The Outcasts *COMPLETED*

Chapter 17 - Javier's Story

Age 5

A young Javier Vasquez smashed two action figures together, making punching and fighting noises with his mouth as he sat on his bed in the small apartment complex his parents rented. The sounds of two adults arguing with each other had begun to sneak in through the cracks of the door, bringing Javi away from his toys and causing him to focus on the arguing.

"Why are you always on my back?" Javier's father shouted.

"Because you are constantly out of the house! Why can't you stick around and be apart of our lives!" Javier's mother shouted back.

"I'm busy keeping a roof over our heads that's why!" his father shouted back.

"Doing what? I'm the one who works two jobs!" his mother continued, following the father around the house as he grabbed his things.

"Is one of them lying on your back?" Javi heard his father barely whisper. The sound of smack quickly filled the apartment and Javi felt himself flinch.

"Don't you ever speak to me again like that." his mother said, standing up for herself. "Go out with one of your whores. We don't need you anyway."

"Good riddance. Bitch." his father said, slamming the door shut behind him. The sound of his mother beginning to weep could be heard coming from the living room. Javi sat on his bed, clutching the action figures in his hands a tear rolling down his cheek as he took a deep breath.

Slowly he put down the toys, climbing off from his bed. His steps caused the floorboards beneath him to creak, signaling that he was leaving his bedroom. His mother wiped her eyes and her nose, trying to act as though she wasn't crying.

"Mami." Javi said, slowly opening the door. She looked to him, seeing that signal tear and was immediately across the living room and kneeling down to be eye to eye with him.

"Oh baby, don't cry. Everything's okay." she reassured him, pulling him to her and hugging him tightly. "Everything is okay. I promise." she whispered over and over into his ear, as he began to quietly sob into her shoulder.

* * *

Age 10

Javi sat on a bench, football pads on his shoulder and a helmet in his hands as he watched the other boys practicing on the field. His eyes were wide as he watched the football being thrown by the quarterback. Watching as the other players complimented him and his abilities, Javi knew immediately that's what he wanted to be. The team's leader. The player everyone looks to. He wanted that role.

"You're never gonna make the team." one of the kids said, causing Javi to be drawn out of his reverie.

"Okay Billy. Sure." Javi said, trying his best to ignore the bully. The kid, Billy, and the three other players that were with him walked over to the bench where Javi was sat.

"We're serious. You're too small. Too much of a dweeb. And probably don't even know how to throw a football. Or even catch one. Didn't have a dad to teach you." Billy said, a sadistic smirk on his face.

"Dude." one of his friends said.

"What? It's true. It's not like I'm lying." Billy said.

"Billy, let's go! Time for the scrimmage!" one of the coaches shouted. The group of four ran onto the field while Javi sat on the bench, grinding his teeth together and staring forward. The older kids were coming off the field now, and Javi knew that the worst of the insults were yet to come as they walked up to him already smiling.