Chapter 8

I woke up in the morning throwing on my running gear. I headed down the stairs surprised to find Lance there and waiting for our run.

“Morning sleeping beauty” he laughed my dad chuckled as well.

“Morning to you too sunshine” I said sarcastically. I popped a strawberry in my mouth as I went for the door.

“Coming slow poke?” I grinned. Lance fallowed I waved my parents off and began to set the pace at a nice jog.

“I was under the impression we were running today man I must have been mistaken” Lance was on my last nerve. I sped up, passed him and kept going with all I had. I stopped at my bench to find Lance several feet behind. A little boy came running up to me just as the week before: Blake duh.

“Hey Blake” I waved my fingers his smile doubled in response.

“Who is that?” he pointed a finger towards Laurence.

“A friend, his name is Laurence” I said “you can call him Lance” I smiled down at him. Lance finally caught up.

“Lance this is Blake, Blake Lance” I introduced the two.

“Lets play” Blake grabbed one of my hands and one of Lance’s hands. We played with him for an hour or so before he began to tire. It was fun, it was like being a little kid again. Blake left with his mom, she thanked us generously. We waved goodbye and started to walk back towards my house.

“Sorry about that, I forgot I had made plans last week” I laughed a little

“I had fun” he laughed too. “You never told me how popular you were” he grinned at me.

“Shut up” I said in an admittedly a girlish way laughing a little. “Hungry?” I asked still laughing.

“Depends on what’s for breakfast” he grinned stepping into my house. I led the way to our small kitchen. I opened a cabinet to find we were out of cereal.

“Hmm we seem to be out of cereal, pancakes?” I asked turning around. To my surprise Lance had been right behind me, now he was right in front of me. While in the midst of my shock Lance took the pancake mix from right hand that was still raised.

“I’ll take that, go shower you smell” he laughed and the moment was much lighter again I punched his arm he flinched and moved out of my way.

“Oh thanks you’re so sweet” I stuck out my tongue before I flounced out the room and bounded up the stairs, my mothers voice caught me mid-way up.

“Is Laurence in the kitchen?” she asked smiling.

“Yes, I think he is going to cook something, imagine that” I said sarcastically. My mother laughed and spoke again.

“I am glad to see him over again such a nice boy” she smiled and went back to papers. I went to my room stripped my cloths threw them in my hamper and went into my bathroom I showered washing all the sweat and grim off my body. When I stepped out I wrapped a white fluffy towel around my body before opening the door to my room.

“Ahh!!!”I screamed nearly dropping my towel. A large brown spider was on my white carpet crawling towards me. I froze out of fear. I was barely aware of shouts coming from downstairs.

“Are you okay?” Lance yelled as he bust through my door. I pointed frantically at the creature with to many legs that sat on my floor. He sighed relief chuckled a little and called down the stairs.

“Its just a spider I got it” he called over his shoulder. I heard my dad laugh and say okay. Why was everyone laughing this was not funny. Lance grabbed a paper cup from the guest bathroom down the hall and caught the spider in it.

“B you seriously need to man up, it was a spider” he laughed.

“Easy for you to say you’re not terrified of the thing” I scowled at him. He walked to my window opened it tossed the spider out than shut it again. I looked at him incredulously.

“That’s because it’s smaller than my palm” he raised his hand to show. I turned away from him going to my dresser.

“I hate spiders” I said firmly sifting through my shirts finding a light pink camisole. I grabbed a pair of white jean shorts from the drawer below.

“Duly noted” he said stifling a laugh while exiting my room and shutting the door behind him. I changed towel dried my hair and scrunched it a little with some gel. I skipped down the stairs catching a whiff of syrup and whipped cream.

“Smells delicious” I said taking a plate from the cupboard handing it to Lance than taking one for my self. I put on a couple pancakes; than put strawberries and whipped cream on mine and walked to the dinning room table.

“What did you do to the poor pancakes I made?” Lance sat across from me his pancakes drizzled with syrup.

“Made them better” I joked. He faked a hurt look. My dad came in from outside, sweat beading down the side of his face from mowing the grass, but he was smiling brightly. He took great pride in caring for the lawn.

“Mr. Renaldo you look like you could use a bite, there’s plenty extra in the kitchen” Lance gestured to our food.

“Good to see you Lance” he smiled waved casually and walked into the kitchen.

“So what are we doing today?” Lance asked taking large bites of his breakfast.

“I am going to work on the boat with my dad, what are you doing?” I asked grinning.

“What a coincidence I was going to work on a boat with your dad, wonder if it’s the same boat” he smiled wickedly with a gleam in his eye.

“Oh really, well not to offend you, but you kind of smell, maybe you could manage a shower before than” I suggested in a fake snotty tone that made Lance laugh, I couldn’t help joining.

“I think I can take care of that” he said getting up taking his plate.

“Leave it I can get it” I offered as I took another bite.

“Thanks B” he said putting the plate down “See you in twenty” he winked at me as he walked towards the door.

“Is that a threat or a promise?” I asked.

“You choose” he said lightly shutting the door behind him.