Previously…

I smile and stand to embrace my mother. I whisper in her ear saying “I love you” squeezing her tight

she says “I love you too” she rubs my arm

I grab my ball and another croissant. Alice, Shane, and I head over to the park…

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“The life and times of Bette Porter” chapter 2 of 5

After beating Shane in seven games I had collected seventy dollars. Boy was I excited as I counted the money in front of her face. I said

“ten, twenty, thirty, fourty, fifty, sixty, and seventy” I smiled and waved the lose bills in my hand

Shane collapsed before me on the green bench chugging water down her dry throat. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and layed back against the wood. She looked over at me and said

“I could of won if I had pushed myself”

I said “yeah okay…you wanna go again?” I asked

she said “nawww…I think I’m catching a cramp in my stomach” she lifted her shirt rubbing the spot just below her sports bra”

I glanced over at Alice and she shook her head and smiled. She tapped Shane’s hat and said

“come on cow girl…lets get going…my mom’s waiting for us”

The word mom caught my attention. Where the hell were they going and why was I not invited. I said

“where are you heading to?” looking from Shane to Alice

Alice said “we my dear are going grocery shopping with my mother…wanna come?” she smiles

I said “no thank you…I’ll catch up with you two later” I turn towards the pool and said “I think I’m gonna go for a dip”

Both Shane and Alice follow my eyes. Shane shakes her head and says

“see Al…thanks alot now I’m about to miss all of the fun” she says while looking at the blond

Alice throws her hands up and says “fine go with Bette…I’ll just tell my mother that you couldn’t make it” sadness appears in her child like eyes

Shane looks over at me and I said ” don’t look at me look at her” I turn away

I want no part in this what so ever. I hated when Shane did that. She just had to include me because I was her damn Captain in everything that she did. Not this time. She promised Alice that she would go and personally I think that she should go. We could always swim tomorrow. Wait what am I saying? No they can always swim tomorrow I’m swimming today. I look over at Shane when she said