《This Year》


 New Home

    --ADRIAN


    I woke up again to the same dream. The alley way. The two creatures. The darkness surrounding me. I feel the cold sweat run down my face and my tank top was completely soiled. I take the covers off and get up from the stained, rough, carpet. I stretch my arms, back, and legs.


    I do my usual routine. I get in the shower to wash up, brush my teeth, do my hair(but I usually skip it since it''s naturally curly), put on my hoodie, sweats, and earrings, and wait for Zeke, my older brother, to pick me up for school.


    I grabbed my stuff I needed for Mr. Griffith''s class and headed out the door. I go down the stairs of the motel. This would be my last night staying here. I was hoping to negotiate with my brother about letting me stay here another week. It was hard enough trying to figure out lies to tell my friends into letting me stay the night--or--just find a playground at a close park and sleep in a tube slide.


    I locked the door behind me and my brother was in his nice, expensive, newly rimmed, shiny, black car. I threw my stuff in the back and sat up front with him. The car smelled of cigarettes and Zeke¡¯s cologne. I¡¯m not sure if I hated the smell or liked the smell. It was interesting. I turn my eye towards Zeke. He had his hair slicked back in a man bun, and he wore a black suit and tie.


    ¡°Tony..?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But, I can¡¯t go to him looking like this. He hates it.¡±


    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m taking you to a shop and getting you a good suit.¡±


    ¡°OK.¡± I sighed in relief. ¡°Wait, I still need to be in school there¡¯s a test in fourth period.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to tell you but you are gonna have to miss it.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t miss this test! If I do I¡¯ll have ta¡¯ repeat the eleventh grade. I barely made it last year because of all my absences.¡±


    ¡°OK, if the job goes by quickly then I can drop you off at school late.¡±


    ¡°Right before fourth?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t make any promises.¡±


    ¡°OK, thanks.¡±


    We got an expensive suit, tie, and shoes for me. It all came up to...maybe...five hundred bucks. After leaving the shop we went straight to Tony¡äs. Wait, I thought to myself. I need to ask about the hotel.


    I look over to Zeke and ask, ¡°I need to ask a favor.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Zeke said, stopping what I was about to say. ¡°No, I can¡¯t give you another week at the motel. Tony is on my ass right now about money.¡±


    ¡°Wait, are ya¡¯ tellin¡¯ me that wasn¡¯t your money?¡± I said, eyes getting bigger each second. ¡°So he was loaning you the money for me to stay at the motel?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Have you paid him back?¡± I asked, heart pumping fast, dreading Zeke¡¯s answer.


    ¡°No. That¡¯s why we are going to his place so we can figure something out and I might have a solution though.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± I said eyes literally popping out of my sockets.


    ¡°You are going to live with him.¡±


    I felt my heart drop and chills crawling up my spine.


    THREE MINUTES LATER....


    ¡°So ya¡¯ tellin me I have to stay with the Boss!?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve told you over ten times.¡±


    ¡°But, I don¡¯t want to. Why can¡¯t I stay with you?¡±


    ¡°You just can¡¯t, my place isn¡¯t big enough right now and it¡¯s not safe for you either.¡±


    ¡°OK.¡± I mumbled. ¡°But I still need to get my stuff from the motel though.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Tony already sent someone to get it.¡±


    ¡°OK.¡±


    TEN MINUTES LATER¡­.


    We stop at the gate of Tony¡¯s mansion. Zeke rolls down the window so he can talk through the speaker.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± The person said through the speaker.


    ¡°Ezekiel Garcia and Adrian Garcia.¡±


    ¡°OK.¡±


    The gate opens very slowly making an eerie creaking sound.


    ¡°Thanks Rodney.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure.¡±


    We park Zeke¡¯s car in the front. The mansion had more than twenty rooms and sixteen, full sized, bathrooms. We always meet in the basement though(which is basically a meth lab.)


    Before walking in his doors we made sure we didn¡¯t have any mud on our shoes. We then opened the door and walked in on the shiny, mirror-like, marbled floor. The smell of cinnamon and a hint of tobacco filled my nostrils as we did. We are greeted by Tony¡¯s butler, Frank. He offers us a horchata. Zeke kindly denies the drink, I didn¡¯t. I haven¡¯t eaten much the past couple days since Zeke only gave me twenty bucks, and plus, Frank makes the best horchatas. We go down stairs to the basement.


    The cinnamon aroma faded each step we took going down, and I am greeted with the smell of chemicals. The air down in the basement was so stuffy it was almost suffocating. I began coughing back up my horchata.


    Finally, down the stairs I was basically choking on the air. At last, I¡¯m able to fix my composure and decided to wait on my horchata. Tony doesn¡¯t like when we are doing other things while he¡¯s talking. The boss sat at his desk about to light a cigarette but then, we came through the doorway.


