Just a Freak
Debbie
So that wedding is in two weeks.
Mom has been fussing over me like crazy.
Especially my hair.
God, what is so wrong with my hair?
"Yo."
Caleb glanced up. He was wearing this black sweatshirt and he was sitting slumped on the couch. He sort of waved.
I sat down next to him.
"So... what're we doing today?"
"Um, Mrs. Fritz said we have to do a project together." He pointed to a sheet of paper on the coffee table.
I leaned over and snatched it up.
The Egg Child Project:
Materials needed:
One egg
Markers, paint, etc.
Instructions:
Two students are partnered together and given one egg. They may decorate the egg as they like. They may name it and come up with it's life story if they like. The purpose of the project is to keep the egg intact for one month.
Along with understanding responsibility and parenthood, students will get to know each other.
"Well."
I was pumped.
"When do we get out egg?"
He shrugged. "We might have to get it ourselves."
"No problem. I could get it for us."
"When, uh, when would we decorate it?"
"At my house, if you want." I felt very hyper.
"Sure."
I felt a weird sort of rush.
I don't think I've had anyone over my house in ages.
Caleb came over my house after school that same day.
Mom was out of her mind excited that I had friends.
She made us little snacks and everything.
That was fucking embarassing.
We named the egg.
Debbie.
It was Caleb's idea.
Are you surprised? He's pretty weird too.
It was pretty warm in my house, but he didn't take his sweatshirt off.
I was really tempted to ask why he was a fellow mental case, but he's so breakably shy I was afraid I might say the wrong thing and make him shatter into pieces.
Which Mom would make me sweep up. And I hate sweeping the kitchen floor.
Caleb painted a cute little dress on Debbie. It's a blue and white sailor dress.
He made the neckline a little too low and I said she looked like a tart.
He said she was. She was a little hussy.
He makes me laugh.
He got paint all over his hands. And some on his nose. It just made us both laugh even more.
So we both ran over to the sink and rolled our sleeves up and scrubbed our hands with dish soap. I guess he was so caught up in laughing with me that he forgot about not taking his sweatshirt off, and I realized why he didn't before.
He had all this scribbled writing up his arms. Like, in fucking ballpoint pen or something.
I pretended not to notice.
I didn't even get a chance to read what all the scribbles said.
I'm assuming it has something to do with his being a mental case, though.
When he left (he's taking Debbie tonight) I promised myself to ask about the writing on his arms next time.
I'm just way too damn curious for my own good.
Mom and Nana have been smirking at me all night.
They think Caleb is my boyfriend or something.
I kept yelling at them and telling them he wasn't.
He's a cute kid, but really, my heart is for Mr. Geiger.
Who wasn't in class again today.
We got that stupid bald Mr. Bard man again. I hate him.
I went to Betty again.
No one else was in the cot room with me this time.
Mom has been fussing over me like crazy.
Especially my hair.
God, what is so wrong with my hair?
"Yo."
Caleb glanced up. He was wearing this black sweatshirt and he was sitting slumped on the couch. He sort of waved.
I sat down next to him.
"So... what're we doing today?"
"Um, Mrs. Fritz said we have to do a project together." He pointed to a sheet of paper on the coffee table.
I leaned over and snatched it up.
The Egg Child Project:
Materials needed:
One egg
Markers, paint, etc.
Instructions:
Two students are partnered together and given one egg. They may decorate the egg as they like. They may name it and come up with it's life story if they like. The purpose of the project is to keep the egg intact for one month.
Along with understanding responsibility and parenthood, students will get to know each other.
"Well."
I was pumped.
"When do we get out egg?"
He shrugged. "We might have to get it ourselves."
"No problem. I could get it for us."
"When, uh, when would we decorate it?"
"At my house, if you want." I felt very hyper.
"Sure."
I felt a weird sort of rush.
I don't think I've had anyone over my house in ages.
Caleb came over my house after school that same day.
Mom was out of her mind excited that I had friends.
She made us little snacks and everything.
That was fucking embarassing.
We named the egg.
Debbie.
It was Caleb's idea.
Are you surprised? He's pretty weird too.
It was pretty warm in my house, but he didn't take his sweatshirt off.
I was really tempted to ask why he was a fellow mental case, but he's so breakably shy I was afraid I might say the wrong thing and make him shatter into pieces.
Which Mom would make me sweep up. And I hate sweeping the kitchen floor.
Caleb painted a cute little dress on Debbie. It's a blue and white sailor dress.
He made the neckline a little too low and I said she looked like a tart.
He said she was. She was a little hussy.
He makes me laugh.
He got paint all over his hands. And some on his nose. It just made us both laugh even more.
So we both ran over to the sink and rolled our sleeves up and scrubbed our hands with dish soap. I guess he was so caught up in laughing with me that he forgot about not taking his sweatshirt off, and I realized why he didn't before.
He had all this scribbled writing up his arms. Like, in fucking ballpoint pen or something.
I pretended not to notice.
I didn't even get a chance to read what all the scribbles said.
I'm assuming it has something to do with his being a mental case, though.
When he left (he's taking Debbie tonight) I promised myself to ask about the writing on his arms next time.
I'm just way too damn curious for my own good.
Mom and Nana have been smirking at me all night.
They think Caleb is my boyfriend or something.
I kept yelling at them and telling them he wasn't.
He's a cute kid, but really, my heart is for Mr. Geiger.
Who wasn't in class again today.
We got that stupid bald Mr. Bard man again. I hate him.
I went to Betty again.
No one else was in the cot room with me this time.
♠ ♠ ♠
Comments!