A/N this is an adaptation of There's a Kid, that I had written several years ago during the cringe-worthy years of middle school. So if things look familiar, I'm not stealing, its me, still. Also disclaimer I only own what looks unfamiliar, everything else belongs to Tarantino.
"Whatchu lookin' for Av's?" Eddie asks, not moving his legs from the table.
"My fucking math textbook," I repeat, shoving his feet off of the table. It wasn't there, but my science book was.
"You don't need math, just forget it," Eddie says.
"Maybe you didn't, but I do," I say, throwing my pencil at him. It hits him square in the forehead.
"Jesus, what you do that for?"
"Just 'cause," I shrug, continuing to look for my book.
"Hey, you two, Joe wants to see you," Dov says, walking into the room.
"Shit, what did you do?" I whisper, looking at Eddie while straightening my skirt.
"I didn't do anything. It was probably you," Eddie replies quietly.
"Me, what did I do?" I ask.
"What didn't you do?" Eddie counters.
"Okay, okay, but I haven't skipped that many days of school this semester," I say, mostly to myself.
"It's midterm and you've already missed 28-" Eddie starts.
"Shut up!" I exclaim as we reach the hallway outside of Joe's office. Eddie walks straight in, but I hang back slightly.
"Hey you," Mr. Purple says, walking out of Joe's office.
"Hey…"
"You know that someone is going to catch on real quick that you aren't going to school right? Acting like you do homework and putting on your uniform isn't going to cut it anymore," Mr. Purple says in an almost whisper.
"I-"
"No, Avery. Start going to school, I can work something with your principal so Joe doesn't find out. But you're cutting it close kid, less than two months and you graduate."
"I know, I know," I sigh.
"Do you? I don't think you do."
"I'll go tomorrow, promise," I say finally.
"Now go, I have a feeling you're going to like what's in there," Mr. Purple says, pushing me towards the office. I start walking slowly towards the office. If Mr. Purple knew, Joe knew.
I look ahead, trying to gage how pissed Joe is, but my line of vision is blocked by someone I haven't seen in forever.
"Vic!" I shout, running the last few steps and wrap my arms around him. "When did you get out? I thought it was another six months."
"Few days ago," Vic says offhandedly. "Have you been staying out of trouble?"
"Yup," I say, and the same time Eddie says no.
"She skipped over 100 days so far this year," Eddie explains.
"How do you know that?" I ask, turning on Eddie.
"Well someone has to read your report cards kid." Eddie shrugs. "Nice D in math by the way. This is like your second time taking it, right?"
"Damn," Vic says, "What are you doing?"
"I-uh, nothing," I stutter.
"Let me rephrase that," Vic says, "Who are you doing?" he asks with his signature smirk.
"I-uh-" I stammer, feeling my face heat up.
"So there IS someone?" Eddie asks, leaning back on Joe's desk.
"There's NO ONE!" I say, completely honest, but they weren't buying it.
"Liar, so do we know this guy?" Eddie asks.
"I'm not lying!"
"Bullshit. So this guy, he treating you alright, or are we gonna have to kill him?" Vic asks.
"You wouldn't!" I say, but there's a small bit of me that knows that Vic might.
"So there is a guy!" Eddie says, grinning like a cat that got the fucking cream.
"There isn't a guy!" I protest. Eddie opens his mouth to say something but Joe cuts him off.
"Enough! We have business to discuss, but this doesn't mean I won't be talking to you later about this skipping school routine," Joe says.
"Shit," I mutter under my breath, sinking lower in the chair. Joe, Eddie, and Vic go on talking about getting Vic a job at the docks so he can start up working for us again.
"How do you feel about pulling a job with about five other guys?" Joe asks Vic. I perk up at this.
"I'd feel great about it," Vic replies grinning. Finally. Finally a chance to do a job with Vic. I've been waiting for this for years.
"We'll call you later," Joe says as a way of dismissing him. Vic and Eddie leave the office and I start to follow.
"Avery," Joe says.
"Yes?" I ask as sweetly as possible, turning around.
"Come here," he commands. I walk back into the office and stand in front of his desk. "What was Eddie saying about you missing over 100 days of school?"
"Oh that, pssh, you know Eddie. He exaggerates all the time, that's what he does, all right. He's exaggerating."
"Avery," Joe says, "What do I always tell you?"
"Don't talk about the family," I say.
"And?"
"And don't spend so much money on books."
"And?"
"And don't mouth off to any of your friends."
"How about go to fucking school?"
