Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 21:06:36 -0500
From: Jeff Wilson <vicioussquirrel@hotmail.com>
Subject: W.A.R. Part 2: Chapter 10

Well, so much for having this ready a few days ago...  Something came up
that kept me rather busy for a while.  Heh heh...  Oh well!  Anyways, this
is it: the last chapter of Part Two- Cold Winter.  Next up, springtime, and
the fun that brings.  But for now, let's wrap up Part Two...


		       W.A.R. Part Two: Cold Winter

		   Chapter Ten: The Christmas Eve Party

			      by Jeff Wilson


     "Billy!  I asked you three times to vacuum this carpet!"  My mom's
voice bellowed from the living room.  I didn't remember her ever asking me
to do that.

     "I'm cleaning my room, mom!"  I shouted back.

     "Come on!  I need this done, now!!!"

     "Alright!  Alright!  Geez, I can only do one thing at a time!"  I left
my room, found the vacuum cleaner and started taking care of the living
room carpet while my mom took care of the bathroom.  Just as I was
finishing, I heard mom's voice again.

     "Billy!!!  This room is a mess!!  Quit wasting time and... Is this
blood on the floor!?!?  Get it clean!!"

     "But you told me to..."

     "NOW!!!!!"

     I grumbled and made my way to my room again.  It had been like this
all day.  My dad had escaped earlier this morning to the garage.  I didn't
have any place to hide, and my mom was in full slave driver mode.  I was
trapped.  As the hour for the party drew closer, she was getting more and
more edgy.  I really had to work to keep from snapping at her.  There were
many times I just wanted to tell her to fuck the party and ruin everything.
But I didn't.  I knew this was just her way of trying to do something to
remember grandma.  She wanted everything to go so perfectly.  Funny, I
don't remember grandma working so hard to make sure everything went right.

     Eventually the time for the party was close.  We all had to take
showers and get ready.  People would be bringing food with them, but mom
had many dishes and cookies prepared as well.  I tried to get a cookie, but
she yelled at me.  She was expecting a lot of people.  Many of them were
people from her work and dad's work who I'd never met before.  Our family
was invited, as well as many people from the neighborhood.  Brett and his
mom would be here.  So would Bobby Rush and his mom, Dustin and his parents
and sister, Joey and his dad, and Emily Barnhart and her parents.  So at
least I wouldn't be bored.  I was actually kind of excited to have all of
them coming over.

     The first guests arrived, Aunt June and Uncle Bob with Nate and Brian.
Nate and Brian had really grown up since the last time they were here.
They had presents for me.  Heh heh!  One for my birthday and one for
Christmas!  Well how about that?  Bobby wanted to play my video games so I
set it up for him, then I played around on the computer with Nate for a
while.  While we were doing that, Emily came in to my room.  I could tell
that Nate liked her right away.  She was a very sweet girl, so I could see
why.  She was the kind of girl who could get into a conversation with
anybody and make you feel like she's known you for years.

     Dustin made his way into my room eventually.  He had a Santa hat on
which covered up his red hair.  I was actually surprised, since he usually
spends so much time on his hair and all.  His sister Amanda was in eleventh
grade and was too mature to hang out in my room, so she sat and talked with
the grown ups.  Nate and Emily were really hitting it off sitting on my
bed, and Dustin had found stiff competition battling Brian in a football
video game.  I was fooling around trying to distract Dustin when I found
out why he was wearing the hat.  I pulled it off his head and found that
his hair had been the victim of the dreaded winter buzz cut.  He looked
like he had a helmet that rusted on his head. I laughed at his predicament.
He didn't like it too much.  A little later, Bobby Rush found out that we
were all hiding in my room and came in.

     "Hey everybody!"  He said as he walked in.  I introduced him to my
cousins and asked what his mom had brought to eat.  He told me and I was
ready to go devour it.  I was starving!  But as he looked around the room,
he noticed something.

     "Where's your one friend?  The one you always hang out with?  Bart?"

     "You mean Brett?  I guess they haven't made it yet."  I explained.

     "No, no, I saw his mom in the living room.  I thought he'd be with
you." He said as his hand found its way into his pocket.

     "His mom's here?"  I asked.

     "Yeah.  I just talked to her."  He replied.

     That was strange.  I told everybody to come and eat.  Then I led them
out to show them where the kitchen and dining room was.  I heard Bobby's
mom tell him to take his hand out of his pocket.  Then I went to the living
room and sure enough, there was Brett's mom.  I walked up to her.

