Wednesday 26 June 2013

Chapter 2 - Gen 2 - Tapestry


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Dads lectures bore me to death.  Once I'd convinced him that all me and Fern had been doing was kissing, and that's all we intended to do, I did find his "birds and bees" talk, as he calls it, a little amusing in parts, even if he did leave me feeling a little insulted especially when he asked me if I even knew what I was doing!!  He didn't tell me anything I didn't already know, we do sex ed at school, one of the very few lessons I have paid attention too.  Watching him getting embarrassed and struggling over the words he's using was quite amusing.  Basically it all boils down to me not being old enough, and I'm definitely not responsible enough to take precautions, I can't even look after myself so Berry forbid, I am not careful enough - yet again he makes me feel like the idiot, the fool who will never be able to have or look after children of my own.  I wonder what he would be saying to Mosaic and Coral right now - I bet he definitely wouldn't be having this same conversation with them!!!  

His sex talk over he moves onto the meadow pond and me skipping school again - most of this I've already heard many times before so I stop listening. His voice becomes a quiet hum in the back of my head and I just let his words go in one ear and out of the other and sit there pretending to listen to him but I am too busy daydreaming about Fern, especially kissing her.

I am a little annoyed, she was carted off too quickly, all I know is her first name, I don't know her surname, where she lives or her telephone number.  Today is Friday - we won't be back at school until Monday, does that mean I have to spend the whole weekend not seeing her and wandering if that kiss was a one off.  I have no way of contacting her and this is irritating me.


I hadn't realized Dad has stopped talking and he is just sat there staring at me in silence, he touches my arm, I feel it but I don't react to it and carry on staring at the floor  "TAPESTRY"  he spoke quite sharply which snapped my head back making me glance in his direction.  "You're not even  listening to me are you son?!"  he sighed,  "You still haven't taken you medication have you!!"

"No, I'll do it now"  I said as I got up to try and find it, I know he had given it to me earlier but I can't remember what I'd done with it and why I still don't have the tub in my hand.

"I think I prefer it when you argue back at least I know that you are actually listening!!"  he said sarcastically.  He hates it when we fight, and so do I but I really can't help it.  Normally I would be kicking off by now and hurling a load of abuse at him, I've even lashed out and hit him in the past.  So it must be pretty obvious to him right now that I haven't taken my medication because I've just sat here not saying a word.


I found the tub on the rocking chair where I must have thrown it, which I can't remember doing.  I opened the tub and swallowed the handful of tablets that I'm sick of having to take everyday, but without them I just sit for hours staring into space in my own little inattentive world, I think that's where I was heading just a few minutes ago.

"It looks like we might have to go back to me taking control of your medication again!!"  For a while now my parents have been trusting me to take my own medication without them giving it to me and watching me take it everyday.   "Obviously you can't be trusted to take it for yourself!! Can you!?"  I didn't argue with him, not that I agree with him because I don't, I'm perfectly capable of taking my medication on my own and I have been, just today, I got a little distracted by Fern, I would have taken it at some point, but I doubt he will even listen to what I have to say.

He left saying he has to take Mom to an anti natal appointment at the hospital, but he would be back later to finish our conversation once my medication has kicked in.  I am to stay in and help my Grandmother do some jobs around the house till he gets back seeing as I should still be in school.


Not long after my Dad left the room I heard my phone start buzzing, it took me a while to work out what the sound was coming from in amongst the wet pile of clothes on the floor.  I pulled the vibrating phone out of my wet trouser pocket surprised it is still working after it went into the pond with me.

There is an envelope flashing up on my screen - which means I have just received a text message.   Who would send me a text message?  Nobody sends me texts, everyone knows now that I don't even bother to try to read them - unless it's Fern, but she doesn't have my number, like I don't have hers, well I don't think she does.

