The Beats in Rift (2 page)

“I’m ready,” I call back, picking up my backpack. I unlock the latch on my door and peek my head out to see my Mom standing by the front door, waiting. She’s dressed in her usual work wear; a denim skirt showing way too much leg and a thin black t-shirt with
Drew’s Bar
splashed across her large chest, the ink cracking from the strain. Her outfit is finished off with high-heeled pumps that are sure to leave her with blisters by the end of her shift.

I hate the summer vacation. When school let out last year I was left at home while she worked, and her ‘then’ boyfriend came home early one day, drunk, and decided to knock me around when I refused to make his lunch, leaving me with a broken arm and a headache for Mom when she was questioned by the nurse after she lied and told them I tripped and fell. So this year I’ve been dragged to work with her so I can’t get into “anymore” trouble.

I tiptoe down the narrow hall across the stained, brown carpet. Mom rolls her eyes at me. “He’s already left, Med. Stop being dramatic.”

Her ‘now’ boyfriend is just as bad as her last, if not worse. He has roaming eyes and occasionally roaming hands. He’s subtle about the way he pats my ass to get me to move out of his way, or when he pulls the neck of my blouse and looks at my chest, telling my Mom I should be wearing a bra by now.

My Mom has always been blind when it comes to men. She changes her boyfriend’s often, and sometimes entertains more than one at a time. The girls at school bully me because of it, but she’s all I have. I never met my Father; my Mom was only sixteen when she had me. Her parents disowned her so she had it rough, and in turn, so did I. But she got me to thirteen. I’m bright, and apart from the broken arm and the latest pervert, I’ve escaped any real harm, or at least, that’s the way I look at it. She puts a roof over our heads, food in our bellies, and in her own way I think she loves me. That’s a lot more than some ever have.

I jump into the car and crank up the stereo, humming along. Mom doesn’t make conversation, she just joins me in my humming.

We pull up at the bar Mom works at. The clanking of the engine draws attention from a man wearing an expensive-looking suit, arguing with Mom’s boss, Drew. He watches Mom as she opens her door by rolling down her window and pulling the handle from the outside.

Our car is a pile of junk; it has more rust than paint color and the doors creak so loud when you open them they could wake the dead. They often wake the neighbor, who lets us know by shouting, “It’s called oil, for fuck’s sake. Use some!”

In turn my Mom always hollers back, “I could use the grease from your hair! It’s called shampoo! Try using some!”

My Mom always gains male attention; she is beautiful. Slim, pretty features, dark brown eyes and dark chocolate hair. Her bust is large and men seem to notice that first, just like the guy in the suit right now, drooling on his chin. I have my Mom’s skin tone and hair color, although mine has natural honey-colored highlights from the sun, and whereas my hair is wavy, Mom’s is poker straight. I have Mom’s figure and full lips too, but my eyes are a unique blue, almost violet.

I open my door; it creaks loudly like always. I blush from the sound as I notice two boys standing next to Drew. They look my age and they’re identical; dark brown hair, tall. I recognize after a brief moment they’re from school. The Jacobs twins; popular, good-looking, and wealthy.

I dip my head as I climb out, hoisting my backpack onto my shoulder.

“Fine, Markus. Leave them here, but if Josie comes here and sees them I’m not covering for you again,” Drew tells the man, who nods and gets into his expensive silver car without a backwards glance. Drew’s eyes trail to us. “Nice of you to show up.”

Mom looks at her watch, pokes her chest out and plasters a smile on her face. “Fifteen minutes late. I’ll make it up.”

Shaking his head he addresses the two boys. “Take Meadow out back and look after her. Don’t get into trouble.”

“Why do we have to hang out with the chick?” one of them moans.

Drew blows out a rush of air. “Jared, don’t push me today. Just do as you’re told.”

Mom shoos me in the boys’ direction. I walk over to them and nod an acknowledgment.

“Come on then,” the other boy commands, taking my backpack from my shoulder.

“What’s in the bag?” Jared asks.

I look at him sheepishly. “Just some paper.”

He arches an eyebrow. “Why do you have paper?”

“I like to write.”

The other boy, the one carrying my bag, keeps staring at me, making me fidget. He brings me to a halt by moving so close into my face I can feel his breath hit and disperse against my skin.

My eyes hold his as they bore into me. “You have purple eyes,”

I break his gaze. “They’re violet, actually.”

Jared walks over to me, tilting my head with his finger under my chin, and studies my face.

“Wow, they really are. We aren’t the only ones with a unique eye color, brother.”

I grip his elbow, mimicking his attention to my eyes. His eyes are an amber color; golden with specks of orange. They remind me of autumn. He smiles at me coyly, making me blush and release my hold on him.

“So what do you like to write about? I’m Justin by the way,” the other twin says with a smile. I notice when Justin smiles he doesn’t have dimples, unlike Jared.

“Erm, lyrics. I write lyrics.” I snap my eyes from Jared’s probing gaze.

“No shit!” He chirps, “Well, seems like unique eyes isn’t the only thing we have in common. Do you play an instrument?”

I shake my head. “I always wanted to learn guitar but my Mom could never afford to buy me one.” I shrug and take a seat under a huge tree situated at the back of the bar in a field of tall grass. When the wind kisses the tips it makes a ripple like a wave in the sea.

Justin drops my backpack next to me, bringing my attention back to him. “So, what school do you go to?”