     "Hi Dr. Reilly.  Where's Brett?"

     "Oh, hi Billy.  Brett's at home, sick as a dog.  He's been coughing
and sneezing and throwing up all day.  I'm not going to stay long.  I want
to get home to him.  He was sleeping on the couch when I left.  He really
wanted to be here, but he was so sick he could hardly get out of bed."

     The very first thing I wanted to do when I heard that was go over to
that house.  But as I was heading to the kitchen, Emily stopped me in the
doorway.

     "Hey, Billy."

     "Hi Emily.  You having a good time?"

     "Yeah...  Your cousin's pretty sweet.  I'm glad I got to meet him
tonight."

     "Yeah.  Nate likes to hit on pretty girls, so I'm surprised you didn't
slap him or something."

     "Oh, I can take a little flirting.  Which, by the way, I expect from
you right now."

     "What?"  I said, confused.

     "Look up."  She smiled as she looked up to the ceiling.  My eyes
followed hers.  There it was, like a knife hanging above us... the
mistletoe.

     "Well, aren't you going to kiss me?"  She asked sweetly.  My hands
were suddenly sweaty.  My mouth felt incredibly dry.  I leaned over,
puckered up, and planted a kiss on her cheek.  She giggled.

     "You can do better than that."  I heard her say.  And with that, she
leaned in and planted one right on my lips.  And it lasted for what seemed
like forever, and not in the good way, either.  I looked around the room,
there sure were a lot of people watching.  Laughing.  Making fun of me.
When she stopped, I could hear them.  Laughing.  Saying "How cute."
Pointing and smiling.  I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

     "You kiss pretty good for a boy with braces."  She said, smiling.
Where did my mom get that camera?  Oh good lord!  She had taken our
picture!  She was laughing and smiling.  Everybody was laughing.  Everybody
was laughing at me.  They were all having a great big laugh at my expense.
All laughing and smiling.  Smiling and laughing at me.  Talking about how
cute it was.  Saying what a cute couple we'd make.  Laughing. Smiling.
Smiling.  Laughing. Smiling.

     I started counting in my head.  I was up to sixteen by the time I was
out the door.  I counted slowly all the way up to fifty.  By that time I
was in the middle of the woods when I let it go...

     "SHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTTTT UUUUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPP!!!!!!!!"  Then I kicked a
tree.  Five times I kicked.  It didn't budge, but I felt better.

     I walked the rest of the way to Brett's house.  It was dark inside.
The Christmas lights were on, but the house was eerily quiet at night.  I
walked to the back door.  I turned the handle, it opened.  Brett was always
forgetting to lock it.

     I walked inside quietly.  I peeled off my boots and coat.  Then I went
to living room.  I could see because of the lights on the tree.  Brett lay
sleeping on the couch.  He was covered with blankets.  There was a bucket
on the floor next to him.  I sneaked up slowly and shook him quietly.  He
awoke with a start.

     "Huh?  What?  Mom?  Is that you?"

     "No, it's me."

     "Billy, what are you doing here?  You're supposed to be at your
party."
  He said sleepily

     "I know.  But it didn't seem like much of a party without you."

     He smiled weakly.  I could see the dark circle around his left eye
from when Dustin hit him.  His hair was an awful mess.  He looked tired, as
if he hadn't slept in days.  He started to cough.  It was a horrible
sounding cough.  As if his lungs were trying to jump out.  Then, when he
finished, he looked at me with a worried look on his face.

     "I feel like I'm dying."

     "You're not dying.  You got sick from running around in the middle of
a snowstorm without a hat.  I'm surprised I don't have it."

     "You will.  You kissed me.  You got all of my germs."

     "Well I guess Emily will be sick in a few days too then."  I said.

     "What do you mean?"

     "Well, we ended up under the mistletoe, and instead of a friendly
little peck, she practically frenched me in front of everybody.  Everyone
was laughing and looking at me.  I felt like an idiot."

     "So how is that different from any other day?  Ha ha ha... Uh oh!"  He
suddenly turned kind of green.  He found his bucket and threw up.  I have a
weak stomach when it comes to that kind of thing and I couldn't look at him
while he did it.  Eventually, he talked again.

     "I'm sorry.  I know you hate puke.  I feel like crap all over.  So,
did you like it?"

     "Like what?  You throwing up?"

     "No, the big kiss."

