"Yo Arron when is the pizza getting here"? I asked Arron. I am 18 now and it's been 8 years since the last time I've celebrated a birthday. But thank God that Arron's parents have let me stay with them till I get on my feet, I also work with Arron at his parents Ma and Pa convenient store on the corner. "I don't know man. I'm watching the clock and the delivery boy is down to 5 minuets." -DING DING- then someone came through the door, I quickly turn and see Zach come in and I bust his balls. "Man I thought someone with money was coming in. Nope its the corner bum again. Sir we don't give anything away for free-" "Shut up you jack off your jokes are to long, so why don't you kiss my ass while Arron gets me a brewski" Zach was kinda the comedic king when it comes to shittalk, so most of the time I wasn't mad if he cut me off. "Throw me one to brother". All three of us just sip beers and bull shit for a few minuets and now we look at the clock on the wall above the glass door. "The pizza boy has seconds to get here before we get that motherfucker foe free" I said then we start counting down the seconds. "five, four, three, two-" Right when we were about to say one the pizza boy rushes into the door. "YeetBois pizza"? Zach throws his hands up in the air, Arron starts to count out the cash, while I raise my beer. After the pizza boy leaves we just sip beer, eat pizza, and watch the boxing match. The room gets quiet and I raise my bottle. "Boys here's a toast to Zach, he's going to college while me and Arron rot in the shop" We start chuckling. Then Zach looks at Arron. "What are you going for again"? Zach sips his beer. "New and advancing technologies" Me and Arron at the same time just yell "Neeeeeeerd" Then we partied the night away. In the morning Zach was gone and me and Arron had to work to store hungover.
6 MONTHS LATER
It's been a while since we heard from Zach, the letters have slowed down, but that's ok we figured he was just having the time of his life. Or that the studies killed him either way I digress. So basically Arron's parents are gone all day now that they have 'two responsible young men to watch the store', they went out partying, clubbing, drinking, and what ever they wanted. Its been 19 years since they had a more then a day off and they was making the most of it. So I would work the morning 8AM - 3PM and we'd swap and he work till our closing time of 10PM. It's 7:30 and I'm getting ready for my shift, I get dressed in a pair of jeans, button up flannel shirt, and just a pair of sneakers. See Arron and his parents live in a apartment next door to the convenient shop that Arrons parents own. I sleep in what used to be the janitorial closet. It's a small room with a cot, wall plugin heater, a few candles, a state of the art T.V. That thing damn near hurt my back, it's about the size of small stove and weights about the same but at least I can still watch some Gunsmoke and Lone Ranger. That T.V might have been a pain in the ass to get in here but beats the hell otta that old radio. I have a dresser for my shirt and other pair of pants. And I have the only picture in all of existence of me and my parents before, well before that day and we actually looked happy. I often look and stare at this photo and wonder where it all went wrong. What made my mother start drinking, why was father always angry with her. I'll never know because their secrets are buried with them. My day is typically boring just the same ol same ol cashiering, when its empty restock what needs to be stocked, and if everything is nice and neat I'll go in the back and watch TV and listen for the doors bing bong when it opens. So its 2:45 and now I'm waiting for Arron to show up fashionably late with his new bestfriends Jack and Daniel or at least there goodbye gifts in the form of a headache, pair of sunglasses, a 2 hours nap, and about $35 dollars of stolen beef jerky and sodie pop. But hey your the owners son so I reckon that'll be ok. As I'm just leaning on my hands reading the paper I hear the doors bing bong and I look up and see a breath taking woman. 5'9, sun dress, her red hair poofy and curly, and curves all in the right places. "H-how can I help you mam"? She let out a little grin and help he hands behind her back. "I'm just looking for something to drink and the best ice cream I can find." She walked over to the counter and put her elbow on the counter and her chin on her hand. "What do you recommend"? My first thought was beer and what ever was cold but I wanted to impress her. "Well on this hot day I recommend a nice lemonade and to go with that a strawberry ice pop". She just goes hmm and goes and pick out a 12oz lemonade one in a glass bottle and a strawberry ice pop and I ring her up to $1. She handed me a handful of nickels and and as I'm putting them in the register she already had the bottle open and went to sipping and as I close the register she let out a satisfying ahh then unwrapped the frozen treat and put the whole thing in her mouth and let out a tasty moan as she made eye contact with me and pulled the pop out slowly then started walking out the door with her head cocked to the side. "Damn that's a tasty treat" and winked before she left the shop. All I could think of was 'hot damn what a woman. She was all I could think about for the next week. Arron has just about heard enough about me yapping about a girl who's name I didn't even know. "Si shut the hell up if you say another thing about the broad I'll frickin fire ya man" I laugh it off as I hear the doors bing bong as someone opened the me and Arron were standing