See you tomorrow then

After reading Frank’s last email, Jesse closed her laptop and sat back against her bed pillows and stared up at the popcorn ceiling. If Frankie is the kind of kid to put his faith into comic book heroes, she wondered his position on American heroes like her father. Jesse had never really been able to think of her father as a hero, but teachers and strangers seemed to expect her to think so. They were always thanking him and saying how honored they were to shake his hand. As a child, Jesse resented him for their transient lifestyle. When he toured Iraq they were stationed in Germany, an unfriendly environment for a little girl who was still grasping the English language. Now at sixteen, Jesse had grown out of that childish selfishness, understood his duty, and also a great deal about the masked man in green. However, she wasn’t so sure that her father really knew anything more about her, which kind of worked out. Years ago a silent agreement was made between them; you to yours and me to mine. Her father could go out as many times a week as he wanted, stay out as late as he wanted, and Jesse would never say a thing. All he had to do was leave a note. That was his rule, not hers. Perhaps he felt it justified it.

And Jesse, well, excluding any piercings and tattoos, Jesse was free to do as she pleased. And, rather unfortunately, as she got older she was really starting to take advantage of that. After all, trouble really only builds when you’re in one place for too long. So if she and the green masked man continued to leap around the globe, trouble would never catch up to her.

Tomorrow would be her first day at another new school. She’d alreadying decided during a previous to email to Frankie that she’d be a good sport about this place, not be the bitchy know-it-all, been-there-done-that, no-shit girl. Potentially, this place could be fun.

Frankie,

So tomorrow’s the big day, I guess. Am I supposed to meet you somewhere? I’m skateboarding to school, the guy at the grocery store said it wasn’t too far. How do you get to school? I went for a run yesterday and I think I passed by your store, but I wasn’t sure. What’s the name of it? Anyway, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. The grand meeting, right?

Jesse

It sounded funny, oddly out of character and a bit sarcastic, but it would have to do. She closed her laptop once more, shoved it aside and began tying up the laces of her running shoes.

In Hopes Of A New First Impression

Frankie walked home from school everyday. He could take the bus, it would have been faster. But when you’re a kid forced to live in isolation, sometimes it’s what you crave. The walk home shed any misconceptions he had of the city. If he started to get drawn in by the television ads and the youth group posters hung in his school hallways, a walk past the alleys and the beach quickly reminded him that this city only cared about itself. So he strolled, keeping his own ego in check by comparison. It wasn’t a long walk, so it wasnt a long time until he found himself at home. His palace, yes. His home base, of course. His sanctuary, hardly. It wasn’t long before his father, strong yet silent Chuck, and mother (strong and loud) Cynthia found their way home, each going about the little nuances of their own lives. While Chuck watched some Tv, Cynthia worked on unpacking groceries. While Chuck set the table, Cynthia talked on the phone. The only thing they did together as a couple, or as a family, was eat. And even the dinner table had taken on its own choreographed routine: Yes, he had a good day at school. Of course, he had homework. Indeed he WOULD get started on it after dinner.

He crawled his way up to his room, closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief: peace, at last. Waking up his computer he finally woke up himself, sleepwalking and sleeptalking through the last half hour at the table, rather then waste any brain function comprehending either his father’s work in issuing building permits or his mothers newest yoga experience (or their need to share it.) He strolled around his favorite websites, counting down the next release of his favorite comic and keeping tabs on his forum posts. These people were probably the only ones who understood what he sees in comics. His parents thought it was nothing more than an after school job, and his peers figured it was nothing more than his usual nerdiness made apparent. But in comics Frankie saw hope, he saw people working to improve and protect the world against injustice. In his mind it was the world in which he belonged. However, instead of cruising the skies saving innocents he was forced instead to defend against the injustice of another nights math homework. Just the even numbers this time, how pleasant.

In an attempt to distract himself for just a few more seconds, Frankie signed into his e-mail expecting nothing. What he ended up with was a reply from the new kid, Jesse. Embarrassment flooded his mind as he made sense of the first few lines…Jesse was also a girls name. Statistically speaking, it was probably a 50-50 shot. Frankie had guessed wrong, and guessing wrong had not only cost him his shot at a good first impression, but his shot at a good first impression with a girl. On top of that, she was due at school in not time and Frankie had no idea what to do. Overall he liked this person, boy or girl, and he had absolutely no idea how to entertain. Taking a deep breath and a large gulp of soda Frankie became more determined now than ever to win this persons affection, or at least to not lose it two e-mails in.

Sensing it was time for a little damage control and definitely not time for math, he replied:

Jesse-

I’m sorry to hear you’re not into watching the team. I guess I’m not either, that is unless they are due for some new additions. And as much fun as a surf team would be to the other 80% of the school population, I would be a fan for a different reason: more exposure to sharks. Gonna go ahead and apologize for the assumption that you’re a guy; this whole chaperone to a new student thing is new to me.

I’m still contractually obligated to show you around school, and the city. I’m sure it is the least I could do for the earlier faux pas. But I’ll have to show you some comics too. In fact, that will be easy because I work at a comic shop. If you’re planning on getting a job, I could probably help you look around for that too. The shop has pretty horrible pay but it lets me mix business with pleasure. I wouldn’t say that they’re super popular here in California, so your comic lessons will have to be pro bono. At least you’re familiar with Batman and Superman, they’re teammates for the Green Lantern! Either way I’m sorry to hear that you haven’t come across more comic stores.

I put a period in front of my name because it looks better than “sincerely” or anything fake like that. It switches things up, puts the ending at the start of my name. Maybe it could be a symbol for beginning where other things end, new beginnings even?

.Frankie

Wondering if it was too much, or too open, or too short Frankie hit send either way. It was well past his personal deadlines, and Frankie still had math to do.