The Congregation in the Gas Station: A Combination of Short Stories

The Shrine

I knew I always thang for him. He kept that Glock on him. Ha, I'm just kidding. But, he always kept a soccer ball. I guess that answers the question of "What's black and white, and red all over". Him. His Trinidad and Tobago flag. It was his kik background. Every time I saw it... It made me love him even more. 

He never noticed me. Not even in middle school. The time when we are all growing into our awkward armpit arm. I tended it braid mine. Sometimes, if I was feeling risky, I would dye it colors. Blue, neon green, sometimes even hot pink. The hair on top of my head was always unkept... thrown in a messy bun. I kept it like that so the bugs would feel more comfortable. I had so many of them, I stopped naming them. I knew Debby, Scout, and Lil' Dez were always having kids in my hair but, I knew what they looked like.

I woke up one morning, slept through my 27 alarms. "Oh darn, what am I going to do now?" I threw on a dirty shirt from my laundry hamper, and ran outside. I grabbed a pair of the 99 cent flip flops from old navy, and ran to school. Just my luck that as I was running, the flip flops broke. I looked like a stripper running from her pimp. Except I had on flip flops, not broken high heels. 

I got into the school as soon as the bell rang. I ran straight to my first period class, history. Of course, I had to run right by him to get to my seat. 

"Um, Sanjada. Would you like to explain?"

"Explain what, Mr. Justinian?" I said raising an eyebrows looking side to side at all my classmates. Trying not to make eye contact with... him.

"You came in with you raggedy flip flops in your hand, and you shirt has dookie stains on them?" He question me, while plugging his nose. Debby, Scout, and Lil' Dez all heard this comment, and climbed out of my messy bun, and rubbed their hands as if they were about to fight. Despite their small appearances, they could do a lot of work. They once attacked an old lady who accidentally bumped into me.

"Mr. Justinian the First, can you please stop judging my outfit choices? You've been wearing the same shirt for the past two weeks, and it's just not working. In the great words of our Lord and Savior Sister James, you look a mess, the house." He turned around and rolled his eyes. I made a slight smile, and hit the woah, knowing I just won the fight. Then that's when I heard a warm, hot, whisper in my ear. 

"When you ran past me to get to your seat... I smelt the must come from your shirt." I was so nervous but, I knew that voice. I thought he was going to not like it but, I did it... for him. "I've seen you stalking me. Watching my every move. So you must know I enjoy the scent of must." I did. I knew everything. "That's the way to my heart... And tell your little bug friends they can calm down." I exhaled. My breath shaking. I could feel my heart pounding out of my chest. 

As the bell rang, he grabbed my arm. He reached his hand into his hair. *RIP* He opened his hand, and placed something in mine. And closed my hands around it. Winked, and left. I could smell his Old Spice Fuji as he left the room. I didn't open my hand until I got home. I opened my closet, and lit the candles in them. Opened my hand to see his ripped pieces of hair with some of his scalp and blood still let on them, and placed them in my shrine. 

"Gosh, I love him." As I sat Indian Style.