Finally Friday rolled around. Instead of walking East to get to Pa's house, I walked South, slipping in my headphones as I walked and putting on my art 'inspiration' playlist.

"Phil, you coming to the football game tonight?" Dom shouted after me before I could get lost in my music. He was in the band, which was the only reason I really went.

The football team and I didn't get along well.

"I don't think so, man." I called back. "Mom wanted to do something, I think we might be having a movie night."

Movie nights with Mom were the best. We'd make popcorn and surround ourselves with blankets.

"Okay, have fun!" Dom waved and walked off.

I pushed play on my phone again and trudged along towards Mom's house, sending her a quick text.

P.H. to Mom❤️: I'm on my way home

Mom❤️ to P.H.: Okay, honey. See you soon

The walk wasn't far, and soon I saw Mom's familiar blue Camry in her front drive.

"Mom, I'm home!" I dropped my book-bag at the door and slipped off my shoes.

Mom appeared from the direction of her bedroom. Unlike Pa's house, Mom's place only had one floor and a basement. She smiled and held her arms out for a hug.

I smiled and obliged. "Hey Mom."

"How was your week, Peanut?" Mom asked.

I took a deep breath. "It was a roller coaster, that's for sure."

"That's not all you're telling me." Mom said chidingly. "There's cookies in the kitchen, I want to hear what happened."

She always did. And I didn't mind that. She gave good advice.

Maybe she could help me with my 'Burr' problem.

I followed her into the kitchen and slid onto one of the stools on the island, grabbing a chocolate chip cookie from the tray.

"Some of them might be a bit burnt, I left them in the oven for too long." Mom warned.

"Thanks Mom." I grinned and took a bite.

"Alright, let's hear about school." Mom smiled.

"Well it was normal enough at first..." I started, wondering how to tell the story. "There was a new girl, she moved from upstate."

"Oh?" Mom asked.

"Yeah." I nodded. "She's super smart, and really pretty, and she doesn't take bull from anyone. At all. She's pretty quiet, but sometimes you can tell she's just bursting to say something, especially when people disrespect the teacher."

I'd noticed this when I'd caught her glaring at me after waking up from a nap in Algebra.

"Have you talked to her?" Mom asked, going to the fridge and pulling out a gallon of milk. She began to pour two glasses.

"Yeah."

"And?"

"It didn't end well." I muttered.

"What happened?" Mom asked, sliding me a glass and dipping a cookie into hers.

"She kind of hates my guts."

"And why is that?"

I shrugged, trying to play it off. "Pa."

Mom made an annoyed noise in the back of her throat. "Well you can't change that, what does she expect you to do about it?"

"Leave her alone, I guess." I muttered. "I wouldn't be surprised if her father gets involved, he hates Pa's guts too."

Mom looked at me for a moment. "Her father wouldn't happen to be Aaron Burr, would he?"

"Yeah, that's him."

"Philip, look at me." Mom rarely called me by my name. Usually I was 'Peanut' or 'Honey' to her.

I looked up.

"Do not let your father and Mr. Burr get between your friendship." Mom said seriously. "If you want to get to know Theodosia, do it. They don't control you, they're not in charge of your life. You are."

I nodded and she continued.

"I knew Theodosia's mother before she passed away. She was a wonderful woman, and if her daughter is anything like her, you two would be good friends if you don't let your father's moronic stubbornness get in the way."

I nodded again and she smiled, taking my hand across the counter. "Follow your heart, Peanut. I've always told you that, I won't stop now."

I smiled back. Mom had a way of making the most cliché advice seem like it worked perfectly with the situation.

"Thanks Mom."

"You should go do some homework, so you don't have to do it all on Sunday, you little slacker." Mom teased, pulling lightly on a curl of my hair that had escaped from the bun I'd wrapped it in.

I laughed and tucked the strand behind my ear. "Will do. What are we watching tonight?"

"You get to pick, once you've got some homework done. I'm ordering Chinese for dinner."

"Okay. Love you, Mom." I slipped around the counter to plant a kiss on her cheek and then dashed into the hallway to get my book-bag.

I did actually plan on doing homework, but once I'd dumped my books out on my bed that sketchbook caught my eye.

The only pictures in it were of Theodosia, or things that reminded me of her. Slightly creepy, yeah, but when my brain latched onto something artistically, it didn't let go for a while.

I wasn't in a drawing mood, but I did have something in mind.

I grabbed one of my good pens and a clean piece of paper from the stack on my desk and sat down, letting my writing scrawl across it without thinking about what I was doing.

Theodosia

Bright Smile

The Most Beautiful

My Heart Speeds Up

Theodosia

It wasn't the best use of a cinquain poem, but it accurately described how I was feeling. I waved the paper around a bit to dry the ink, then folded it in half and gently tucked it alongside the first drawing I'd done of Theodosia.

"Peanut! Dinner's on it's way!"

"Okay, Mom!" I shouted, glaring at my hand, which had somehow gotten ink on it.

That was what happened when you were left handed. I must not have tilted the paper far enough to keep my hand clear.

Quickly I washed the ink off in the bathroom and started down the hall to the kitchen just as the doorbell rang.

Mom started for door. "Have you thought about what movie you want to watch?"

I shook my head. "Still deciding."

"Okay, tell me when you pick one."