I Rize (7 page)

His wife pulled his face closer in between kisses and said, “Your old office has been empty for far too long.”

J
unior sat on his bed and felt a twinge of happiness fill his heart after visiting Detective Miller. The splurge of excitement inspired him to watch another video.

Adny popped up on the screen drenched in sweat. She sat in front of camera shaking in fear.

I can’t stop thinking about those darn pictures. It’s two in the morning. I can’t go back to sleep with the pictures constantly clouding my mind. I haven’t talked to my parents about it because I know they won’t do much for me.

The dream I had tonight became a nightmare. This was the first time I have ever experienced something so real in my sleep, and it wasn’t pleasant. In that nightmare, I was standing on top of Suicide Hill—the large hill at the beach.

I have never fully understood why it’s called Suicide Hill. I’ve heard rumors that a rich woman was cheated on, and she emptied her husband’s bank account and threw it all into the water before taking the plunge to her death.

“I heard she pushed his mistress off first. There are some crazy people in this world.”

In the nightmare, it was storming and the waves rushed up against the cliff so vigorously and harsh. Then I just woke up to my covers drenched in all of this sweat.

He leaned back on his pillow trying to imagine what her experience must have entailed.

Since being up, I have been sitting here thinking of how much you matured since we were little kids. You used to be so unsure of yourself, and now you could care less about what people think. That’s what drew me to you. Sometimes I try to be a smart ass like you, because it seems to work, but somehow I allow people to still affect me negatively.

“Adny, you know it’s my only way to survive high school.”

In the high school world Adny, Mickey, Junior, and Gracie were considered the bottom of the totem pole, a slight step higher than those considered nerds. Below deemed the drama and nerd geeks. But at the top of the hierarchy of popularity were the jocks, cheerleaders, and rich kids. They never had to worry about anything.

Junior lost focus from the video for a moment when Madison crossed his mind. Any thought of her made him burst out in random minute long laugh sessions. “I still haven’t figured out how Madison is considered above us on the popularity realm. I have often thought about signing up for one of her classes—Nutcase 101 for Dummies.”

Before I turn this video off and attempt to sleep again, I want to play our Pop Rocks game. It used to be so fun when we would come home from first grade and be entertained for hours playing with this candy. Out of all the many years we played, I only won four times. You always cheat. The day I beat you will be the day Terri and me actually become sisters, which of course is never.

She opened the Pop Rock candy to place a handful into her mouth. Junior stopped the video to get some candy. He placed about the same amount in his mouth and joined in the fun. The object of the game was to make the other person laugh, spilling the candy everywhere.

They both twirled the candy within the crevices of their mouths. The sound of popping filled the quiet room. As they both sat on opposite sides of the computer screens, Adny’s mouth released the candy first.

She lost for the final time.

Tears couldn’t help but fall when the trip down memory lane came to an end.

He placed his head down upon his pillow, staring at Adny frozen in time, and said, “Don’t worry, Bangs, we will play again. I know you are coming back. I know it.”

M
ICHELLE APPEARED disheveled that particular morning. Her unkempt hair kept falling out of the bun. She kept picking at the cracked skin appearing from not washing her face well in days. Watching Terri sluggishly walk down the stairs made her eyes roll, as usual.

Hawking each of Terri’s steps, she waited for her moment to speak. Terri looked around and covered her nose for a moment from the burnt toast smell coming out of the toaster. She looked on top of the stove at the bacon drenched in grease and the eggs were too stiff to eat.

Terri’s gaze remained in the direction of the stove. “Good morning. I want to eat before my boyfriend comes to pick me up.”

Michelle laughed hysterically while forcefully turning Terri in her direction. Their eyes met. “You have two hands, don’t you?”

Looking toward the floor, Terri nodded. She continuously refused to respond to any retorts while grabbing a plate from the squeaky cabinet.

“That father of yours still hasn’t fixed it. Claims he is always too busy to do anything, even talk to his own hardheaded daughter.”

Terri sucked her teeth in and said, “What are you talking about Michelle?”

