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Saturday

  Everyone was already at the party by the time Jeremy showed up with a little gift in hand. His mother got something from the dollar store and quickly wrapped it with the only thing she could find: that morning’s paper. Jeremy had no idea what the gift was and he did not really care. As long as it wasn’t something too embarrassing. He stood awkwardly in the entrance of the living room as the other children ran around him, oblivious to him, laughing and chasing one another. He scanned the crowded room for Samantha when suddenly she walked by in a puffy yellow dress with white lace trims. He stopped her with his arm, catching her like a fish caught in a hook.

  “Hey!” he said trying not to sound too excited.

  She paused and stared at him. Her brows slowly furrowed as if asking “What?”

  Jeremy shoved the gift into her hands. She looked down at the newspaper wrapping and softly giggled. Jeremy didn’t know if she was laughing at him or thought the wrapping was cute.

  “Open it!” he blurted out.

  Samantha opened her mouth to speak, still looking at the little gift when an adult hand swooped down and retrieved it. Samantha’s mother appeared, grasping onto the gift, looking at it amusingly for a second and saying, “We’ll be opening gifts later. I’ll go put this on the gift table.” She turned, examining the little package with a cringe. The type of cringe someone makes when picking up a spent mouse trap.

  Jeremy turned back to speak to Sarah, or maybe she would speak to him, but he turned to empty space. She had stealthily made her exit. His shoulders slumped as he wandered deeper into the room. His shoulders would become bruised at this rate, with the other party goers bumping into him like bumper cars.

  Forget Sarah, he told himself. Stupid little stuck up bitch. Just like her mom. Both bitches!

  He saw Sarah running past him, chasing after another girl and he stuck his foot out ever so slightly, causing her to trip over it. He drew his foot in quickly and looked down at her, along with the others. People gasped. She skinned her lily white delicate elbows on the rough carpet. A thin line of blood trickled from her wounds. Her friends gathered her up and took her to the kitchen where her parents busied themselves with the food.

  Jeremy sighed heavily and slumped down on the soft sofa which felt like a marshmallow. His couch at home was busted up and stiff. Real uncomfortable. He rarely sat on it due to the stench which emanated from it and he did not particularly enjoy the feeling of the sharp springs poking his butt. He looked over to find a fat kid sitting on the other end of the couch, shoving his face with junk food. He appeared to be the only kid eating. No chance lardo would be running around with the other kids. Fatso nodded at Jeremy, and Jeremy half-nodded back. Half-cringed. Seems only the outcasts of society would accept him. He often pondered on this. Why not just give in to the other outcasts? Am I as disgusting to other people as this fat kid was to me? he wondered. He shook that thought out of his mind. I don’t care, he told himself. But did he care? He wasn’t sure. Sometimes, maybe he did. Sometimes he didn’t.

  Samantha reappeared from the kitchen, cradling her bandaged wounds, wearing a pathetic face of exaggerated tragedy. The fun level in the room went down a few notches as the star of the day did not appear to be having any fun at all. The music seemed to get softer, the voices grew more hushed. The volume in the room went lower and lower as Samantha reached the center of the room until finally all sounds ceased to exist. The others were now circled around her, staring at her, wondering if this meant the party was over. They all bit their lips praying to God to not let it be over. Jeremy craned his neck from the couch to see what was going on. The fat kid sensed something happening and fearing the party was over, crammed the food in quickly, violently, letting crumbs spill down his fat, sweaty chin and onto his bright red sweater which apparently served as a bib.

  Jeremy’s heart began to thud.

  A wave of whispers came over the children but was quickly interrupted by Samantha’s dad, Alton.

  “Let’s go outside kids! I’m about to BBQ,” he called out as he made his way towards the sliding glass doors which led out to the backyard. The kids whooped and hoorayed and followed him out, Samantha trailing behind. Funny how the guests can quickly forget the birthday girl, who they were supposed to be honoring.

  Jeremy got up and followed behind Samantha, just close enough to smell the bandages.

  The fat kid just had to get up for some BBQ but not without a struggle. Heavy panting and grunts followed behind Jeremy. The pathetically panicky look on his face gave away his fear that there would be no more BBQ for him since he was that last one out.

  It was a sunny day and apparently the invitation called for was a swimming party. The girls and boys were wearing their swim suits under their party clothes which they tore off in a frenzy. Jeremy did not know this was a swimming party and even if he did know, he wouldn’t have swum. He was afraid he might get too comfortable and piss inside the pool. Normally you wouldn’t be able to tell but he knew of some people putting a special chemical in the pool to cause urine to turn purple, so everyone would know if he took a leak. He couldn’t take that chance.

  Jeremy smelled smoke and heard the sizzle of meat cooking on the grill and walked over to where Alton was cooking up the meat. Jeremy stared at the short flames.

  “You hungry, son?” Alton asked.

  Alton was a strong, handsome man with a large chiseled chin. His dark blue eyes trimmed with lush black lashes.

  Jeremy looked up at him, “Yes, sir!” He surprised himself by calling him sir. He never called anyone sir.

  “Good, ‘cause there’s plenty to go round.” Alton nodded approvingly.

  “Are you really a firefighter?” Jeremy had heard that he was. He does not remember where he heard this but recalls being taken with the idea of fighting fire, since he liked so much to start fires. It’s like a game. Create – destroy. Give birth to – kill.

  “Yes, I am. You want to be a firefighter when you grow up?” Alton sounded pleased that someone, a young boy, took interest in his job.

  “I’m thinking about it,” Jeremy replied. Which was partly true. He was fascinated with the job of putting out large fires.

  “Well that’s good, son.” Alton flipped a steak like a pro. “Very good. You can ask me anything you want about my job. Maybe I can even get you a tour of the fire house someday.”

  Jeremy beamed. “Really?”

  “Yes, sir. I’ve done it before.”

  Jeremy imagined that Alton was his father. That would make Samantha his sister. His twin sister. He couldn’t help but chuckle out loud.

  Alton chuckled with him.

  Jeremy moseyed on over to the poolside and watched the other kids splashing around. Samantha was being chased by two girls; they were all soaking wet. Jeremy was really excited thinking about the fire in the grill, a special tour of the firehouse and now: Samantha in her wet suit. His body throbbed and he felt light headed. Don’t fall into the pool, you fool, he warned himself.

  Time slowed down considerably as Samantha ran by him. She appeared to be floating. Without thinking he slapped her wet butt and she yelped loudly. The white dreamy fuzz evaporated, and he found himself back in sharp harsh reality.

  A screeching voice sent shrills down his spine. “Young man! You!”

  Jeremy spun around to see Samantha’s mother marching towards him. The other children OOOOHed accusingly. So gleefully.

  “I saw that you little pervert!” Samantha’s mother hissed at him. Her fists were clenched tightly.

  “What’s going on over there?” Alton called out, apparently trying to calm everyone down with a touch of humor in his voice.

  Samantha’s mom replied, “He just touched Samantha’s little rear-end!”

  Alton looked squarely at Jeremy and a look of disappointment spread over his face, with a hint of thin-lipped anger.

  Jeremy’s eyes pleaded. “I didn’t mean to!” he said, directing his reply to Alton. He really didn’t know what he was doi
ng. He just… did it.

  Alton shook his head shamefully and busied himself with the grill once more, wanting to avoid the situation. To let his wife handle such a sensitive topic as sexual harassment.

  Samantha’s mom hugged her daughter’s cold shoulders and shooed Jeremy away. “Go away, boy. Go home!”

  Jeremy sulked away from the group, giving Alton one last look over his shoulders. Alton did not return the glance.