at the counter me behind the register hanging out with Arron while also pulling some more hours. It was my redhead fantasy girl as she enters the door she waves at us and says "Hiya boys". To me her voice was like warm honey on a cold day. Arron waved then turned to me. "Bro go ask her talk to her, ask her out". "No dude I can-". Arron interrupts me. "If you don't then I will and I won't even invite you to the wedding". I take one look at her in her pair of short jorts to remind me of what I want. "Ok I'll do it". I do the breath test and it smells like ok and I make my way to her she was by the soda section of the cooler. "H-hi my name is S-si". She looked up with a grin. "Hi my name is Tess, Tess Hagan. And you"? I cleared my throat as confident as I could. "Si Lewis and I know this is kinda weird but, would you maybe I don't know be interested in a date"? She grinned and tilted her head. "What would you have in mind"? I can't tell if she's flirting or playing mind checkers. "Well there is that new movie theater on 4th street, or that nice Italian joint on lebronti Ave or we could get coffee. What sounds good to you"? She twirled her hair and replayed. "That all sounds good to me, dealers choice". How do I play this I don't know. "How about we grab a coffee, then swing by and catch that new movie 'Die Hard' and see were the night takes us"? She makes a kissy face towards me. "Sounds perfect but I don't have a ride". I quickly responded. "Well neither do I but how about I save the money from the cab for the whole date and we can walk around the city"? She just stared at me with a grin on her face. "Sounds perfect. What time do you get off"? I turn to look at Arron and he nods at me. "I just got off in matter of fact". Then I offer my arm and she wraps her arm around mine as we walk to the exit. "So Tess you know what I do, what do you do"? "Right now what ever I want". So in my mind I'm thinking college student or just quit her previous job. We we was walking faster then talking because we arrived at Cam's Café. We walked up to this open window. What it was just a big glass wall and there was a drive through window and as we approached to take out order a pretty big fella with a full sized beard, diamond earrings, skinny Jean's. It was a old buddy Campson, he was the owner of the café. "Si ya son of a bitch what can I get ya son." Then his eyes went to Tess. "Who is your lady friend"? I clear my throat. "Tess this is a old, OLD friend of mine Campson-" "But my friends call me Cam and a friend of Si's a friend of mine". He offered a handshake and she accepted. "So what can I get you love folks"? I just ordered a straight black coffee while Tess got a caramel latte, witch I think by the confused look on Campson's face, was the first time he ever heard of one. "Fancy drink aye"? She stirred her drink before she sipped it. "Well it's a little early for the whiskey wouldn't you say"? I nod my head. "Fair enough" I sip my coffee and let out a satisfying ah, but Tess took a sip from hers and her eyes almost crossed at first I thought she was saying how good it was but now that her face turned sour as if she had sucked on a lemon. Campsom walked up to her. "Ughh how is it"? She tried to not make a face but couldn't hold it anymore and spit it into a patch of grass beside us. "Jesus why is that sour?" Campson looked at the back of the caramel bag that you squeeze to put the caramel into the coffee. "Umm what's todays month"? Since Tess was gaging I went ahead and said July. "Oh fuck, my bad young lady we- I usually don't make drinks like this so I haven't used this in a while and it's well fuck me. A year and 2 months past the expiration date". "WHAT"?! Tess's shock brought a chuckle outta me and she noticed and stopped gagging. "Something funny tough guy"? I just say "Uhhhh" and before I knew it she took my coffee cup and just let out a cocky hmm and chugged my piping hot cup of Joe. Campsom and I just stared and went. "DAMN". It didn't looked like it phased her as she slams the glass cup on the glass counter and just said "Whoops guess you'll have to buy us another round". Speechless I just reach into my pocket and and slide Campson another quarter and he took it and went to refill our cups. He brought back two regulars this time as I go to sip mine I notice my watch outta my peripheral vision. "Oh shit the movies is in twenty minuets". So we got our coffees in to go cups and started walk-jogging our way and as we arrive to the cinema we have about 5 minuets left so we get our tickets and snacks and we enjoy the movie, Bruce Willis kicked ass, and surprisingly Tess liked the action. We just walk back to the store. "This has been a wonderful Tess". Me and her was just walking down the sidewalk side by side. "Yea it's been fun we should one hundred percent do this again". We get to the shop and I tell her to wait out here a moment as I go inside the shop and get a unused piece of receipt paper and grab a pen and write my phone number down then I head back outside. "Here ya go." I hand her the number and she shoves it in her back pocket. "Would you like to come inside while you wait on your cab"? Speak of the devil and he will appear, as soon as I said that I see the cab pull up. "Neverminded but hey just give me a call-". She interrupted me with a big romantic kiss. As she pulls back she gives me two love taps on my cheek and said. "I know how relationships work". Then she got in her cab and left. I'm just left leaning on the door. "What a woman". After a minuet I walk back into the shop and grab and open up a Coors and sit on