Complacent Dreamers

Harry Bunner

Dear Isabella,
This is Autumn once again. It's been years since I've talked to you and I just wanted to say I'm so sorry for all I've done to you. I was in the house yesterday just looking at everything and I came across the pen you used to write with, the one with stripes on it? It reminded me of when you used to write on yourself. Gosh I hated that but I'm a little linear about it now.

Paul and I seperated two years ago, it was too much for me you know? Anyway I didn't really wanna keep you long, but tell Marshall, I think that's his name, I said hi and tell your dad hi for me too.
~Sincerely Autumn

I stared at the letter in my hands and saddened. I really hoped I'd see Autumn again no matter how much I didn't like her back then. I sat on my bed and read it over and over until I decided to go to Marshall's. He was staying at Bob's place for a bit, and I grabbed my notebook and phone book since Id knew we'd be planning a lot.

School was great, everyone was talking about going to this boy named Antonio's party. I got invited, but I decided I didn't wanna go. At work, Dylan didn't talk to me and I didn't talk to him, but the awkwardness did go down a bit. Marshall got a small promotion and got $5.50 an hour now, I was still waiting on promotion to cashier, but i figured it would be a while till I got one.

I showered and put on black basketball shorts and a white spaghetti strapped tank top, that clung to my body like comfortable leaches. I put on my high tops and sat at the counter with my stuff. "Morning baby." My dad said, gurgling down a beer. "Mornin' where's Kat?" I asked pouring coffee.

"She went shopping about an hour ago." He said and I made an O with my lips as I sipped on my coffee. "Well, looks like you're gonna be all alone in the house...HEY!!" I squealed, getting the best idea ever."Why don't you go to bingo with Debbie?" I asked and he scratched his neck, with his dirty fingernails.

"I haven't talked to her in a while. I should call her up shouldn't i?" I nodded and my phone rang, probably Marshall. "Well have fun I gotta go." I felt bad for leaving. I leave home a lot lately and I hate that, I can't blame myself though, I have no siblings to hang with and my dad always wants to sleep and Kat talks about Marshall and me dating 24/7 now, so the only way for me to escape that is my friends, outside of the house.

I held my stuff close to me as I walked pass my lawn, it was really cold outside today and it didn't make it any better that I had on freaking summer clothing. My teeth clattered, and I felt goosebumps mound on my skin, giving my skin a bumpy surface. I just kept walking, kicking rocks every now and then when I came across one.

The sky reminded me of when I was fifteen. The day I left. That morning all I did was sit there and watch the way the clouds mushed together and wondered how. Now that I think about it, I miss that place. I love sitting in that old rocking chair my father had bought at a garage sale. I loved how the splinters that poked holes in my dress felt, I loved how the air whistled to me in the winter, Washington was home to me and no matter how much I love Detroit, I'll always love Flint Washington a little more.

~~~
I banged on the door and Proof answered, I could hear Marshall in the back and I smiled at DeShaun. "Hey Proof." I chimed, really wanting to go in. "Hey Bella get to white ass up in here girl, you go freeze to death in that." I tittered and I waltzed in looking at Bob's mom asleep on the couch.

"Hey guys." I waved. Marshall's head popped up from his yellow notepad and headphones and Bob smiled at me. "Hey." He said and I propped down on his bed. "Okay so I was thinking St. Andrews? And rap battles strictly." I stared at Proof's dreads as he took off his own pair of headphones. "That's dope, we were also talking about changing his stage name. Ya know?" My eyes grew wide and full as I stared at Marshall scribbling on several different pieces of paper around him.

I nudged him and he rolled his eyes before pulling off the speakers. "What?" He sounded annoyed like I killed his vibe and I felt kind of bad because of it. "You're changing your stage name? I like M&M." He nodded and sat down his number two pencil. "It's Eminem now. E-m-i-n-e-m" I shrugged, deciding that it wasn't up to me any more, this was his legacy and he had to make it.

"Okay what about you proof? Shouldn't you be like scratching?" I asked and he nodded, sitting on Bob's desk. "Doodey and I are listening to the same mix tape, it has no lyrics though, he's gonna rap to it, Im on the turn tables." I ooed and he put his headphones back on, so I searched the phone book for places 'Eminem' could rap even though he didn't need me for that. I came across a nearby club and we were the appropriate age so why not? Dj Head would be on the turn tables tomorrow night so I made the call quickly.

"Hello, is this Harry Bunner?" Harry Bunner was the owner of Music Store I heard of but couldn't think of the name quick enough. "Okay I'm Bella Meyers and I have a friend here who I think you'd be interested in." I tried to sound older than what I was so he wouldn't shoo me away right then.

"Yeah his name is Marshall Mathers but he goes by Eminem. Pretty clever ain't it?" I glanced at Marshall who was apparently into his music. He would replay the same mix over and over, then pause it to write, then continue listening. "Yeah he's a rapper. I was wondering if he could perform at your shop sometime just for fun. Maybe you could stop by at his battle tomorrow at Umm lemme check and see what the name of it is..."

I scanned the phone book, found what I was looking for and returned to the phone. "Yeah it's called, oh you were already going to scout? That's good! Okay I'll see you tomorrow night!" I hung up and screamed to the top of my lungs. My friend was literally steps away from being famous. "Mickey!!!" I yelled and he took his headphones off annoyingly.

"Yea?"

"You're friend just got you two gigs, and one of them is at Harry Bunner's local music shop Ya know???"

"Record Time???" Marshall and Proof said simultaneously. "I guess, how'd you know?"

"I'm surprised he didn't remember us we go there every month. Yeah we know Harry, that's good though." He smiled but then slipped back on his headphones, that's when I knew that every move he made from this day on would be precise.