Someone Willing to Stay

Get Lost

     "I don't want to go."
      "You're acting like a five-year-old, Mason," mom rolls her eyes, "plus, it'll take five minutes."
She looks through the cabinets and smiles in triumph when she finds the plastic Tupperware she's been searching for for fifteen minutes.
"Here it is." I love her accent. The one picked up from being born in Mexico and carried with her when she crossed the border.
The bowl that mom borrowed from dinner with Mel. The bowl that I have to return after the fiasco that happened last night.
"And tell her you're sorry." Mom says.
"I didn't do anything."
She flicks me in the nose and I frown.
"Have I taught you nothing, hijo? The woman is always right. Now go apologize so I can get back to dreaming about the beautiful grandchildren you'll make with her."
My mother is crazy. I barely know Mel anymore. And I'll never see her again after this year. I shouldn't have to apologize when I don't even know what I did.
I sigh and grab the bowl from her, "You're mean, you know that?"
     "Te amo, sweet boy."
     "You too, Mama."
      I have twenty minutes before I have to get to school. I was going to spend them laying in bed and pitying myself, but I guess that can wait until after school.
      When I knock on the door, expecting Mel to answer, I'm greeted seconds later by Adam.
      I hate Adam. I despise him. He's a self obsessed jerk.
     I have so many memories of him being an absolute ass to Mel when we were kids. Pushing her around, throwing sand in her eyes, calling her names. Mama always said it was older brother behavior, but even Angel hadn't been that much a jerk to me.
     "Mason." Adam says through clenched teeth.
     "Here's your bowl. I gotta get to school."
He catches it as I toss it at his chest and go to turn around.
Adam scoffed and I hear him begin to close the door before there's a quiet groan and I stop in my tracks.
"What was that?" I ask as I turn back towards him.
His jaw is clenched. He's gripping the bowl in his hand tightly so his knuckles are turning white.
"None of your business. Get lost pipsqueak."
"Was that Mel? Is she okay?" Is she really that hurt from last night? I don't even know what I did. God, did she cry because of me? I never want to hurt her. Ever.
"She's just not a morning person. She's fine," he's spitting out the words with so much venom, "get lost."
"Can I talk to her?"
     I thought you didn't care?
"No. You need to leave, go to school."
And then he shuts the door.
I sigh.
You're a shitty person Mason. She's crying and it's your fault.
     Whatever. She's probably fine.
     If it helps you sleep at night.
     "Mason, are you coming?"
     David is sitting the driver's seat of his green trans am. He's smiling goofily and waving at me out the window.
     David and Robert were the first people to talk to me when I got back. And they didn't even try to take steps to become my friends. They dove right in, with their ex-girlfriend issues and family problems. I was immediately apart of their duo, or trio now. And apparently, that means I have to car pool.
     "You're a little early." I say, waking down Mel's driveway and to his car.
     "We gotta pick up Robert, his mom had another episode this morning and took off with his car."
Oh right.
Robert's mom. She's an addict, alcoholic, and depressed widow all in one. I've only been back for a week and Robert is my brother. And his story is my story.
     "Shit man." I frown as I get into the car.
"Yeah. What were you doing at Ni-Ni's house?" David asks suddenly, smiling at me.
Even he uses her new nickname. It's a school thing, is what Mel had said. For some reason, I hate it. I used to be the only person to call her anything but Melanie, but now, she has friends. Which isn't a bad thing. Except, I kind of wish she didn't.
I kind of am a shitty person.
"Just dropping off some dishes my mom borrowed the other night."
"Did you make out with her then or..?"
I punch his shoulder and roll my eyes, "We're not making out. Besides, her stupid brother answered the door anyway."
"You're totally whipped."
"Shut up and drive. You're the one who can't stop talking to that short chick, Riley."
"This conversation is not about me." He blurts nervously and I chuckle.
"You're in love with the fashionista. Maybe she can make you a skirt for your wedding day." I tease.
"Stop being an asshole." He groans as we park in front of Robert's house. It's run down, with cracked windows held together by duct tape and a roof held up from the inside with wooden beams.
"Yeah, stop being an asshole." Robert snickers, opening the back door.
We wait until he's situated before David begins to drive again and I look at Robert over my shoulder, "You good, man?"
"I'm fine."
"What about Danny?" David asks, talking about Robert's sister.
"She bolted this morning as soon as mom woke up. I'm pretty sure she walked to school."
"Huh."
"She's been acting weird ever since the party," he says, "she's constantly texting someone and like smiling. And my sister doesn't smile."
"She's got a boyfriend." David sings.
Robert frowns, "Absolutely not."
I laugh, "You can't scare all the boys forever."
He crosses his arms, "I can try."
"How's your dad?" David directs the conversation toward me.
I pause. This is the one thing I wanted to avoid today.
I said my goodbyes before I came home. Before he went into surgery to remove the tumor sucking the life out of his brain. Before his brain started bleeding and there was nothing they could do. I don't want to think about it.
"He's brain dead, I got the call yesterday."
No one says anything and I'm grateful. A little silence is all I need today.