Caballeros

Prologue edited

Running from the church I tear out of my father's grip, tears streaming down my little face. I look back at my daddy and his sadness matches mine. I refuse to believe my mommy has gone to be with Jesus. I run through the thickets and my white dress keeps getting caught on the long branches. I pull it over my head and let it fall onto the muddy ground. I hate abuela for making me wear that dress. The branches lick at my legs and it hurts but loosing mommy hurts far worse.

I finally get to the river and I see my twelve year old refection staring back. My large brown eyes are swollen and red from crying. I stand up and jump into the river in my undershirt and panties. I hear someone behind me I look over my shoulder and see my best friend Gordo. His mama and daddy died last year so he moved in with his Abuelos. His abuela overfeeds him because she feels sorry that he lost his mama, hence his nickname Gordo. He is thirteen years old and weighs about one hundred and fifty pounds. I met him shortly after he moved here to Laredo from Amarillo.

He had no friends so I became his friend. The boys are so mean to him; they push him to the ground every day at school. They kick and hit him any chance they can. My daddy says boys that do that are not gonna amount to shit and end up in jail. Gordo would come over and play with me at my house we would ride bikes and go for swims. We would help daddy at the ranch when he let us.

"Hi Gordo," I say.

"Hi Juliana, oh your abuela is going to mad as all hell," he says holding up my now muddy white dress.

"What's new, she was born mad." I try to fake a smile.

He sits on a bunch of logs at the water's edge. The water reflects in his blue eyes making them twinkle. I get out of the water and the breeze makes me shiver. I sit next to him and he grabs my hand with his chubby hand.

"Jules, I'm awful sorry about your mama," he says looking at me.

"Thank you Gordo, can I ask you a question?" I ask him and he nods "Does your heart ever stop hurting?"

I look at him and tears escape his eyes and he shakes his head. I put my head on his shoulder and we both cry. He is the only one that understands what I'm feeling right now.

"I'm really gonna miss ya'll, I mean I will miss you and your dad but not your abuela, man she is one ornery old lady. I am gonna be all alone now," he sniffles and it makes me cry more.

"I wish you could come to California with us."

"Me too. Will you call and write me?"

"You bet I will! We are best friends forever Gordo!"

"Thanks Jules. Hey what do you want to be when you grow up?" he asks. I smile at our little game that we play.

"I want to be teacher like mama, an actress and a vet. How about you?"

"I want to be a rancher like your daddy. I want to be a bull rider like my dad but abuelo says I am too fat."

"He can suck an egg! You can be whatever you want to be!"

"I want to be become a man just like your dad. I want to marry a girl like your ma. So I think when we get older we should marry each other." His says as his chubby face gets red.

"Who the hell is gonna marry your fat ass." Someone shouts from behind us.

I turn around and see Arnie Vega and his gang of jerks laughing at Gordo and I. Gordo stands up quickly and I follow close behind him.

"What do you want Arnie?" Gordo asks.

"Jules, why do you like this fat cow?" Arnie smiles at his showing us his rotten front tooth.

"Leave him alone Arnie!" I yell.

"You gonna let your girlfriend fight your battles fatso."

"She's not my girlfriend."

"Oh wait do you hear that...your mama is calling you fat ass...oh wait she is dead. I forgot." Arnie chuckles.

Gordo begins to run as tears fall down his face. He runs away without looking back. I try to run after him but Arnie grabs my arms stopping me.

"Leave me alone! I am gonna tell my daddy."

I run the rest the way home in tears. I trip and fall down skinning my knees right in front of the house. I am crying hysterically not because of my skinned knees it's because of my broken heart.n My dad sees me from the porch, he runs and picks me up tightly carrying me the dirt path.; he knows how hard this move is going to be on me. He rocks me on the rocking chair on the porch and he puts me to bed. We have a flight to California in the morning. I am dreading the morning; I hope it never comes. Daddy's job is sending him there but I don't want to go. Gordo knows what time I am leaving and he promised to come and say goodbye.

In the morning I wait on the porch for Gordo. I don't want to leave without saying goodbye to him. He never came, I was beyond sad. My dad literally had to pick me up and put me in the truck kicking and screaming. As I we drove down the ranch's dirt road I looked out the window at our ranch my home. I see an image running down the road...Gordo.

That was the last time I saw him.

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