Here We Go Again

“Nikki where are you going?” I heard my mother call from the back.

“To the park.” I said loud enough for her to hear.

“Take your brother!”

“Fine. Come on Cody!” I heard the little footsteps of his feet running down the hardwood floors and then he was in front of me looking up with his little three year old face that looked so much like dads.

“Ready to go?” I asked he nodded eagerly and I held out my hand for him to take. He grabbed it and we walked out into the rain.

“Why’s the sky crying?” Cody asked looking up at me. I looked down then looked back up.

“Because it’s sad.” I said.

“Why?”

“Because the world is sad about something.” I said.

“Is it because daddy died?” he asked.

“Sure. Let’s go with that kid.” I said as we arrived at the park.

“Puddles!” he cried running and jumping into the puddles that lined the park.

I rolled my eyes. I didn’t really like little kids. And I have three younger siblings all under the age of ten. They were all at our grandparents except for Cody and I.

My mother was labeled clinically insane by doctors at the hospital in California. They put her in an asylum but she got out. Grabbed Cody and I and ran here to Michigan where we live in a double wide in a crappy trailer park.

No one knows where we are and my mother is trying to get me to go all the way to California to get my other siblings so we can be a ‘happy family again’, my mothers words not mine.

The park was this little place in the center of the trailer park. It was all old and falling apart and the only things were a single swing and a huge tire half buried in the ground and a couple others just lying there. They had all been spray painted by some teenagers that lived a couple trailers down who were always bothering me.

Today was a little different though. A U-Haul truck was pulling into the entrance of the park and parked across from the park.

“Nice time to move in.” I mumbled sitting on the old swing that squeaked whenever it moved.

It was a plank of wood with metal hoops in it and ropes through the hoops and those went up onto metal things that were looped around the frame of the swing ‘set’, since it was only one I don't think it's considered a set, and that’s why it squeaked.

I spread my feet out so they were on either side of the puddle that was accumulating under the swing. I pulled my second hand ipod out of my pocket and put the headphones in my ears so it would drown out the squeaking as I rocked slowly back and forth watching my little brother play on the tires in the rain.

“Why do you even want to be out here Cody?” I yelled. He looked up and grinned.

“I just like being with you.” He said.

I smiled a bit despite my hatred for children and looked down at my ipod. He came over and stood in front of the swing with a small pout on his face. I rolled my eyes and motioned him over. He smiled and jumped onto my lap. Once he got comfortable I handed him one of my ear buds. He put it in and leaned against me with his head on my shoulder.

“Play the one I like.” He said.

“No, you’re too young to listen to the one you like.”

“I won’t tell mom.”

“Kid, even if you told her, her hair was on fire she wouldn’t listen to you. She’s a brain dead couch potato.” I said.

“Is that why you’re taking care of me and you won’t go get Jake and Ryan?” he asked.

“Exactly.” I said.

“Then let me listen to the song.” He said.

“Jeez fine.” I said changing it to Animals by Nickleback. Weird song for a three year old to like.

“Hang on munchkin.” I said pushing off. He laughed and we went higher.

I leaned back and screamed when I saw someone standing behind me. I stopped splashing my feet in the water getting my socks soaked.

“Jeez! Think you could calm down on giving people heart attacks kid?” I asked putting my hand on my chest for effect. He just smirked and shrugged. Cody ran off to play in the puddles again and I watched him for a second then turned back to the boy.

“That was mean.” I said crossing my arms across my chest

“Nice nails.” Is all he said looking at my hands. I held them up and looked at them. One hand had black nail polish on it and the other bright red.

“I ran out.” I stated.

“Never said I didn’t like it.” He said grabbing the ropes of the swing and standing on it.

“Hey.” I scowled at him. He looked down and smirked.

“I’m sorry was this yours?” he asked leaning down and looking at me.

“Your eyes are purple.” I said.
“How do you know? One of them is covered.” He said still leaning and looking at me. I pushed his hair off his eyes and looked at him.

“They’re both purple.” I said quietly.

He smiled a real smile this time and then stood up straight again. His eyes drifted over to Cody who was walking up one of the tires.

“He your only brother?” he asked.

“I’ll tell you when you tell me your name. I’m Nikki.” I said.

“Zach. Now will you tell me?” he asked again.

“I have two others. They’re in California with my grandparents. He’s Cody the other two are Jake and Ryan.” I said. “What about you?”

“Only child.” He said swinging back and forth while standing.

I leant against the metal pole that was holding the swing up. The rain had stopped and the sun was coming out.

“How long have you been here?” he asked.

“A little over six months.” I said not really knowing what I was saying. Then I realized I was saying way too much to this guy about my family.

“I have to go. Cody needs to eat.” I said.

“Have your mom feed him or something.” He said.

“I would if only my mum wasn’t a literal nut case and would most likely burn down the house trying to make a sandwich.” I said with a tint of anger in my voice.

I looked up at him, shocked at what I had just admitted but he just kept on swinging and watching Cody play.

“Well I have cookies and stuff in the car he can eat. The point is, don’t leave.” He said.

I looked up at him. He didn’t look shocked like most people would be when I told them about my family. And how he just out and said he didn’t want me to leave, I could tell we were going to be friends.