my beach chair in my closet of a room and watch T.V till I pass out. I wake up the next day and tell Arron about the date last night and we just go about our day and nothing really happens we do our jobs and bullshit around sip a beer same old same old. 2 days later me and Arron are just chilling behind the counter when the phone started ringing, I pick it up. "Corner shop on the corner my name is Si how can I assist you". "My oh my my handsome guy named Si who is beauty to my eye." I just instantly smile as I recognize the voice, it was Tess. I mouth to Arron that I'm going to my room to talk. "Well I recon that that son bitch is in love" Arron said to himself. Then outta the blue three people came in they were all Mexicans. One had a ball cap on sideways, another with a red bandana on his neck, and the third had baseball jersey on and he also had a baseball bat in hand. Arron had a bad feeling about the situation at hand. "How can I hel-" "Shut the fuck up and empty the register ya punk ass bitch before we get violent in this motherfucker". Arron slowly moved his hands to the sawed off and stockless double barrel shotgun without them seeing. "Trust me sir you don't want this trouble I suggest you-" -CRACK- The one with the baseball cap cut Arron off with a swift right cross to his jaw stunning him, then the thief with the ball bat hopped over the counter and started wailing on Arron with the bat while the one with the cap started putting the money from the register into his pockets and the one with the bandana started grabbing 6 packs of beer. Arron was covering his head but the bat was doing a number on his hands, but he was able to yell out. "SIII" I put down the phone and run out to see what was going on and as I turn the corner I see the men and charge at the one striking Arron with the bat at full speed then jump towards the man and thrust both my feet into the mans chest launching him over Arron and hitting the wall. The force of the man hitting the wall was so strong it whiplashed the mans head into the wall stunning him possible knocking him unconscious. The one with bandana kept looting while the one with the ball cap walked around the corner as I was getting up charged at me then cocked his foot back then went to kick me in the face, but I lunged my shoulder into foot catching his shin with both my hands. Then I pulled hit foot up as far as I could get it tripping the man on his back then Arron got on top of him in a full mount position and went to work. I then shifted my attention to the last guy who started paying attention to me after I took his second buddy down. He reached into his pocket and. -CLICK- opened up a switch blade knife so I reached down and got pulled out a pocket knife the same one my momma got all them years ago. The Mexican tilted his head. "You gonna get cut gringo", then he started swinging wildly I was able to get out the way of the swings and then I was able to catch his knife with me left hand then shoving him back into the wall lifting his hand above his head then driving the knife into the mans gut not one not twice hell not even three times. I Stabbed him 5 times and each time I thrusted the knife into his stomach I grunted and the grunting got louder with each stab until the grunting turned into yelling. The guy who I dropped kicked against the wall finally got baring and charged Arron the was still pounding the other thief and hit Arron in the back of his head as hard as he could with his elbow knocking Arron over and then helping his friend up they hauled ass outta there. I was just watching a man bleed to death because of me. Arron grabbed my shoulder turned me around hugged me. "Brother you saved my life". I just stared at the body and just let out a scream. Then we called the cops and gave them our story and the ambulance cleaned up the mess and I just was numb. We called Arron's parents called and said for us to close the shop down for two weeks to give us a break. Arron spent his week drinking and bragging to anyone who'd listen that he single handedly whooped all of their asses and I let him have his moment. I slept for the next day and called up Tess for a handout and she agreed to meet me at a McDonalds. I got there 10 minuets early just because I was a early bird I ordered a Big Mac, large French fries, and a Dr. Pepper. I start to eat on the fries slowly. Then the door opens and Tess walks in waves at me and get in line to get her grub. She got her food and sat back down, she had a 10 piece chicken nugget, large fries, and iced coffee. "Hey Si I herd what happened and just know I'll be here for you if you need something". She was trying to be nice and she more then likely didn't mean that because this is only our second date but I appreciated the sentiment. I told her thanks as I started on my burger. "So Tess what do you do"? "You'll get a kick outta this, I work part time as a gas station attendant". I let out a chuckle. "Part time? Hell I put in over time and live in the broom closet how are you living"? She took a sip of her coffee. "I roommate with a friend from high school named John but you ain't gotta worry about me and him I because he is in this super serious thing with some girl, I'm all yours.........for now anyway". Then while she sipped her coffee she winked at me and I chucked. We just ate our food then started walking just enjoying ourselves. "Ok Si what's your favorite color"? "Red. What's your favorite movie"? She bite her lip thinking. "The Goonies. What is your favorite singer?" "Easy CCR I love all of there music. I wish I had music player so I