I flinch as if his words physical struck me with an obscure lash, completely embarrassed that he doesn’t even know we go to the same school and share a few classes. Even though I try not to stand out and I sit in the back of my classes, it’s still mortifying to be that invisible.

“Our school,” Jared answers for me. Justin’s eyes widen.

“Really?”

I nod in agreement. “I’m not popular,” I mutter. He looks at me, sheepishly.

“Can I read some of your stuff?” Jared asks, breaking the uncomfortable embarrassment.

“Sure.” I zip open my backpack and hand some of my papers to him. It’s actually nice having someone to show them to. Mom faked interest but that got old when I reached nine and was singing, trying to get her attention, and she called out for me to turn down the radio. I didn’t own a radio.

“So, your Mom works for our uncle, huh?” Justin asks.

“If your uncle is Drew, then yes.” I smile, and he returns it with a smile of his own. I shift, nervous from his attention. “So, why are you two stuck here on a day like this?”

“You mean hot?” Jared asks. I shrug off my sweater, letting my skin breathe. Both boys have their eyes on me and I feel my skin tinge pink with a blush. I tug the front of my tank top up so it covers the top of my blossoming bust they are both shamelessly checking out.

“Our Mom forces our Dad to take the last two weeks off work every summer to give his undivided attention to us. He lasts two days tops then dumps us here for rest of the time.” Jared grins, unfazed by his Father’s blow off.

“Don’t be an ass. Something just came up. He doesn’t like leaving us, but his work is demanding,” Justin counters.

“That’s why she makes him take the time
OFF WORK
.”

It’s hard to believe these two are my age, we all seem to of grown up quicker than we should.

Justin rolls his eyes. “It’s only one day, he won’t do this again, and he has loads planned for these two weeks. Just ignore Jared. He and Dad don’t get along.”

That statement piques my interest. “But you do?”

He laughs. “We may look alike but we’re very different.”

Shrugging slightly, I look to Jared who’s tapping out a beat on his knee and mumbling lyrics from the pages I gave him. “Well I like you both” I murmur quietly to myself.

OVER THE NEXT two weeks, the three of us bonded. Jared taught me guitar, and when he wasn’t teaching me, I played ball with Justin. When the last day rolled around, I was actually sad summer was over and I wouldn’t be spending time with them anymore. I’d learned that, outside of the social dynamics of high school, these popular boys were easy to talk to, approachable and fun.

“So, we’ll see you at school,” Jared tells me, hugging me.

“Sure.” I smile weakly, knowing how different our school positions are. Seeing them and actually having them talk to me was unlikely. Passing them in the halls and nodding in acknowledgement was probably how far our friendship would go from here.

FIRST DAY BACK and it already sucked big time. Mom was late getting up; her creepy boyfriend had spent the night. A shiver ghosts through me, remembering having to wear earphones to block out their wails of passion.

I shake my thoughts away and continue yanking at the lock on my locker, sighing in frustration when it won’t open. Why do I always end up with the stiff one? I groan as Melissa approaches.

“Nice top, skank,” she spits, sniggering. Her friends all mimic her like clones. I close my eyes and count to ten.

I try to stay undetectable as much as possible at school. I hate attention of the boy variety since we turned old enough to notice the opposite sex and Melissa’s boyfriend asked me out and sent Melissa into ‘Hate Meadow’ over-drive. She spread rumours about me and informed everyone about my Mom’s promiscuous ways. Since then I cover my entire body in baggy clothes. Thanks to Melissa’s hate for me I’ve been placed at the bottom of the high school food chain.

Boys don’t ask me out anymore and I’m happy with that, we were too young for dating anyway in my eyes. My goal is to do well in school and gain a scholarship out of here.

I bang the locker door in defeat.

“At least you can keep some things closed, skank” Melissa grins and I continue my count, way surpassing ten.

“Melissa, not all girls are like you. Leave her alone”

My heart begins to flutter wildly against my chest at the sound of Jared’s voice.

“Bite me, Jared,”

“No thanks, I don’t snack off my brother’s plate.”

Her eyes flash with rage. She slams the locker next to me and saunters off with her clan in tow.

“Are you having problems with your locker, Beats?” He had been calling me Beats for the last week, saying I make him need to tap out beats. He plays guitar but his passion is the drums.

“Yeah it’s stuck.” My eyes meet his and a sigh escapes my lips. I’m grateful he showed up. “You didn’t have to say anything to Melissa. I can handle her.”

He rattles the lock and slams his palm against it. A clicking resonates in the air and my locker pops open.

“Beats, she was being mean. She’s been chasing me and my brother around forever, she shouldn’t call people names. Plus, you’re my buddy. There’s no way I can let her get away with that.”

I slip my books into the locker and close it. He stays at my side as I walk to class; a small smile refuses to leave my face at his statement and presence next to me. My smile grows as Justin approaches us. He seems happy to see me, giving me a shoulder squeeze before turning to his brother and punching him in the arm.

“What did you say to Mel? She screeched at me down there, something about you and then stormed off” He looks down the hall in the direction he came from and looks back at us wide eyed shaking his head.

“She was being a bitch to Beats.”

Justin looks to me. “You okay?”

I nod and hope the heat crawling up my body isn’t visible to them.

“Fair enough. Beats, you want to come over to our place after school?”

I look up and down the hall. Of course, all eyes are on us. My social status climbing the invisible ladder in everyone’s minds.