 
I stood for ages trying to work out what the text message says and who it might be from.  I got the first two words "To be ....."  but after that the word beginning with 'C' continued .... is just too long for me to even try to work out what it says, just looking at it is making my head hurt.  I'm so stupid I don't even know how to save the number to my phone to call it back.  I hardly use my phone, especially not for calling people, I mainly just answer it when it rings.  I am just thinking about going to find my Grandmother to read the message for me when the phone starts ringing.


"I forgot you don't read do you!!"  Fern is laughing down the phone - I'm surprised and start wandering how she got my phone number?  My Mom!!  My Mom had given her my number before she showed her out.  Fern hasn't gone home or back to school, she's hiding out till after schools out.  We talked for a while then she told me to meet her at the bowling alley then hung up.  Even though Dad has told me to stay in and help my Grandmother, I sneaked out to meet Fern, he is going to carry on giving me his lecture later anyway so what is a little extra earache on top going to hurt.


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As soon as I walk into the bowling alley I can hear Fern before I can actually see her.  I can hear her yelling a load of abuse in amongst the noise of bowls smashing into pins from games being played.  This place always gives me a headache, it causes havoc with my hearing aid which I'm going to have to turn down.

I look around and spot her standing at the bar arguing with the bar tender, I stand and listen for a minute and it doesn't take me long to work out that the bar tender won't serve Fern any alcohol and she's kicking off.  I just stand there laughing at her, she's so feisty, I would hate to get on the wrong side of her.

"Sorry love, it's fruit juice or nothing!!  Shouldn't you be at school anyway?!"  the bar tender is stood there adamant that she's not serving her, I start walking towards her.


"When my boyfriend get's here, he'll tell you I'm old enough you stupid cow!"  Boyfriend?!  Did she just say boyfriend?  She couldn't mean me could she?  No!!  Oh berry  ..... I never even thought that she might actually have a boyfriend, maybe it's not just me she's expecting to meet here, my heart sank.

"Fern"  I said as I get to the bar, she turns and smiles at me.

"This silly cow won't serve me, tell her Tap, that I am actually old enough to drink!!"  I look at the bar tender with an amused smile on my face, she knows me and she knows my parents, but then who doesn't in this town, we are pretty well known because of Mom's fall, coma and the way us triplets were born, besides half of the town are my Dad's patients, there aren't many people who don't know who I am.  Me, Storm and Honey have tried it on in here once before with this bartender and got nowhere, I know there is no way either of us are getting served.

"Awwww the doctors son!!"  she said and started laughing, "Now I definitely know you are not old enough to drink young lady, now sling your hook!!" she said as she turned away and started to clean the glasses under the bar still laughing to herself.


"Come on Fern, we don't need a drink!!"  I grabbed her hand pulling her away from the bar, thinking that she might carry on causing a scene, but she follows me dragging her feet and sulking.  "I know a place where we will get served, we can go there later if you want, after I've beaten you at bowls."  I told her quietly when I thought we were far enough out of earshot of the bar tender.  She knows my Dad too well and I don't want her hearing my conversation with Fern, she was quick to grass me and Storm up to him for trying to get served alcohol here before and I don't want her doing it again.

She smiled at me, then came up in my face "You beat me at bowls!!"  she started laughing  "You are having a laugh!!" she ran over to an empty bowling alley and threw some coins into the slot to start a game off and started dancing around like an idiot  "Come on then Tap, let's see what you've got!!"  I couldn't help but laugh at her - she is wild, and so full of life she makes me tired just watching her.  She grabbed one of the bowls and threw it down the alley.  She had one pin left standing which she knocked down with her second ball.


I took my turn and I would just have to go and make a fool of myself ...... yet again!!!  As I threw the bowl my finger got caught in one of the holes and I went flying down the lane with the bowl and landed flat on my face.  I looked up just in time to watch the bowl roll straight into the channel at the side missing every single bowl in the lane.  Great!!!  Fern is laughing hysterically behind me, I feel my head going as I pick myself up off the floor and dust off my clothes.


