Friday, August 24, 2012

What a girl Wants



Xander's place really wasn't a home. More like a motel room.

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. Old pizza boxes stacked up. The stench of dirty socks. No mother. No father. But then maybe they were at work. Except this was a one bedroom, and there was Denny watching a DVD. I don't think they had cable.

He was dirty mouthed, but had a precious mop top of hair that hung mostly in his eyes. There was something about that dazzling smile of his that I was certain would be the guy every girl would smile back at, some day. He was a happy kid. Yet, Xander was instantly sad around him.

It was a little strange, seeing Xander's place.

"So, what's going on?" Apparently, there was a lot more going on than what Xander wanted me to know.

"What do you mean?" He looked at me as if he was pretty used to this.

I bit my bottom lip thinking Xander could clean up pretty darn well when he wanted too. But evidently this was the mess that he came home too.

"You do have parents, don't you?" I didn't mean to put him on the spot, but this place needed to be cleaned up.

"Sure." He glared at me, but his face was a bit soured. Was he possibly glass eyed.

"Xander? You can tell me." Oh, there was no magic spells going on. This was reality I was checking out.

"OK, my Mom left for Des Moines, a month ago." He gritted. "And..and well, um..I'm hoping she takes care of the rent."

I couldn't believe it was that bad.

"And you weren't going to tell me?" I winced.

"Well..." He winced. "You hardly know me. And..and.." He closed his eyes and turned away. "I just don't want to think about it. She was looking for work." He sighed. "She took the car. I dunno. I think she found someone and..and she's left us." He whispered then as if he didn't want Denny to know. "Lisa helps out with him, when..when she can."

This was the Lisa I thought was his girlfriend. But she was only a neighbor.

I crossed my arms. Our so called movie night was looking rather slim, I thought.

"You'll come over tonight?" I asked.

"Sure." He seemed happy that maybe I'd forgotten about his dilemma.

"Then..then bring Denny too." I sighed. "Dinner is at six."

"What? No. He can go to Lisa's." Xander acted as if he needed some alone time. Evidently, with me.

"No, I want him to come over with you." I looked over at Denny thinking he needed a real home cooked meal.

3 comments:

  1. Sounds like things are tough, but I love that she is stepping in to help :)

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  2. What a bad position Xander's in right now. :/

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