Part IV: Monster Year -2

Part IV:

Year -2

     Damn, that was the best weekend of my life. I passed my test for my permit and I got a car for my birthday and I partied my a*s off. Me and Leo were discussing skipping the rest of the day to have some fun when Johan comes up to us. “What ams yous talking about?” He says.

     “Nothing, just making plans.” I said.

     “Going for a spin ride?”

     “What? No, Johan you don’t use both words, just ‘going for a spin’ or ‘going for a ride’. Come on, you’ve lived in America long enough.”

     “Shut the f***s up. I ams starting to thinks maybe you guys ams bad.”

     “Nah, man. We’re just living life and having fun, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

     “It ams bad when other people get hurt.”

     “It’s fine, we don’t wanna hurt anybody.”

     “Just saying, you ams not the smartest bunch of grapes.” He walks away.

     “Eh, whatever, me and you will have all the fun without him.”

     “Yeah, alright.” Leo says.

     “Let’s go before the Swedish d***o licker comes back and rains on our parade.”

     “Yeah, alright.” So we left the school and got in my brand new car.

     “Isn’t she beautiful?”

     “Brand new?”

     “Yup, can’t wait to christen her backseat.”

     “Nice.”

     “So what are we doing today?”

     “Target practice. Stop by my house real quick.”

     “Sure.” I drove to his house, he ran in, came back with his BB gun and got back into the car.

     “So, where we going?”

     “Just go, I’ll tell you where to go, I know this great spot.”

     “Alright.” I’m driving.

     “Left. Right. Right. Left. Straight for awhile… Left…” He points his gun out the window and fires at passersby.

     “Dude, what the f**k are you doing?”

     “Target practice.”

     “I thought you said we were going somewhere.”

     “Yeah, I just wanted to get some distance from my house before I started shooting.” He fires again.

     “Stop it, dude.” I see cop lights in my rearview. “Goddammit.” I pull over. The cop walks over to my car.

     “Can I have you both step out of the car and drop the weapon!” he says as he points his gun at us. We both step out of the car with our hands up. He arrests us both and takes us to the station. We get thrown into a holding cell.

     “You’re a f*****g idiot, Leo.”

     “We’re just having fun.”

     “Maybe Johan was right, but maybe he was only right about you. What’s wrong with you? You like killing and violence and s**t.”

     “I’m just having some fun the way I want.”

     “Dude, maybe you do need a therapist or something.” Luckily, my dad showed up and paid my bail. “What about Leo?”

     “Sorry son, he’s not responsibility, his parents have to do it, not me.” My dad says.

     “Well, I’ll see you later then.”

     “Later.” He says. The next day, Leo wasn’t in school, he must’ve still been in jail.

     “Still thinks you ams nots bad?” Johan asks me.

     “I get your point, look, I didn’t know he was gonna fire his BB gun at people, I thought we were just gonna shoot some stuff like normal.”

     “He has problem. We should not hang with him too much anymore, just school from now on and no skipping with him.”

     “Maybe you’re right, but we’ve been best friends since we were kids.”

     “There ams saying in Sweden: Don’t feed the mouth that bites you.”

     “That’s really a Swedish saying?”

     “I don’t know, I’ve heard it in Sweden but it ams true. He keeps getting yous in trouble and you still do it. He ams giving you a bad rep bro.”

     “Yeah, you might be right, but how do we let him know?”

     “I’ll do it, but you have to be there so he knows we’re serious.”

     “Alright. After school?”

     “Ja.” This was going to be tough. After school, I took out my phone and called Leo’s house, his dad answered. He told me Leo was still in jail because he was sick of always bailing him out of trouble and that I should stay away from his son so I don’t end up like him. That’s pretty sad that even his own dad thinks his son is like a virus, able to corrupt other people with his behavior. He said he’s sending Leo to military school until graduation and then off to the Marines. He says he needs to be controlled before he causes any more chaos. Johan comes out of the school. “Where ams he?”

     “He’s still in jail, c’mon, I’ll explain on the way.” We got into the car, and on our way. “Ok, so his dad is keeping him in there because he feels he’s out of control.”

     “Glad his papa noticed.”

     “Yeah, he’s uh, also sending him to military school and then the Marines upon graduation so he’s constantly on a tight leash.”

     “The Marines?”

     “Yeah, he needs the toughest conditioning he can get, and it allows him to release his energy towards fighting the good fight.”

     “Good, maybes he will straighten out.”

     “Well, I hope you guys will see me win the championship over in Iraq every February. Haha.”

     “Look, realistically, if you don’ts happen to make it in football, will you enlists with me?”

     “Know what? Sure, I’m the best America has to offer, and if I’m doing it with you, I know someone will have my back.”

     “We would all have your back, it ams what a unit does.”

     “Hmmm… the ultimate challenge, it’s perfect.”

