Harmonious Disputes
...I Need New Friends...
They had been in the store an hour already and Matt's basket only had one item. A block of cheese.
Eli
Will you hurry up? We'll miss lunch at this pace!
Matt ignored his bodyguard and only friend simply looking down the lane.
Matt Muttered to himself under his breath. Reaching for a can of beans. He hated beans.
He glanced back over at the lane.
He whispered about to give up.
She showed up. An hour and ten minutes late. But she was there.
Eli looked over at the girl feeling flustered.
They'd been doing this everyday for a month now and she still hadn't noticed them. He was ready to report all of this back to Matt's father so he'd ban him from ever entering the store.
Eli
Can we please hurry up and go?
He looked on as Matt stood entranced.
Eli
What a stupid muse....
Eli could never understand it.
Unexpectedly, the girl made her way closer to them for the first time.
Not looking around, her eyes on the shelves, she walks into Matt, knocking his almost empty basket to the ground.
Eli huffed from where he was standing and chose to back away slightly.
AJ
I'm so sorry! I should have been more careful!
Matt sat ....half lay....there. Still unmoving.
She got his basket and brought it to him.
She extended her hand to him but he still ....didn't move.
AJ
I didn't push you that bad...
Without thinking too much, she slapped him back to his senses.
He took her hand still rubbing his cheek.
She looked at his reddened cheek, her face turning red.
AJ
I'm sorry...I've been having a bad day...
AJ
My mind was somewhere else.....
Matt looked at her surprised that he was even talking.
Talking to a human being who wasn't Eli!
He held out his hand but this time, she was stunned.
The businessman's son...?
Heir to a massive fortune?
The loner who used to give her creepy glances from over the playground when they were kids?
The kid who thought collecting bugs would make him normal?
AJ didn't know what to do or say.
Matt
Polard. But Pol works too.
Eli
Matt. Your parents are calling.
Eli's presence seemed to shake her.
Matt felt his stomach pit. She didn't want to be his friend. No one called her by her full name.
AJ looked over at Eli already leaving and back at Matt who seemed distracted.
His feet were moving, so he would be going, she noticed.
Matt
It's nice to meet you, Alexa Jon.
Matt gave her a half smile but she still didn't know if she should be talking to the guy.
She already had enough problems.
Matt turned and left the aisle with his shoulders sagging.
Eli
I'm guessing THAT didn't go as planned?
Eli sat staring out the window of the car.
Matt stared down at his hands.
The driver was already turning onto his street.
Eli
How about we go back to spending our Saturdays with just the two of us in the game room?
Eli
It's less embarrassing...
Eli muttered the last statement.
Matt looked over at him in shock
Matt
I wanted to meet her.
Matt felt flustered and a little angry.
Matt
How could you say that?
Matt
You don't even know her!
Eli
Yet I'm forced to stand there and watch you make a fool of yourself.
Eli
And you still weren't the first one to make contact with her.
Eli's calm state and deep tone seemed to be more infuriating than relaxing.
Eli
Why do you need to interact with them?
Matt was sure it would hurt Eli...so he stopped himself.
He knew Eli was supposed to be his bodyguard but he had turned into his best friend.
How could he hurt the one person who held no grudges against him or his family..?
Matt
...because ...I need new friends....
Matt whispered to the window as the car stopped in front of his home.
Lights Out
AJ
I only wish this could last forever.
AJ and Wilma sat beside each other shoveling in sweet spoons of chocolate cake into their mouths.
The icing was perfect and the cake was absolutely delicious.
AJ
There's nothing in the world that can compare to this!
They had just finished their homework at the library and had stopped off for a treat.
Neither had expected to take a third slice.
By the time they were done, fear settled in.
Snatching up their bags and phones, they both hurried off into the streets.
Lights were on inside all of the houses.
Hugging each other good bye, they parted.
AJ hid behind a tree two houses away watching Wilma go inside.
Her best friend's father despised her....but it was even...since she didn't quite like him either.
Mr. Oska
Where. Were. You?!
She couldn't see him but the tone of his voice was enough.
She could imagine her best friend cowering before him, stuttering an explanation.
The only problem was.....Wilma couldn't lie.
AJ bit her lip, her face redder than earlier when she'd slapped that poor boy.
AJ
Stalker might be a better word for him...
Wilma's voice coming over to her spot made her refocus.
