(That Honest Smile)

YEARS AGO

(Evan)

I leaned against the side of the house and lit up a cig. I put my head back and took a deep breath, smelling the tangy smoke and the smell of wet leaves, dirt, and a hint of garbage. To my left were two old metal trashcans. One of the lids was slightly off. I walked down to it and pulled the lid over. It was so beat up and bent there was no securing it down.

The smell of the garbage was beyond rotten. It was like it had been sitting there for a month.

“Hey! What are you looking for? A meal?”

I turned and saw someone leaning over the porch, looking down the side of the house right at me. My first natural instinct was to run. That’s what I was good at. Being somewhere I wasn’t supposed to be, doing something I wasn’t supposed to be doing, and then getting caught and running. If it was the cops, I’d run until they gave up. If it was someone else, I’d get to a spot where I was comfortable and then stop and fight.

I saw her dark hair slide over the side of her face. She quickly fought to throw it out of the way. She wanted to look tough and mean but that wasn’t her style. It never was and never would be.

So I smiled and gave a wave. “Hey, Dena.”

“Oh, Evan,” Adena said.

I saw the red rose color spread across her cheeks even at my distance. A small smile flickered but she fought it away.

“What the heck are you doing?” Adena asked.

“Fixing your trash can,” I said. “Smells horrible.”

“Oh. Right. I thought you were picking through…”

I walked toward her. I dropped my cig to the ground and stepped on it. Adena never smoked once in her life. She was so innocent and sort of geeky, the complete opposite of her sister, Anna.

I stood on the ground as she stood on the porch. It was the only time Adena was taller than me.

“Would you have called the cops if I was picking through your trash?” I asked with a grin.

“No. I would have asked what you needed. There’s some leftover meatloaf in the fridge.”

“You would have given someone free food?”

“If they needed it, sure. Why not?”

I grabbed the railing and pulled myself up to the porch. Adena backed up as I swung my legs over the railing. I saw the way she quickly started to pick at her thumbnails with her middle fingers.

I made her nervous. I never understood why but in some way I liked it.

“You’re a really good person,” I said.

“I guess. Are you here for…”

“Hey. I didn’t see you in school today.”

“I rarely see you in school,” Adena said.

I smiled. “Riding out the months, Dena. Then it’s over. Everything okay? You never miss school.”

She tilted her head and smiled. “Didn’t realize you were watching me.”

I winked.

“My, uh, aunt had a doctor’s appointment,” she said. “She needed help. I needed to drive her.”

“You really are a good person,” I said.

I caught myself stepping toward her. In the madness of my life, Adena was a good and calming presence.

“Evan, why were you messing with the garbage?”

I laughed.

Adena… so innocent.

“The lid was off and it smelled bad.”

“Oh. Okay. It’s garbage night anyway. I have to take-”

“I’ll get them for you,” I said.

I turned and went to the railing. I held onto it and jumped over and off the porch. There were two trashcans full of garbage bags. I grabbed a handle with each hand and started to drag.

What the hell are you doing, Evan?

I didn’t really know. I guess I was doing someone a favor. Helping out Adena and her aunt. And Anna. They didn’t have anyone around to help with shit. My buddy Mike, his father was a plumber, and he came over not that long ago to fix their sink. They were forever taking their cars to Andy’s old man’s garage too. Not that anyone was fucking rich in this town or anything.

I dragged the two cans to the curb and turned, trying to think of something stupid to say to Adena to get her to smile again. She had a nice smile and she didn’t smile enough.

Before anything stupid could hit my brain, the door flew open and out came Anna.

She was like a storm and you either danced in her rain or got pummeled by her winds.

Without even realizing it, she smashed her shoulder into Adena, knocking her away.

Anna clutched the railing and leaned forward, smiling. Her bright eyes, bright face, a look of wild and danger that never left her face.

“Is my hot guy taking out the trash?”

“Nope, just guarding it.”

“That’s so fucking sexy, Evan.” She hurried by Adena without even seeing her. She charged down the cracked concrete steps and charged at me. “So fucking sexy.”

She jumped at me and I had to catch her.

Her arms and legs went around me way too tight.

I felt my stomach do a flip.

What was I doing here?

Through a friend of a friend of a friend, I ended up getting roped into Anna. Which had its good moments, bad moments, and was forever wild.

I glanced over at Adena as she stood on the porch.

“What time will you be back?” Adena called out to Anna.

Anna pushed from me and turned. “When I get back, okay? Don’t worry… Beth knows I’m leaving. No need to get all scared about me being gone.”

“Hey, you should come with us,” I said. “I’m sure I can call-”

“Her?” Anna asked and pointed to Adena. “You want her to go out? To go to the bowling alley with us? She’ll probably actually try to bowl!”

I didn’t laugh but Anna did.

Going to the bowling alley… you didn’t bowl. You either hung around the arcade, the little food place, or if you were brave enough, sneak into the back room where there were pool tables. Or find a corner to make out with someone. The parking lot was freaking huge which gave plenty of places to park your car, hide, and… you know.

“I’m fine here,” Adena said.

She gave a wave to me.

“Come on,” Anna said. “I’m bored.”

She grabbed my hand.

We started to walk.

I looked back and saw Adena was watching us.

I gritted my teeth for a second.

Then I waved back to her.

This, of course, was all before the dress, the ring, the accident, and every fucked up situation I allowed myself to get into because of Anna.