could buy their CDs. Ok what is your dream vacation". Then Tess let out a side grin. "I'd like to just hop on a train and haul ass for a weekend try new things, meet new people, drink like I didn't have to wake up and eat what ever when ever I wanted". Wow sounds like she is trying to run away from something or someone. That or she just wants a quick get away, or hell she could just love trains for all I know. "That really sounds nice. Haha maybe one day I could afford that and me and you could hit the road. Or rails if your so interested in trains". We looked at each other and smiled. "Ya know Si your a sweet guy". I chuckle. "Yea I know just don't tell anybody I don't wanna lose my street cred." She burst out laughing. Once the laugher dies down we go back to our little game. "Ok Miss Tess what is your dream job". Tess looked down and scratched her head. "Ya know once I finish growing up I'd like to do some good in the world so cop maybe, something were I could bring justice and rightness to the good people". I shook my head in a sorta approval but also trying to play it cool. Then she looked down at her watch. "Well Si this was fun and all but I got work in 30 minuets. I'll call you later". I nodded then we went our separate ways. I walk back shop and go in to see Arron and his parents. Arron's dad was 6'5, 240 pounds a real mans man always in his jeans, red and black flannel with a denim jacket on. His mom 5'3 in a turtleneck sweater, skirt, and fox fur scarf wrapped around her neck. "AH my boy Si, Arron tells me that you were the one who saved him and my store". I raise my hand to interrupt respectfully but he outta muscle memory from selling cars in his youth with one hand put my hand down and wrapped his arm around me and continued his speech. "He also tells me your seeing this girl wha- what was her name Jess, Tess yes Tess. Well me and the misses have booked you and your lady friend a 3 day trip to a local music/film/art festival a couple towns over. We have paid for the hotel and we are also gonna give you $500 and these". He put something in my shirt pocket and patted it. I reach in and pull out his keys to his grey 1982 Jaguar, this was a big deal because he never lets anyone drive 'his baby' not his wife or son. It's safe to say I was completely shocked. "Holy shit sir I don't know what to say thank you". He just hugged me with one arm and pointed at Arron. "Without you my boy there and this shop that were standing in would not be here right now without you so think nothing of it. And plus you work for me so I can put this as your Christmas and birthday bonus and it'll make me look good to the IRS. So go get your girl and meet us back here for beers go go my lad". I turn around and take off and get into the Jaguar and I don't know where she lives but there is only one college in the town so I speed of to the dorm and I get out the cab with a smile on my face and love on my mind and then something catches the attention outta my peripheral vision so I turn my head and see this 1980 red Crown Victoria and there was two people having sex in the driver seat, it was a woman riding a man and all I could think was. "Nice". Then I went to walk back to the dorm but something caught my eye and I had to do a double take and then I recognized her. It was Tess. We haven't been together long but it just feels like a chuck of my soul was ripped out and spit on. I just lower my head and walk back to the car and drive home. I pulled up to the shop and and see somebody laying outside I run up and it was once of the Mexicans that attacked us earlier laying in a puddle of his own blood. I look closer and see a bunch of small holes like he was hit with a spread shot shotgun shell. I look to his feet and there was a trail of blood leading to the shop door. Then I look up and see blood all over the shop windows, so I slowly open the door and enter. I look down and see Glock 17 I'm thinking it belongs to the one outside, after he was shot he crawled outta the store leaving it here. I continue to look around and see Arron's mom with two holes in her chest, she was dead. I look right of the body and see the third Mexican attacker who had a huge chunk of his head missing, and he was gripping a M1911 handgun. I continue to search the place and find Arron on his back on the counter with his arms spread out with a hole in his forehead. At this point I don't know if I'm mad or sad I don't know if I wanna throw up or cry. I look behind the counter and see Arron's dad then he coughed up some blood. "Oh my God sir what happened"? He dropped the snub nose .44 Magnum beside the stores double barreled shotgun. "Thoes damn spics c-came back for revenge for their buddy, so them stormed in the door and shot my Lori and -HACK HACK- I drew my pistol and Arron got the shotgun and blasted one in the face and then the other one put one in my sons face so I dive behind the counter and grab then shotgun and then jumped up. -HACK HACK HACK- and we shot about at the same time the shell hit his chest and the pistol hit me and I didn't feel it so I emptied my pistol into his back. He tried to crawl out but no way he makes it and I'm about to bleed out my self so shut the fu- HACK HACK HACK- shut the fuck up and listen. Si I loved you like you were my own son and I want you to do good in life cause I love you son. Take the money outta the mattress in our apartment and make a life for yourselffffff". Right then he died.
About five minuets later the police arrived and I told them what happened but now just like on my birthday all them years ago, I am all alone.
