PreRelease: Before We Met - Track 3 (Part A)
And we live in a beautiful world …
We live in a beautiful world
Oh all that I know is nothing to run from,
Cause everybody here got somebody to lean on
“Don’t Panic” - Cold Play
Buck stood by his father in front of Bella door cheerful, like he had done a few times before,
already anticipating a whole afternoon by the pond,
looking at the reflection in the water
or the tree leaves dancing on the wind,
and dreaming that one day he would be able to make a painting to look as real as great artists did.
Like the ones he had only seen in books or browsing over the internet
and always wished to emulate, but was never even close.
Soon Bella walked out the door greeting them happily and after a look at his father,
she turned to him with a wide grin
“Remember I told you about my son, Buck??"
The blond boy nodded trying to look interested, because he knew better than ignoring an adult when talked to, but the last thing he wanted was to talk about a child he have never even seen before and assisted to that snobby private school like Ripp used to call it.
Besides, he liked Bella and didn’t want to make her feel sad, but she always spoke to him like a little boy, like almost everyone else, when he wasn’t one any more.
Buck was getting closer and closer to finishing elementary school,
but the only one who seamed to notice was his older brother Ripp.
Only he treated him like an equal,
though sometimes being included among the teenagers, had its prize as well.
Normally he was the one cleaning up the mess left behind…
Even with Jill, his neighbor and friend, who about his exact same age, Buck felt constantly patronized.
She would remind of project of upcoming tests, check his homework before school on the bus
and worse… More than once she was the one defending him from being bullied by other students, and kids had plenty of reasons to bother a boy like Buck Grunt.
He was shy, weak, overweight, and abandoned by his mother, as the rumor that eventually spread all around the different hoods implied.
But Jill was his friend above all, his only friend ….
She was the only one who would make him company at lunch time
when the cafeteria was always overwhelmingly crowed
and kids like Hal Cap with the Monti twins
constantly seamed to be looking for excuses and reasons to get worryingly close to them.
Jill was also the only one who would join him at recess
where not only the noise and screams of the playful students always made him feel unsettled,
but Hal Capp was constantly trying to bother them around there as well ….
Even when he needed to face a new class or a teacher,
or worse, a replacement teacher
who were always the weirdest,
or when the others students would complain loudly about their assignment,
Jill’s company was always comforting.
“He’s inside, spending the day here with us. He’s about your same age and… ”
The woman continued enthusiastic, but this time Buck couldn’t pretend to smile anymore. This time he had listened clearly.
….“Inside …. Here ..”??
His stomach shrunk painfully like it did every single time he met someone new, and he certainly wasn’t expecting to meet anyone new that day …. or ever, if possible.
And not only that, but Buck didn’t liked unexpected situations, surprises or sudden changes in plans either. It caused him anxiety, even nightmares at worse times.
Buck liked to keep his life organized and scheduled ahead,
meticulously following the daily routine his father so strictly maintained at home since their mother left
and had become the main foundation and security for the youngest.
But since Bella have became a more regular presence on their household, the intrinsic order on their household started loosing up gradually
and over time even Buck learned to accept the black haired woman randomly inviting them over or coming to visit,
some times bringing bags with groceries,
gift and flowers to put around the house,
others even replacing or rearranging the furniture in their rooms.... his room...
because at the end it always seamed for the best.
…As well as many other things that changed in their home directly or indirectly because of her ….
Like his brothers, whose endless circle of insulting and poking each other
was slowly replaced for less threatening interactions.
Thought of course their erratic teenager behavior was still a constant cause of unexpected situations on Buck’s life,
at least their home became increasingly more peaceful and habitable, which endingly was another favorable change for everyone.
Sometime even Jill was the one the one breaking his schedule with random phone calls every time she was bored or had seen something funny or tv, or her baby siblings had cried or giggled more than usual,
but he didn’t mind either, because she was always fun to talk to and above all, she was his friend.
Buck could make exceptions for his friend and his brothers, because he love them. He could even forgive Ripp’s messy room
and eating habits,
because he loved him the most…
And perhaps this time he could make an exception for Bella as well,
but there was still the part of dealing with an unknown boy….
((...Part B - Right Here