    ¡°Hey boys,¡± He said gleefully. ¡°How you doing?¡±


    ¡°Good Tony.¡± We both said simultaneously.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Adrian, I¡¯m sure your brother had told you our arrangement for you?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    ¡°OK, that¡¯s good. Frank and Ed had already got your stuff from the motel.


    ¡°Great thank you. Is there a reason you''re letting me stay here though?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yeah cause¡¯ right now you''re basically living on the streets.¡±


    ¡°Wait, how did ya¡¯ know?¡±


    ¡°I know all the people here in this city, Adrian. It¡¯s not hard for a story to get around. I know what your father does to you. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been on the road for two months.¡±


    My mouth almost dropped but I stopped it before it did. I guess stories do fly fast, I thought to myself.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to have you stay here as long as you follow two rules and you to do me a favor.¡±


    I felt myself gulp, ¡°What?¡± I said, my voice a bit shaky.


    ¡°You''re gonna sell this,¡± he points to the active lab. ¡°You¡¯ll sell at night on Yelm street to Oaks.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir. What¡¯s the two rules?¡± I asked a little worried.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really care what the hell you do here but, don¡¯t be fooling around with my baby, Marina. If you do, I¡¯ll personally have you cut up into pieces and put into a plastic bag and have you go into the river after we are done with you. I can make sure you never existed, and alsono slip ups on the job ''cause that will cost you big time.Am I clear.¡±


    ¡°Crystal.¡± I said a bit shaken.


    ¡°OK.¡±


    ¡°I have to get to school Tony. I can¡¯t miss this test. Can I be dropped off?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll have Frank drive you.¡±


    ¡°OK, cool¡±


    ¡°Frank will also pick you up after school and take you shopping for your new room.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine sir I¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°OK.¡±


    It¡¯s been only an hour. I should be fine. I''ll make it there before lunch, I thought to myself.


    FIVE MINUTES LATER¡­.


    I¡¯m back in my street clothes. Frank drove us in an black limousine. I was already trying to keep a low profile at school. This wouldn¡¯t make things better. I watch as we pass the cars and the shops. It all looked like a blur. The smell of food filled my nostrils. I didn¡¯t drink the rest of my horchata.


    ¡°Adrian, help yourself to the food back there if you are hungry, OK?¡±


    Awesome, I thought to myself.


    ¡°Cool, thanks frank.¡±


    I slid over to the mini fridge and browsed through it. There was water, milk, sodas, candy bars, fruits, and some celery and carrots. I took some milk.


    ¡°Hey frank is there any cereal back here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, check the compartment next to your seat.¡±


    ¡°OK¡±


    I slid back to where I sat and opened the compartment. There were Fruity Pebbles, chips, granola bars, etc. I grabbed the Fruity Pebbles and crushed them up until there basically like crumbs and then I poured the milk. I looked this place up and down but I couldn¡¯t find a spoon. It was fine though. As a little kid, when my mom used to make me this I¡¯d just gulp it as if it were a smoothie. So that''s what I did and, for the first time in a while, I¡¯m actually full.


    TEN MINUTES LATER¡­.


    Frank drops me off with a note and a number to excuse me for being late. I give it to the front office and continue for second period--which I was actually looking forward to since, I have the same class with Kate.


    I¡¯ve known Kate since fifth grade. Kate is creative, smart, kind(not to mess with when she¡¯s angry), adventurous, and very, very supportive. She has to be the only one I¡¯ve came out too after the ¡®incident¡¯.


    I walk through the halls and to room 136. I walk into the brown carpeted classroom and to the teacher, Mrs. Scott. I gave her my note and went to sit in my spot, right next to Kate and her boyfriend, Nathan. I put my phone to silent.


    I made that a habit for now because of what happened last year. Levi changed my ringtone to the ¡®fuck me~ daddy wanna make me choke¡¯ song and he purposley called it during class. I don¡¯t know what the hell he did to my phone but I can¡¯t reset the ringtone no matter what I do.


    ¡°Why are you late?¡± Kate asked.


    ¡°Doctor Appointment.¡± I lied.


    ¡°OK.¡±


    ¡°What did I miss?¡±


    ¡°I already got your homework from Mr. Liebricht¡¯s and I Mrs. Scott wanted us to write a story.¡±


    ¡°OK, thanks Kate¡± I smiled.


    ¡°No prob, bob.¡± She smirked.


    ¡°Did you hear about Elijah yet?¡± Nathan interrupted.


    I turn towards, eyebrows raised, ¡°No, why?¡±


    ¡°He got into a fight.¡±


    ¡°With who?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Logan Evans.¡±


    I feel myself choke on the saliva in my mouth, ¡°No he didn¡¯t. You gotta be telling me this is a joke.¡±


    ¡°No, ligit.¡±


    ¡°Shit.¡± I said sitting back in my chair.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°¡®I don¡¯t know. All I can say it was something serious because when Elijah was done with him Logan looked like a trainwreck.¡±


    ¡°Jeez. Are they in the office still?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I think their parents picked them up.¡±


    RING!!!

