Just Greasers

Chapter Six

I saw a dark hand swing a bottle onto the lunatic's head and I backed away fearfully. "You okay?" He asked. "Y-Yeah." I stammered. I looked at the bleeding head of he hobo and then the dark face of my savior. "Uh- what's your name?" I asked. "Jack, we live in the same neighborhood." He said. "Pardon?" I asked. "You're Pepsi Jameson." He pointed out. "Yep." I said. "Come on down to my house I can lend you some clothes." He offered. "Gee thanks." I smiled. I grabbed a grocery bag and covered myself until we got got to his house two small kids played on the lawn. "Hey Jackie!" One said. He waved and they ran after him. I wonder if that'll be me in a few months. We went inside and I saw him mother was making some food. His dad sat at the table reading a newspaper. We went into his room and he handed me a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I noticed her at a seafoam Fender Stratocaster. "Holy shit." I said. "Ain't she beautiful?" He asked. "Hell yeah." I said. "You play?" He asked. "A little." I shrugged. He handed me the Strat and picked up an acoustic guitar. "I got myself a band maybe you can swing by and jam with us." He suggested. "You don't sound like most folks around here. Where are you from?" I asked. "Louisiana Bayou." He said. "Like Bye You?" I asked. "Yeah B-A-Y-O-U." He spelled. I played the word for a bit while I played a surf riff by Dick Dale. "You only play a little?" He raised an eyebrow. "Well, my dad taught me a thing or two before he became a shit eating alcoholic ape." I growled. "I best get on home now." I said. "Let me and my brother walk you." He said and soon we all walked down the street to my house. "Socs are everywhere ever since they found another body." He whispered. He and his brother ran home and I went inside. I turned to Terry and for a second I considered driving my knife into his neck and killing him. I went up to my room and lied on He bed. Lola was in the shower so I waited for her to get out so I could talk to her. She opened the door and got dressed in a tank top and underwear. "Hey." I waved. "Hey she waved back. She lied down next to me and I wrapped an arm around her embracing her warm body. Her hair smelt like mangos as a result of the shampoo I got her for her birthday as well as some baby clothes and a makeup kit. "What do you want to name the baby?" She asked. "If it's a girl I wanna name her Brooklyn." I said. "That's cute." She said. "What if it's a boy?" She asked. "I'd name him Darry." I said. "And if it's twins?" She turned to me and smiled. "Jesus how many names do you want? Three each. "For the girls Brooklyn, Sarah, Holly? And for the Boys Donny, Mick, or Thomas." I stated. She got closer to me and I kissed her on the lips. "I joined a band and I'm supposed to go over for practice tomorrow." I sighed. "That's cool. I'd go to everyone of your concerts." She smiled. "But then how will I bang the groupies?" I joked. We both laughed and I was happy I could joke with her like this. "DINNER!" Johnny yelled. I heard a loud OW soon after. I slid down the banister and saw we were having frozen dinners again. I grabbed my tray and plopped myself down in front of the TV. I chugged a beer while wolfing down bites of mashed potatoes and Salisbury steak. I finished before everyone else and went up to my room. I locked myself in my closet room and tied a belt around my arm before looking for a needle. I found one above a photo of my mother. I thought about what would she do if she saw her little boy shooting up heroine. So I turned the picture over. I used my lighter to melt the heroine and injected it into my vein. I took a deep breath and dropped the needle and I did the belt before going outside. Everyone was watching a Christmas movie. I went down and saw it was my moms favorite. "All Mine to Give" my smile faded and I trudged back up the steps into my closet. I can't take it anymore.

Johnny's POV:

I noticed Pepsi go back upstairs and followed him. I went inside and heard crying. Then I heard a lighter come on. Then I looked through a hole in the closet door at him. I saw him insert a needle through his arm and he injected some type of liquid. "I hate myself. Why can't I stop." He sobbed. He then grabbed a plate and snorted what looked like flour off of it. "Is he insane?" I thought. He grabbed a razor blade and cut his arm. I wanted to do something but I was scared. He looked so sad. Anytime anything reminded him about mom he always went into a dark place. He took some pills and went to sleep. I tip-toed away from the closet quietly while fighting back tears. I stepped on a board it creaked. "Lola?" I heard him ask sleepily. "Don't worry about me. I'm just uh- looking for clothes." He said. "I'm sorry but I don't have anything on so I can't come out." He said. "Hello? You still there?" He asked. I ran downstairs and got Lola. I took her to the porch and remembered how hopeless Pepsi seemed. I cried into her shoulder and she immediately knew something was up. "Go check on Pepsi." I stammered. We went upstairs and she didn't see him. I stepped on the creaking board and he called out again. "Lola, is that you?" He asked. "Yeah." She replied. "How come you didnt respond earlier?" She asked. "I had food in my mouth." She lied. "Oh." He said. "Can you tell everyone I love them and goodnight. I gotta just take a nap and I'm too tired to tell them." He said. I saw a tear roll down her cheek as she opens the door and saw Pepsi lying there. It was similar to a vet looking down on a dog being put down. I saw drugs all around him and a bloody picture of my mom. I couldn't handle the scene. From the slit wrists to the white nose, the needle in his arm and pale skin. It smelt like death in that closet. I threw up and cried as the others rushed upstairs. "What's wrong?" Ricky asked. "Pepsi." I coughed. I heard Katie shriek and that's all I can recall clearly. My vision was blurry as I became sweaty. I can't imagine life without Pepsi. Ricky grabbed Pepsi and lied him on the ground doing chest compressions while Terry called 911. They came quickly and took Pepsi away. Rick stayed in the ambulance with Pepsi and Terry and Katie followed in a car. I stayed with Lola who was crying. I sat on the couch looking at the TV screen with no expression. This is a dream, a nightmare and I'll wake up and when I do Pepsi will take me to the kitchen make me a PBJ sandwich and a glass of milk and calm me down as usual. No this was real. I looked at my hands and saw I had 5 fingers on each. The house was normal and everything was normal. This was not a nightmare. I came out of my numb state and walked over to Lola. I hugged her and cried uncontrollably as neighbors came out of their houses to investigate.