Chapter fourteen: screaming cats

"HARRY CAN YOU LOWER YOUR HEAD splitting music, it's so loud!" I half shout at Harry who's bobbing his head like an idiot to whatever the singer is screaming in his sister's room "HARRY!!" he finally spares me a glance and uses his headphones. Teenagers nowadays would rather listen to screaming cats than actual music. It's been a week since I was out; my father recommended I'd take a break from my hustling life. I spent the whole week sleeping my worries off, playing video games with Harry and wandering around my place fixing things, I had a pile of assignments but I couldn't care less. The nerd part of me makes note to do them later.

Noah stayed over for two days keeping me and Harry Company and fighting occasionally over pizza leftovers.

My encounter with my mother made me rethink many things, when I told May about it she was surprised it didn't affect me as much as it used to do in the last years.

On a rainy day after school, I walked into the living room to find a strange man sitting on our couch, along with two women who looked anything but decent. I barely held eye contact with any of them aiming for my room. I was ten but I knew better than going back to that room, my mother was high she would barely recognize that I am her daughter; she would go as far as offering me a sniff. That night, she has done worse than that; she had no more money to pay that man, her drug dealer. She offered him to fucking sleep with me.

To sleep with a freaking ten year old girl.

My memories are damaged beyond that; I know she hurt me but as much as I want to know I don't have the strength, the blur in my mind is an emotional pain I couldn't go over as a child.

When I saw her I knew it would break me. I knew that there was too much below deck not to shatter my carefully laid floor when it came up.

Sometimes the pain is a pulse at the back of my mind, other times it pushes itself forward demanding attention.

Harry pulls me out of my pool of thoughts waving his hand in front of my face, I smile immediately at his dumfound face and stand up to grab something from the fridge. "Sheryl you really scare me, I just wanna let you know that" I break in laughter because his expression was priceless. I push my thoughts away as I open a coke; Harry wanders in the kitchen in only his boxers when the idea crosses my mind.

"Let's go laser tagging when May comes back from work" I suggest and Harry's face lights up like a charismas tree "Sure I'll go call May" I pull my phone as well and call Noah to ask him if he could join us, he hollers in the phone like a child "I'll go pick May from work then see you later" he says and we end the call. I start dressing up when my I hear my phone ringing I pick up immediately when I read Jake

"Hello Jake?"

"Sweetheart how are you?" he says in an enthusiastic voice.

"I am okay; did you and Emily fight over pickles again?" I half laugh and wait for him to speak again.

"not exactly but I believe you have a date today with Angel, I sent him your address a car will be picking you in two hours, have a good time Sheryl and don't ever think of making up an excuse"

My eyes nearly fall out of their sockets "What the hell, who's Angel?" I cry but it's too late, he already hung up on me, I call him back "Jake I know I promised you but can we delay it, I really forgot about the date" I say struggling with my half worn pants.

"No excuses woman, you still have enough time, heaven forbid you going to the date wearing jeans, bye" he quickly ended the call and I am left speechless.

Heck how did I forget and what exactly kind of friends would do this to their friend's children?

I scoff and make a change in plans; I quickly call Janis to help me get ready. I quickly go over the dresses I newly bought and choose a white shimmering dress that reaches to my mid thighs; it has a heart shaped neck and holds my body curves just right. I add a long baby blue coat over it.

When Janis arrives, harry is looking at me dumbfounded for the second time today, I barely hold my laughter "are you going laser tagging in those shoes and since when you wear dresses you freak?" I hold an apologetic expression "well about that, I am not going with you guys I had some date and totally forgot about it I'll make it up for you tomorrow don't be angry at me please?" he shakes his head at me with a scoff, I feel guilty he kept me company this whole week and now I am bailing on him.

"what about this, I'll let you know where my secret stash" he shrugs his shoulders at me and sit on the kitchen stool "It's okay dude, you can go there's still May and Noah, just have fun" I hug him"I owe you this one boy" then head back to my room pulling Janis whom I missed so much to do my hair and makeup.

Half an hour later I am waiting near the parking lot for a car to pick me up to where the reservation is, my phone rings in my purse, fishing it Josh's name appears I feel excitement burst through it's been a while since I saw him "Hello?" I could hear him breathing softly "Sheryl it's been a while, how's life?" I instantly smile "good what about you?" I spot a car approaching me.

"I am good, the weather here is amazing. I am flying back to Washington tomorrow night, what about a date Saturday night?" I am taken aback at his sudden suggestion, a date? I stammer around for words and hear him chuckling at the other end of line "maybe just hang out? I am not labeling anything" I finally straighten my face's expressions "sure why not? I'll end the call for now, see you soon?" he laughs breathily "sure see you soon" I hang up and climb in the car that's been waiting for over a minute.

Through the evening, my focus was scattered, so filled with nervous anticipation. I liked Josh's personality, he was charming and he knew it. The man that joined me on the overly fancy bar lounge was a man that can't be more than thirty-five or so, but walks with a cane. His right leg has the fluidity of youth but the other is jagged like he can't control it. I've seen eighty year olds walk better than that, when he sees me he raises his eyebrows in what I think a signal of pleasant surprise, I give him back a smile, I stand up and extend my hand "I am Sheryl nice to meet you" he clasps it and smiles charmingly "pleasure is mine"

The man had that salt 'n' pepper look to his hair against his still youthful skin its better than catnip; I can't help but imagine him in Greece donning a fresh white and sable shorts.

When I sit back down I am met with a very sincere smile, he had the face that would stop you in your tracks, I know why Jake has been pushing me to meet the man he was someone I'd admire; our conversations were smooth, and simple I enjoyed his company so much but I couldn't mislead him. I give him a meaningful look and try to voice my thoughts. He beats me to it "I'd like to get a second date with you, I didn't expect mom to bring a beautiful thoughtful person to an arranged date" his words makes my cheeks tingle in embarrassment.

I clear out my throat "thanks Angel, you're a noticeable man as well, but I am afraid I am not interested in you romantically, you're someone I'd really admire. I am happy I got to know you" his eyes twinkle slightly "I see if you'd ever change your mind I'll be happy for you to join me on a second date Sheryl"

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When I go back home, Harry and May are still out; I take a shower and plop on my bed ready to call it a night, my mind drifts to Josh casually asking me out, but also drifts to Elliot whom I didn't see since that day. I was developing a liking to Josh, I could feel it

But Elliot was someone you'd like to run to, yet stay away.