Rose lived in the nice part of town. People who grow up in cities don't think that a small town can have a nice part and a shady part, but anyone who ever grew up in the middle of nowhere knows differently. In Billy's neighborhood, the sidewalks were cracked, and half of the apartments were either boarded up or dilapidated or both.
A short five minute walk away, on the "other" side, every house was in perfect condition. Each came with its own perfect sidewalk, immaculate lawn and a quaint little fence that politely said "Keep Out" to people like Billy. He ignored the implicit warning and pushed his way past the little wooden gate, making his way up to the shiny white door with it's plaque declaring that this was the "Baker Residence!"
He knocked three times, then waited. After a moment, a middle aged blond woman in a white track suit opened the door. In the background he could hear some kind of exercise tape continue to play.
"Billy." The woman said, her face contorting into a smile so forced he thought it might cause her physical pain, "What do you want at this time of night?"
"I need to talk to Rose" He said simply.
The woman's smile fell into a tight lipped grimace that was obviously her more common expression, from the way the line on her face indented perfectly around it.
"Talking is what telephones are for Billy" She said in a cold polite way.
"I need to talk to her in person, okay?" He said impatiently, "It's important"
"Important. Well, isn't everything just important when you are fifteen years old?" She griped. The her face turned back into a grinning mask again as she turned toward the stairs and yelled in a sing song voice, "Rosie! Your friend Billy's here to see you"
There was a pause, then the sound of scampering feet. A girl appeared in a blur around the corner of the stairway. Barely five feet tall, hair sticking out around her face as if she'd been in a car accident, she bounded down the stairs so fast she almost fell. Finally coming to a stop after nearly colliding with her mother, eyes shining, cheeks flushed bright pink, she managed to stutter, "H-Hi Billy"
Rose's mother rolled her eyes and walked away from her daughters embarrassing display, moving back toward the blaring sounds of aerobic muzak.
"Rose, can we go somewhere private?" Billy asked, leaning in to whisper in her ear. He didn't want her mother or father to hear about his plans.
A short five minute walk away, on the "other" side, every house was in perfect condition. Each came with its own perfect sidewalk, immaculate lawn and a quaint little fence that politely said "Keep Out" to people like Billy. He ignored the implicit warning and pushed his way past the little wooden gate, making his way up to the shiny white door with it's plaque declaring that this was the "Baker Residence!"
He knocked three times, then waited. After a moment, a middle aged blond woman in a white track suit opened the door. In the background he could hear some kind of exercise tape continue to play.
"Billy." The woman said, her face contorting into a smile so forced he thought it might cause her physical pain, "What do you want at this time of night?"
"I need to talk to Rose" He said simply.
The woman's smile fell into a tight lipped grimace that was obviously her more common expression, from the way the line on her face indented perfectly around it.
"Talking is what telephones are for Billy" She said in a cold polite way.
"I need to talk to her in person, okay?" He said impatiently, "It's important"
"Important. Well, isn't everything just important when you are fifteen years old?" She griped. The her face turned back into a grinning mask again as she turned toward the stairs and yelled in a sing song voice, "Rosie! Your friend Billy's here to see you"
There was a pause, then the sound of scampering feet. A girl appeared in a blur around the corner of the stairway. Barely five feet tall, hair sticking out around her face as if she'd been in a car accident, she bounded down the stairs so fast she almost fell. Finally coming to a stop after nearly colliding with her mother, eyes shining, cheeks flushed bright pink, she managed to stutter, "H-Hi Billy"
Rose's mother rolled her eyes and walked away from her daughters embarrassing display, moving back toward the blaring sounds of aerobic muzak.
"Rose, can we go somewhere private?" Billy asked, leaning in to whisper in her ear. He didn't want her mother or father to hear about his plans.