     "The kiss?  No.  Not after kissing you.  It was like kissing my mom.
Then she had the nerve to say I kiss good for a boy with braces."

     "I thought so too."  He said.

     "Yeah and then... What?"

     He was laughing again, gently.  I laughed too.  "If only the people at
the party had seen us kissing.  I wonder if they'd have thought we were
cute?"  I asked.

     "Who cares?  I don't care what they say.  I love you Billy.  I want to
be with you all the time.  And some day, I'm going to do more than kiss
you.  But not tonight 'cause tonight I feel like death."

     I walked over to him and knelt down beside him.  Then I put my hand on
his head and felt his hair between my fingers.  His head felt very hot.
Still I leaned in and kissed him on the forehead.  When I leaned back, I
could see his eyes closed and a very large smile on his face.

     "I love you, Brett.  Merry Christmas."

     "Merry Christmas, Billy.  Thanks for coming to see me."  With that, he
nodded back into sleep.  I felt his face with my hand, touching the little
scar on his cheek.  Then I left him and went back to the party.

     When I made it back to the house, I was about to go back inside when I
smelled the familiar smoke scent.  I looked around, and there he was,
sitting in a lawn chair on the back porch.

     "Hey, boy."

     "Hey, dad."

     "So how's he doing?"  He asked.

     "Who?"  I asked innocently.

     "You know who."  He said.

     "He's not doing too well.  How'd you know?"

     "I knew as soon as I heard he wasn't going to be here that you'd find
a way to go see him.  He's your best friend.  I knew you wouldn't stick
around when he didn't show up."

     "Yeah, he's like a brother to me."

     "Like a brother, huh?"  He asked.

     "Yeah..."  I answered.  It was odd.  I felt weird for a moment.  As if
my dad was reading my thoughts.

     "That was some kiss under the mistletoe.  You looked like a mouse in a
trap.  I'd have helped you, but I figured you'd get out of it."  He
laughed.

     "Yeah."

     "You should have seen when she got Dustin.  Poor boy didn't know what
hit him."

     "She got Dustin too?"  I asked, confused.

     "And Nate, and Bobby, and Joey, I think she even got Brian."  He
laughed.

     "So it wasn't just me?"

     "No.  Heh heh heh!  I think the mothers are all in on it.  That's how
she got your picture."

     "Oh..."  Was all I could say.  I felt kind of dumb.  Here I had been
so angry, and it was all a little joke that was being played on all the
boys.  I'm glad I followed Dr. Reilly's advice and counted, or I'd have
been quite embarrassed right now.

     "Now, go back in there and have fun."  Dad said, finishing his
cigarette.

     "Okay, dad."  I said.

     When I went back inside, no one seemed to notice I'd been gone.  I
played games with my friends and had a good time for the rest of the
evening.  Every once in a while, I think Emily would be watching me.  But
when I went to look at her, she was doing something else.

     When everyone had left, mom surprised me when she decided to save the
clean up until morning.  I went to bed happy and ready for Christmas.  But
when I woke up in the middle of the night throwing up, I knew who to blame.
And on Christmas, I didn't have to help clean up, but I spent the day
throwing up and feeling miserable all day long.  Thanks Brett!!

                     The End of Part Two: Cold Winter


Okay, that'll do it for Part Two!  Up next, Part Three, which should be in
February.  That'll give me a chance to recharge the ol' writing batteries
and get everything pretty much the way I want it for the next segment of
Billy's life.

When I started writing, I envisioned Part One as being Billy's story.  Then
I saw Part Two as Brett's story.  Now, in part three, we'll see where they
go from here.  They know what they're feeling, at least they think they
know.  I promise you won't miss any major developments in the relationship
between Part Two and Part Three.  Also, this can be considered an ending
for you if you don't want to commit for the long haul.  This spot in the
story can be considered your jumping off point.  You've got a pretty happy
ending and can go on with your life.  If you're staying on, I'll see you in
February!

Now comes the fun part for me, begging for mail!!  Let me know what you've
thought so far!  What did you like?  What did you scratch your head and say
"What?" about.  Who's your favorite character?  What's your favorite part
of the story so far?  Anything you can think of, I'd love to hear it!  Send
mail to:

                vicioussquirrel@hotmail.com

Thanks for being a part of this story!  I can write all I want, but without
someone to read it, then who cares?  You have made this a worthwhile
experience for me, and I thank you!  See you later!

    Jeff