We Need No Introduction

When I woke up the next morning, the side where Bam had slept was empty. It confused me. Did he or did he not come in here last night? Did I dream everything? The smell of chocolate waffles and bacon hit my nose like a semi truck just then.

“Bacon!” I said excitedly to myself. I pushed my body out of the bed and ran down into the kitchen. Good thing we don’t have any stairs, because I would be fucked.

“Blair’s awake,” Leana said amused. I quickly grabbed a plate and filled it with the breakfast Mom prepared. This ensured me it was a weekend day. Otherwise, it’d either be me or Lana fixing our own breakfast, which meant cereal for me and Ramen Noodles for Lee. I looked at the kitchen table, now full with my sleeping in.

“Why didn’t anyone wake me up?” I asked. Bam wasn’t at the table, so maybe I did dream everything. I pouted. I really wanted to sit down.

“Because, and I quote, ‘you looked too peaceful to be asleep,’” Jimmy said with a snicker and a girls daydream voice. I leaned on the wall and picked up a strip of bacon.

“Who said that?” I asked.

“Bam,” Matt said.

“What happened with you two last night?” Brian asked.

“What do you mean?” Dad now interjected. “Blair, why don’t you go eat in the living room? There’s a seat in there.”

“I will, I just wanna hear this extraordinary conversation first. So yes, Brian. What do you mean?”

“What happened between you and Bam yesterday? You go away all pissed at him and then come back like you two are best friends,” Brian explained.

“And you even slept in the same bed last night. I went in to wake you up but couldn’t because Bam was holding onto you, asleep, like his life depended on it,” Dunn continued. So it was no dream at all…

I furrowed my eyebrows at him. “And?” I asked, my mouth full of food. I swallowed and continued on when nothing was said. “A lot of things happened yesterday, it’s hard to explain. I was tired of the fighting, so was he. Just accept we made up and get over it.”

Dunn sighed in defeat and I walked into the living room to see Bam sipping at a glass of orange juice.

“Hey,” I said to him as I sat down with my legs crossed to his right. He looked at me and greeted me with a smile, his blue eyes brightening up.

“Hey,” he replied. “Sleep well?”

I nodded, chewing my chocolate waffle. “I had this weird dream though,” I said, although it came out a bit muffled due to the excess food in my mouth.

“What about?”

“You.”

“Oh really?” he asked, excited to hear about himself in my dreams, I’m sure. “So I really am the man of your dreams?”

I laughed. “If you’re a murderer who goes around killing their family and friends, then sure.”

“Why’d I do that?”

I shrugged. “I’unno. But if it’s any consolation, you had just escaped from the mental ward.”

“How did you fit into the picture?”

I chuckled. “I was the one who helped you escape. I was basically your accomplice.”

Bam now laughed. “I thought you weren’t the one to get in situations like that?”

I shrugged. “It was a dream.”

“Did you know dreams are your unconscious thoughts?”

I looked at him oddly. “Since when did you get so thoughtful?”

“Leana told me that a while back when she took her first psych class… speaking of which, what do you want to do with your life?”

“I have no clue. I sure as hell don’t want to be a loafer my whole life.”

“How about being a professional skateboarder?”

I laughed at him. “You can’t be serious. I’m not good at all.”

“Oh come one, Blair. You’re better than me and you know it. Why don’t you come to a competition with me in two weeks? Sponsors are supposed to be there. Maybe this could be what you’re going to do in life.”

I shook my head. “I’m not that good.”

“Yes you are. Please? For me? What could be the harm?”

I looked at him and sighed. “Fine.”

++

For the next two weeks, Bam insisted that I ‘train’ with him. This involved tons of runs, tricks, and whatever else could be thought of. I had entered in the competition a week before, which Bam gladly took me to do. With him pushing me ‘to be the best I could,’ I nearly broke my arm and ankle. Then he just made me wear protective gear, which made me look like a child beginner.

The day of the competition, Bam drove to my house early to pick me up. Everyone else was going to come later, because when Bam got me, the competition was still five hours away… and yes, he literally had to drag my ass out of bed and put me in the shower. I called him a freak and pushed him out of the bathroom. Before the competition, he told me he just wanted to make sure we were warmed up. I swear, he’s more excited about this then I am.

The competition later that day was excruciating long, and truth be told, I was nervous on the inside. Not for the fear of falling and busting my arm open, but for the fear of losing some how. I mean… Bam did say sponsors would be watching… maybe this was my calling card? There wasn’t really anything I want to do, I just figure I would work at McDonalds for my whole life and live in a trailer with ten dogs… I love dogs…

But I’m getting off subject.

I watched Bam do his run, and I thought it was great. I even saw some potential sponsors watching him closely as well.

I can’t believe I agreed to this. When Bam was done, the announcer said his name and the scores he received.

“You did great,” I said to him.

He smiled and hugged me, which was a little bit unexpected. “Thanks,” he said.

“Ten, nine point five, nine, eight, ten…,” the announcer read off.

“I told you that you did great.”

“Your scores are going to be way better,” he said happily. I smiled and shoved him gently.

“Doubt it.”

“Oh, c’mon, Blair. I know what you can do. Just show them.”

Several people later, it was my turn. I could hear Leana screaming my name, but I paid no mind. Feeling the wind through my hair, I started my run, performing any trick I could. I didn’t really care about points or anything this time, I just cared about the feeling I got from skateboarding. The free release I feel when I’m rolling on those four wheels. I ended the run soon after and the announcer came on, saying my name. I walked over to Bam.

“You did really great,” he said.

I shrugged. “It was okay. I was just having fun.”

“Nine point five, eight point five, nine, ten, eight point five…”

“You got a ten!” he said.

“So did you. You just weren’t listening.”

“Yeah,” Bam scoffed. “Whatever.”

At the end of the day, Bam got first place in his division, and I got third in mine. I wasn’t complaining. I wasn’t too thrilled about winning anything anyway… I went to go talk with Leana and everyone right after the award ceremony.

“You won third place!” Jimmy said, squeezing me in a hug. I laughed and pushed him away.

“I guess I did.”

“Where’s Bam?” Knoxville asked, looking around.

“I don’t know. Don’t ask me. He’s not my child to keep watch over,” I said as I took the medallion off my neck.

“There he is,” Johnny said.

“Where?” I asked.

“About to run into you.”

I felt the impact and the ground before I heard anything. “What the fuck?!” I said, turning around to see Bam on top of me.

“I got sponsored!” he yelled excitedly. “Sponsored!” he then pecked me on the lips, leaving me confused.

“Really?” I asked. He nodded feverishly.

“I got sponsored! They want me to leave with them in a few days to do a photo shoot thing.”

I smiled for Bam. He was sponsored.

“How about you?” he asked me.

“Well, I’m having trouble breathing, but I got third place.”

“Third place?” he asked in disbelief as he got off me and helped me up. “No one’s even came to talk to you?”

“These goons have, but no one else.”

“No sponsors? Are you serious?”

I nodded. “Bam, it’s not a big deal.”

He sighed, annoyed, and looked away. “I just wanted you to be sponsored.”

“Bam,” I said as I took his face in mine. “Don’t worry about it.”