrapped his arms tighter around her and switched off the tiny lamp that was on the bedside table. He managed to cover the both of them with the covers and kept rubbing Athalya’s back, trying to calm her down.
Her breathing became low and regular and he knew she had fallen asleep.

He looked down at her sleeping face and smiled.
She looked peaceful, her head resting on his chest, except for her tears-strained cheeks.

He felt bad for making her cry, she reminded him of his two sisters. They were younger than Athalya and he hadn’t seen them in a while, because of the stupid fight he had with his parents.

Athalya made him realize that it was stupid. He should feel lucky to have both his parents when she had none.
He didn’t know what it was, but something about her made him feel like she needed to be protected, and he decided that he was going to take care of that.
He was going to protect her.