I am almost too scared to take my second go, as I pick up the bowl praying I'm not going to fall flat on my face again.  I let go of the ball and closed my eyes once it left my fingers safely this time and heard the ball rolling down the alley.  There is a smashing sound as the ball hit the pins then the machine started ringing - I couldn't believe what I'm seeing when I open my eyes - I got a strike - I have knocked every single pin down.  I spend a lot of time here with Honey and Storm, and I've had plenty of practice, but this is the first time I've ever managed a strike.

I realized that Fern has suddenly gone very quiet behind me. I quickly glanced round at her thinking that she might be sulking, but she isn't, she's not even watching me her gaze is fixed on something over by the door.


"TAPESTRY!!"  I heard a familiar voice calling my name  I spun round to see my Uncle Prelude stood in the doorway and he doesn't look happy.  "You ... Get home right NOW!!!  .... your Dad is going mental over your vanishing act again!!"  He glanced over at Fern, who is already stood staring at him, and he seemed to freeze for a minute, a strange look washed over his face before he started talking to me again but he didn't take his eyes off Fern for a second.

He told me he was on his way to work and already running late else he would have taken me home himself,  but I am to go straight home and if I don't he'll be back to kick my butt later!!!  Then he left, pulling his phone out of his pocket before he'd even shut the door behind him, no guessing who he is phoning, my Dad!!

"Tap do you know that purple man?"  Fern is stood next to me now a strange look on her face, I thought it a very strange question to ask when it's pretty obvious from the conversation that we know each other. 

"Yes, he's my Uncle Prelude, my Mom's brother ..... why?"  I watched her face drop.


Fern turned away from me and she looks troubled.  I touched her arm and she shrugged my hand away.  "What's wrong Fern?"  I asked when she just stood there staring into space and not speaking.  "Fern, tell me what's wrong?"  Still she says nothing.  Now I'm really confused and it never takes much to confuse me, I really don't know what has brought on this sudden mood change of hers.

My phone starts ringing I pulled it out of my pocket and looked down at the screen - the letter "D" is flashing at me which means my Dad is calling me.  I cut off the call and literally seconds later my phone starts ringing again.  That call I cut straight off too, when the third call came I turned off the phone completely so it couldn't ring again.  I know why he's phoning me to give me a mouthful and to tell me to go home .... well he can wait, I'm not ready to go home to get earache just yet.

"Tap .........We need to get out of here!!!" she said without looking at me grabbing my hand and starts pulling me quickly towards the door  "Let's go to the place where you say we can get served."


She is refusing to tell me what is troubling her.  I am trying to think.  Is it me?  Did I do something to upset her?  We were having a laugh weren't we until ............ my Uncle appeared.  One thing that is bugging me ..... the way she was staring at Prelude and the look on his face when he was looking at her.  I am getting a nasty feeling this has something to do with Prelude.

We head off in the direction of the dive bar, hand in hand, walking in silence most of the way, which I am finding a little uncomfortable, especially not knowing what is wrong with her.  "Fern you need to tell me what's wrong?"  I tried again  "Did my Uncle do something?"

She stopped suddenly and turned to face me "Tapestry please just drop it will you, I really don't want to talk about it!!"  She grabbed my hand again and we carried on walking in silence again.  Now I'm worried because I'm sure this mood of hers definitely has something to do with Prelude.


As we got close to the dive bar her mood suddenly just seemed to change again, back to how it was before, whatever was troubling her back at the bowling alley, seems to have disappeared.  She started dancing around me as we are walking along the pavement - she's too lively, her sudden mood swings, my head can't keep up with her.  Suddenly she grabs me and starts kissing me.  I'm not concentrating on kissing her, I've still got something running through my head that I heard her say earlier.  I pulled away from her.

"Fern do you have a boyfriend?"   she told me she did as she smiled at me and tried to kiss me again, I felt my heart sink to my feet like a stone in water.  I pushed her away from me angrily as my head starts to go.


