Page 21 of When We Were Younger

"No, not really. I like that she leaves me alone. It's not like I've gone hungry, and she doesn't hit me. If she paid attention to me, I wouldn't be able to spend half the amount of time with you as I do. I think I just came to terms with the fact that she didn't want me. I mean think about it, she wasn't much older than we are now when I was born. Could you imagine being a parent right now? That would suck so hard."

Stephen doesn't say anything, just looks at me. He does that a lot, stares into my eyes after I've said something, like maybe if he looks hard enough, he'll find what I really mean hiding in there. He's not going to find anything more tonight. It's the truth, mostly. My mom doesn't like me, and I understand. I don't like her either. I've only got a few more years before I'm free of her, and that's that.

"Truth or dare?" I ask him before he can try to poke and prod me anymore.

"Dare," he says.

"I dare you to race me back to the trees, loser has to write the winner's intro and conclusion for the Shakespeare paper," I say, already scrambling to my feet.

Stephen is quicker than me, jetting to his feet and racing towards the trees. I trail behind him, my heart pumping in my chest as the tree line gets closer and closer. He must have started to strong, because by the end I've surpassed him, winning the impromptu race by a nose.

Even though I won, I never make him do my homework for me.

12

STEPHEN

Age Fourteen

I will never, ever tell Dorothea that I purposefully slow down every time we race just so she can pass me.

Not when her winning smile makes my entire body feel so damn warm.

13

DOTTIE

Stephen

So, Dorothea. I have a question.

I may have an answer, Stephen.

Stephen

Since we’re friends again and all that jazz, what do you think about meeting up with Daisy May and me at the tree lighting on Friday night?

Hmm. I think that could be fun. Does the town still do all the food stands and the bonfire? I can’t remember the last time I had a peppermint white hot chocolate.

Stephen

Does the town still do thefood stands, she asks.

I think all that sun out in Malibu must have gotten to your head if you think the Fox Hole Bitties would allow a holiday to pass without a bit of fanfare. This past Arbor Day they brought in a Ferris wheel and four different cotton candy stands.

Somehow, I think you might be exaggerating…

Stephen

You got me. There was no Ferris wheel. But Old Man Carter was giving tractor rides down Main Street until someone realized he had whiskey in his Hydroflask

Now that I can believe. Do you remember the sixth-grade field trip to his farm? He was supposed to be teaching us about irrigation. But no, we all ended up in the mud pit with his pigs because he was too drunk to watch us.

Stephen

Remember it? Sweetheart, I still have the scar on my elbow from when that fat ass sow knocked me into the trough. I had to get a tetanus shot.

Lol, you were such a baby about it, too. You wouldn’t stop crying until I gave you the last Butterfinger from my Halloween candy stash.

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