Growing up is something that is inevitable, sometimes people are coddled by their parents until the ripe age of 30 when they finally decide to leave the nest and move on to adulthood. Meanwhile, the rest of us must fend for ourselves, since our parents can't always provide for us.
Unfortunately, I was born as the cliché side character, with a large variety of issues, that happened to be best friends with the main character at Saint John Monroe III Catholic High school, because what religious school wouldn't have like fifteen different names attached to it. If there was one thing I could thank God for, it would be for abbreviations, because nobody on the entire planet would want to write out Saint John Monroe III Catholic High School more times than they have to. Although, SJMIIIHS almost looks like someone letter jammed in response to some ridiculous letter that a simple lol wouldn't have been sufficient enough for.
Speaking of those issues that I mentioned, my train of thought happens to be an endless cycle of being derailed at any given time, so I do apologize for any senseless rambling that may occur every now and then. As I had originally started, I fend for myself. I have a dad, as if he even deserves that title anyways, but he spends most of his time drinking, as all side characters parents tend to do, and he has a hard time making an income since he gets fired from nearly every job he ever gets. We live in Arizona, in a trailer home community, where most of the folks who live there are nice, and the only threat is the rattlesnakes and scorpions who like to find their way into our toilets or shoes.
I've lived in the trailer park community for a few years, my dad and I had to move here after my mom died, so I know most people in the neighborhood by their first name. My neighbor to the left of us is some old lady named Nancy Clarke, who only allows me to call her by Mrs. Clarke, since she thinks she's respectable or something. She's fully gray, both her hair and skin have a lack of color to it, and the only color she has is her obnoxious purple dresses that she matches with a different shade of purple handbag. Nancy has an annoying ass dog who doesn't stop barking the entire time he's let outside, but if I had to stand outside in the Arizona heat for longer than I needed to, I think I would bark too.
The neighbor who lives to the right of us is some thirty-something year old crackhead named Phil Castillo who oddly likes to go by the nickname Philly Cheesesteak, but I respect that, and I honor his wishes to be called by the famous Philadelphian sandwich. He lets me come over sometimes, he has a television, and lets me play videogames at his place, even when he's at work. Philly Cheesesteak also let me smoke weed a few times, but he made me swear not to tell my dad, and obviously I wouldn't- because I would be stupid to admit to something like that.
I did, however, tell my best friend, Broden, who now holds my secret against me almost any time he wants me to do something I know I shouldn't do. Which, brings us to August 13. It's a Thursday, and the second day of the 12th grade.
***
An inauspicious whisper came from behind me in our English class, a voice i knew all too well, as it was Broden Lincoln, my best friend.
"Julian."
My body had leaned back in my seat, the dark blue chair making a silent squeak that caused some eyes from other students to look in our direction.
I couldn't turn around, so I always leaned back, as it was the only way we could communicate without our English teacher, Mr. Coles, obnoxiously redirecting our attention to whatever we were supposed to be doing. In this case, we were learning about some old English man called Beowulf. The classroom was filled with the most monotonous audiobook ever, of which didn't help make the old literature any easier to understand. The lack of enthusiasm of the voice could inspire anyone to fall asleep in the matter of seconds, and some did.
Honestly, Mr. Coles was stupid to put Broden behind me, we were known to have a bad track record when we hung out together, but we were well behaved most days that Mr. Coles must've not even know we were friends. I've been suspended four times since starting high school, and it's mostly Broden's fault. Most days they just place me on hallway restriction so I avoid getting into conflicts in the hallway, but I don't mind it since I'm allowed to be a little late to class.
"I dare you to rip off Marina's headband." Broden's whisper was loud enough to have Marina turn around for herself.
"Don't you dare, Julian." She warned, learning forward in her desk to escape any possible hands that would've came her way.
I've known Marina since the 6th grade when I first moved here. We were in the same class together, but we never really hung out or talked to one another. She'd been in my classes now and then, but I wouldn't consider her to be a friend. Marina had been out of school for a while, she left early towards the end of junior year last year, but it was rumored that her family took a trip to Rome for summer vacation- but other people said it was to France for her dance competition. She came back for the first day of senior year with newly dyed blonde hair after previously being a brunette.
"-Juana" Broden's whisper returned back to my ear, his warning of what he'd do if I didn't do what he wanted me to. I leaned towards the front of my desk, propping my chin up on the palm of my hand, my elbow being planted into the pages of the textbook as I thought over what I had to do.
I didn't like the stupid shit Broden made me do, but being seventeen, people make stupid decisions. Afterall, the human brain doesn't stop developing till twenty-five years old or something. It certainly didn't help that Broden had a load of stuff he could've ratted me out to my dad about, he'd done it once, so I knew he was serious whenever he threatened it. I don't think Broden ever paid attention to how my dad is, but behind a closed door he isn't really someone you'd want to mess around with, so I try my best just to stay unnoticed.
My eyes glanced over to Mr. Coles who was sorting through an old filing cabinet and tossing out loads of old paperwork. He was planning on retiring this year, so he must've been getting a head start on his classroom clean out.
"Julian." Marina scoffed, trying to redirect my attention back to the security of her precious headband.
"I won't" I assured her, shaking my head with a disapproval. Unfortunately, the disapproval was for myself and what I was about to do.
Apparently I seemed convincing, or she trusted me enough, to relax back into her seat.
Just as the class dismissal bell rang, my hand to reached up to her head to take off the stupid headband... and, apparently the realistic blonde wig that caused the entire class to gasp at realization of what I had just done.
Nobody laughed except for Broden who let out cough-like snickers into his elbow as if he was pretending to sneeze. He often pulled that stunt to avoid getting into trouble, and it usually always worked.
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