When I got home from school, it was quiet as usual. All I could hear was the small noises— the guy next door mowing his lawn, or children playing hopscotch outside.  Mom was sleeping, Dad was at work, and no siblings to speak of. Sometimes it would get pretty lonely, but not right now. Right now I was going to talk to Owsley.

The house we had was a cute little one-story building with a blue roof and cream-colored walls. We haven't totally finished unpacking yet, so the walls were still rather empty. At least I didn't have to look at cheesy old photos of me when I was younger, smiling wide with bad haircuts or wearing misplaced accessories (I don't think bowl-cuts suited me) . I closed the door behind me quietly as to not wake up Mom. 

Sometimes I think it would be cool to have a cat or some cute little thing to wait for me by the door as I go home. But seeing as I'm hopefully going to college soon, I'd rather not leave that poor animal behind. A guy could dream though.

I made my way to my room, which was nice and neat, just how I liked it. It was a bit bare with the decoration, no posters or little trinkets to speak of. Most of my posters were rolled up to the side of my desk, and some I threw away 'cause some of the stuff I figured I grew out of (great, another picture of an actress I liked on a show when I was 8 years old). Oh well, maybe next week. It was time to flop on my bed and talk to Owsley. Homework?  I could always just do that during midnight, the blue screen illuminating my face as I consume overly-caffeinated drinks. 

I threw my backpack on the ground and pulled the cellphone out from my pocket.

Me: hey. this owsley? it's ethan from earlier.

I wanted to add a little winky face, but it may come off as a little too strong. 

***

I waited for Owsley to answer my text. While waiting, I just heated up some frozen pizza rolls and watched television. The movie playing on the TV was about this kid who really wanted a dog, so he wished on a star for one. Except that he saw a bee and ended up saying something like "I want to be a dog", and the kid accidentally turned into a dog instead of getting the damn thing.

It was entertaining enough.

In the middle of the dog movie I heard a buzz from the cellphone. I was a bit worried it was a scam about how I owe the IRS, but I checked anyway.

Owsley: What's up? Yeah, this is me. 

My mind started wandering to what Owsley must've been doing at that moment. Maybe he was drawing again. Or maybe he had a cat and he was petting his cat. Or maybe he's in the middle of saving an elderly woman from a drugstore shootout, because of some asshole who decided to pull an armed robbery on the place. All entirely plausible situations.

Me: ah, mi nuevo amigo! just watching the telly. and u?

I have to show off those Spanish skills somehow.

Owsley: lol

Owsley: I only barely understood that from Freshman year Spanish.

Owsley: Just drawing.

My thumbs hovered over the keyboard when I heard my Mom's footsteps. "Ethan! I'm up now." I made my way to the kitchen where I heated up some more pizza rolls for Mom.

"Thank you," Mom said, still yawning as she put on her windbreaker.

"Sure thing," I said.

"How's the new school? Made any new friends today?"

"Yep. This girl named Karla and a boy named Owsley." I smiled as I sat down next to her.

"Good. Owsley's a funny name. And Karla— is she cute?" she laughed, as I just swallowed my food.

"Mom! She's just a friend."

"Really now? There's usually a girl who likes you in these schools! Who knows, maybe she has a little crush on you."

"Yeah, yeah." I drifted off. Yeah, I haven't told Mom about my experience making out with guys yet, or that I had liked it. Maybe one day. 

Then, I heard a buzz from my pocket.

Owsley: Here's the drawing I did. Sorry if it's kind of weird.

The drawing was a pencil sketch on notebook paper. The character in the drawing had light hair with swoopy bangs. There were moles dotting the face along with the rest of the skin. One arm was at the person's hip while the other was raised in a fist up at the sky. The person was wearing a cape, which was moving around in the wind.

At the bottom it said, in big block letters: THE NEW KID.

The picture was pretty well-drawn. The features were cartoonish and nicely stylized. Plus the character was pretty cute.

I looked at the picture for a bit longer. The messy light hair with bangs and the moles everywhere reminded me of someone. And "New Kid" was a funny superhero name.

Then it hit me.

It was a drawing of me. Yes, yours truly.

I gripped my cellphone tight, smiling so wide my face hurt. It was kind of cool to be drawn by someone. Not that I was full of myself. But seeing your face in someone else's art, especially in a way with such attention to detail yet not made exaggerated or ugly was truly something special.

Now if Owsley was a particularly mean caricaturist who emphasized my small yet doughy/soft frame and paleness, then I had a bone to pick.

"Who's that now? Karla?" Mom teased.

"Yeah, sure," I said. 

Me: it's not, don't worry about it. looks amazing! thank you!

As Mom got ready for work, I knew I would be alone again at home, and that I would resume my life watching dog movies on the TV, eating pizza rolls, and maybe getting around to doing my college applications.

But at least I could sleep well, knowing that I can see my new friends again tomorrow. And really that's all I needed.