     “Challenge?”

     “Yeah, I know I’m tough, but can I become the ultimate human? Military grade strength, tactical knowledge, I could be unstoppable.”

     “This ams not a game, there ams real life consequences to every decision you make.”

     “I don’t believe in consequences. I never have to face them, and I never will. There’s always a way out.”

     “Oh boy.” We get to the station.

     “Hi, can we see Leo Mickowski?”

     “Hurry up, he has a hearing in twenty minutes.” The officer says as he escorted us. We get to where Leo is.

     “So, look what you ams done.” Johan says.

     “Hey guys, c’mon. Bail me out, my dumb dad won’t.”

     “I’m sorry, we can’t do that.” I said.

     “Why not?”

     “Be-we can’t, cause- we can’t.“

     “You ams bad influence, you make us look bad, and we can’t be friends if you keep doing bad things.”

     “So I’ll stop doing bad things.” Leo says.

     “It ams not that simple, you ams getting worse, your papa is sending you to military school.”

     “What? F**k that! You’re lying!” He starts shaking the bars violently. The cop bangs on them and tells him to calm down.

     “We ams sorry, Leo but until you get good, we can’t hang out anymore.”

     “I’m sorry guys, come on.”

     “Sorry.”

     “Come on, Samson! Do you believe this bullshit?”

     “I’m sorry Leo.” I told him.

     “Fine, f**k both of you guys. Eat s**t and die!”

     “If that’s how you feel.” Johan says as he turns around and walks away.

     “I’m sorry buddy, but I got a reputation, and I can’t be known as a criminal.”

     “Whatever.” He turns around. I turn around and walk out of the police station.

     “He ams gone.” Johan says.

     “Yeah, it’s crazy, you think you know somebody and they turn out to be a monster inside.”

     “I told you.”

     “I didn’t wanna believe it, but I’m glad you made me aware cause if you hadn’t, I probably would’ve ended up doing what he does without thinking about it.”

     “Glad I could help.”

     “Alright, you going home?”

     “Ja.”

     “Alright, I’ll drop you off at the school.”

     “Ja ok.” I dropped him off, then swung around to Christy’s house. I honked the horn and she rushed out.

     “Hey babes.”

     “Heyyy Sammy!” She hopped in the car and gave me a kiss.

     “What’s up, honey?”

     “Oh, nothing. Was just wondering what took you so long.”

     “Just dealing with stuff, I’ll tell you all about it later. For now, let’s enjoy the movie.” We pull into the theater parking lot and walk on in.

     “What are we seeing?”

     “Soul Shredders”

     “Ugh, is it an action movie?”

     “Yeah.”

     “Ugh. Fine, the lead better be hunky then.”

     “Haha, whatever.” We went in and watched the movie, it was pretty good. “Did you like it?”

     “Yeah, I did actually.”

     “Haha, that’s good. I gave her a kiss. “So… are you ready yet?”

     “I don’t wanna rush it.”

     “Fine, fine. I can wait I guess.”

     “It’ll be worth it.”

     “Alright.”

     “Listen, can you take me home? My dumb mom wants me to help decorate for Thursday.”

     “Sure. We coming over your house this year?”

     “Yeah.”

     “Cool.” I dropped her off at her house and went home. The next day was a half day so I decided to skip it. “Yo, Johan?” I say over the phone.

     “Ja.” I hear.

     “C’mon, over buddy.”

     “Ja sure.” Within a few minutes, he was over the house.

     “Who’s car should we take? We’re taking the girls out.”

     “Chris, Kat, and Mari?”

     “No, just Chris and Kat. We’re going out to lunch and Maritza isn’t fun to eat with anymore… she doesn’t.”

     “Yeah I ams noticed that too.”

     “Alright, lets go.” So, I swung by their houses and picked up the girls. “Have you guys noticed Maritza acting weird?”

     “What do you mean?” Kat asked.

     “She… doesn’t eat anymore and she’s obsessed with her weight.”

     “I’ve heard of that, it sounds like she might be anorexic.”

     “What’s happening to everybody? Everyone’s changing… Maritza’s starving herself, Leo’s gone crazy, what the f**k, man?”

     “Well, I’m starving, but I’m ready to fill my belly.”

     “Well, that’s good, I like a girl that eats, I don’t like dainty girls who pick at their food and eat two bites. I like cooking for people, and I like to see them enjoy what I made.”

     “Are you saying you want me to be fat or that I am fat?” Christy says.

     “That’s not what I mean. It might be the Latino in me, I like when people eat a healthy amount. I don’t mean you have to make a pig of yourself, just eat until you’re full.”

     “You cook?”

     “Sometimes. I make a mean meatloaf.”

     “How come you never cooked for me?”

     “I don’t know… would you like me to?”

     “That would be wonderful.”

     “Well then I should cook for you sometime, Chris.”

