The Basement - 2
After breakfast Calvin helped his dad clear the table while his mom loaded the dishwasher. "I'll drop you both off on the way to the office, if that's OK with everyone," Valerie said.
"Works for me, I need to take my car into the shop soon, anyway," Bruce replied. Calvin nodded in agreement. He usually walked with his friends, but didn't mind the occasional lift from his parents. Unlike some kids at school, he had a good relationship with both of them, and never felt embarrassed pulling up to the school in their cars.
"But first, Calvin..." Valerie nodded her head toward a small cup containing a reddish, slightly luminescent liquid. Calvin picked up the cup, as he had so many other mornings, and downed the potion in one go.
"Strawberries, today?" He asked as he set the cup down. "You are correct, sir," his mom said.
When they pulled up to the curb in front of the school, Calvin bid his parents goodbye and hopped out of the car, backpack in tow. They waved back to him as they sped off, to their lives and jobs outside of the house. Valerie was a receptionist for a company just down the road from Bruce's offices so they often carpooled to work together.
"Hey Calvin!" called a jovial boy, walking toward him. He smiled a smile that Calvin knew well.
"Hey Richie," Calvin said as they gave each other a high five. Richie Nielson had been Calvin's best friend since he could remember. Probably even before that.
"Dude, we were on fire last night! I don't think any other teams even beat us!"said Richie as they walked toward the building.
"Yeah man. We were killin it! You were racking up points like mad, Richie," Calvin said. "Although my mom wasn't too thrilled we were up so late. Next time maybe we should keep it down a little."
"Seriously? I swear, Cal, she has that room bugged. Your mom hears everything we do in there, even when we're online! I might be annoyed, if she wasn't so nice to look at." Richie ducked the incoming swipe of Calvin's hand. He'd had enough practice at teasing his friend that he knew by now how to avoid a good shot to the back of his head. The two laughed and retold stories of their online gaming experience from the night before as they walked to their classes.
"Hey, there's Kate." Calvin motioned toward a tall girl down the hall. She was standing near a classroom door, people watching, her long, black hair trailing as she moved her head to gaze at all the students and teachers walking by. Calvin caught her attention and she smiled and waved at them.
"Hey guys! Calvin, did you finish the math homework for today?" Kate asked as the two boys neared her. pushing her hair to the side.
"Oh crap, I totally forgot!" Calvin felt a wave of panic overtake him, and he could feel his cheeks flush.
"I knew it. You two have all the time in the world for your games and none for homework." Kate gave them both a disapproving look.
With that, Richie stepped away. "I gotta head to class," he said, avoiding her gaze. "Good luck. God be with you, Cal." He scurried away down the hall and disappeared around the corner.
Kate looked around and then pulled a sheet of paper from inside the book under her arm. "Don't say I never gave you anything, Cal. And I expect to be invited to your next all-night gaming session." She handed the sheet to Calvin.
"Kate, you're a lifesaver! I'd kiss you right now, but, gross." From the look on Kate's face, the feeling was mutual.
"Works for me, I need to take my car into the shop soon, anyway," Bruce replied. Calvin nodded in agreement. He usually walked with his friends, but didn't mind the occasional lift from his parents. Unlike some kids at school, he had a good relationship with both of them, and never felt embarrassed pulling up to the school in their cars.
"But first, Calvin..." Valerie nodded her head toward a small cup containing a reddish, slightly luminescent liquid. Calvin picked up the cup, as he had so many other mornings, and downed the potion in one go.
"Strawberries, today?" He asked as he set the cup down. "You are correct, sir," his mom said.
When they pulled up to the curb in front of the school, Calvin bid his parents goodbye and hopped out of the car, backpack in tow. They waved back to him as they sped off, to their lives and jobs outside of the house. Valerie was a receptionist for a company just down the road from Bruce's offices so they often carpooled to work together.
"Hey Calvin!" called a jovial boy, walking toward him. He smiled a smile that Calvin knew well.
"Hey Richie," Calvin said as they gave each other a high five. Richie Nielson had been Calvin's best friend since he could remember. Probably even before that.
"Dude, we were on fire last night! I don't think any other teams even beat us!"said Richie as they walked toward the building.
"Yeah man. We were killin it! You were racking up points like mad, Richie," Calvin said. "Although my mom wasn't too thrilled we were up so late. Next time maybe we should keep it down a little."
"Seriously? I swear, Cal, she has that room bugged. Your mom hears everything we do in there, even when we're online! I might be annoyed, if she wasn't so nice to look at." Richie ducked the incoming swipe of Calvin's hand. He'd had enough practice at teasing his friend that he knew by now how to avoid a good shot to the back of his head. The two laughed and retold stories of their online gaming experience from the night before as they walked to their classes.
"Hey, there's Kate." Calvin motioned toward a tall girl down the hall. She was standing near a classroom door, people watching, her long, black hair trailing as she moved her head to gaze at all the students and teachers walking by. Calvin caught her attention and she smiled and waved at them.
"Hey guys! Calvin, did you finish the math homework for today?" Kate asked as the two boys neared her. pushing her hair to the side.
"Oh crap, I totally forgot!" Calvin felt a wave of panic overtake him, and he could feel his cheeks flush.
"I knew it. You two have all the time in the world for your games and none for homework." Kate gave them both a disapproving look.
With that, Richie stepped away. "I gotta head to class," he said, avoiding her gaze. "Good luck. God be with you, Cal." He scurried away down the hall and disappeared around the corner.
Kate looked around and then pulled a sheet of paper from inside the book under her arm. "Don't say I never gave you anything, Cal. And I expect to be invited to your next all-night gaming session." She handed the sheet to Calvin.
"Kate, you're a lifesaver! I'd kiss you right now, but, gross." From the look on Kate's face, the feeling was mutual.
Comments
Post a Comment