“Aren’t you eighteen? Darla is eight and acts more mature than you. When it comes to Adny, you choose to act like a little bratty kid.”

Terri simply shrugged.

“You don’t have anything to say, I see. I’m not surprised. Darla told me she heard you and Shandi talking about my baby. What the hell is wrong with you, child?”

Terri’s eyes lowered. “I’m not a child.”

“If it acts like child, talks like a child, thinks like a child, what is that called? You’re supposed to be learning at school, so what can you infer about that statement?”

She watched as Terri clenched her hands into fists and could sense the anger brooding from within.

“Are my words too big for your little brain to handle? It means you are a child.”

Terri rolled her eyes at her blatant sarcasm.

“Little girl, you better roll them eyes back into your head.”

Terri picked up the cup of orange juice, sipping it slowly, eyeballing her.

“So through deduction, you probably didn’t pay attention to that word in school either, but I have the right to treat you like one.”

Michelle raised her hand high up into the air. The power of the incoming strike inched closer to Terri’s face. Before her hand slid across, a force impeded all movements. She looked behind her and saw her husband grabbing her hand.

“What’s going on here?”

She ignored him to keep her focus on Terri. “Dammit, say something, little girl.”

Terri’s eyes darted back and forth from Michelle and then to her father. They all turned their heads when they heard a knock at the door.

“My boyfriend is here. Bye.” Terri left without responding to either of them.

Michelle’s husband gently grabbed her for a hug, but she pushed him away. “I told you to talk to her. Why haven’t you yet? The detective working on Adny’s case constantly calls, wanting to talk to her, but she refuses. I’m getting more tired and frustrated each day my daughter is in that damn hospital because your daughter couldn’t keep her damn mouth closed.”

“Honey, please remain calm. I’m sorry, but I've been really busy with work lately. I promise I will talk to her today.” She turned her head away when he leaned in for a kiss. “Until you talk to that little girl, you can kiss your own damn self, make your own damn breakfast, and sleep on that ugly couch you bought.”

T
o tune out all of the commotion from the kitchen, Junior decided to eat breakfast at a restaurant downtown. The restaurant was called Luke’s Lightning Kitchen. It was the same place where he took Mickey for their first date. He walked up to the outside of the building and noticed the bright blue paint chipping on the outside. Inside, the same picture of music legends hung from the ceiling.

He used to go to the restaurant on a regular basis with Adny for peace in the afternoons. They knew most of the employees on a first name basis. He immediately greeted the waitress on duty. “Hello Maybel.”

She led him to the booth near the jukebox. The seating area seemed too familiar, so he looked under the table and saw
M&J
scratched in. Maybel chatted before taking his order “It’s good to see you, Junior. Where is Mickey?”

While she spoke, his mind fell into deep thought about their first date.

There was not much chatter amongst them while Junior and Mickey sat at the table. Both of them were nervous. Maybel gave them water and some biscuits to start. The place was crowded with families and couples eager to eat the tasty breakfast. The smell of fresh scrambled eggs and pancakes uplifted the spirit of the restaurant. Everyone in the area knew Luke’s Lightning Kitchen was known for famous omelets. Grilled vegetable omelets, shrimp omelets, and Tex-Mex omelets were the most popular.

Junior was familiar with the place and offered to order for Mickey. “The shrimp omelet is really good. Do you want to share one to try it out first?”

Before Maybel came back, Mickey grabbed both of his hands and asked Junior to look under the table.
M&J
scratched under the surface. “Junior, this will be our seat forever, now.”

They both couldn’t stop smiling when Maybel came back and asked, “What would you like to order this morning?”

Junior spoke up first. ”We would like one order of the shrimp omelet.” Mickey smiled at him in return.

Junior snapped back to reality when Maybel asked, “What do you mean
we
? It’s only you sitting here. Do you still want the shrimp omelet?”

“Yes, I do. I’m sorry. I was just thinking about when I came here a long time ago.”

