Any Other Day
I found him sittin on the tree trunk, down by the waterin hole. The place we always went. Had his knees tucked up under his chin. When he saw me, he picked up a rock and whipped it out across the water. Any other day that rock woulda skipped twice -- even three times -- before cuttin under and sinkin to the bottom. But that day it lobbed too high and broke through the water with a hollow sploosh.
"Looked for you all over," I said. The tree bark scraped my jeans and poked at my feet. "Guess I shoulda looked here first."
"Where else'd I be?" He reached down, picked up another rock and tossed it back and forth between his hands.
"Got your things all packed?" I stared out at the water. A bazillion sun-diamonds hurtin my eyes.
He didn't say nothin. Just threw that rock. Sploosh.
"My daddy thinks yours's gonna do real well up there in Chicago."
"What's he know about it?" He looked at me real fierce and his blue eyes went all sharp.
"No need to holler."
His face changed back to beautiful. "Sorry. It's just..." He shrugged. I watched his Adam's apple bob and relax. Watched him bite the inside of his cheek.
"Race ya," I said and I nodded at the cottonwood on the other side. The swingin rope broke last summer, but that never stopped us.
He stared at me real hard with those eyes. Just darin me. I braced my toes against the tree trunk, ready to run.
He bolted first, dust and pine needles kickin up behind him. I ran after, but didn't try too hard to catch up. Might never see him runnin again. I liked watchin him run.
"Your daddy's a rat bastard!" he yelled, his words torn up with laughin.
"That makes your granny a rat!" I stumbled over a rock and almost tumbled, laughin so hard and lungs burnin.
He pulled his shirt off, grabbed the rope and swung out over the water. Arms flappin like a sick bird as he dropped. I jumped for the rope, missed and made for a cannonball instead.
That water done near shocked the shit outa me. Cold as ice picks. I whipped my hair outa my eyes and peddled my legs to keep from sinkin. My teeth chattered so hard I thought they'd bust.
His lips went all blue and his hair looked a riot, plastered up the side of his head. But he was smilin. Big ol grin. Just like I wanted to remember.
Any other night, I'd have eaten my supper, pestered my sister, listened to the radio. But that night I ate nothin. Said nothin. Shrugged when mama asked if I felt sick. I sat on the porch until the fireflies came out. Watched the half moon rise. Then I fell into bed and covered my face. Didn't want no one to hear me cryin. Each tear cut like a diamond, hard and cold and blue.