Her Journey Begins (15 page)

Chris smiles at her,
“
Sorry, I must have been day dreaming, what did you say?
”

  
“
I said,
“
Have you and Brandon had sex yet?
”

  
“
No
”
Chris crosses her fingers and thinks to herself,
“
Okay I
’
m lying, but the last time I confided in her in 8
th
grade about having a crush on a certain boy, Wendy blabbed to everyone, and it got back to him. Didn
’
t really matter because he turned out to be a jerk anyway, but her and Wendy had a fight and didn
’
t talk to each other for weeks. Besides what Brandon and her do is between them. It
’
s not anyone else
’
s business.

Walking into the store, Wendy walks up to the counter inquiring where the cute guy is while Chris walks back and grabs a soda. Taking it up to the counter Chris sees the sign and inquires with the owner.

  
“
You
’
re looking to hire someone?
”

He smiles at her,
“
Yes, I am going to need someone to work four nights a week while Joe, (aka the cute guy) is going to school.
”

  
“
I
’
d like to apply for it. How many hours?
”

  
“
You are 18 now?
”

Chris smiles at him.
“
Yes, I am 18 now.
”

  
“
Well I need someone, Monday through Thursday, 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Here I
’
ll give you an application. You can fill it out and bring it back.
”

Chris smiles.
“
I
’
ll just fill it out here, if that
’
s okay.
”

  
“
Sure
”
And he hands her a pen and the application.

After giving him back the completed application Chris asks Wendy if she
’
s ready to go.

Walking home Wendy wants to know.
“
Why do you want to get a job already? We still have 2 months before we graduate.
”

  
“
Because I need to start saving up some money so I can go to college. Also, I won
’
t be a foster child once I graduate high school, so I
’
ll have to start paying Barb rent money, or I
’
ll need to move out and find an apartment, because they can
’
t afford to support me.
”

Back at Wendy
’
s, Chris only stays for about half an hour before heading home.

    
“
Mom, I
’
m home.
”
Chris yells up the stairs.

Barb pokes her head out the kitchen door,
“
Chris, I
’
m in here.
”

  
“
Sorry, I didn
’
t know. Are you starting dinner already?
”

  
“
Yep, I figured it could be cooking while we are at Brandon
’
s game, then it will be ready when we get back. Do you want to help?
”

  
“
Sure, I
’
ll help you. Just let me go wash my hands real quick.
”
Chris runs upstairs to the bathroom, washes her hands, and runs the brush through her hair and pulls it back into a pony tail before going back downstairs.                                    

  
“
So, what did you and Wendy do today?
”

“
Not much. We walked to the store to get a soda and then just hung out and listened to some music.
”

  
“
Which store? The market a couple of blocks away where that cute guy works that Wendy talks about all the time?
”
 

Chris chuckles,
“
Yeah, that one, I put in an application there.
”
             

Barb looks at her.
“
What? Oh Chris I don
’
t know if that
’
s the best place to work besides you have school.
”

  
“
Mom, I need to start saving some money, so I can get my license, get a cheap car and go to college, and
…
he
’
s looking to hire someone now. Besides if I wait to look for a job after I graduate, everyone else will be looking for a job too and jobs are scarce right now, you know that.
”

  
“
You have this all figured out, don
’
t you?
”
Chris smiles and raises her eyebrows at Barb.
“
What are the hours and how many days are we talking about?
”

Excitedly Chris tells her,
“
Four days a week, Monday through Thursday, 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. I
’
ll be here for dinner, then go to work, close up at 11 p.m. and be in bed and asleep before midnight.
”

   
“
What do you think Brandon will say?
”

  
“
I don
’
t know. If I get the job he will probably say,
You
’
ve got money now, so the next time we go out, it will be your treat.
”
Laughing she says,
“
Come on mom, it
’
ll be fine. Don
’
t worry so much.
”

Barb shakes her head and smiles, tells her okay, but in the back of her mind, she
’
s hoping Chris doesn
’
t get the job.

Coming home from Brandon
’
s game, Brad is just pulling up in the driveway.
“
So where are my two favorite girls coming from?
”

Barb walks over and gives Brad a kiss.
“
Brandon
’
s game. They beat the other team by three runs. Dinner should be ready soon and Brandon can tell you all about the game when he gets here.
”



   Brandon and Chris are sitting out on the porch swing after dinner. Sitting Indian style, with her legs crossed and facing Brandon, Chris takes his hand.

  
“
I went and applied for a job today.
”

  
“
Where at?
”

  
“
At the convenience store a couple of blocks away. It
’
s only for four days a week, five hours a day.
”

  
“
What about school, or does the job start after we graduate?
”

  
“
It
’
s in the evenings from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
”

  
“
Who
’
s going to work with you?
”

  
“
Well probably the owner the first week, so he can train me, then after that, probably by myself, why?
”

  
“
Because, you can
’
t work there by yourself. It
’
s not safe. And how are you getting home every night?
”

  
“
I
’
ll walk to work and then when I get off, I
’
ll walk home, simple as that. It
’
s only a couple of blocks. Come on you sound like my mom.
”

  
“
Then I
’
m going to come and help you close every night and take you home. And don
’
t even say,
“
But you have to go to school
”
because so do you and if you can do it, so can I.
”

  
“
But
…”

Brandon stops her by holding his hand up.
“
Uh. Give me a kiss so I can go home and we will talk about this some more tomorrow.
”

Chris sighs,
“
Fine
”
Giving him a sheepish smile Chris leans over and gives him a French kiss, teasing his tongue with hers, wanting to turn him on. Brandon reaches under her shirt and softly touches her breast and kisses her neck.

“
You are a little tease, you know that?
”

Chris whispers.
“
Hmm, maybe, maybe not.
”

  
“
Yes you are, because you know we can
’
t do anything tonight. When are we going to sneak off again? Have you thought about that?
”

She whispers to him,
“
I think about it all the time.
”

Brandon smiles, stands up, and holds his hand out to her.
“
Come on, I
’
ve got to go home, and as for sneaking off, how about tomorrow after the game, unless you want to come home with me tonight?
”

Chris kisses him again,
“
Oh yes that would go over real well with mom and dad. Go home and I will meet you at your game in the morning.
”



   Chris is standing at the fence talking to Brent who is standing on the other side.

  
“
So where
’
s Brandon at?
”

  
“
I
’
m not sure. I haven
’
t seen him since our game yesterday.
”

Brandon walks up and tugs on Chris
’
braid,
“
Good morning beautiful.
”

Chris glances over her shoulder at him.
“
Where have you been?
”

Brandon sneers at Brent before answering her,
“
Are you waiting for me to tell you good morning beautiful too?
”

  
“
Ha ha, very funny.
”
Brent smirks back.

Brandon glares at him.
“
Then go do something and quit flirting with my girlfriend every time I
’
m not around.
”

Chris watches Brent walk away.
“
Brandon, he wasn
’
t flirting with me. We were just wondering where you were, that
’
s all. So, where were you?
”

Brandon puts his arms around her waist and rests his chin on her shoulder.
“
I was on the phone with my mom. They are flying in tonight and she wanted to let me know what time to pick them up at the airport. And yes he was flirting with you. Now I have a question, will you go with me?
”

  
“
To pick up your parents?
”
Chris asks mortified.

  
“
No
…
home to take a shower after the game.
”

Chris turns around and slides her arms around his neck.
“
Are you teasing me?
”

Brandon kisses her on the nose,
“
No, I want to know if after the game, you will go home and take a shower with me.
”

  Chris lowers her eyes and whispers.
“
Maybe
”

  
“
Are you getting bashful on me?
”