In Another Life

Chapter 19: Mia

"So you coming out to LA, Minnie Mouse?" Bret wonders as we pack up Vicy's stuff.

"Nah, Brooklyn is my home. I can't picture living anywhere else." I admit and CC drops the stack of books he was holding.

"What!?!" He questions me and I shrug.

"I love it here." I admit. "I love the snow and cold. I love the Rangers and the Yankees. I can't picture living to hot LA."

"It's not that bad." Bobby admits.

"Brooklyn is my home to Minnie! But I left." CC argues and I roll my eyes.

"My whole life is in Brooklyn. My team, my job, my--" I stop before my mouth made the word family. "There's something about this place, I couldn't leave it if I tried. Like some act of God is holding me here."

"Hey what's going on?" Vicy wonders and she walks down the stairs.

"Mia isn't coming to LA." CC says and Vicy's eyes grow.

"You're not coming to LA?" She asks.

"When was it decided that I was?" I wonder. "You two get engaged and suddenly I have to move away from my home?" I grab my keys and walk towards the door. "Jesus Christ." I mumble as I slam the door.

I put my car in drive and fly away from the house, leaving nine feet of rubber behind me. I drive not exactly having a destination. I just drive. I turn on the radio and turn it up as loud as I can. Poison plays and I scowl, I'm mad at CC but I love his stupid band.

I find myself heading towards my old neighbourhood. This really crappy part of Brooklyn, the kinda place if you left your car unattended it would be stripped faster than a hooker drops her pants. Broken windows in abandoned buildings, hookers walk the streets (not the expensive ones either, the ones that will give you crabs), drug deals happen in alleys, and you can always hear the always recognizable sound of police sirens. Home sweet home.

I drive by my old house, it's been vacant since my dad's death and my mom got dropped off at rehab. The windows are boarded up with spray painted gang symbols on them. Though the windows are boarded up squatters still managed to break in. I hated it there. I used to sneak out at night and run to Vicy's house, I'd kinda break in and sleep on her bedroom floor. Eventually her parents gave me a key.

Finally I dive up the the water tower as the sun starts to set. I climb up the later like I did all throughout my adolescence. I sit down and I watch the sunset. I remember being fifteen and sitting here, thinking about jumping. Until of course Vicy came to find me. I remember sitting up hear reading The Outsiders over and over again, finally understanding what Johnny meant about being gold. The sun disappears and the sky goes from pinks and oranges fading into inky blues and blacks.

"Stay Gold, Ponyboy." I mumble.

I sit here for a while in the dark. Darkness bring mystery, a mystery I've always been interested in. My English teacher said that night was a metaphor for death, the great unknown. I always figured that it isn't that hard to find out about death. It would all be too easy. So easy. I look down at the ground below, it seems so far away right now but it would come rushing up to meet you all to happily.

They say that elephants have a great memories, I'm calling bullshit. Concrete has the best memories, it remember when you were six years old and fell off your bike. Or when you were fifteen and got the tar beat out of you by a couple of thugs. One of the big beefy thugs said once that the street always wins when it comes to street fights. I think it wins anyways. Rock does more than beat scissors.

I finally decide to go home only to find an empty house. I turn on the tv, the Yankees are playing. I pick up The Outsiders again and start to read it again for the eight thousandth time.

I guess I fell asleep.

When I opened my eyes again, five faces were looking down at me. I could hear the tv playing still and every light in the Goddam house was on. Vicy looks fit to be tied.

"Mia Arleen Kingsley, where the hell were you?" She scowls and I groan, rolling over again.

"Out." I mumble with my face in the arm of the couch.

"You had us all worried, Mia!" CC's voice rings in my ears.

"Yeah?" I wonder sleepily.

I start to drift off to sleep again, ignoring Vicy and CC go off their rockers.