The Assassination

Ever since I was little all I ever knew how to do was fight. At school, I'm known for picking fights here and there, beating the crap out of anyone who dared insult my existence and I loved it.

Mom always gets worried about me, she says I might get myself killed one day, I always laugh at her statement, she hopes I would change.

Dad on the other hand isn't waiting for a miracle, he tries his best to 'put some sense into me' by sending me to therapists and making me attend those boring anger management meetings. They rather made me more mad, so mad that I almost punched one of my therapists. Yeah I know, I'm a rebellious twelve-year-old.

In the small town where I live, news spreads like wildfire, and people who I didn't know, knew who I was. Kids at school don't even dare cross my path. I guess you can say I have a really bad reputation.

I have no friends cause all the other kids think I fight out of sheer habit, which is not entirely true, don't mess with me and my fist won't befriend your face.

There's this one kid, who, unfortunately, didn't get the memo and my fist and his face ended up becoming best friends.

I'm currently sitting on a bench watching other kids chatting, running around, fooling with each other trying to avoid me and not step on my toes figuratively and literally.

I'm not sad because of this, I should even give them credit for being smart.

But then this girl approaches me, I must say she's brave must've taken a lot of courage to want to approach someone who makes everyone shiver in their skin.

"Hey, is this seat taken?" she asks in a small voice. I don't answer and just continue to look ahead. But she sits anyway, which makes me turn to her with a glare, the same glare that sends others running for the hills to my uttermost surprise she smiles.

How? That was my meanest face.

In shock, I examine her features. She has red hair, blue eyes with freckles from her nose to her cheeks, and small pink lips and this was someone I intended to not give a second glance at.

"Please don't get angry I just want to talk to you".

I turn away from her giving her the hint that I don't in fact want to talk.

She extends her hand, "My name's Avery I'm new here what's yours?"

I give her hand a once-over and look away not acknowledging her presence.

Seeing that I wasn't going to bring my hand out she draws hers back, "Look I mean no harm, I've been hearing a lot of bad stuff about you, not to mention the names they've been calling you, everyone says you're not a good person but I don't believe it, my mom told me not to judge anyone by what I hear about them. And I have a feeling that you're different from what they say".

I continue to not look at her, I'm trying to hide it but I'm touched by what she said.

My anger mostly results in violence so I ended up making a pretty bad reputation for myself, but I'm not the devil's spawn and I don't literally have skeletons in my closet as the other kids like to say.

So with them thinking the worst of me they never made the effort to make friends with me, and that's okay cause I don't want friends to begin with.

I sit in silence, pondering over what she said. She stands up with a sigh.

"I get it I should leave... nice talking to you," she turns to go.

"My name's Harley," I let out after she has taken a few steps. She stops instantly and turns to look at me in surprise, I'm surprised myself, something about her just makes me want to I don't know try?

"Come sit," I tell her

She stares at me in shock "What?" she asks in disbelief.

"You wanted to talk right? well, let's talk" At hearing this she smiles and I find myself smiling back.

• • •

The car stops and I sit there examining the house from the window, a huge house I must say, I can tell they just renovated it because the smell of fresh paint still lingers in the air.

Come to think of it, I remember walking through this street because I was bored and decided to take a stroll, and mostly because I had had enough of the lengthy lectures I get from my dad. If I remember correctly this house used to be a dump a huge dump.

The windows had huge cracks in the middle cause some kids thought throwing rocks at windows was fun and a good way to kill time.

The old paint used maybe a millennia ago had worn off, the front door, oh wait it had no front door and I'm so grateful cause this gave me a pretty creepy view of the darkness inside.

To cut a long story short it looked so abandoned, you would think a ghost family lived there. The house was literally on the brink of collapsing into huge rubble.

But looking at it now I fail to believe it's the same house, it doesn't look like the crooked man's house anymore not even a little bit, it's almost as if they tore it down and built it from scratch.

To blow my mind even further it has a garden with a lot of flowers and the lawn was incredibly neat, I'm pretty sure her mom's the type who will kill you if you so much as place your big toe, I know my mom is, and I love doing that to spite her.

"I could've just walked you know, it's not that far" I grumble still staring at the house, leave it to Mom to make it a big deal.