"So if you have a boyfriend what are you doing? ...... playing with me? ...... You stupid bitch!!!"  I shouted at her, she just stands there laughing at me, not bothered in the slightest that I'm raring in her face.  This threw me for a second.

She stepped up closer to me closing the gap between us again, a big grin still spread across her face,  "My boyfriend is you stupid!!"  WHAT!?  Now I know I'm definitely not keeping up with her!!!  She didn't give me a chance to speak before she is kissing me again - this time I'm not stopping her or complaining, but my head is swimming trying to make sense of what she's just said - suddenly apparently I have a girlfriend and I'm really not sure how that happened!!!


The dive bar is fairly quiet, there are a few other teenagers I recognize from school in here drinking in the corner and the usual drunk old man sat at the bar.  I stand a little amused watching Fern go straight to the bar order four drinks then knock one of them straight back before she picks up her second glass.  I stand staring at the two glasses on the bar a little hesitantly, not sure I even want a drink, alcohol doesn't mix well with my medication, as I've learned from a few unpleasant past experiences.  My head is already struggling to keep up with Fern, if I start drinking I've got no chance.

She picked up one of the glasses and held it in front of me  "I'm not sure I should be drinking"  she frowned at me and called me a wuss  "I'm on medication remember!!" she pushed the glass at me telling me one isn't going to hurt me.


It never stops at one does it and it only takes a few drinks on my medication for my head to start swimming foggily, and once it starts doing that I'm past caring how much I'm drinking or how drunk I'm going to get.

A few too many and I'm quite happily making a fool of myself on the karaoke machine, while Fern who is constantly making me laugh is dancing in front of me.  In fact from the minute her second drink went down she hasn't stopped dancing.


I stop singing at the end of the song and just stand there watching her as she carries on dancing even though there is no longer an music in the air, there is just complete silence except for her giggling.  Just watching her, the smile on her face as she's looking at me, and the way she is moving her body while she is dancing ...... I get the strangest feeling running through me, I'm not sure if it's the alcohol or my hormones.


The rest of the day and night just became a blur of laughing, dancing, kissing and drinking, I can't remember any time in the past when I've felt so comfortable with someone, or when I've been so happy or had so much fun.  I swear I'm in Love.  I'm struggling to believe this is even happening to me.  She says I'm her boyfriend and I really can't get my head around it.


I am sat at the bar watching Fern dancing on the bar counter while I'm talking to the bar tender as he is fixing the drinks I've just ordered.  We haven't been drinking excessively, it's actually been hours since we have had one, we have spent more time dancing, so I am surprisingly still only just merrily drunk, I'm far from wasted.

I felt someone tap me on the shoulder.

I span round a little too quickly, and went fairly dizzy so when I look up and there is a Police Officer standing in front of me, I thought at first I am seeing things.


However, I'm not seeing things, there IS a Police Officer stood in front of me.  "Tapestry Orchid?"  he asked me which surprised me, him knowing my name so I just nodded at him.  "Son you need to come outside with me."

"I'm not your son!!!"  I snapped at him  "And I'm not going anywhere with you, I've done nothing!!"  I slid off the stool and tried to sidestep to get away from him, but he put out his hand to stop me.

"I've been warned you can be a bit of a live wire."  he said  "It's important that you come with me so we can either do this nicely without any trouble or I'm going to have to arrest you, its up to you!!"  I just stood staring at him trying to make sense of it all then I saw him look up at Fern who is still dancing on the bar counter, he points in her direction  "Is that Fern Freeze?"  he asks me and I just stand there saying nothing wandering why he knows both of our names.  "Come on let's get you out to the car."  he said pushing me in the direction of the door.

"Get your hands off me scum bag!!"  I flipped and started kicking off because he had touched me, I'm drunk and I'm really confused, we haven't done anything, so why is this happening.  Another police officer appeared from nowhere and the pair of them grabbed me while I'm lashing out and before I knew it my arms have been twisted behind my back and I'm having handcuffs slapped on my wrists.  The one officer started to push me across the room towards the door.  I'm a little bewildered as I watch the second police officer approaching Fern, who reacts pretty much like I did she started kicking off.