     “I would love that.”

     “We’re here.” We go in, have our lunch, go to the mall, get some random stuff, then split for the day. Eleven the next morning, me and my family headed over to Christy’s house for Thanksgiving. “Hey Chris.”

     “Hey Sammy, Kat is already here.”

     “Where’s all our parents?”

     “They’re out back on the deck. We have free use of theater if you want.”

     “All of us, or just the two of us?”

     “Well, we can’t exclude the others, so of course all of us, but we could take a spot in the back.”

     “Yeah, alright.”

     “What are you guys talking about?” Kat says, as she shows up.

     “We’re gonna watch some movies in the theater.”

     “Ok, well, Maritza just showed up, should we say something to her?”

     “Do you think it’ll help?”

     “Maybe. Here’s Johan.”

     “What ams we talking about?” Johan says, coming up to us.

     “We’re thinking of talking to Maritza about her problem.”

     “Ja, we should say somesing.” Maritza walks up to us.

     “Hey guys.” She says.

     “Hi Mari.” Christy says.

     “What’s up?”

     “Is everything ok?”

     “Yeah, why?”

     “We’re just worried about your… weight.”

     “I know, I’m f*****g huge, I’m sush a fatty.”

     “But you’re not.” I told her.

     “Oh, you’re juss being nice, chico.”

     “No, seriously, you’re getting pretty bony.”

     “Pssh, I wish. Look at this flab.” She jiggles her arms.

     “Well, we tried. C’mon, let’s go watch something.” We went into the theater room and the movie started. Me and Christy made out during the whole movie and I even got some on top of the bra b**b. That’s the most I’ve ever gotten. It was nice, I gotta say. I noticed Leo wasn’t there, so after the movie, I found his dad on the deck. “Mr. Mickowski?”

     “Hello, Samson, what can I do for you?”

     “Where’s Leo?”

     “He’s still in jail. I’m not bailing him out until after the weekend. I already have him enrolled, he goes when his six month house arrest is over. Nothing against you or your friends, but I don’t want him having any contact with anyone in that time. I’m sorry to take your best friend away from you Samson, but you’re a good kid and my son might damage you.”

     “I understand.”

     “Good. Enjoy the party.”

     “I will.” I join the crew. “Guess we’re not seeing Leo ever again. His dad’s leaving him in jail, then he’s on house arrest for six months and we can’t have any contact with him, then he’s going to military school.” I said calm and low. I tried my best to keep my voice from breaking.

     “Its was bound to happen.” Johan says.

     “I just can’t believe it’s over. All we’ve been through, and now he’s going away and who knows when we’ll see him again if we ever do?”

     “Sammy, are you alright?” Christy asks.

     “Of course, I’m fine, just- just pissed off. I just lost my best friend.”

     “Him ams crazy though.” Johan says.

     “I don’t care! He was my best friend!” Now I really was getting pissed. Luckily, we were called for dinner. About halfway through, Maritza’s mom spoke up.

     “Chica, you’re not eating, whass the matter?” She says.

     “Nothing, I’m full.” Maritza says.

     “Full? Baby, you need to eat more than that, you took two bites. Come on, I’ve barely seen you eat lately. Today you can eat as much as you want and nobody will care, eat chica, eat.”

     “I said I’m full, mami.”

     “Are you sick or something, baby?” She feels her forehead. “You seem alright to me.”

     “Stop embarrassing me, madre.”

     “Madre? Baby, are you upset with me, chica?”

     “Yes, mom, stop it! Just drop it, I don’t wanna eat anymore! God!” She got up, left the table, and stormed off.

     “We’ll go talk to her. C’mon, Kat.” Christy says. They get up and follow her.

     “Boys, would you happen to know why Mari is acting so strangely?” her mom asks.

     “She’s anorexic.” I told her. “At least, that’s what it looks like.”

     “Oh my goodness!” She gets up and follows the girls. Maritza and her mom left shortly after that. Johan and Kat left too, since my parents and Christy’s parents are the closest, we stayed the longest. My siblings literally spent the whole time in the game room with the other kids, and even when the other kids left, they were still in there. I took my alone time with Christy to my advantage.

     “Can we talk?” I ask.

     “Sure.” Christy says.

     “I hate how everyone is so anti-Leo, it hurts. He’s my best f*****g friend and now that he’s getting into a little more trouble than usual, all of a sudden he’s crazy.”

     “He likes hurting people.”

     “No, that’s not true, it just looks like it.”

     “Samson, I know it’s hard to accept, but he’s not the same guy you grew up with. He clearly has mental problems.”

     “Mental problems are for poor people, they don’t happen to people like us. We were born perfect.”

     “Samson…”

     “No, I don’t associate with crazy people, I beat them up.”

     “Samson, you’re going to have to face it one day, might as well be today.”

