Seeds of Tomorrow

49

Fall had taken its sweet time coming that year. It was early October yet the leaves had barely begun to change. Thankfully the only thickness in the air was the humidity of the warm Autumn, tension between Rocco and Krist being replaced with their usual banter.

Krist had lightened up on his eldest, allowing him to regain possession of his car. Things in the universe were right once more. He was still working at Panera though he hadn't yet taken Annie on a real date. Though there had been a few hangouts nothing beyond the casual smoke session or binge-watching television. They hadn't even fucked, not from a lack of trying on Rocco's part.

Annie had agreed to be his homecoming something Rocco was looking forward to. He knew Evie had been asked to go with a guy who was in their grade. Though he was taking Annie, he was dreading the fact he would see Evie with another dude. The thought made him nauseated.

Hella dumb right? Selfish? Both?

Definitely both. Rocco knew he didn't want to be with Evie but it killed him to picture her with another guy. He could only assume that he liked the attention he'd gotten from her. God. He was such a dirtbag.

Evie aside, Mark had started working at Panera. It was chill, he was a hard worker who took any shift offered and didn't mind working extra hours. Of course, he was geeked all the time so he was on Superman time but Rocco had to give it to him, he was a good worker.

Now, Mark being Mark, he insistently began marking on chicks and started a thing with Amber the shift lead. He hadn't disclosed anything to Rocco at that point. He didn't need to. They'd all closed together a few times, the three of them.

Rocco had noticed there was a pattern of them disappearing together at the same time, constantly touching one another and then Mark was no longer needing rides home from him. Amber would drive him.

It didn't take a brain scientist to figure out they were fucking, it was only a matter of time before things would get messy.

Not only were they coworkers but both Mark and Amber had relationships, not that Mark cared about Joanna, but nonetheless it was a relationship. Amber had a boyfriend who was incarcerated but would be getting out shortly.

When it came out that Mark had been fucking Amber, Rocco had asked if he was worried about what would happen when Amber's dude got out. Mark simply shrugged, "I ain't worrying about that dude," he replied with his usual cockiness.

Rocco had clicked his tongue, "You're fucking crazy, bro," he had laughed.

It was a Thursday evening, two days before Homecoming, Rocco was sitting out on the porch the way his dad did, sharing a blunt with Jeordie. He had filled him in on the latest of tea involving Mark, Evie, and everything else.

Jeordie stared off into the distance as he stroked his beard, low-lidded eyes thoughtful as he took in what he was hearing.

"Damn...Mark really got them Samson genes," he chuckled, "All that shady ass shit...just like your ol' man."

Rocco smirked, "Yeah? My dad was a shady ass fool?"

The ruddy-faced man he viewed as an uncle grinned, exposing what his father referred to as Britishteeth, "You act like you haven't heard this before."

Taking a long swig off a can of Arizona green tea, the youngster shrugged, "Yeah but I always like to get the dirt on him."

Jeordie put the blunt out, shaking his head, "Fugging kid, I swear," he muttered with a laugh, "You better not repeat crap to your dad.

Rocco cocked his head, "Bruh...you know I ain't gonna say nothing."

"Let's just leave it as the fact that he was essentially...Mark but with...ugh...A shit work ethic?" Jeordie said, trying to choose his words carefully.