Out of Time (7 page)

Sasha walked with Mandy to the buses. They
were all lined up in the school parking lot, waiting to pick up
students. Mandy started to walk towards her bus, number twenty-one,
as Sasha told her bye. Mandy turned back and shouted,

“See you tomorrow if your parents won’t let
you! They are going to be pretty upset over you getting detention.”
Sasha knew in the back of her mind she had planned something with
Mandy that evening, but couldn’t remember what. It was hard trying
to dig up memories from over five years into her past.

“I’ll call.” Sasha answered back as the door
started to close behind Mandy. In a whisper she said to herself,
“You already moved, thank goodness.” Mandy used to live much
closer. Her parents move in from another state three years prior
and they were nearly neighbors. Then this year, Mandy’s parents
moved out into the country so they could tend a small organic
garden and care for antibiotic-free animals.

As the buses started to depart, Sasha headed
back to the school. Her mind was racing with thoughts.
So my dad
is alive?! I can’t wait to see him. This is all very, very weird. I
should have went to the bathroom and checked out myself. I don’t
know what I look like. I don’t remember what I looked like. Wait a
minute
. She paused for a moment, and sat down on the parking
lot sidewalk, opening up her backpack and taking out a small purse.
She rummaged through it in search of a compact.
Man I was messy.
I know I kept a mirror in here...somewhere.
She started to
slowly empty the contents of her purse until she found what she was
looking for.
Ah! There it is.
She opened it and took a
glance at herself. Her heart went down into the pit of her stomach.
Whoa. Now I remember what I used to look like. I
do
look
young.
She was the younger version of herself. A little
chubbier in the face, which she lost during freshman year when she
decided to join the track team. Even after she discovered
competitive sports weren’t for her, she still continued running
while in high school. Her face had perfect skin, as the onset of
freckles from staying out in the sun too long in eighth grade
hadn’t occurred.

“I wonder if there is a way to save my dad.”
Sasha thought aloud as she put the contents of her purse back in,
and then stuffed it all in her backpack. “I’m sure there would be.
I just need to be more careful. I don’t want my parents thinking
I’m crazy. I just need to stew on it.” She stood up and threw the
backpack over her shoulder, fitting her arms in the straps. “Mandy.
She’s really annoying at this age. Was
I
this annoying?”

“Come on in Sasha.” Mrs. Burns called from
the steps of the school as Sasha started walking back. “I’ve got a
desk with your name on it. I know you’ve got homework to do.”

“Yes ma’am.” Sasha said without hesitation.
There was no arguing her way out of this one.

“
Now
you want to be polite and
proper?” Mrs. Burns said with a smile as she put her hand on
Sasha’s backpack and urged her inside. “Come this way.”

They walked down the hallway corridor in
silence. Sasha remembered the high school and couldn’t believe she
forgot how much it changed over the course of the years. They had
to have temporary schooling in mobile units until the building was
complete.

They entered the social studies room and
Sasha sat down in the char, this time remembering to remove her
backpack before doing so. She pulled out some paper and a pen from
her backpack and started on her homework. All that could be heard
was page flipping from the teacher, reading a sappy novel, the
studious writing of Sasha, and the room’s clock ticking away. Sasha
stopped writing, mumbling to herself,
Too easy
.

“Done already? Let me look at those papers.”
Mrs. Burns said as she closed her book and came towards Sasha, hand
outstretched. She shuffled through the pages while deftly scanning
over the answers. “All correct answers. Your handwriting has
improved quite well since just yesterday. What have you been
doing?”

“Uh...” Sasha started, not sure how to
explain the situation to her teacher. “Practicing. At home.”

“Well, I don’t think I can have you sitting
in here longer just staring at the ceiling.” Mrs. Burns laughed and
smiled. “If you are learning at home and can apply it to class, it
would be better that you go home. Perhaps even detention is a bad
idea. Would you like me to drive you?”

“It’s not that far.” Sasha said.

“Yes, but you are young and I don’t want to
be responsible if anything happened to you. You can sit in the
front. Your mom said she wouldn’t be able to get out from a client
meeting until five and I don’t want you being unproductive. She
didn’t mind me driving you.” Mrs. Burns explained and Sasha
relaxed. How bad could a drive with her teacher be?

“Okay.” Sasha replied.

“You live on Pinecrest, right?” Mrs. Burns
asked sweetly, pulling one of the clips from her hair and setting
it down on her desk. She ruffled her hands through the area so it
didn’t look so stiff and flat against her face.

“Yea.” Sasha stated.

“I thought so.” Mrs. Burns said as she
grabbed her keys and purse. She led Sasha back through the halls
and towards the parking lot.

As Sasha reached her house, she left the
passenger seat of Mrs. Burns’ car and waved goodbye, slinging the
backpack over her shoulder carelessly. She didn’t mind if her mom
yelled at her. She didn’t even mind if her dad yelled at her. To
see his face one more time — to hear his voice one more time, it
was all she could ask or hope for.

As she reached the entryway, about to press
the bell, not realizing she had a key in her backpack, her mother
swung the door wide open, exclaiming, “There you are!”

“Hi Mom.” Sasha said softly, waiting to hear
her mother raise her voice.

“Your father and I are going to have a talk
with you. Detention? Really?” she asked, disappointed in her
daughter. Sasha was surprised that in general, her mother was being
very gentle about the whole situation. Then again, it was her first
detention.

