"Oh, fix yourself, boy!" His mother licks her thumb before rubbing his cheek to get the little speck of syrup on his cheek.
"Mother, It's just a convention. I don't need to look shining." Ethan mumbles as his eyes flutter closed due to his mother's thumb rubbing his cheek.
"Yes, but Mrs. Schottsman said her girl is tagging along. You do realize when you both got into that scuffle with that girl on the first day, Mrs. Schottsman has had a bad image of us. I don't want her to know us as a bad family so be on your best behavior." Mrs. Pinwick explains, fixing the nickpicks of his clothes.
"Heard Priscilla was coming too, be nice to her as well." His mother continues, pushing his hair back.
"Oh, why won't your hair stay back?" She groans in frustation, trying to slick his chestnut curls back. "I guess I need to get the gel." She sighs and goes into the first floor bathroom.
"You can't tame short curls, mother. I think that's a little too fancy, you know? It's just an outing, no need for hair styling gel." Ethan ruffles his hair back and follows his mother into the bathroom.
"I suppose you're right." She sighs, standing straight up and heading to the kitchen with Ethan following like a little duckling.
"Oliver, did you ready the money like I asked you to?" Mrs. Pinwick asks as she passes her husband in the kitchen while he sat reading the morning newspaper.
"Yes, I did. Want me to give it to him?" Mr. Pinwick responds, setting down the newspaper and reaching into his front pocket.
"Please." His mother turns on the sink, grabbing a sponge and squeezing it under the running faucet.
"Ethan, here. One hundred dollars, ten for the bus, twenty for entry and the rest for miscellaneous. Spend it wisely." Ethan's father hands him a fifty, a ten, and two twenties which Ethan takes gingerly before folding them and putting it into his front pocket.
"Be back by nine sharp! No excuses." His mother calls over her shoulder.
Ethan nods, going to the front door and putting on his shoes and sweater.
"Bye, bye!" Marriane calls from where she stood on the top stair, in her blue striped pajamas.
"Bye," Ethan calls as he heads out of the house into a bright day despite the fall making itself known days prior.
As he arrived at the bus stop, he saw Priscilla Greenfield waiting for him near the sign that read; "Bus Stop."
She wore something reasonable for the weather. A nice white dress and white stockings, both of which made the shiny black Mary Jane's that covered her feet stand out.
"Ethan, hey!" She calls, waving at him. Ethan smiles and jobs up to the bus stop.
"You're thirty minutes early." He says as he takes a seat on the bench and she follows his movements, plopping down beside him.
"Yes, I know. My mother rushed me out saying how she wanted to get a break from me." Priscilla giggles, kicking her legs up and down slightly.
"Oh, where's Irene?" Ethan questions softly, looking around for any sight of her brown braids.
Priscilla frowns, following his gaze into the distance. "Oh? She was supposed to come?" She asks, her tone more low and slow.
Ethan's smile returns to his face. "Yeah, she did say she would think about it and my mother said Mrs. Schottsman said she would be coming."
Ethan was oblivious to Priscilla's frown deepining, her blonde eyebrows furrowing.
"Right."
"Be good, Irene." They both hear a soft voice in the distance and their heads turn to Mrs. Schottsman, who walked beside a familiar scowling face.
"Good morning, Mrs. Schottsman." Ethan greets as she approached the bus stop and near the bench which they sat.
"Morning, Pinwick boy. Ethan, I believe?" She smiles softly, looking down at him with bright blue eyes.
"Yes," he says, exchanging a kind handshake with the woman.
"Alright, take care of her." And with that, Mrs. Schottsman parts, leaving the three in silence.
"So, how was your day?" Ethan breaks the silence, glancing over to Irene who stood with her arms crossed.
She scoffs and turns her head the other way, making him look down at his lap at the awkwardness.
Priscilla glances at Irene but otherwise, she says nothing to the girl and Irene says nothing back.
Ethan smiles and stands up, stretching his arms above his chestnut colored curls as he spots the bus.
As the bus pulls up at the bus stop, Priscilla was watching him quietly.
She sucks her teeth and looks away as Irene boards the bus first. Then Ethan, and then Priscilla.
Ethan walks onto the bus, putting his money into the "pay here" box.
There were six other people on the bus. He immediately recognized Liam Walker, who waved at him enthusiastically.
"Hey, Ethan!" He calls with a smile. The seat next to him was empty but then he looks and sees Irene is also sitting by herself. The boy thought that maybe Priscilla and Irene could use this chance to make up with each other so he ultimately sat with Liam.
Priscilla though, did not sit with Irene like Ethan had hoped and she instead sat a row above him.
"Going to the convention too?" Liam asks excitedly, taking out his orange notepad.
Ethan smiles and nods, looking at him. "Yeah, the last one was pretty nice so why not go this year?"
"Oh, Pinwick, I heard it so! I could not go last year." Liam sulked, writing in his orange notepad.
"Mama said no, said I was too young to be going out by myself to a convention. But i'm fourteen in about a month so she let me go this year." Liam explained leaning back into the bus seat.
Ethan smiles as he speaks to Liam about whatever topic came to mind. Ethan couldn't help but glance at Irene, who was staring at the window silently by herself.
Trees and endless roads were all beyond the glass. Ethan smiles softly before turning his attention back to Liam and their conversation.