Your Hand In Mine

- Shane -

"Not bad. We finally unpacked the last box yesterday. The weather's alright--sunny and warmer than Pittsburgh. It's still weird not being able to see you guys whenever we want, though," Josh said through the phone. We hadn't talked in a little over a week, and that was a long time for us. "How was your birthday?" he asked me as I sat back down to a pile of photos covering the floor.

"It was actually pretty enjoyable, despite it being a surprise party. The guys picked me up, and we went to Dave & Busters. Sidney beat me in Ski Ball, so I had to hit on an employee. No, nothing happened, don't worry," I told him, answering any questions that had formed in his head. "Then we ate cake, and I opened my presents," I finished.

"Sounds like you had a good time. I wish I could've seen the guy turn you down," he said.

"Ha. That guy was practically drooling over me, and he gave me his number. I was the one who turned him down, douche," I said, still sorting through photos.

"Yeah, whatever. So, anything else new? How are you on money? How's Mom and Dad?" Someone was quite the worrier, but at least he cared

"Why don't you call them and talk to them yourself? I'm sure they'd like to here from you. You know, seeing as you've talked a total of two times since you've moved. I'm doing good money wise. I've changed some stuff, and I don't think money's going to be much of a problem any more. Oh! Guess what?"

"I'm glad you're doing good, Shane, really. And what?" he asked.

"I got a boyfriend," I said excitedly.

"He finally asked you, huh?" he said, and I let the picture in my hands fall to the ground.

"Who..?"

"Don't 'who' me? Kris."

"How'd you know?" They only once met once at Josh's birthday party, so it's pretty impossible for him to know something like this. I don't think they had ever texted or anything, either.

"Because I saw the way he looked at you. You look at him the same way, you know." Was it really that simple? Someone looked at someone else a certain way, and then everyone around them could tell that they were attracted to each other. And the fact that that was coming from my brother.. Who'd have known. "God, I sound like girl."

"Funny, that's what Alexa said," I sort of mumbled. "But I still don't understand how you could have possibly known he was going to ask me to be his girlfriend..," I trailed off.

"Would you like me to take a stab at what he's going to tell you next? Or should I let it be a surprise?"

I thought about what he had said for a moment. Nobody even told him that Kris and I were together, but somehow he knew it was going to happen. And I sort of wanted to know what Kris is going to do next, but at the same time I didn't. I mean, what if it's something bad? But wouldn't I rather hear Josh tell me than Kris himself if it was? If it happened that way, it wouldn't be as horrible. But what if Josh is completely wrong? "I'm just going to let Kris tell me whatever it is you think he's going to tell me, okay?"

"Suit yourself," he told me.

"Daddy! It's time to play dress up!" I heard Ava yell in the background which made me laugh.

"It's not funny. When you have kids someday, you'll have to do it, too. And I look quite dashing in blonde wigs and little plastic heels, thank you very much."

"Daddy! Come on!" Ava screamed again.

Josh let out a groan. "I have go, Shane. Call me whenever you get the chance. Love you."

"Love you, too. Bye, Josh."

"See ya," he said and then hung up.

I held the 'End' button down so my phone would turn off completely, and so I wouldn't be distracted again. I already lost a half an hour talking to Josh, and I needed to get this project done for school. It was due tomorrow, but there was no way I was getting up early to work on it. That was just ridiculous. I probably should've started doing this two weeks ago when I got the assignment, buy hey, procrastination is the way to go.

When my teacher originally gave us this assignment, it didn't seem too hard. But when I took a closer look at it last week, there was a lot to it. We had take a total of twenty pictures and make a creative collage. They could be of anything we wanted, but they had to stick to the same theme. We also had to use three different effects.

I chose to take my twenty pictures of the city. Some of them were in sepia, while others were taken in black and white and their original color. I took pictures of the whole city--Mt. Washington, the Mellon, the snow falling in front of a stop light, people passing by in their winter coats and hats, and sixteen others. It took me three days and eighty-four pictures for me to finally decide which ones I was going to use. It took me one more day to figure out how to group them together. Well, I wasn't really going to group them together; I planned on using clothes pins to attach the photos to a thick silver wire, then bending the wire into stars at each end. It was kind of dumb, but it got me points in the 'Creativity' category, I guess.

I had been sitting in my family/living room for the past three hours, desperately trying to put it all together. I had only put my photos in the order I want them and found the wire, though. Maybe I didn't get so much done because I was on the phone with my brother, or because I made myself a PB&J sandwich, or because I was watching America's Next Top Model while working on the project.

