Chapter 3- Was

Chapter 3- Was

                William had reached his teen years even as the birthday for the triplets approached. His own birthday had been overlooked by Craig and Kristine. As soon as puberty had set in he had set off in search of his best friend at school, Heather Red. She was a few years older and had gone to high school before he had. He was excited to get to be at school with her again.

                “So,” he began. “I don’t know if you heard the news or not, but I grew up!”

               Heather had long understood William's dry humor and had stood up for him at school once she had finally figured out he wasn’t that bad.

                Both of them had doubled over in giggles over his statement. She had originally wanted to say something witty to him in return, but couldn’t help herself.

                “Did you think I was going to grow up vampire?” William asked with a smile, noting the sculpting tool Heather was carrying with her. “I know you like to take care of yourself, but I figured I was pretty harmless.”

                “Dude, when you called I was working. I just ran over here, didn’t even notice I had it in my hand. Give me more notice next time and I’ll bring a hammer instead!” Heather was forever getting into fights. It’s how the two met, Heather regularly defended William from bullies. She had once pulled a hammer she had taken from shop class out of her backpack and chased Oscar Imaga nearly all the way to the police station. He had hid inside for an hour, waiting for her to leave. Oscar told the officers that he was just checking the place out for future career ideas, not wanting to admit a girl had cornered him. (Albeit a girl with a hammer, but Oscar was fairly well known for his chauvinistic ways.)

                “Aw, Will!” She sighed, hugging him through their mutual hurt. Neither of them got very much notice from their parents. Heather currently lived with a mother who lurched from once financial crises and boyfriend to the next. Her father refused to have anything to do with either of them. At school both were outcasts. Clinging to each other to keep from drowning in a sea of teenage hormones.

                “Here’s a birthday hug from me anyway,” Heather told him.

             “So,” William began. “I talked to my dad the other day… about you… and your mom… and… things.”

                “Will, I have no idea why your dad would care at all about Tammy and I. Just spit it out,” she replied with a smile. He was always so afraid he’d say the wrong thing that sometimes he could barely get words out of his mouth.

                “Well,” William spoke slightly louder this time, trying to sound more confident than he felt. “I told him how your mom got fired again, how you were sleeping on the couch. But when your sister is with you for the weekend how you sleep on the floor. So I asked him if you could move in with us… with your mother’s permission.” He paused. “We have enough beds for 12 people and room for more in that huge house. And we need someone to manage the maid better. Kristine just lets her get away-“

                “William, are you asking me to move in with you?” Heather interrupted him. “I don’t even need to ask Tammy. She won’t care. She thinks I’m just a burden to her; someone else to feed and worry about. I was an accident and remain one. Besides, I’ll be glad to get away from the whore.”

William was able to overlook the slight towards her mother. Heather could be really mean to her sometimes.

“Ha!” William triumphed. “I knew you would do it! When will you do it?”

“Probably before Shawna comes to stay next weekend. Then I won’t have to sleep on the floor.” She answered with a rueful smile. “I don’t have much to pack, and I probably should tell Tammy so she doesn't call the police looking for me, which means tracking her down. That might take a week or so. She’s got a new boyfriend, so I’d have to find him to find her.”

                Suddenly realizing that Heather might already have a high school boyfriend of her own who would need consideration William decides to ask.

                “Are you married?” William blurted out to his horror. “I mean…”

                “No Will,” Heather said trying to relieve him of his awkward question. “I am not in a relationship. I just didn’t have the time and there was no one at school who interested me.”

                William caught her past tense. “Was,” he said softly. “Was.”

                “Yes,” Heather replied. “Was.”

                The paparazzo listening in thought he was going to puke from the sappiness of these two. Why was he sent out to follow these kids? He had hoped to hear about Craig Blue’s crumbling marriage, not this crap. Frankly, it hurt his ears as much as it hurt his brain.

                “The school is filled with big headed jocks who care more about their hair than their grades, much less about me.” Heather reached over to touch his arm gently. She was glad the darkness hid the blush spreading across her cheeks.

                William and Heather had bonded closely as friends long ago. She was searching for a home, he was looking for a family. Maybe it could work.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Sunshyne's note to Shakespeare-

There is a glitch in the game that things can and will often get stuck in a sims hand. Poor Heather had obviously been sculpting when I called her to the park and she came, chisel and all. I decided to write it into the story. William is supposed to be a little weird so it worked. I have Vampires turned off in my game currently. I might turn them back on now that EA has changed how they look and work.

William has the Insane trait which is how I consider him to be weird. His mother was insane too. I liked his mom. Shame I can’t remember her name.