31.1.09

snakebites

Dayton waited in the cold as the throng of kids came out into the snow, melting into a cold ice as the wind gusted. Snow hit his face. He squinted for the longest time wondering if she'd be the last one out. His luck, she'd be just a little demon princess ready to kick him in the shin as soon as she saw him.

This was just not going to work. Tony would see it wouldn't work out. The next thing Dayton felt sure of, he would be back to parking himself in front of the TV at Geoff's. That's all he was good for, evidently.

"Snakebites!" He then heard someone yell. He looked up and a skinny African American girl was running toward him as if she might tackle him. She was smiling as if he was just what she ordered.

"Hillary?" Tony hadn't exactly told him what she looked like. Her hair was a mop of silky black curls and she was in an outfit that was definitely from one of those latest teen online stores.

"Yeah, and you're Snakebites," she shrugged. "I've decided."

"Actually my name's Dayton," he said.

"I can't go for that," she looked him over. "Snakebites. Its much better."

"OK." He guessed he could live with that for the next three hours that he had to hang around with her until her father got home.

So it was just a few blocks to their house which was practically a mansion in Dayton's eyes. It was in one of the older homes in the neighborhood, but it was superb inside with new wood flooring and a state of the art kitchen. Dayton was expecting servants, but there weren't any.

"So what do you do when you get home?" Dayton hadn't been left with an list.

"I blog for a while," she shrugged putting her coat away. "You know, check my friends blogs, see if anyone commented. Comment back. Have my tea, of course, and do my homework."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Dayton just nodded.

"What are you going to do?"

"dunno." Dayton hadn't thought that far. "Am I suppose to do something?"

"You mean you don't have a laptop or a blackberry or something?"

Dayton shook his head, no.

"Damn, you don't know what you're missing boy," Hillary just grinned. "Rudy always had his blackberry."

"Rudy?"

"My Dad's boyfriend. OK, his ex-boyfriend. Gone for good Rudy, he calls him now." She told Dayton.

"Where did he go to?"

"I think back to Mexico." She checked the kitchen then for snacks. "Are you hungry?"

"No, that's OK." Dayton felt lost in the huge kitchen. "Somebody must cook a lot."

"Dad says he's always going to, but he never does," Hillary said as she got out some cheese and crackers along with some green grapes. She put on the kettle then.

"So do you watch any of your Dad's plays?" He wondered how this worked. Why wasn't there a houskeeper or someone to take care of her?

"Every now and then?"

"Who stays with you when your Dad's away?"

"See, that's the problem. Dad goes through help like there is no tomorrow. " She smiled. "I could take care of myself. Even though he worries. He stays away from work most nights. Says he's got people he can trust there. Just not at home."

Dayton could see he'd be out the door in no time.

5 comments:

dawn said...

oh no he won't. hillary will teach him a million things and he'll eventually love it! she's such a fun person. perfect to bounce off of dayton. and snakebite....how great!

ellie said...

I love the new Header..and Hillary too.

Cate said...

"Snakebites", haha. Hillary is funny. I have a feeling that Dayton and Hillary are going to have to do something with each other for more than three hours. Somehow I have a feeling they'll meet again. Oh, but don't mind me ^^
Haha, she blogs! But she's pretty young for that, isn't she??

Unknown said...

I so love the new header..and pics too. Oh..just what he needed.

taffy. said...

I love the header. And I'm so glad that Hillary isn't a complete brat. I like her, I think.