and swayed as the music blared from the speakers. She closed her hazel eyes at a stop sign and used her cell phone as a microphone to sing along with the radio. Austin smiled and wondered what he would be doing if his friend didn't give him a ride after school. He could ride the bus, but only the biggest losers did that their senior year. Kadyn had been there throughout high school and she seemed happy to help.
The Honda sat in the garage untouched since his father died. It needed a transmission and new tires, probably a paint job since the champagne color now looked rusted gray. Austin didn't know how he would pay for any of it. The baseball season chewed up half his year and left no time for steady work. He worked last fall at the nearby farmer's market, loading pumpkins for Halloween and Christmas trees after Thanksgiving. He managed to save some money, but not enough for a car plus insurance. And gas. And maintenance.
He shook his head.
"Is Josh going to miss the opening game?"
Austin sighed. He hadn't thought about next week's opening game against South. With Josh out three days, he wouldn't be able to practice Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Coach Pennington might not even let him play Friday.
"Don't know. Guess we'll find out."
Kadyn turned down his street. "How's your Mom?"
Austin blinked and stared at mailboxes go past the window. The wind touched his face. "Fine."
Kadyn eyed him before turning back to the road. "If there's anything you need, you let me know."
"I know."
They pulled into his driveway. Austin popped the door open before the car stopped.
"Thanks for the ride."
"What are you doing this weekend?"
Austin swung his backpack over his right shoulder. Kadyn leaned over the passenger side seat.
"I hadn't thought that far ahead."
"Well." Kadyn leaned back and put the car in reverse. "Call me if you do."
The car backed out of the driveway. Austin watched her drive away.
After walking through the front door, Austin turned into his father's office and paused.
Without thinking, he wanted to tell Dad about what happened with Josh. He wanted to tell him about the fight and all the happenings of this week. He stood in the office doorway for a long moment. The keepsakes from Dad's coworkers still lined the desk as they did before he quit his job when cancer made continuing impossible. A photo of Austin and his Dad took up a large portion of the desk. He walked over and gripped the photo, pulling it close.
Dad was much younger and Austin was five. They stood on a beach, their hair blowing in the wind.
Austin set the frame back on the table.
"Austin? Is that you?"
Austin wiped at his face and cleared his throat. "Yeah, Mom, I'm here."
He walked into the living room. Mom sat in the recliner. A trashy talk show beeped in the background, a guest screaming a profanity-laced speech.
"How are you honey?"
"Fine." Austin sat on the couch.
"Anything happen at school today?"
He chuckled. "Josh got suspended from school."
"What? Why?"
Austin told the story of the cafeteria battle. Later, over macaroni and cheese, hot dogs and chocolate pudding, he finished the story, omitting the part where he attempted to rush to the rescue.
*****
After dinner, Austin took out the trash. He wheeled the reeking can out of the garage and set it next to the house. He leaned against the brick and stared into the sky.
He gazed at the deep blue as it transitioned to darkness. The stars came out for their nightly display. He watched one move slowly and figured it must be a satellite. He dreamed of being up there.
He thought of his homework. School started two weeks ago and the teachers already piled it on. He had to complete two essays, a lab assignment and three chapters of history by Monday. Of course he also had math homework and he started work at the farmer's market Sunday afternoon.
His cell phone vibrated, startling him. He glanced at the display and accepted the call.
"Hey man, how's the heavy weight
The Honda sat in the garage untouched since his father died. It needed a transmission and new tires, probably a paint job since the champagne color now looked rusted gray. Austin didn't know how he would pay for any of it. The baseball season chewed up half his year and left no time for steady work. He worked last fall at the nearby farmer's market, loading pumpkins for Halloween and Christmas trees after Thanksgiving. He managed to save some money, but not enough for a car plus insurance. And gas. And maintenance.
He shook his head.
"Is Josh going to miss the opening game?"
Austin sighed. He hadn't thought about next week's opening game against South. With Josh out three days, he wouldn't be able to practice Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Coach Pennington might not even let him play Friday.
"Don't know. Guess we'll find out."
Kadyn turned down his street. "How's your Mom?"
Austin blinked and stared at mailboxes go past the window. The wind touched his face. "Fine."
Kadyn eyed him before turning back to the road. "If there's anything you need, you let me know."
"I know."
They pulled into his driveway. Austin popped the door open before the car stopped.
"Thanks for the ride."
"What are you doing this weekend?"
Austin swung his backpack over his right shoulder. Kadyn leaned over the passenger side seat.
"I hadn't thought that far ahead."
"Well." Kadyn leaned back and put the car in reverse. "Call me if you do."
The car backed out of the driveway. Austin watched her drive away.
After walking through the front door, Austin turned into his father's office and paused.
Without thinking, he wanted to tell Dad about what happened with Josh. He wanted to tell him about the fight and all the happenings of this week. He stood in the office doorway for a long moment. The keepsakes from Dad's coworkers still lined the desk as they did before he quit his job when cancer made continuing impossible. A photo of Austin and his Dad took up a large portion of the desk. He walked over and gripped the photo, pulling it close.
Dad was much younger and Austin was five. They stood on a beach, their hair blowing in the wind.
Austin set the frame back on the table.
"Austin? Is that you?"
Austin wiped at his face and cleared his throat. "Yeah, Mom, I'm here."
He walked into the living room. Mom sat in the recliner. A trashy talk show beeped in the background, a guest screaming a profanity-laced speech.
"How are you honey?"
"Fine." Austin sat on the couch.
"Anything happen at school today?"
He chuckled. "Josh got suspended from school."
"What? Why?"
Austin told the story of the cafeteria battle. Later, over macaroni and cheese, hot dogs and chocolate pudding, he finished the story, omitting the part where he attempted to rush to the rescue.
*****
After dinner, Austin took out the trash. He wheeled the reeking can out of the garage and set it next to the house. He leaned against the brick and stared into the sky.
He gazed at the deep blue as it transitioned to darkness. The stars came out for their nightly display. He watched one move slowly and figured it must be a satellite. He dreamed of being up there.
He thought of his homework. School started two weeks ago and the teachers already piled it on. He had to complete two essays, a lab assignment and three chapters of history by Monday. Of course he also had math homework and he started work at the farmer's market Sunday afternoon.
His cell phone vibrated, startling him. He glanced at the display and accepted the call.
"Hey man, how's the heavy weight
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