The Balcony Scene

Tony's P.O.V.

Maroon came running up to me after school. She approached me panting and she said, "Tony..."

I replied by just looking her in the eye to let her know that's my way of asking "What?"

"I decided. I want to do it." She said releasing a smile onto her face.

I was confused, what did she decide on? What does she want to do? I was really lost. "You've decided on...?" I asked trailing off, leaving it to her to finish my sentence.

She looked away from me for a moment, finished catching her breath, and looked back up to me. She hesitated for a moment, and then she said with her eyes gleaming, "I've decided that I want to get a house all together. It sounds like fun," A smile appeared on my face and my eyes got wide. She continued, "I'm down to share a room with you. I don't mind it, I mean we've been friends for years. I trust you." She hugged me while she was saying the last few words.

Oh my God. Is this real life? Is this really happening? Finally. I hugged her back, "Yes! I'm so happy that you're gonna be rooming with me!"

"Woaaaaah guys! Am I intruding on something here?" Maroon and I broke our hug and both looked over to see Jaime smiling playfully as usual. His hair was spiked and he was wearing a striped, black+white tee shirt.

"Hime!" Maroon exclaimed, giving him a hug, "I haven't seen you all day!" None of us had any classes together today, so we haven't all been talking much. Well, not today at least.

"Have you told her about your idea yet?" Jaime questioned me.

"Yeah!" I exclaimed while nodding my head up and down. "She agreed!"

Jaime turned his attention over to face Maroon. "So you gave in, eh?"

"Well, yeah. Getting a house with all of my best friends has been my dream since I was a little girl. I'm so excited about it!" Maroon was glowing with happiness. You could see it all in her eye, she was REALLY happy about this. I couldn't help but smile while they were talking. Seeing her smile makes me smile, too.

I checked my phone to see what time it was. 2:34. Shit, I gotta get home soon."I gotta get home soon. You guys walking?" I chimed in.

They both looked at me and nodded their heads. We all started for our houses walking side by side.

We were having a conversation on ways people on-line annoy us when I thought about Mike and Vic. I hadn't talked to them all day but I knew that Jaime had two classes with them today. "Hime, were Vic and Mike at school today?"

He shot me a look, squinting his eyes to avoid too much contact with the sun. It was shining bright now, but the weather was still a bit windy and a little cold. "Naw, man. I ain't seen them all day. I wonder where they are..." Jaime answered me, I could tell that he was thinking about possibilities of where they are by the way his voice got quieter.

Maroon was on her phone, probably updating her Twitter, when she looked up and said, "On Twitter," she started, I knew she was on Twitter. "Vic said something about being sick and Mike said something about helping him out. I guess he got food poisoning or something?"

I thought about it. Maybe I should stop by later to see what's up and maybe help out some. They are my best friends and Mike doesn't seem like the type of person who would stay home just to help out his older brother because he's sick. Something's up. Something's gotta be up...

"Mike? Help out? Mike help out his brother? Oh my God, he's found Jesus!" Jaime said cracking up at himself.

We eventually all parted our separate ways and I finally made it home. I walked up to my front door, whipped out my house key, unlocked the door and dropped my backpack by the door. I didn't have any homework, so there was no sense in putting it anywhere else. I opened my mom's room door to assure her that I was home but I was leaving again to go check up on Vic and Mike. I explained to her how Vic got sick and Mike was supposedly helping out. She gave me her okay and I closed her door and headed back outside and down the street to the Fuentes' house.

I knocked three times on the door. The only car outside was Vic's truck, so I knew that they had to be the only ones home. I heard footsteps come to the door and a voice yell "Coming!" The door swung open and Mike peeked out.

"Turtle! Wassup, mah dude?" Mike gave me a quick bro-hug and invited me in his house, shutting the door behind me.

I followed Mike up the stairs and into his room. Mike was grabbing a shirt to put on and he said to me, "What brings you to the crib?"

"I heard Vic was sick and I came over to check up on you guys." I answered to Mike's question.

He looked over at me after getting the shirt over his head. "Man, he's not sick. He was just playing hooky today. He needed an excuse to stay hom and so did I. We had to make it seem real so no one would snitch us out, you feel me?" He laughed.

"Man, I knew you guys were up to no good!" I said jokingly and a loud laugh escaped my mouth.

I heard their bathroom door crack open and footsteps start heading toward Mike's room. "Tony! When did you get here?" Vic asked, sounding surprised and fist bumped me.

"I heard that you were 'sick,'" I said quietly laughing.

"Oh. man. I'm sick as a dog!" Vic played along.

I sat on Mike's bed, "Yoooo, Mike. What's all of dis?" I said in a jokingly "gangster" voice as I picked up a pipe the shape of a mushroom from under his cover.

Mike's eyes got wide and then he let out a laugh. "That's my pipe, man! My lucky pipe." He said emphasizing the word lucky with a playful wink.

"Well, then I guess you're too highfor me to tell you that Maroon agreed." An instant smile appeared on my face.

Mike's eyes got wider than last time and you could see how high he was just by looking at his pink eyes. "No way! That's fuckin' rad!" Mike hesitated for a long moment before saying, "Wait...you must not have told her about the house."

"What do you mean 'about the house?'"I said shaking my head and squinting my eyes. "I don't need to tell her about the house. Now isn't the time. I can't scare her away before we get there!"

"You haven't even told her that it's your uncle's old house yet?" Vic joined into the conversation.

"Well..., no. She'd ask what happened to him..." I replied quietly.

"Bro, she's going to find out someday. You might as well tell her now.-" Mike was saying before getting interrupted by Vic.

"Or tell her later and make matters worse."

"I don't know, guys. I think I'd rather get situated in the house first." I was scared to tell her. She'd go apeshit if she found out about the death that happened there.