 A Trip Down Memory Lane

    I¡¯ve known Elijah since fourth grade. I basically live with him on a daily basis. He¡¯s charming, funny, tough, and extremely generous. Same with his fam. His Ma had always welcomed me in their home but, I try to limit the time I spend with them. I don¡¯t want to be pitied or be a burden. His place is usually a go-to if I¡¯m needing to stay for the night. They are really nice people.


    I wonder what the hell the fight was for though. Elijah never loses his cool. It¡¯s sort of weird, I thought to myself, while walking to third period--which--I¡¯m actually looking forward to.


    I walked into the huge classroom and got my bass and music from the backroom. I hurry to my seat. We recently had a concert a week ago which means we should be sight reading new material and, I¡¯m actually pretty thrilled.


    I start to hear the murmurs of Elijah¡¯s name all around me. When it comes to fights in schools they¡¯re always witnesses and the word seems to spread and then the whole school finds out about it. You can never get any privacy.


    I try to ignore the murmurs but it was very difficult and the only pieces I¡¯m able to put together from the people around me is that:


    ¡°Logan Evans tried forcing himself on Elijah¡¯s girlfriend, Marina. He didn¡¯t know about Elijah and her ....¡±


    (AKA, Marina is Tony''s daughter, and one of the prettiest preps in school. They help with charities and school socials, clubs etc.)


    ¡°Elijah tried to confront Logan about his relationship with Marina but, Elijah made the first punch into Logan¡¯s gut and then things escalated from there ¡­.¡±


    ¡°I heard that Elijah might get two weeks for taking the first punch--or--he might get I.S.S for a couple weeks as well ¡­.¡±


    (In School Suspension)


    I shouldn¡¯t pay attention to what they say, I thought to myself while getting the bass in tune. These people don¡¯t really know what happened between them. They don¡¯t know Elijah like I do. They all just want to be apart of something. They are all a bunch of nobodies


    FIFTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER¡­.


    RING!!!


    I stayed put in the classroom and waited for Levi. Mr. Rees is usually cool with Levi and I hanging in here during lunch. Since I don¡¯t have any lunch money I don¡¯t see what¡¯s the point of sitting in the cafeteria and watching everyone else enjoy their leftovers from last night.


    As I plug in the keyboard, Levi walks in simultaneously and sits down in the blue chair next to it, with his snickers. He wore a Nirvana shirt, a red flannel hoodie(opened), black and white sneakers, and a black beanie. We both greeted each other with a ¡®Hi¡¯ and start to talk while I played a tune I can¡¯t seem to get out of my head.


    ¡°Have you figured out your mom¡¯s song yet?¡± Levi asked.


    ¡°No, but I feel like everyday I¡¯m like...finding pieces of the song I remember. Anyways, how are you? ¡± I sighed, still playing.


    ¡° Eric has been on my ass lately about me not spending enough time with his kids.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I asked, preparing myself for this conversation.


    ¡°Yeah, Eric says that I should set a better example for Ben, and it¡¯s not my job to do that! ¡®Cause first of all, Ben is not my real brother, and second of all, It¡¯s his kid. But,¡± he sighs. ¡°I still want my mom to be happy. You know? My mom seems like she is herself when she¡¯s with him...she seems happier than she was when she was with my pops.


    ¡°Yeah I know what ya¡¯ mean Levi.¡±


    ¡°Cool.¡±


    I started to hum my tune and so did he.


    My Ma died when I was ten in a car accident. Her, my brother, and I were on a trip--without my father. Everything seemed so happy then but,,,a semi-truck ran a red light and then everything was lost. Not even a second¡­.I remember the pain of the impact. Not the semi-truck itself, but the thought of losing my mother. The person who brought me into this world, the only person who would take a bullet for me. I still wonder why God could take her away and leave my brother and I alone. The rings of breaking glass, screeching tires, and her screams still fill my ears whenever I look at the scar across my right cheek. It still burns.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    But then, at the start of fifth grade, I met Levi. It was like it was meant to happen. He had every single class with me and the same lunch. I had no friends because I had pushed everyone away but, he would not take no for an answer. Eventually his eagerness pulled me in. And things have been going well until this summer, and he doesn¡¯t even remember.


    The way I felt after what happened at the party could change how things are now. I don¡¯t want anything to change between us. I can¡¯t lose him too¡­I can¡¯t lose anyone else.


    RING!!!


    ¡°Time for fourth period¡± Levi said getting his binder.


    ¡°Yep.¡± I said getting my binder as well.


    We both said goodbye to each other and went to fourth period. I had Math, Levi had P.E.