“You don’t understand. You wouldn’t
understand.” Sasha replied, knowing full well she wouldn’t be able
to explain the situation regarding the
real
reason why she
was not in class.

“Oh, I’ve skipped class plenty in my time,
but never in sixth grade. Also, just because I did it, does
not
make it right. You hear me?” Sasha’s mom said. Sasha
took a deep breath. Her mom was cranking up.

“I didn’t...” Sasha started, and then stopped
herself, reminding her of her discussion with Mandy and how it
didn’t go over well. At all.

“Don’t argue with me. Your father is in the
garage. I’m going to get him. Go sit down on the couch. I’ll be
right back.”

Sasha waited patiently, exactly where her
mother told her. “Oh boy. How am I going to get out of this one? I
didn’t even do anything wrong. I can’t defend myself. I can’t
explain myself.” she said under breath. She then heard a door close
and two sets of feet, walking along the floor from the garage.

“What do you have to say for yourself, young
lady?” Sasha heard and her heart leapt as she turned and stared
into the face of her father. He looked so young and dashing. His
hair was slicked back and he was dressed down in a pair of dark
blue jeans and an opened plaid shirt with a white undershirt
peeking through.

“I’m sorry.” she said through gritted teeth,
trying to fight back the tears that wanted to fall from the years
of grief she’d been holding back and the moments that she wished
she could see him again, just one more time.

“That’s all?” he wondered, raising an
eyebrow.
Did she even have any remorse
?

“I shouldn’t have done it and I’m sorry.”
Sasha said, giving into the lie. It was easier than telling the
truth, which they definitely wouldn’t have believed. At least with
Mandy, she was a child. Things of this nature and one’s imagination
didn’t have too much separation. “Mrs. Burns said I don’t have to
go back to detention.”

“She hasn’t called me otherwise.” Sasha’s mom
said, glancing over to the wall unit hanging up in the kitchen.
Just then the phone began to ring, as if on cue. “I’ll get it.”

“I bet that’s her.” Sasha stated as her mom
waved her off.

“It’s so nice to hear from you again as well,
Mrs. Burns.” Sasha could hear her mom say. “Really? Okay, I’ll tell
him. He’ll want to know. Yes, she told me. Thanks.”

“Well?” Sasha asked as her mother put down
the phone on the receiver.

“Yes, that was Mrs. Burns telling me that
detention would be a waste of time for you. I don’t know what
you’re doing, but well...keep it up.” Sasha’s mom said and Sasha
beamed happily.

“Just don’t skip class again.” her dad said
with a sigh.

“I won’t.” Sasha said, pausing in thought.
What if this happened in the future, if she wasn’t able to get back
to the right time? She added, “Try anyway” in a hushed whisper.

“I’ll be in the kitchen making dinner.”
Sasha’s mom called out. Sasha turned to her dad, who was still
standing behind her.

“Can I call Mandy?” she asked. Her mother had
heard her and replied before she could say anything.

“I think you lost that privilege today.”

“Okay.” Sasha said, and got up from the sofa.
She could hear the pots and pans rattling from the kitchen. Her mom
was actually making dinner...not ordering out. Sasha remembered
what it was like, to sit down at the table together as a family,
enjoying a home-cooked meal. She closed her eyes and recollected,
the corners of her mouth turning up into a smile. She opened her
eyes, although still not wanting the moment to end, and turned back
to her dad.

“Dad, can I talk to you?” she asked him.

“Not now, I’m working on the car.” he told
her. He had been pulled away when it was time for discipline, but
now he was ready to finish his work.

“I need to. Can I go in there and watch you?”
she asked.

“If you want. You’ve never taken an interest
before. I thought it was a girl thing. You not wanting to get dirty
or something.” he told her.

“I have a new appreciation.” she commented,
holding back a giggle.

“Big words.” her dad smirked.

“I’ve been reading.” Sasha said, almost
boastfully.

“Uh huh. Why don’t you meet me there? I’m
going to grab a beer.” he said, walking towards the kitchen.

“Okay.” Sasha said as he opened the door of
the fridge, surveying which one he’d partake of today. The Midleton
adults enjoyed sampling microbrews and often took brewery tours,
especially when they went on adult-only vacations, leaving Sasha
behind with a babysitter (which she luckily had grown out of). They
collected bottles along their way and liked trying them in
different intervals.

“By the way, the light switch on the outside
of the door just shorted out so you’ll need to go turn on the one
inside.” he shouted to her as she started to head towards the
garage.

She retorted, “I’m not scared of the
dark.”

“I just don’t want you to miss the step. I’ll
be there in a minute.”

As Sasha came up to the door she opened it
and walked in, leaving it open a crack so she would at least get
some ambient light, and it was still fairly dark. She tried to comb
the wall with her fingers, but wasn’t having any luck. “Okay, so
where’s the light switch? I’m feeling around and I can’t find it.”
Just then, the door to the garage closed.

“Damn door.” Sasha said, wringing her arms in
frustration.

“Shh Sasha. You’re gonna attract attention.”
she heard from next to her. She recognized the voice, but just
barely. It didn’t help it was said in a whisper. Simon.

“What are you doing in my dad’s garage?” she
asked, also hushed.