"Right," I say, looking down at the desk.
"You're a smart kid, you could go far," Joe says.
"I know," I say quietly.
"Now go get ready. We're meeting some kid and Larry at Smokey Pete's," Joe says, dismissing me. Standing in the hallway are Eddie and Vic, looking like a couple of idiots trying to listen in.
"That's all?" Eddie asks, looking upset I didn't get it worse.
"What can I say, Daddy won't do anything to his little princess," I mock, rolling my eyes.
"You're gonna get yourself kicked out of school," Vic says.
"Nu-uh, I'm passing all of my classes," I argue.
"They can kick you out for missing so many days of school, smartass," Eddie says.
"Wait, what?" I ask, staring at both of them.
"Yeah, you can even get thrown in Juvie," Vic says.
"No you can't. Can you?"
"Sure you can, it's like truancy or some shit like that," Eddie says.
"Wait, seriously?!" I ask, worried.
"Yes," Vic says at the same time Eddie says "No."
"Fuck you guys," I say, going into my room and slamming the door. After nearly ten minutes of searching I find my jacket under my bed. I grab my lipgloss, house keys and bottle of painkillers from my school bag and shove them in my jean pocket. I place my gun in one of my jacket pockets and my book in the other.
"Avery!" Eddie yells from the front hall.
"I'm coming," I yell, leaving my room and shutting the door. I run down the stairs, skipping the last four and almost knocking into Eddie.
"Jesus christ kid," Eddie says, grabbing my shoulders to keep me from falling over.
"Where's Vic?" I ask.
"Had to get back to the halfway house," Eddie explains, heading out of the house and to the car.
"So who's gonna be there?" I ask from the backseat. Eddie was riding shotgun and Joe was driving.
"Larry-" Eddie starts.
"Who's going by Mr. White," Joe interrupts.
"This new kid, Frankie, or Fredward, or something," Eddie continues.
"Who's going by Mr. Orange," Joe adds.
"Just them?" I ask.
"Yeah, and you're not to say your name either," Joe says. "There are some new guys on this job and they don't need to be knowing who you are. You will be going by Miss Silver." I sigh, staring out the window for the rest of the ride.
"You have your ID with you?" Joe asks as we approach the bar door.
"Shit no, I left it in my car," I say after checking my pockets.
"Go wait by the back door," Eddie says, "We'll be there in a few minutes." I sigh but make my way around the corner and into the alley behind the building. There's no one back there besides a guy with Laker's jersey and jean vest, leaning against the trashcans lighting up.
"Silvia?" a waitress asks, opening the backdoor. I smile at her walking in and going to Joe's usual table.
"Whatchu get me?" I ask Eddie, eyeing the drink that is placed in front of me.
"Try it," Eddie says.
"Not until you tell me what it is," I counter, throwing the straw wrapper at him.
"The same as always I see," Larry says, joining us at the table.
"Why would I change perfection?" I ask, flipping my hair over my shoulder for added effect.
"You got a lot of changing to do then," Eddie smirks.
"Fuck off," I say, elbowing Eddie in the ribs.
"So are you gonna drink it or what?" Eddie asks again.
"So are you gonna tell me what it is or what?" I mimick.
"It's a fucking Jack and Coke, now stopping fighting, here comes our guy," Joe says, silencing us. I throw a piece of popcorn at Eddie in retaliation.
"Yeah, that's him," Eddie confirms. I look in the direction that they are staring in to see a familiar face staring back at me. Comic book guy. Shit, what's his name? He walks over our table.
"You alright? You look like you've seen a ghost," Larry says, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"I, uh," I say, breaking my gaze from comic book guy to look at him, "I just feel a little lightheaded, I'll be right back." I get up from the table and head to the restroom. I lean against the wall trying to slow my breathing. I mean, this couldn't be that bad, I think. I review the things I know about comic book guy: he hung out around there in the fall, we only talked once around christmas, and then I stopped going because a job had us leave country for a month and a half. Fuck. What was his name?
I need to get myself together. I glance at my watch, figuring I have only a minute or two before Joe sends someone looking for me. I look in the grimy mirror deciding what I could change to make me look not like the nerdy girl that hangs out at the comic book store. I take my hair out of its ponytail holder and tease it up a little with my fingers. I sigh, giving up pulling my hair back into a ponytail. Fuck it, I decide, walking back towards the bar room.
Everyone seems to be laughing at something the guy, Mr. Orange said. I smile, sitting at the table between Eddie and Larry.