Maybel went back to the kitchen to deliver his order to the chefs. A new video was watched while he waited for the food to come.

Today was a magical day at school. I still had to face evil, but the best part of my day was talking to Jace Rivers for the first time. It wasn’t a real conversation, but a few words.

As soon as she mentioned Jace’s name, he stopped the video. He rubbed his head in a circular motion trying to subdue the headache beginning to form.

Junior and Jace were on the same cross-country team. They came from opposite ends of the high school spectrum and really didn’t get along too well.

We both always hated those stupid pep rallies the principal required everyone to go to. I never had much school sprit during those. I loved sitting there making fun of it with you and Mickey. Pep rallies are irrelevant because it’s a time where the school revels in the cheerleaders' and football players’ popularity.

Not a fun time for people like me.

“Me neither,” Junior thought.

Today was the best pep rally in the history of pep rallies because of Seat 49. You probably were not paying attention to what seat number you were sitting in. I know it sounds stupid, but I was.

I remember I saw Terri and Shandi across the big gym and could just picture those girls plotting ways to make my day miserable, as they always did. I looked kind of sad with those darn pictures still on my mind. The moment of sadness didn’t last long because you and Mickey always make me laugh. For those moments I’m laughing, my life seems less crappy. Without my two sidekicks at school, I don’t think I would have made it this far. You’ve always been so strong for me.

The worthless pep rally started boring—like all the other ones. The circus of fools reveled in their popularity.

Adny started humming a familiar tune, causing Junior to join in on the humming of their song with her.
The circus of fools is back in town. They’re back in town, back in town.

They danced to the annoying hamster-sounding pop song—actually they weren’t dancing, but slutting their little hearts out in those skimpy uniforms, without any ounce of rhythm. How can you claim to be a cheerleader, but not have rhythm?

Junior couldn’t help but laugh.

Jace was sitting directly in front of me. I can still smell the chocolate body spray from his skin, lingering in the air around me. It smelled so good on him.

Junior rolled his eyes, as she continued on. “You don’t need him in your life.”

Unlike most of the athletes at Valley High, his brain isn’t made up of mush. He is actually smart. Every girl just gawked at his presence like hungry piranhas waiting for a midnight snack. I just know I’ll never have a real chance with him.

When the cheerleaders finished the routine, they wanted to sit where I was sitting. The circus surrounded me. Madison, the ringleader, asked me rudely to move, which resulted in a confrontation.

She said, ‘You’re sitting in our seat … freaks aren’t allowed here. Didn’t you read the sign? Well, who is that sitting beside you? Your little freak friend and his boy toy I see.’

I hate when she calls Mickey your ‘boy toy.’ Who crowned her goddess of everything perfect?

“Maybe the voices in her head made her heir to the psycho throne.”

Mickey isn’t as emotionally strong as you. I love him to death, but he takes everything to heart. After you followed Mickey outside to comfort him from her reign of terror, that’s when magic happened.

Junior felt a cloud of guilt floating from above while envisioning that particular day. “I was too focused on trying to impress Mickey. I realize now that was a waste of my time.”

Terri, Shandi, and some other girls I didn’t know walked by giggling away. Sometimes I wish they would choke on those giggles. They play that same hurtful game every time they see me alone. All they do is yell offensive words of hate. As they walked out, they all yelled, ‘Slut,’ as if they were in a choir and were asked to sing in unison.

Last time I checked, nobody asked them to sing.

I stood, full of so much rage. My emotions escalated. Between dealing with Madison and every other mean person, I began to lose control of myself. I told Madison to make me move. Her reaction was a deer lost in headlights. It felt so good to say what everyone wanted to say since she set foot in this school.

Junior stopped the video, slightly chuckling between breaths. “Sounds like something you would say. Since kindergarten, you never took shit from anyone. People were either with you or against you—never in between.”

His tone shifted more seriously, placing his finger back on the play button. “But despite everything, you still let them destroy your spirit, crippling your mind in favor of their demands—becoming a mere pawn for their malicious game I still hate so much.”