Graveyard Girl

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When I get home the first thing I do I pull off my wet clothes and throw them into a heap on my floor. I shower and then I pull on my jumpsuit I wear for work, for reasons I don't exactly know, thoughts of Angela bring a small smile to my face. While I grab a towel and start to dry my hair I glance at my guitar in the corner. I haven't played it in years. It looks pathetic and abandoned. I could say that it's because I became too busy to play it, but I know it's because of my dad. He taught me how to play when I was too little to play a real full sized guitar. Before he died the time he spent with my mom and me just diminished until he was just gone. Now when I play the guitar without him here, I just feel pathetic and abandoned. I'm not even sure if I can still play the thing.

I grab my phone and play one of my favorite songs, "Oh Love" by Green Day. The guitar sounds effortless and carefree. The exact opposite of the life of an insomniac like me. I pull open my laptop screen and open my email. I read emails from colleges claiming to know me or claiming to throw money at me. Ever since I graduated from high school this is all I get. Yeah, I gave a shit about school. I took it seriously. But I always knew college wasn't for me. I'm not that into working off college debt like a slave till I die. But my college counselors pushed me so hard to go to college I had to lie to them all the time and say that I would apply. They kept saying that I was a smart, promising student and I shouldn't waste an opportunity. No one could get me sold on paying for those standardized test and application fees. If I did go to college though, I know I would major in mechanical engineering. I've always been interested in it because my Dad was a mechanic. And besides I'm making pretty good money for an 18 year old fixing cars. I know plenty of people who didn't need a college degree to get rich. There's other ways besides college to make a living.

Suddenly Billie Joe's singing is muted and "Oh Love" is interrupted by a jarring sound. It's a facetime call from Alejandro. I groan and smile at the same time as I pick up the call. Alejandro's voice fills my ear before I can even say hello.

"So Leo, Imma need you to tell Antonio that I'm not coming to work today." He looks me dead in the eyes. He uses his hand motions to convince me to do him this favor.

"For what?" I ask while hoping that he can see my eyebrows furrowed in the camera.

"I have a date," He says matter of factly. I roll my eyes and think that I'm really stupid for believing for a second that he actually had an excuse.

"No mames. You've got to be fucking kidding with me. With who?" I ask accusingly.

He starts waving his hand in front of the camera. "The fuck you mean with wh-"

"Who?"

He breathes out. "With Jessica."

I let out a sigh and put my head in my hands. "Do I need to remind you again that you're already dating Camila?"

"She's fine with it man."

"Really, so if I call her-"

"Okay, okay. C'mon man," He's whining now. "W-wait. If you want I can take Camila to the movies right after I take Jessica." His smile gleams through the pixelated screen.

"Don't do that. That's fucking worse. You're disgusting. I don't know why we're friends, honestly." I'm shaking my head.

"Leeeeooo. You know I love you man." He sounded hungover too.

"Órale pues, whatever."

"So you'll tell Antonio that I'm sick. Tell him I'm sick or something. I know you're a smart motherfucker." I wince at his statement.