Scribe The Words Happy Meal Right Across Your Head

Autopilot kicked into full gear when the ringing of our arrival met my ears. I instinctively grabbed my energy drink and popped it open when a pale hand reached in and snagged it.

"You are going to give yourself kidney failure," she commented as my drink was placed on a near by self in the back of the small store.

I pouted slightly and grabbed my drink anyway, "oh well, it runs in my family." Alice snickered quietly from behind me and I paid for my drink and an ice tea Katie wanted.

"Ahh the fuel to any great time, caffeine, music, and weed." Jake announced from his place in the basement.

"Yeah," Alice said, taking a huff, "too bad your dad made you move your music stuff to the basement, it sort of sucks that we have to play down here."

I smiled, "he's working on something with the uncles."

Katie tilted her head at me as she exhaled, "what's he doin'?"

I smiled, "music stuff."

"Figures,"

"He and his band are working on their final cd, than touring." Jake chimed in, raising both his hands in the air when he said touring.

"Justin, didn't yo daddy say we could open for him?"

"If we finish a demo," I answered Alice's question.

Jake snorted, "If we finish a song and a decent singer."

I tossed a pillow from the couch at him, "we'll get one… eventually."

Katie raised her hand, "I can sing."

We all looked at her dumbfounded. Katie smiled at inhaled again.

"I wanna hear," Alice cheered, bouncing in an old armchair.

The new member of our gang cleared her throat. She started to hum and closed her eyes. It was a bit scratchy when she opened her mouth to sing. A puff of smoke came with a rough sound. It was perfect, she sounded a little like Joan Jett meets Stevie Nix. She coughed and hid under a blanket.

"Not bad," I smiled, "I think she'll do." I thought she was perfect.

The fateful sound of a door closing and a female's voice made each one of us hold our breath.

I mumbled under my breath, "fuck."

"Who's that?" Katie asked from next to me.

"Mom," I was up and balancing on the balls of my feet before anyone could say anything else. "You guys stay here and fan out the place, and uh, hide the stash."

Jake nodded and scooped up the remainders while I placed one foot in front of another, up the stairs and into the main hallway.

"There you are," The female voice gushed, embracing me in a hug.

"Uh hey mom," I gasped.

She released me from the hug and looked me up and down. Than she leaned in closer to my face. A "hmm," came from her lips.

"You smell… off," she started looking up at my 5ft 7inches body.

I laughed maybe a little too innocently. "I'm a teenage boy, of course I smell weird."

She rolled her eyes and I passed her to go to the kitchen.

"Oh hun," My mom called after me, "I know what you were doing, I sure as hell hope you don't let me see you doing it, the consequences could be deadly." She gave me the you're-in-trouble mom look and proceeded up the stairs to change out of her work clothes.

I took a deep breath and entered the kitchen. The room was spinning around me every time I moved another foot. Motion sickness started to over come my body as I gripped my stomach and flung myself over the sink, only to fall short and smack my head on the hard, linoleum flooring. I groaned in pain as I turned onto my back. A pair of bright green eyes were there to greet me.

"You ok son?" he extended one of his tattooed arms while his other rested on his knee.

"Thanks," I mumbled, rubbing my forehead where I smacked it.

"What was that about?"

"Uh," I stammered, "tripped over my shoelace." I looked down at my shoe to see that it understood my fib and it was untied. I took a mental breath of relief.

He joined my gaze at my footwear and than looked at my face. "Better tie them before you break something."

"Yeah dad," I forced a smile upon my lips. "What are you doing home so early?" I glanced at the clock; 6:14pm.

My father shrugged, "Short day at the studios I guess. You know, getting ready for the final tour. Hey that reminds me, how's the band moving?" he pulled out a wooden kitchen chair and sat that the table, intertwining his fingers together.

"Its good, we have a singer now, actually that’s what we are doing now so I kind of have to get a move on now, cause they're waitin' now." I rushed and gave a backwards wave as I rushed back downstairs.

I faced my band and let out all the air I had stored in my chest.

"Yo man it looks like you saw a ghost." Jake pointed out.

I cocked an eyebrow, "naw man I'm good now."

"So," Katie shot me a crooked smile and took my hand, dragging me to the couch. "What did your madre say?" She sat my on the tan sofa and sat next to me.

I shrugged, letting Katie rub circles on my hand. It felt nice to know that she might care about the outcome. "she just said hi and than shot a you're-dead-meat-if-I-catch-you look. You know, the scary mom look," I cracked up towards the end.

"So, you're not imprisoned?" she tilted her head ever so slightly. Her blonde bangs tickled her black eyelashes. Her ocean colored eyes stared at my grassy ones, making me nervous with every hush moment.

I shook my head to awaken myself from her magic. "Nope," I smiled, "I'm free."

Katie gave me a radiant smile. It was so beautiful, blinding almost.

Someone cleared their throat in the background of my fantasy. I blinked a couple times and turned away.

"Not to totally ruin your little moment but me and Jake here have to head home. Katie, where do you live? You can walk home with us if you want."

"No its ok, my mom can come pick me up." She smiled sweetly at Alice, "Thank you anyway."

Jake and Alice bid their farewells and exited from the upstairs.

"So," I smiled and faced the blonde sitting next to me, "what do you want to do?" my teenage mind was working at top speeds of all the things you could do in a basement all alone with a girl. I felt my mind running away when I started to picture images not for the young child.

"I have to call my mom," she answered, getting up from her position next to me and digging for her cell in her jeans.

I dropped my eyes to the floor than back up her legs, torso, chest, and face. She was too preoccupied with her phone to notice my hungry stare. I watched her lips move with her words to her mother. She was staring at a poster that Jake and I drew last year in our freshman art class. It was an impressionist piece that used oil pastels and watercolor. She seemed intrigued by the large stokes and bold color.

After another minute she snapped her silver device shut and looked at me.

"She said she'll be here in a minute, said I should be ready outside." She smiled sweetly and grabbed my hand, pulling me up the stairs, toward my front door. We almost made it when we were interrupted.

"Hey little man."

I cringed slightly at the sound of his voice, knowing that if Katie recognizes him that I might have some explaining to do.

"Hey Uncle Brian," I called to the familiar voice.

He stepped out of one of the rooms and stood in front of Katie and me.

"What ya doin'?" hey asked casually and directed his gaze to Katie. "Hi," he smiled and extended his free hand, his other held a Budweiser bottle, "I'm Justin's uncle Brian."

She instinctively took his hand and smiled, "I'm Katie." A frown formed on her pale face. My stomach dropped like a rock.

My uncle released her hand and looked concerned by her expression.

Her face relaxed slightly, she turned a shade of crimson, "sorry," she muttered, "you just look familiar to me. Must just be me and my weird memory." She tried to laugh it off.

"Yeah," I laughed weakly, and dragged her through the front door.

About ten minutes later a silver Toyota Corolla pulled into my driveway. Katie gave me a hug good-bye and hopped into the passenger seat. I watched the car pull out and accelerate down the street. When the silver vehicle vanished from eye view, I swiveled around and entered my home. The sounds of guitars greeted my ears. The clock struck 11 and I looked at my neglected school bag and sighed. I swung it over my shoulder effortlessly and trudged up to my room to be faced with a mountain of homework.