    FEW HOURS LATER¡­.


    RING!!!


    The final bell rings and it¡¯s time for everyone to go to their homes. Well, a few people. I gathered up my things and headed out the back way, the easiest exit. As I walk outside with my bag I can see the cars line up, but, a limousine was in front for the whole school to see.


    SHIT.


    I sprinted over there with my hood up and hoped that no one would recognize me. When I got to the limo I tossed my backpack in, slid into the seat, and slammed the door shut, I put a seatbelt on and I¡¯m finally realizing this isn¡¯t just my ride.


    ¡°Hey Marina.¡±


    She keeps giving me a confused ¡®why are you here?¡¯ look.


    ¡°Miss Cortez,¡± Frank started. ¡°Adrian will be staying with us temporarily.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Frank didn¡¯t answer, which meant he was not supposed to say.


    Marina sighed, ¡°OK. Wait,¡± she paused. ¡°Your Elijah¡¯s friend, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes I am. Don¡¯t you remember? We met at Sarah Spencer¡¯s party.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, you were the one who was carrying Elijah out.¡± She laughed. ¡°He was so hammered after that party.¡±


    ¡°Yeah he was.¡± I chuckled. ¡°I remember when I was carrying him out he wouldn¡¯t move his legs. So I asked him to try to walk but then, he looked at me as if I were stupid, and said, ¡®I can¡¯t dumbass, I¡¯m paralized.¡± I said, holding back the laughter.


    We both laughed hard and we eventually opened up a bit. I was tempted to ask what the fight was about but I held my tongue.


    TWO LONG, EXCRUCIATING HOURS LATER¡­.


    I had totally forgotten we were going shopping for my new room ....I never knew shopping could be this difficult--especially with Marina. I was done picking the bed cover, paints and a glow in the dark stars, a night stand, desk, two lamps, paint, and a few beanbags (to make it a bit homey), in twenty minutes! Twenty damn minutes. And Marina over here checking out the clothes and posters. It was awful.


    I walk up the marbled stairs, holding the railing while Frank carried the bags and while a few men carried the desk as well. Tony¡¯s house had two balconies. My room led out to the one on the left of his house. I¡¯m guessing Marina has the other balcony then, I thought. When I walk in the room there is a piano, nice and glossy, sort¡¯ve like the one my Ma played.


    As they loaded in the last of the stuff I began setting up my room. I laid my black bed cover, and I put the desk on the right wall and the lamp as well. When I¡¯m done, I get the paint and ladder.


    SEVEN YEARS EARLIER¡­.


    My Ma and I layed in the soft grass looking up at the night sky. Trillions of shining speckles laid on the empty dark blue canvas. It was a night to remember.


    ¡°Ma why are we out here?¡± I asked looking up with young eyes to what seemed to be only darkness. ¡°It¡¯s dark.¡±


    ¡°No it¡¯s not.¡± She smiled. ¡°The moon¡¯s right there. And it¡¯s full.¡±


    ¡°But Ma,¡±


    She shushed me and said, ¡°¡®The true joy of a moonlit night is something we no longer understand. Only the men of old, when there were no lights, could understand the true joy of a moonlit night.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°¡®The true joy of a moonlit night is something we no longer understand. Only the men of old, when there were no lights, could understand the true joy of a moonlit night.¡¯¡± Ma said again.


    ¡°What does that mean, Ma?¡±


    ¡°It means we should appreciate the light.¡±


    ¡°Light?¡±


    ¡°The moonlight, we must appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Pretend the moon is a person you know.¡±


    ¡°OK.¡±


    ¡°Now imagine if that person was gone.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I finally figured out, ¡°When things are gone, that¡¯s when we value it the most, right? So we should value it now before it is gone, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my little chico, but that¡¯s how I honestly take it. Everyone has different thoughts and different minds and most people will take the meaning differently.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, everyone is different. That¡¯s what makes everyone beautiful.¡±


    WHOOSH¡­!


    A star shoots across the starry night.


    ¡°Make a wish!¡± My Ma said while she grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly while closing her eyes, wishing hard.


    I closed my eyes as well.


    We both sat there in silence for a few seconds, then, ¡°What did you wish for?¡± Ma asked.


    I smiled at her beautiful brown eyes and said, ¡°That you and I will be together forever.¡± I said, leaning closer.


    ¡°Me too my Adrian, me too.¡± She said as her eyes twinkled.


    For the rest of the night we laid under the moonlit sky as the stars twinkled and my Ma hummed her song.


    (NOW)


    ALMOST FOUR HOURS LATER¡­.


    After I was done painting that night and sticking on the stars on the ceiling, I laid on the bed and stared at my work.


    ¡°The true joy of a moonlit night is something we no longer understand. Only the men of old, when there were no lights, could understand the true joy of a moonlit night.¡± I said to myself.