Breaking Electricity

It didn't take long for me to realize that John really wasn't made to work on a farm. The way he put on his overalls, the way he tripped over the hay in the horses' stalls every time he cleaned him. It was a pain to get him to do anything right. But still, I appreciated the help. He kind of looked like he was enjoying himself, but I couldn't be sure. "So, I'm curious," I sighed as I handed him a glass of lemonade. "And don't think I'm going to be best friends with you or anything, but why did you run away from home on your birthday?"

He chuckled, "My parents bought me an SAT prep book for my birthday. And I know they want me to succeed in life, blah blah blah, but they could at least give me a good birthday. So I took off." He shrugged, "I don't know, I guess it just wasn't what I was expecting. I mean - my parents have always been the ones to tell me to follow my dreams, but they've changed. And I have no idea why."

My eyebrows were furrowed in a way that looked like I was concerned. I mean, I was. But I didn't want it to show. "That's horrible." I pouted, "I'm sorry."

"So what's your story?"

My head snapped up and I gave him a weird look. He raised his eyebrows and I sighed, trying to think of what to say. "I don't know." I re-tied my shoes and stood up, walking away from him, probably leaving him dumb-founded. As I took the bridles off the horses, I kept thinking about what I was supposed to say. Was I supposed to tell him about my childhood? What my parents are like? I didn't know. I'd never really had anyone to tell anything to other than my brother, but he was my brother. John wasn't family. He was someone that came from somewhere else and didn't grow up with me. I'd never had anyone that didn't know my 'story'. So I didn't know how to tell people my 'story'.

The truth was that I didn't know where I was born, what my parents were like, or really what my childhood was like. All I knew was that I had a foster dad and brother that took me in when I was four. And that I never had any friends - boys or girls - because I had never been to a public school until my senior year of high school. The only person I could really consider my 'friend' was my brother. And now he was away at college in California; three-hundred miles away from me. I had never had a boyfriend, never been broken up with or the other way around, never kissed a boy or anything else. I was completely inexperienced, and I bet John was the complete opposite.

"Listen," I felt his hand on my shoulder. "Why don't we just hang out tonight? I'll play some music for you and you can cook a late night snack. I just want to get to know you if we're going to be living together. Alright?"

I gave him a soft smile, "I don't know."

"Oh, come on!" He laughed. "You can invite you friends over. People you're comfortable with."

My throat got tight, "Uh - " I gave him a weak smile this time and turned toward him, "John, the truth is that I really don't have any friends. So, that's out of the question."

"What?" He cocked his head to the side. "Who wouldn't want to be friends with you?"

"It's not that, really," I chuckled. "I was home-schooled until my senior year of high school, and I guess I wasn't there long enough to make any friends."

"Oh my gosh," He pouted, "I'll be your friend."

I sighed, "Alright."