     “No, no, no…” I broke down and cried in her arms, I couldn’t help it, and I felt like such a wuss, but f**k man, this is my bro we’re talking about. The thought of losing him and becoming the kind of person I hate really pissed me off. There’s no way he’s crazy, I refuse to believe it.

     “I’m so sorry, Samson.”

     “Whatever, he’ll get over it. He’ll go to military school, enlist, he’ll be all better when we’re older, just you watch.”

     “There ya go, just hang on to that, ok?”

     “Yeah, yeah, ok thanks.”

     “No problem, babes.” She gives me a kiss. We left shortly after that, and on Monday night around midnight, I snuck out of the house and ran to the other end of the block to Leo’s house. I found his window and started hucking things at it. He’s a light sleeper, so he saw me pretty quickly.

     “Yo, waddup?” Leo answers.

     “This is the last time you’ll see me. At least for awhile.”

     “Uh, duh, you snuck out, you could do that every day.”

     “I-I don’t want to.”

     “What?”

     “Look, I love you bro, no homo. We’ve been homies practically all our lives and I really really still wanna be your friend, but you’re scaring me. It used to be harmless pranks and somewhere it escalated to violence. I’ve got a rep to keep up, and I can’t be known as ‘that crazy guy’s accomplice’ or ‘that crazy guy’. People will see me with you, and see all the crazy s**t you do and think that I do it too, and that’s not what I’m about, bro.”

     “I’m just having fun, you know that!”

     “But where’s the line? Spray paint and even breaking a window was ok, but then you’re throwing rocks off the overpass and not caring if people die, shooting your BB gun at random people. What the f**k, dude? That’s crazy, like serial killer type s**t and I don’t like crazy people.”

     “So… this is how it is, huh?”

     “Look, hopefully the military will fix you and if things don’t go my way, I promised Johan I would enlist with you guys so at least you won’t have to do the Marines alone, but I’m really counting on playing for a national football team.”

     “Yeah, sure Samson, have fun with your silly little dream.”

     “Hey, man. Come on-“

     “No, you listen to me. What if you actually make it? Become a famous football player, rake in the millions, f**k b*****s on piles of money and forget about me while I’m getting my a*****e ripped apart by sand n*****s? You didn’t think about that, did you? While you’re off living a life of not giving two s***s about yourself, me and Johan are gonna f*****g die in the middle of a desert in a war that you said was ‘not your problem’ as I recall. But why would you care? You only care about yourself, what you want. F**k everyone else, right? It’s all about Samson. ‘I’m the best’, ‘I’m perfect’, ‘I’m motherfucking SAMSON!’. Do you realize what a piece of s**t you really are? You only care if it benefits you. You don’t care about signing up cause you care about the country, or even to support your best buds. No, you wanna do it cause you just see it as another personal test, am I right?”

     “How did you-“

     “I’m your f*****g best friend, dude. I know how you think as I’m pretty sure you know how I think by now.”

     “If I’m such a piece of s**t, why do you still wanna be my friend?”

     “Same reason you still wanna be mine.”

     “Look, I suppose I can sneak out a few times, during your last six months, but it won’t be every day so I’ll text you when I’m heading over.”

     “Deal. Just don’t make it too sporadic.”

     “I’ll try.”

     “What time would these alleged meetings take place?”

     “What time does your dad go to bed?”

     “Tenish.”

     “So I’d be over around eleven.”

     “Alright, man.”

     “Good luck with everything, bro.”

     “Thanks, dude.” I left and ran back home. Luckily he doesn’t live too far from me, using the car would’ve been too risky. I got home and went to bed, and went to school the next day. I picked up Christy on my way to school.

     “Saw Leo last night.”

     “Thought you were supposed to stay away from him?” She says.

     “Well, I’m not. I’m going to visit him every so often during his house arrest until he leaves.”

     “And his dad’s ok with this?”

     “He’s not going to know. I’m going to sneak over.”

     “Why risk getting in trouble over him?”

     “Because he’s my bro and I can’t just drop him like a sack of s**t.”

     “What if you pick up his bad habits and just continue where he left off?”

     “Is that seriously what everyone thinks about me? That I just do whatever Leo does because I think like Leo?”

     “No, it’s just- you’re a little hard to figure out.”

     “How?”

     “Cause nobody really knows if you’re a good guy or a bad guy. You seem good, but you do bad things, so it’s confusing.”

     “Whatever.”

     “I’m sorry, I think you’re good if that helps you feel any better.”

     “It kinda does.”

     “Look, I’m not going to tell anyone what you’re doing, but please be careful, I don’t want you ending up like him.”

     “Don’t worry, babes; I won’t.”

     “I hope you’re right.”

     “Trust me.”

     “I do.”

     “I love you, Christy.”

     “I love you too, Samson.” We had a nice, long kiss before the bell broke us out of it. We got out of the car and went into the school.