"Honey you finally got a friend and this is the first time you're visiting her house, now I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't drive you there", mom states with a smile.

To be honest I didn't think that our first meeting would lead to this or anything in particular. I thought it was those one-time things that you tend to forget later on.

Okay, Avery might forget and I hate to admit but I don't think I would, she is the only one who talked to me and managed to not piss me off.

I tear my attention away from the house to look at her "Mom please stop making it a big deal" I plead, I would have gone on my knees if I could.

"Why should I?" she asks tapping her manicured fingers on the steering wheel giving me her stop being irrational look I always get that look.

"I was worried you were never going to have friends and now my sugar plum finally has one" she coos pinching my cheek.

"I think I should go with you," she says all of a sudden, which is too sudden for my liking, it's like she's having second thoughts like what am I doing letting my daughter go in there alone? It's Harley for Christ's sake.

"Okay, I'm getting out of here," I inform her before she could give me a hundred and one reasons why she should go with me. I hurriedly open the car door stepping out.

"But don't you think-".

"Sorry, but no I'll be fine".

"But buttercup-"

"Mom, you're going to be late for your meeting I'll be fine okay?".

"Okay, but promise you won't try and pick a fight with anyone".

"Mom why would I do-"

"Promise me" she urges with a serious tone.

I roll my eyes and let out a sigh "Fine, I promise"

She flashes a smile it looks forced though "Good, see you at home" and with that, she drives off.

I turn around to face the house which stands in all its newfound glory. I'm feeling nervous suddenly and I'm like why is this happening when I felt like I could practically not care and storm into the house like I owned the place, a minute ago?

What if I get mad? What if I mess up I should have allowed Mom to come with me.

But I shake my head at the thought no, why did I think that?

Mom would just be watching me like a hawk and make me feel uneasy, I can do this I'll be fine. With that assurance, I step onto the footpath towards the door and knock.

It opens to reveal a very happy Avery. "Harley, you came!" she exclaims and hugs me, at first I wasn't used to this friendly gesture cause I'm a fighter, not a hugger but with time I got used to it cause I had no choice.

Avery likes to hug a lot like a lot.

Yeah," I say wrapping my arms around her. She lets go and takes my hand "Come, I want to introduce you to everyone".

My heart beats loudly as she pulls me in. The house has nice classic decor, above me was a crystal chandelier, which sparkles brightly due to the reflection of the sun.

" I love what you've done with the place".

"Thanks, it looked like a haunted house at first".

Tell me about it

"Mom, my friend's here!" she shouts.

A tall woman with heavy makeup steps into the room her hair's neatly tied into a tight bun, and she's dressed in a pink dress with an apron tied around her waist.

She smiles revealing a set of pearly white teeth.

"Nice to meet you, Avery didn't mention that you are a boy".

Avery shakes her head vigorously clearly embarrassed "Mom, this is Harley and she's a girl".

I couldn't blame her, I have worn a white T-shirt with black jeans and sneakers topped with a black baseball cap.

Mrs. Winchester opens her eyes in shock "Oh I'm so sorry, my deepest apologies".

"It's okay, I get that a lot, even my relatives mistake me for a boy most of the time," I remark. Mrs Winchester chuckles at this, I wasn't intending to be funny but hey I'm not complaining.

"I like her already," she says giving Avery a brief look and turning her attention back to me.

"Please sit down and let's chat".

I reluctantly take a seat on the couch feeling uncomfortable even though the couch feels super comfy.

"Okay, you both do that while I get us some drinks" Avery exclaims with excitement humming to herself and practically skipping to the kitchen.

I must say Mrs. Winchester is so lovely, I can't help but fall at ease. I laugh and drink as she tells me about herself, Avery watches liking that her mom and I were getting along.

Suddenly the door bangs loudly startling all of us. A boy who I know too well walks in, I didn't know he was related to Avery, I've never even seen them standing close to each other at school so it never crossed my mind they don't even look alike.

I feel Avery should have told me this cause she knew what I did to him the other day. I look down at my lap hoping my baseball cap would hide my face so he would not see me.

"Hi, Mom" he greets and begins to walk briskly up the stairs.

"How was work?" Mrs Winchester asks stopping him.

"It was surprisingly great, I think I would be able to get the money in a year once I start saving up".

