Buttercup Peach (Chapter 1)

Chapter 1 - Pj



I’m seventeen. Seventeen years to my worn heart. I go by Lily, Lil if we know each other; and buttercup peach if you’re him. But only, if you’re him.  My parent’s don’t understand themselves and what they have to deal with. They are divorced and living across the country, and still with the wonderful help of cell phones that is not nearly far away enough. My littler brother is six; and the happiest child in the world. Most say ignorance is bliss, and he’s living, breathing proof of that. His name is PJ and he has autism. Another thing my parents don’t understand is their son. No one understands Pj like me. Pj has never spoken a solid word in his life before, but to me he speaks thousands every single day; just by using his eyes, and his heart. Pj was my best friend, the best boy I new in the world. If he would ever have the chance to fall in love, he’d stay committed, and be himself 100% of the time. I loved Pj with all my heart; he was the only boy I needed in my world. That all changed though, the day I met Jayden.



She was so delicate with every footstep she took, I couldn’t understand it. My dark black converse slam against the pavement as I take steps, while she’s practically floating.  She was crouched down deep into the sand when I first sighted her, with her bulky cannon firmly resting in her two hands. She was taking pictures of the waves, moving in and out, washing up the shells along the shore. My buddies weren’t to fond of the beauties of the beach; we’d just come here when it got dark to drink, which is why I never really understood her presence there.  It was dark, and though there was a street light along the sidewalk of the beach right above her crouched body, I still felt as though there were a million better things she could have been wasting her time on. Why, on a Saturday night rounding ten o’clock would she be on the beach taking useless pictures? Jack pulled out a beer and handed it to me, and we sipped as I stared at the girl in her peace.

“Let’s steal the camera. I bet it’s worth a couple hundred.”

Jack always did have a sick problem with stealing. Anything worth something he would want to take, probably to put towards his cocaine fund. He was nearly living on the streets with his addiction, and smoking or drinking just about any chance he got when he wasn’t working his minimum wage job. What a life to have at 23.

College never felt right for me or my friends. I was 22 now, I had a job working as a mechanic at my step father’s warehouse. It was a boring, dirty job but after a shower and a beer at the end of each ten hour day the sting really seemed to fade.

“No, leave her alone.”

Jack was pretty surprised by my response, given I wasn’t agreeing with him like I normally would.

“You think she’s cute?”

he nudged the side of my arm and I rolled my eyes as I crushed my can and kicked it off to the side.

“No, I just see that car over there as being more expensive than a god damned camera.”

I had to cover up my attraction to her. She wasn’t my type, she didn’t have a single tattoo on her body, and her skirt had a print of various flowers. I’m surprised Jack didn’t make fun of her style.

“Good, I mean what’s up with that skirt anyway. Hahaha.”

Bingo. Jack ran to the partially abandoned Mercedes and broke the glass window with his wrench.

“Let’s go.”

         

I was reviewing my pictures of the vast ocean on my mother’s favorite chair when Pj came running over.  He began poking the side of my arm and slightly throwing his head to the side, which showed me he was curious as of what I was doing. When he saw the picture of the ocean he began to scream and his eye lit up. Pj loved pictures of the ocean. Every weekend when I was at my mother’s with him I would go down to the beach and snap a few, just for Pj to enjoy. I loved seeing him happy, and it was the best thing for me to see. I loved Pj with all my heart, and no one could ever get in the way of that..