Electro [hs]

Fourteen

Fourteen ♂

I thought I'd have to really play up the whole getting a job and being responsible thing to Ben if I wanted to stand any hope convincing him to temporarily lift his imposed curfew, but I return home to find Ben in surprisingly good spirits and, even better, on his way out to go to a prayer meeting at his church.

"I got the job," I say. "It's just an orderly gig but it'll look great on my resume." I even have a set of scrubs to lift up and show Ben, all legit and basically an iron clad alibi. As an orderly my scrubs are navy blue, so as not to get us confused with nurses or assistants and it's stupid but I'm kind of pleased about not being forced into wearing such a girly colour.

Men can wear pink too, I hear Harry say in my head. But he can, because he's comfortable in his masculinity. Me, on the other hand? I'm sure most people would forgive me for saying it's a little shakier than his.

"Great. Well done, Charlie. I'm sure your mom would be happy to hear about it too."

I'll send her an email, I think. I'll update her about how things have been going. But it'll have to wait tonight because Harry said I could come over at any time and help him set up, considering we're both from the same trailer park. I wonder if I ought to bring something- but it's not like Ben has anything in the house, apart from the stale liquor cabinet I've already had the best of anyway.

It's no good, I'll just have to bring myself. I was saving the Harry shirt for Electro- but I can't wait.

First, though, I have to take a shower. Just a quick one, I resolve, like ripping off a Band-Aid.

I'm just unbuttoning my shirt, however, when my phone rings. At the start of summer, that would have had me recoiling but now I race to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Hi," it's a female voice, which immediately disappoints me. "It's Chloe."

"Oh, hey," I say, a little puzzled that she'd be calling me. I keep undoing my shirt, and getting ready for the shower, "How's it going."

"Good. Mom dragged me to this church thing. I'm sitting in the bathroom, waiting for it to end."

I give a weak chuckle but don't say anything. I presume that she's called me for a specific purpose so I wait for her to get around to it. But instead she just seems content to make a little more small talk.

"How did the interview go? Did you get the job?"

"Uh...yeah..." I sit on the bed and start to yank my socks off.

"And You wore the outfit I picked out?"

"Yes."

"Awesome! Oh that's really great, Charlie," says Chloe, and for some reason she appears to be happier about it than I am. " So listen, I've got the church thing now, but my mom and your dad are talking about going to get some dinner afterwards. We could hang out while they do stuff?"

"Can't tonight, Chloe. I've got plans," I say, and I can't keep a small element of pride out of my voice. I have plans. With Harry and his friends. With my friends.

"Oh," Chloe's voice sounds small on the phone. And then she asks, "Is it Electro?"

"No, just a BBQ. Wait, you know about Electro?"

Chloe laughs bitterly, "Of course I do. I've lived here my whole life, everyone always used to talk about it at school. But I've never been. Girls like me don't get asked to go to Electro. And my mom would lose her mind if she ever thought I had been to something like that. But you've only been here ten minutes and all those Electro kids already like you..."