I picked myself back up and started looking high and low for the damn clothes pins. I bought them yesterday and they were already lost. It was like a search and rescue mission in my apartment. They were seriously MIA. Well, only until I found them in my bathroom. I had no idea as to why they were there, either.

As soon as I found them, an idea popped into my head. I was going to paint them so they'd be even more creative. But there was only one problem: I didn't have any paint.

I dropped everything I was doing and hopped into my car, leaving my phone behind, and drove to Target. They had to have regular kid paint there, right? Wrong. Well, until I asked a guy who worked there if they had any in the back. He told me they did as he looked down my shirt. I didn't really have the time to tell him to fuck off, though. I just bought the paint and left.

It took me a half an hour to paint the stupid things and then another half an hour for them to dry. By the time I could touch them again, it was three o'clock. I measured out the wire, cut it, then miraculously bent the ends into the shape of a star. I was finally done by about three forty-five. I put everything away and then grabbed my phone and turned it back on.

Two unread texts, one missed call, one new voicemail.

I opened the texts first.

From: Kristopher
Hey beautiful :)

I'm pretty sure I just blushed.

I pressed the right arrow key so I could view the next text.

From: The Wicked Witch of West
I decided to start planning the wedding. And since you're my MOH, I need your help

Incase you didn't figure it out, that one was from Lexa.

I moved on to my missed call; it was from Maxime. I dialed my voicemail and typed in my password then followed the directions so I could hear the message.

"Hey, Hott Stuff!," I head someone yell and could automatically tell it was Max. His greeting was followed up by an 'ow'. "Sorry, Shane," Max corrected, still a little on the loud side, as if making sure somebody had heard that he was calling be by my name. "Tanger won't let me call you that since your his and all. Speaking of, congrats. I thought he was too shy to ask, but I guess not. Moving on.. We decided that we're all hanging out today, and you're included. So, you better call me back so you know where we're meeting and all that jazz. Later, yo." Boy, did I love Max Talbot. He was French, but acted like he was somewhat black on occasion.

I texted Kris back and asked him what he was up to and explained why I didn't reply sooner. Then I texted Lex and asked her what she wanted to start figuring out first and when. After that, I called Max back. He picked up after a few rings.

"Bonjour, Shane."

"Hey, Maxime," I replied in the same tone.

"Very funny," he said and faked a laugh.

"I thought it was," I said with a laugh of my own. "Anyway, what's happening today?"

"Um.. I don't really know?"

"Then what was the point of calling?" I laughed.

"I don't know the answer to that either," he replied.

"Well, then can you give the phone to somebody who actually knows what's going on?" I asked him.

"Maybe."

"Please," I tried.

"Fine," he agreed, then called out Billy's name.

"Hey, Princess," Billy said into the phone. That was his new nickname for me--Princess. I hated it, but there was no use telling him that because he would call me that even more.

"Hey, Gramps," I said, calling him by the nickname I'd given him.

"I'm not old."

"Compared to Gordie Howe. But you are the oldest guy on the team. It's a fact, learn to deal with it."

"Pipe it, Princess."

"Screw you," I joked. "Anyway, can you tell me what you guys are planning to include me in on?"

"Well, we're going out to eat at some restaurant, but I'm not sure where yet, so we'll just pick you up. And then who the hell even knows after that."

"Do you guys normally plan stuff out like this?" I asked.

"Yup."

"Do you always end up going to the right places at the right times?"

"Pretty much," he informed me. "Well, sometimes we tell Tanger the wrong time, and he gets there early and feels like an idiot."

"You guys are so cruel," I laughed.

"Yeah, but it's all just fun and games. He knows we're just having a good time, and he doesn't take it too serious any more."

"It's still sort of mean," I told him again. "Do you guys have any idea what time you're picking me up at?"

"Uh, how about a half hour? Is that enough time? Or do you need more time to get dressed up, Princess?"

"Suck it, Gramps. You know I'm not like that."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm just yankin' your chain," he told me.

"Okay, well, I'll see you in thirty."

"Peace," he replied. It's obvious that that's something that just doesn't sound right coming from a guy like Billy, right? I could even picture him throwing up a gang sign as he said it, too, and possibly rolling up a pant leg and wearing a grill and chain with a big money symbol, just so people would laugh.

"Bye," was all I managed to get out through my laughter, and then I hung up.

I threw my phone blindly across the room, hoping it would land on my couch, and then walked into my room so I could change out my paint-covered clothes.