Paradise Blvd. Year One

Chapter Twenty One

Wednesday

"Is it me or is this the worst possible time for this?"

Marion looked at Marceline. "It's you."

She sat down on her bed, across his. "No, I mean..." She paused thoughtfully.

"I know what you mean," he said. "It makes me sad, really. When we all met, it was this definitive thing, you know? But the fall apart is just meh. Sure, we have our reasons and they are gut wrenchingly valid, but it just feels like it could've been something bigger." He gestured an explosion.

She smirked at him. "It's not over just yet, so don't lose hope."

He chuckled.

Years Ago

Esau Collins shifted in his seat uncomfortably. He had been waiting for a long time and he hadn't ordered anything since he came in, so people were staring at him. Those who weren't, were staring at the television. "Breaking News: the Collins Clan of white supremacists has been busted on multiple accounts of child grooming and racist lynching," the headline on the banner read. He couldn't hear the television much, because of the chatter in the diner and the ringing in his ears, so he just read the headline on the banner over and over again.

The man finally arrived. He was wearing a brown blazer, a brown tie, a white shirt, a pair of brown pants and a pair of brown shoes. He sat across Esau and ordered a burger and fries for the both of them. Two separate meals. "I can't imagine what you're going through," was the first thing he said.

"Uh huh?" Esau looked at his eyes. Dark. Cold. He spoke with sympathy, but there was none in his eyes. "I need help. I don't know what I'm going to do, where I'm going to stay. I am lost."

"I know, but you need not be lost son," said the man. "You shall be saved. Your parents weren't innovators, son. They worked for a greater power that drives us all. I'm not saying their loss isn't going to hurt us, but the media and the sheep know nothing. We are still powerful. And you, Esau, shall be one of us."

Esau nodded. "Alright. Alright."

Wednesday

"I didn't get you shit for Christmas." It had been silent for a while now. Troye had to say something before he lost his mind. They wouldn't be able to stay in the same room acting like this.

"Why would you?" Forest asked. "Y'all are mad at me."

"We're not," said Troye. "I'm not. We can talk, we can work this out. You just gotta look at this from Tulip's perspective, alright?"

"I can't. None of us can, man," said Forest. "We ain't never been through shit like that."

"Exactly!" Troye jumped out of his bed. "So, if we know nothing about how she feels, why did you think it was right to play hero with her ex, rapist boyfriend."

Forest sighed and fell back into his bed. "Shit."

"Yeah. Shit."

Years Ago

Marion stumbled into the class. He was late for detention. Ms. Cheyenne King looked at him from her large desk. "Marion, you're late."

"So, nothing new." He settled into the desk in front of one Forest Walker and took out a paperback from his backpack. "I finished The Outsiders, it was awesome!"