"That is if you start saving up" Avery mumbles.

"You're going to be wrong about that very soon," he says with a scowl.

He was about to head upstairs not glancing my way and I think hey, I might actually make it but then his mom stops him again.

She gestures toward me

"Oh, Henry this is Harley, Avery's new friend".

He looks at me for a moment and finally realising who the girl hiding her face under the baseball cap was he frowns.

"Harley! Avery seriously upon all the girls at school to pick as friends you picked her?"

Avery stands up from the couch aggravated "Yeah, I picked her you got a problem with that?"

Henry stares at her in alarm "Did you seriously just ask me that?"

Mrs Winchester who couldn't take the drama stands up "You both better not start you two, she's our guest where are your manners?"

"Mom from what I said you should know Harley's bad news. This so-called guest is the one who beat me up the other day!" Henry shouts pointing angrily at me.

"Since you claim to be a bad boy I wouldn't mention the fact that I was beaten up by a girl in a lower class if I were you," Avery remarks.

"Shut up!" he yells, he casts a nasty glare at me before storming up the stairs.

Mrs. Winchester looks at her daughter with a serious look on her face "Into the kitchen now!" she orders. Avery gives me an apologetic look before following her mom to the kitchen.

I eavesdrop on their conversation not that I want to, but how can I not with all the yelling going on in there?

"Avery what did I say about friends who are a bad influence!"

"You said I should avoid them at all costs" she replies her voice calm.

"And did you do that?"

"Mom, Harley's not a bad influence she seems like she is but she's not, and I like hanging out with her".

"Well, I forbid you to continue hanging out with her, didn't you see the way she beat up your brother, I could barely recognize him".

"Well, knowing Henry he can be a real jerk, in my opinion, he got what he deserved".

"You should be ashamed of yourself for defending that girl over your brother, why would you pick such a person to be your friend in the first place?"

"I did what you told me, Mom, you said I should not judge people by what I hear about them, are you saying that I should have disobeyed you?"

"Don't use my words against me, young lady, and I'm very sure what they were saying is very true, now go back there and tell her to leave this minute."

Having heard their conversation I stand up as Avery emerges from the kitchen she looks down not able to look me in the eye.

"Harley I-"

"No need I'm leaving, your mom's right about me, I would advise you listen to her". She raises her head to look at me, I give her a small smile and head for the door, she watches in silence as I close it behind me.

This was a mistake, I shouldn't have gotten close to her, I let my guard down and from that moment I vowed to never repeat it.

The walk home was a sad one as I tried and failed not to think about it.

This is one of the reasons why I didn't want to make friends.

I finally get to my house thinking that no one was home I'm about to take the spare key mom always keeps underneath the welcome mat when the door flings open.

Mom's surprisingly at home and from the way she's smiling at me I can tell that she wants to hear about what happened. I on the other hand just kept my face neutral to not give her any hints of that horrible experience.

"You're back early," she moves aside so I can walk in.

"I could say the same for you," I remark stepping into the house.

She closes the door and turns around beaming at me. I decided to talk before she could say anything.

"How was the town meeting?"

Mom sighs "It was okay, I would give you all the details but I don't want to bore you" she replies then smiling again she asks, "So how was it?"

I remove my baseball cap throwing it onto a nearby couch so that I can run my fingers through my hair, Mom can be so nosy I knew that there was no way she would let it go, she was really excited when I told her I would be going to Avery's house.

"It went great" I blurt out "I enjoyed myself".

Her smile becomes even wider than before but then she scowls so suddenly.

"Harley, you shouldn't lie, you know I always know when you lie".

I look down at the floor, she's right she always knows, but I still lie to her face anyway.

"Before you ask, I kept my promise, I didn't punch anyone" at least not today.

It hurt me that she thinks I'm so violent, I did promise.

Mom breathes a sigh of relief.

"Good, I thought her mom would come barging in here any minute now".

Well, I shouldn't blame her for thinking that, parents have come to tell her that I'm a bully and should be given proper training.

"I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself next time so when are you visiting her again?" she asks excitedly.

"Never"

She stops smiling after my response.

"Never? Don't be like that, don't worry next time will be better".

"There won't be a next time" I explain, "we're not friends anymore" and with that, I run to my room before she could ask me more questions.