Eleven #2
“Why did you open the center?” I set my paint brush down and let her work. I always love watching her paint. She makes it look like every stroke of the brush is just as natural as breathing.
“You’ve made me tell you this a hundred times.
” She smiles softly at me before cleaning her brush and getting a new color ready.
“I wanted to create a space for kids to be kids and grow the way that their brains and hearts crave. They need the freedom to explore without consequences or fear of being wasteful.” Her answer comes easily.
“How did you figure it out? What you wanted to do, how you wanted to do it?”
“You just have to give yourself room. Feeling everything isn’t a hindrance, it’s a privilege.
” She tucks a few wild curls behind my ear effortlessly.
“You want to talk about what is actually bothering you?” She goes back to elevating my melted color swatch of a painting into something that is finally starting to look like a sky.
“Having feelings is exhausting.” I try to hold in my breath like that would stop my eyes from getting watery. Melinda pretends to not notice me getting emotional.
“Life is exhausting.” She corrects.
“What are two of my favorite girls doing tucked away in the corner?” Melinda’s face lights up at the sound of her son coming into the room. The love she has for Rory is something that I admire.
“I’m telling AJ that you called me your favorite.” I scrunch my nose up at Rory as he leans down to kiss Melinda’s head.
“She knows she’s my girl.” Rory winks at me and I just roll my eyes. He and AJ are the sweetest without ever actually being sweet. I have never met two people who so seamlessly fit together.
Growing up I was taught to pick the people you keep close based on how they enhance your life.
What they can give to you. I’ve always wanted to be the opposite though.
I want to give the most I can. And Rory and AJ make me feel more confident with that goal because neither makes me feel like I need to quiet myself down for them.
They just encourage everything about me.
And I think that is why Melinda loves this center so much.
She cultivates that same safe space for every one of these kids.
“I wanted to thank you both for gathering reinforcements for the fall festival this year. The kids are going to love all the extra events we will have.” Melinda says as she stands up.
She said that she was going to have a meeting with her business partner to see if they can make room for a budget for a fall festival to be hosted here at the center.
Melinda got the money she wanted and more.
There will be food trucks and blow up obstacle courses here for the festival.
“Of course, Mom. Whatever you need. You know I always got you.” He gives her a big hug.
Melinda leaves us alone in the room to prep for the kids to get here. “Maybe we should do something at the gym?” I haven’t planned anything for Halloween at the gym because according to AJ they never do events there. But I think it could be fun.
“What are you thinking?” He asks.
“Maybe we should ask the group?” I pull my phone out and go to the group text.
WEST HAVEN DELIQUENTS
Mia
I think we should do something for Halloween at the gym.
Maxwell
Immediately, yes.
Eli
Do we have to dress up?
Oliver
I’m not dressing up.
Mia
Don’t be a bore.
AJ
The kids would really like it.
Rory
The kids would love it.
Oliver
I’m still not dressing up.
Maxwell
We can all dress up! I vote we play a gym-wide game of assassin. The winning captain gets to pick who has to clean equipment for a month.
Eli
I’m down.
AJ
You know I don’t lose.
Maxwell
I already have costume ideas.
Oliver
I’m not dressing up… I’m in though. I would love to see Rory have to clean the equipment.
Mia
Oliver loves something other than getting hit in the face?
Rory
I have absolutely cleaned equipment jackass.
Eli
It’s not really cleaning it unless you have to clean blood and sweat off.
Rory
I’ve cleaned Jude’s DNA off her punching bag.
Maxwell
Hold up.
Maxwell
Does that mean what I think it means?
Rory
I have to help Mia set up for class.
AJ
I’ll get with Eddie and get the event planning started.
Eli
That’s why the cameras sometimes shut off? Freaks.
Maxwell
AVERY. Answer us.
Oliver
Leave her alone. Like we all haven’t had sex at the gym before.
Mia
Maybe I should bring my date to the gym then.
“The guys are going to drill her about that now.” Avery told me all about her little tryst on the punching bag after the donation dinner. It made me feel less guilty for what happened in the alley with Oliver.
Rory grins and lifts a shoulder, “she can handle them.” He pockets his phone and looks up at me.
“I knew that they would all be on board for it. Those guys love to have a good time and AJ would probably make anything you wanted happen.” He’s not wrong.
AJ has been my best friend since I started working at the gym.
I start cleaning up my mess as Rory sets up stations for the kids.
He has charcoal in his hand and a stack of notebooks.
“I need to make sure that Oliver loses.” I will actually make it a personal goal to make that happen. Seeing him clean equipment for a month would make my life.
“I’m sure you do.” He hums, still setting up.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means that you two live to torture each other.” He smiles over at me. “It lowkey makes AJ worry.”
“Oh and I know how much her worrying eats at you.” I tease.
He pauses and I feel his energy shift. “Does she need to worry?” I knew that Rory would ask the hard question eventually.
“She has nothing to worry about. Oliver and I are just friends. And sometimes we are something else.” I confess. Rory is the easiest person in the world to talk to. He gets it from his mom.
“That’s why you are dating? Because you don’t want something else?” He finishes setting up and walks over to where I am sitting. He looks down at me and crosses his arms. “You don’t even like the guys you are going on dates with.” He accuses.
“I do too! Just sometimes they are more attractive when they don’t talk.” I point out and he laughs.
He checks his phone before saying, “The kids will be here soon. You want anything from the kitchen?” I shake my head no and he leaves me alone in the room.
My phone buzzes on the table. When I check to see who texted me, my heart pauses.
Oliver
Wear pants on your date tonight.
Nothing else. Just that request. A huge part of me wants to wear a dress just because he asked me to wear pants.
But I just bought a new top and I really want to wear it.
It’s a black baby tee but it has strings that wrap around my stomach and tie.
It shows off my two small tattoos and it’s easy to dance in.
I also already planned to wear jeans tonight.
But I hate being told what to do. So that outfit will have to wait.