Late Dawns and Early Sunsets
Once Upon A Time
“Come on Ant, stop being a pansy!” shouted Charlie from her perch on the roof of her garage.
“I’m not a pansy!” Anthony yelled back, “I’m-I’m just too short to reach the drain.”
She scoffed loud enough for him to hear. “I’m shorter than you are, Ant! You’re just scared.”
“Fine.” Anthony said defiantly, “Here I come!”
Anthony pulled a wooden crate that was sitting on the curb of Charlie’s house and leaned it up against the wall.
I have to do this quick, he thought, otherwise I’ll fall.
He hopped up on the crate and used his hands to get a grip on the roof. Then, his body suddenly propelled itself onto the roof of the garage. If anyone had been watching, they would have said that Anthony had very strong upper arms, but Charlie and Anthony knew better.
“That was amazing,” Charlie whispered, “the air barely rippled!”
“Really?” Anthony asked, panting from the effort of getting up.
“Yeah, it was great. But I thought I’d be waiting till 1960 for you to stop being a pansy and get your fat ass up here! Isn’t the view beautiful?”
Anthony nodded. He lay down, flat, on the roof and put his arms behind his head. Charlie followed suit, and let her head rest on Anthony’s shoulder.
“I’m really going to miss you when you go off to high school.” Charlie said quietly.
“I know. I’ll miss you too.” Anthony replied, letting one arm drop from his head to Charlie’s shoulder, pulling her closer to him.
She turned her head to look into his eyes.
“Why are you even going? You could just take over the restaurant from your father and we could just stay together forever.”
“I want to learn, Charlie. I want to get an education. I love you, I really do, but it’s my dream to become an English professor, not a chef. I swear, when I finish college, I’ll come home for you. Don’t you ever worry about that. You’re the only girl for me, and I’m the only boy for you. We’re meant for each other, Charlie.”
Anthony leant down and kissed her forehead. She kissed his cheek in return.
“Charlotte Alicia Jane Simmons, get down off that roof at instant!”
Charlie grunted, and shuffled out of Anthony’s arm.
“Coming, mom. See you tomorrow Ant, good luck.”
Anthony smiled, and waved her off.
He saw her brown hair drop from the roof and heard a thud and a muffled curse as she landed.
He remained on the roof for about ten minutes after her departure, pondering how much longer he could play along with the whole “I love you Charlie,” thing. He couldn’t explain to her that he wasn’t attracted to her, or any girl, or that boys made him more excited. Because that was just wrong and unnatural and he couldn’t even explain it to himself.
He eventually sat up, looking forward to the next day despite knowing he’d have to face Charlie again. But the thing is, he never would meet Charlotte the next day. In fact, he wouldn’t see her again for forty years.
“I’m not a pansy!” Anthony yelled back, “I’m-I’m just too short to reach the drain.”
She scoffed loud enough for him to hear. “I’m shorter than you are, Ant! You’re just scared.”
“Fine.” Anthony said defiantly, “Here I come!”
Anthony pulled a wooden crate that was sitting on the curb of Charlie’s house and leaned it up against the wall.
I have to do this quick, he thought, otherwise I’ll fall.
He hopped up on the crate and used his hands to get a grip on the roof. Then, his body suddenly propelled itself onto the roof of the garage. If anyone had been watching, they would have said that Anthony had very strong upper arms, but Charlie and Anthony knew better.
“That was amazing,” Charlie whispered, “the air barely rippled!”
“Really?” Anthony asked, panting from the effort of getting up.
“Yeah, it was great. But I thought I’d be waiting till 1960 for you to stop being a pansy and get your fat ass up here! Isn’t the view beautiful?”
Anthony nodded. He lay down, flat, on the roof and put his arms behind his head. Charlie followed suit, and let her head rest on Anthony’s shoulder.
“I’m really going to miss you when you go off to high school.” Charlie said quietly.
“I know. I’ll miss you too.” Anthony replied, letting one arm drop from his head to Charlie’s shoulder, pulling her closer to him.
She turned her head to look into his eyes.
“Why are you even going? You could just take over the restaurant from your father and we could just stay together forever.”
“I want to learn, Charlie. I want to get an education. I love you, I really do, but it’s my dream to become an English professor, not a chef. I swear, when I finish college, I’ll come home for you. Don’t you ever worry about that. You’re the only girl for me, and I’m the only boy for you. We’re meant for each other, Charlie.”
Anthony leant down and kissed her forehead. She kissed his cheek in return.
“Charlotte Alicia Jane Simmons, get down off that roof at instant!”
Charlie grunted, and shuffled out of Anthony’s arm.
“Coming, mom. See you tomorrow Ant, good luck.”
Anthony smiled, and waved her off.
He saw her brown hair drop from the roof and heard a thud and a muffled curse as she landed.
He remained on the roof for about ten minutes after her departure, pondering how much longer he could play along with the whole “I love you Charlie,” thing. He couldn’t explain to her that he wasn’t attracted to her, or any girl, or that boys made him more excited. Because that was just wrong and unnatural and he couldn’t even explain it to himself.
He eventually sat up, looking forward to the next day despite knowing he’d have to face Charlie again. But the thing is, he never would meet Charlotte the next day. In fact, he wouldn’t see her again for forty years.
I absolutely love how you write this. It has to be one of the most original fanfictions I've ever read. And your style is gorgeous.
My favourite part has to be
"Gay... *sip* Join the club."
Frank whispering "Gerard is gaaaay..." during the movie has gotta be right up there, too.
9/1/15