Once we get outside I'm left in the custody of another police officer, while the one who brought me outside ran back inside I presume to help with Fern who I can imagine is still kicking off.  I am standing on the pavement, the fresh air has hit me, and I'm starting to feel a little more drunk than I thought I was.


They brought Fern out of the dive bar in handcuffs, kicking and screaming, she is still yelling a load of abuse at them as she's struggling to get away from them but they both have a hold of her and bundled her quite roughly into the front of the car while they put me in the back.  The police officer locked the doors and stood on the pavement talking to each other before one of them took out a phone and it looks like he is making a phonecall.

I am really confused, what did we do?  Why have we just been dragged out of the dive bar by police officers, curfew is still an hour away.  Unless we have been arrested for under age drinking, but there are other teenagers in the bar drinking and they haven't bothered with them.  The police officer knew mine and Ferns names, so they must have specifically been there looking for us.

"Fern what is going on here?"

"Don't ask me, it's not like we have done anything, besides drinking!!  Unless dancing on a bar counter has suddenly become a crime!!"  she turned in her seat to look at me through the metal bars that separate us  "But they know our names someone must have called the police on us!!"  then she added angrily  "If this is someone's idea of a joke - wait till I find out who it is, I swear I'll fade them!!"


I sat wandering why would someone call the police on us??  Who would call them??  There is only one person that I think it might be.  My Dad.   He was angry with me earlier, I bet this afternoon's disappearing act has sent him through the roof.  But really to go this far?!  If this is my Dads idea of punishing me for doing a runner this afternoon and ignoring Preludes request to come home - I don't find it very funny and neither will he when I get home!!

Another police car pulled up along side the one we're sitting in, another two police officers get out and the four of them stand talking for a few minutes.  One of them opens Ferns door and told her to get out quite nastily, he took a hold of her arm quite roughly and marched her to the other car and pushed her into the back of it and slammed the door.

We both just sat looking at each other through the car windows, she is as confused as I am.


"Are you okay son?"  the one police officer turned and smiled at me as he got into the drivers seat.  I just nodded at him a little baffled as to why he is being 'nice' to me when they were so rough and nasty to Fern.   "Good!!  Lets get you home."  he said then started driving the car in the direction of my house.  I am surprized that they are taking me home and not to the police station.  The journey home was silent even after I asked them a few times what is going on, neither of the police officers spoke again.

If I wasn't already confused, I am now totally bewildered as we turn the corner onto the road where I live, seeing three more police cars sat outside our house all with their lights flashing.

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9 comments:

  1. Um....what the heck is going on? And...was Ferns last name really Freeze?

    Oh lordy, this is going to be interesting for sure.

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    1. LOOOOL - Yes Freeze it is. But I'm tight lipped at the moment - not sure if anyone has got it yet :/

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    2. LOL - thought you might!!

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  2. Wooo, caught up. Not sure if I'm a fan of the "rebellious teen" thing where they do nothing but fight with their parents and deliberately do what's wrong. I always want to smack those kinds of teens.

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    1. He's not entirely a naughty rebellious teen - he is like that because of his medical conditions - he's actually a nice boy underneath.

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  3. Oh dear. Earlier, before you mentioned Fern's last name, but you wrote the word freeze into a sentence, I was like, omg, that's Lime's kid, isn't it? LOL. Then when Prelude and Fern looked at each other funny, I was like uh oh.

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  4. These two are quite a couple. I can see a lot of trouble in their future...

    What happened with the songs? Did you decide to stop doing them? :-(

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    1. Unfortunately yes I'm cutting down on the songs - they are distracting me and sometimes holding up chapters trying to find the right song. The songs were making me take the story in a different direction to where i wanted it to go. You will still see the songs scattered through out the chapters but not on every one.

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