I'm back.
It's winter break and I get to be home for a few weeks. Military school doesn't really afford many luxuries so I plan to make the most out of this break as I can. My dad picked me up from the school since freshmen aren't allowed to have cars on the campus. We talked about how my year was going so far, how my grades are, things like that.
Penny never entered our conversation.
After we had gotten home that day he burned the brown paper bag in our fireplace. I went to my room and marked the tape in the recorder, 'Penny-2.' I took the first tape out and marked it with a dash and a 1. We threw all of our clothes into the washing machine and took showers. My dad had told me before we left for Philly to take that little excursion as a learning opportunity. I fully did.
Now I'm back and I'm ready to do it again.
"You look good." My dad refers to my slimmed down waist and bigger biceps.
"Yeah, the forced exercise really helps," I joke.
We make small talk until we get to the house. New house that is. My dad wanted to downsize so when I was away at college he moved houses. I bring my bags in to my new room. My belongings are boxed up and everywhere, with my bed against the wall. I'm tired. I brush my teeth and get in bed. I jack off a few times to get it out of my system. It's not much but it does its job. I sleep until about 1241. My day is pretty uneventful; just a plate of nachos and a few hours of Law and Order: SVU. I decide to put my room back in order, moving furniture, arranging all my knick-knacks, hanging posters. It looks like my room again. I finish at around 2038. Feeling rather hungry I decide to go for a walk and explore the new town. My dad decided to move into a quaint little suburb. I never liked places like this; they gave me a weird feeling. I see plenty of manicured lawns and children's play sets. Talk about blending in. I make my way to a CVS a few blocks down the main highway. I peruse the aisles checking out the Old Spice deodorant. I settle on the After Hours scent. I glance at the candy bars next to the cash register but quickly dismiss the idea. I had McDonald's on the walk over and I didn't need the sugar right now. I must have made a face since I then heard the cashier say something to me.
"Don't like Butterfingers?"
The voice is soft and a bit playful. Then I see her. My next target.
My next victim.
I quickly play along, "Oh, no, I actually like Butterfingers a lot. But I don't need it now."
"No? You on a diet or something," she smiles a friendly, shy smile.
"No, it's more of a discipline thing," I say, thinking back to the last few months.
She looks confused. "You look pretty well disciplined to me," she says jokingly. "You look like you could be in the Army."
"Navy actually." I suddenly respond. I usually don't like telling people that I aspire to a military life, but I felt comfortable telling this girl.
"Oh," she blushes through another smile, looking down.
A slight pause.
Putting the deodorant on the counter, I look around while she rings it up. I see one security camera pointed right at the counter. There's one other employee restocking the shampoo, other than that no one else is in the store. I attempt to continue the conversation.
"Slow night huh?"
"Yeah, I think you're like the second person to come in after lunch."
"Everyone must be getting ready for the holidays."
She hands me my deodorant and the receipt. "Must be. I just came home for winter break, school's been so stressful."
I just slowly nod my head and purse my lips. "Yup."
"...Oh I'm sorry, I don't mean to bore you, you don't need to hear about my problems."
"That's okay, I don't have anything else to do really, and quite honestly it would be nice to have a chat with someone who's friendly." I didn't really mean that. The chatting, not the anything else to do part.
"Excuse me for saying so, but we don't know each other that well, I mean, we're pretty much strangers."
I offer my hand, "Well in that case, what's your name?"
She accepts it, "Melody." Her hand feels delicate, fragile almost.
"Hello Melody, my name is Charlie." I smile and she seems to warm up to the idea of talking.
"Well if you don't mind waiting my shift ends at ten." She flashes a small, shy smile again.
"Sounds good." I gave a small smile back. "I'll be waiting outside." I walk out the automatic doors and sit on the curb setting my deodorant next to me. I pull out my iPod, continuing a book I downloaded. I shoot my dad a quick text:
'met a girl. be home late'
...'Did you at least get her name?'
'yeah Melody'
...'Melody what?'
'don't know, didn't ask'
...'You should. Better to find out she's not related to anyone important now than to have police knocking at your door because you forced a Senator's daughter.'
'i never said anything about force'
...'No, but I know you. I know you need to do it again.'
...'yeah, i do'
I go back to my book.
At about 2203 I hear someone sit down next to me. It's her.
"Reading anything interesting?" She brushes her hair behind her ears and I notice an expensive looking ring on her right pinky.
"Not really." I put my iPod back in my pocket. "Nice ring," I say pointing "is it silver?"
"Platinum actually, my dad got it for me."
"Platinum," I say a bit shocked. Jokingly I asked, "Is your dad a millionaire or something?"
"No, he's just lawyer."
"Really."
"Yeah, really."
"What's that like?"
"He's gone a lot, always has been. A few years ago he helped put away this rapist, Washington I think. Big deal apparently."
"Rapist huh?" I acted intrigued.
"Yeah, guy got four life sentences."
"Wow, they really must've wanted him to stay locked up."