Synthetic Love

I couldn't help but be a little excited when my phone lit up Saturday morning with Ricky's name across the screen. I grabbed my phone and opened the text.

"Hey. Wanna come over at 12 to work on the project? I asked my mom and she said for you to come and she would make lunch for us. Lame I know but what do you say?"

-Ricky

I smiled. Getting real food that wasn't ramen noodles or McDonald's would be great I must say. I quickly replied, telling him is be there.

I was already dressed, a black and whit striped tank and some black skinny jeans with my vans. My hair was done and so was my makeup since I had been up for a while now. I grabbed my backpack and pulled all of my books into it.

Maybe I could go early.

I pulled my phone to me again and texted Ricky.

"Address?"

He quickly responded.

"4284 College Street. You'll know the house. There will be a white Sonata parked out side."

"Okay."

I pulled my backpack on my back and left my room. My dad was asleep on the couch and hopefully he would stay that way till I got back this afternoon. Of course, if I didn't have bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all so ill probably get it this afternoon.

I had to do this project though. I could handle it. I began my walk to Ricky's. It was a very slow walk. I would still get there early but I tried to extend it.

He lived in the rich kid neighborhood. He didn't act like the kind of person to live here though. As I walked by, I noticed Balz and Chris at their own houses. They all lived here? They gave me a wave, Chris giving me a wolf whistle.

I saw the Sonata parked in front of a two story brick house with lots of roses planted out front. I stood there and just gawked a moment. "You can't hide money." I mumbled, before making my way to the front door.

Before I could make it to the door and knock, a woman around the age of 40 with long, wavy black hair and bright blue eyes, opened it and greeted me. I hope she isn't too observant. I hated being around adults. I felt like every single adult I encountered would know about my dad and start asking questions. She didn't even look me over. She smiled brightly at me and gave me a swift hug. "Hey! You must be Clara! I'm Ricky's mom." She letgo of me and then reached out to shake my hand in a more formal manner and I did so quickly. "I've heard a lot about you. All he does it talk about you. Ever since-"

"Mom! Please!" Ricky yelled, running up and cutting her off. He smiled. "Hey, Clara. Come in."

The inside of his house was huge. A ginormous flat screen with multiple video game systems and games around it. Leather couches and chair sat in front of it. The kitchen was huge with stainless steal appliances. The smell of food met my nose immediately. It smelled really good. I knew I could distinctly smell apple pie. My favorite.

"Wanna head up to my room? We can get started there." Ricky asked, putting an around my shoulders.

"Sure." I responded. He led me to the stairs.

"I'll call you up when lunch is ready." His mom called to us as we walked up the stairs.

"Thanks!" Ricky called back. "She's very eccentric." He muttered to me.

"She seems nice."

He didn't respond. We got to a white door. The door was covered in small magazine page posters of bands. I noticed Memphis May Fire immediately. "They're my favorite." I said, pointing to it.

"Yeah. They're great. They're lyrics inspire me." Ricky responded.

"They help me during hard times."

He nodded. "This is my room, of course you already guessed that." He opened the door and led me in to a huge black room. The walls were black and band posters littered the walls. Another huge flat screen was on his wall, in front of a huge bed that wasn't kept. A MacBook was on his pillow. More video games and consoles was on a tower beside his tv and he had a huge closet in the corner with band shirts, jeans, vests, and belts hanging in it and dozens of shoes sat below the hung up clothes. He had it made.

He sat on his bed and patted the seat beside me. "I know you were gonna buy the display board but my mom had an extra from her work and she gave it to me." He pointed to a black board in the corner.

"Okay. That works. Okay, so what to do first?"

"Well we could just use some of my older brother's holocaust essay and cut his name off the top and past it to the board. He didn't take Mr. Bender and he got an A. Unless you want to do work. Then we can-"

"No. We can do that and just print out some pictures. Why didn't you just ask me over the phone?"

"I wanted to hang out with you and my mom was gonna ask me to invite you over for lunch anyway. Unless you don't want to and you want to go home, then-"

I smiled. "Ricky, you have no idea how happy I am to get out of my hell hole of a house. Thank you."

I expected him to ask me to explain more but he didn't. He smiled. "You're welcome."

He pulled his laptop in his lap and he pulled up what was probably his brother's essay and he hit print. The sound of a paper printing from downstairs was heard and we left his room to go get it. His mom was already at the bottom of the stairs holding it out for us. "This is your bother's paper, Ricky. You being lazy?"

Ricky nodded.

"Just cut his name off. Smart idea."

Seriously? Did she just do that?

"Lunch is ready by the way. Why don't you take that upstairs to your room and I'll settle Clara at the table by you. How about it, Ricky?"

He nodded and went back upstairs. I followed his mom into the dining room where she sat me down. Food was al over the table. Apple pie, as I had said. I saw mashed potatoes, a stack of grilled ribeye steaks, salad with about five different types of dressing and a bowl of gravy at the end for the potatoes. His mom came up behind me. "Help yourself. What wold you like to drink? We have tea, sodas, juices, water. Anything."

"Dr. Pepper? It's my favorite." I asked.

"That's Ricky's favorite too." She stated belfry going off to the kitchen.

Ricky arrived a moment later and sat beside me. He began to fill up his plate and I did the same. I got a little but of everything. And it was so good. Ricky's mom brought us each a bottle of Dr. Pepper and she sat down and ate too.

We talked and his mom was so nice. I learned a lot about Ricky and realized we had a lot in common. I envied him though. He obviously had a great relationship with him mom. His dad too, even thought he was at work. He had an amazing house and friends that cared and loved near him. I never wanted to go home because for some reason I felt very comfortable here.

With Ricky.