Complicated

8. The Start of It All.

Los Angeles, summer of '08; Chresanto had just got out of school for the summer. All day until the night came, he would play and hang out with his three neighbors, Rayan, Craig and Jacob, at their dead end street. They were all around the same age and lived next door to one another. All they did was ride bikes, play basketball and videogames, basically what little ten-year-old boys do best. When it was time to go, everyone's mom would come out and tell them to come home, except Chresanto.

Chresanto's mother left him at age two, leaving him with his dad. She left out of the pressure of raising a son and having to deal with his dad. All they had left were each other. Since Chres was the only one left outside, he went inside on his own time everyday. His dad would be intoxicated off drugs or busy, to the point where he would forget about Chresanto, but he still loved him. One night, Chresanto walked inside, with his dad dealing with a client. "100, I told you! All or nothing!" he shouted, slamming the table. "I don't have 100! I got you tomorrow, I promise you," the client yelled back, aggressively scratching his neck. It was only obvious that he was addicted to cocaine. The guy got up and stumbled out of the house.

"What a dumbass.." Chresanto's dad mumbled. Chresanto slumped his way to the couch and went to watch cartoons. "Why so down?" his dad asked. Chresanto didn't answer. "Boy, I'm talking to you! What's your problem?"

"Why you always gotta be busy?"

"To make money. You think everything's free?"

"No.. but you never get to hang out with me no more.." His dad looked at the disappointment in his son's face. "Turn that playstation on, boy. I'm 'bout to woop your butt at mortal kombat." Chresanto's face lit up with joy. "Nuh uh, I'm a champ at that game! You ain't got a chance!"

"We'll see about that!" His dad ran to the couch and plopped next to his son, grabbing one of the controllers. For two hours, they played video games. They ordered pizza and sat back together on the couch, watching tv until they fell asleep.

The next morning, Chresanto woke up early in his bed. He got up and went to look for breakfast. Instead, he found his dad doing lines of his own supply of coke on the table as his blunt burned on his ashtray. "Ahhhhh fuck!" his dad shouted. He then looked at Chresanto. "Heeeeeeey! I didn't know you would be awake!"

"..You okay, pops?"

"Yea! I-I just need some sleep, that's all!" Chresanto knew it was a lie. From seeing his clients, he knew that his dad was too high to function. The thing is, he never seen his dad do it right in front of him. "Pops, why don't you go lay on the couch?"

"Naaaah, lemme make you some eggs or somethin'!"

"Dad.. please." Chresanto's eyes started showing pain, which triggered something in his dad to listen. "Ummmmmm.. okay. Lemme go do that.." He struggled to the couch and within seconds, his rush was gone and he passed out.

Chresanto let out a deep sigh and put his father's blunt out. He then got his cereal and went on his with his morning. Hours later, his dad woke up from passing out and found Chresanto with his friends outside. He went on with his day as usual, as if nothing happened. Sadly, something did happened. Getting back on his feet, his dad was doing what he usually did, restocking his supply. Suddenly, a knock came on his door. "Who dat?" he asked, walking to the door. Whoever it was, they didn't respond. Little did he know, it was Human Services.

"Who are those people in the suits at your house?" Rayan asked, stopping on his bike. Chresanto stopped to see who he was talking about. "Hmm.. I dunno."

"Oooooh! I seen people like that at my aunty's house. They like to check on people to see if they're good at their house or something like that," Jacob added. "That don't make no sense, Jacob," Craig said. "Shut up, I know what I'm talking about!"

"Whatever, with your big 'ol hair.."

"Got a problem with my hair?"

"Maybe I do!"

"Will you guys shut up?" Rayan interrupted. The four of them shrugged off the people at Chresanto's house and went on with their business.

Soon, they heard yelling from the house, which sounded worrying. "The heck is going on in there?" Craig questioned. A woman from the group of people walked out the house and towards the four boys. "Excuse me but which one of you boys is Chresanto August?" Rayan, Craig and Jacob all pointed to Chres. "Okay so Chresanto, I want you to pack up your stuff and come with me. Your dad has to go away for a while."

"Where's he going?"

"Well, he hasn't been taking good care of you and been doing bad things, so you guys can't stay together anymore."

"Yes he has! And he didn't do anything!" he yelled at the woman. After saying that, his dad was being taken out the house in handcuffs by two men, kicking and yelling to be let free. Soon after, everyone came out their houses to see what was happening. "Let me go! I ain't do shit! Let me see my son!" 

"Pops!" Chresanto dropped his bike and ran towards his dad. He began punching the guys taking his father into a car, which had no effect on them. "Let him go, let him go!" he cried. "Chresanto!" Within seconds, he was in the car, unable to get out. With the window already halfway open, he had his last conversation with his son. "Chresanto, I'm sorry.."

"Don't be sorry, you didn't do anything!"

"Yea I did. You shouldn't have been in a house like that.. promise me that you won't mess with all that stuff, alright? Promise!"

"I promise.. but where you going? Where am I going?"

"Away.. you're gonna go with that lady over there so you can live better and-"

"But I want to stay with you!"

"Hey! Don't start whining now, okay? Be a man. Things will get better, I promise.. I love you, son. Remember that." 

"I love you, too.." Tears began to stream down Chresanto's face nonstop. The car started and began to pull away. "Be a man! Things will get better!" his father shouted out the window. That was the last time Chresanto ever saw his dad. He was only ten.

He continued to cry until the woman came up next to him. "I'm sorry.. it's for the best.." she tried to comfort. "Let's go get your stuff.." They walked inside together with Chresanto still crying. All the neighbors were outside and saw everything. After everything was over, they all went in their homes, including the boys. Chresanto packed all his belongings, and packed something that was most important to him. A picture of him and his parents. He was still a baby and they all looked so happy. What broke him even more was that he would never have either of them ever again.

Before leaving, he went to every one of his friends' houses and got their numbers to stay in contact. Once he had their numbers, he got into the woman's car and left his home for good.