Mr. Oska
Go to your room now!
Mr. Oska
How many times do I have to forbid you from seeing that girl?!
AJ could imagine her friend whimpering as she raced up the stairs.
The door to Mr. Oska's study slammed shut.
The lights in the living room went out.
AJ walked away knowing that would be it for tonight. He was mad. No one would eat dinner. But he wouldn't hurt his daughter more than he had to. Yelling was enough.
AJ whispered, glancing over her shoulder at the now dark house.
AJ
I'll make it up to you.
Author
Hi!
Sorry for such a short chapter...
Let me know what you think🙃
The Hammer Vandal
Eli
We should be finishing our homework!
Sitting beside Matt on a park bench, Eli was being more irritable than normal.
Matt glanced over at him with his eyebrow raised.
Matt
Since when do we ever do homework on Sundays?
Eli
Since you made us sit in the library for three hours... watching ...THAT GIRL.
Eli
We could have carried our books there if you'd told me before.
Matt checked his watch and continued watching the runners pass by.
Matt
Only a few more minutes....
At five, he stood, waiting for Eli to do the same.
...in the opposite direction of the car...
The driver checked his watch but said nothing nothing them.
Eli, being two years older than Matt but knowing his place, followed...still sulking.
Matt ignored him, reaching the entrance of the park and walking along the pavement.
Realizing he wouldn't get an answer, Eli kept walking, shoving his hands into his pockets.
Matt didn't respond still but his feet were headed there.
Eli
She doesn't usually go there today...
He passed the guard and entered the store, choosing to go to the drinks section.
Matt seemed to be down but there wasn't anything that Eli knew that would make him feel better....inside a grocery store.
Matt
They finally got yogurt .
Eli took the little containers from Matt and walked with him back to the cashier.
All of that mystery....for yogurt. Eli thought. But he could see the delivery truck through the door.
They cashed for them then left. The car already parked outside.
Matt
Let's go home and get your homework done.
Matt patted Eli on the back.
Eli
You've been acting so weirdly.
Eli and Matt turned to see AJ facing the store with two bags in her hands. It looked like she'd just come out.
Her voice sounded surprised...but not entirely in a good way.
AJ
I didn't expect to see you here.
Matt and Eli exchanged glances.
AJ stepped back several times before stopping as she bumped into someone.
Matt and Eli saw the shock on her face, clear as day.
AJ
When did you come back?
They watched as she looked the young man over from head to toe, shocked.
She turned back to the man.
Mr. Oska
That I haven't made myself clear ....
Mr. Oska
in a way that you and my little girl will understand.
The man took a few steps closer, leaving AJ with just one option of escape.
She was now cornered between the two men and a car.
She didn't take the chance to escape, instead, she stayed looking up at the man.
He took her hand running his thumb over her knuckles.
Mr. Oska
Smooth, soft hands.
They hide who you are...don't they?
AJ's eyes never left the man's face as he released her hand and fisted his other over a metal attached to the side of his jeans.
Pulling out a hammer, he stepped even closer to AJ before stopping.
Spinning the opposite way, he swung his hands, the tool smashing into the edge of the car glass beside them. The glass broke with the top shattering.
Turning back to her, he placed the hammer into her hands before nodding.
Mr. Oska
I'll let your parents take care of this one.
Mr. Oska
Let them know directly... that the next time my simple orders aren't followed.....
He glared at her, not finishing his sentence.
Both Eli and Matt seemed to get the message though. They could see AJ's face as she turned to watch him leave. She definitely understood.
Matt
He won't get away with it.
Matt
But we're witnesses...
At that moment, AJ noticed them.
Her eyes told them what to do.
"You saw nothing!" Her eyes screamed.
Matt
We'll leave her then?
Eli
She doesn't seem to want us to get involved...
Matt looked at her, trying to understand but knowing he wouldn't unless she told him.
The guard seemed to have returned. Only in time to catch the wrong vandal.
Matt and Eli watched her take responsibility for an act that she hadn't even committed.
As they drove off, Matt wished he could intervene.
Matt
If I had just talked to her sooner...
Matt
She would let me help.
Matt
She would let me be her friend.
Eli
Or... she'd run from us too....if she knew we follow her so much....
Eli whispered from his corner.
Author
This chapter has ended....
AJ
What do I do with the hammer?
Author
😅....eh....I'm gonna go for a walk now...
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