I should have taken prison.
Inside a courtroom, there is a man in an orange jumpsuit standing next to a man in a business suit on the left of him are two men wearing dark suits. A judge walks in and sits at the bench. The judge says "Carlos Antonio Lopez, I find you guilty of vandalism. Since you have an artistic side, I sentence you to spend a year at Blackwell Academy. If you are caught spraying graffiti on any buildings I will sentence you to three years in a correctional facility. Court adjourned." Outside the men in the orange jumpsuit is now wearing a tank top and a pair of khaki pants. He speaks to the man who was standing next to him in the courtroom. Carlos says "so I got a fair deal?" The public defender looks at Carlos and says "you got a really fair deal. You could've been in jail. Now all you have to do is go to an art school and keep your nose clean. I was you I would stay away from the hardware store, it's like you have an addiction to spray paint." The public defender walks to his car. Carlos pulls out a cell phone, dials it and says "hey homie, I'm outside the courthouse and I need a ride. Okay see you in a few." Five minutes later a blue 1979 Cadillac Fleetwood low rider pulls up to the sidewalk, Carlos pulls on the Golden door handle and gets in the car, he shuts the door.
The driver of the car looks over at Carlos and says "hey man, how was it?" Carlos looks at the driver and says "what you mean how was it, jail or being in front of the judge?" The man sitting in the back says "yeah, Henrique, what kind of question is that. We all been through the system." The driver says "Javier, I'm just try to make conversation with Carlos here, I know it was terrible in there, as far as beds go, you're better sleep in on cardboard, and you can't get good food on the inside." Javier says "yeah the judge looks at you like you committed some real crime, I tell you, the police just love to bust anybody who's cruising, if you sell drugs to support your family they don't care. At least you got over on them man you weren't doing anything too serious, just self-expression on some city walls. If you ask me they were to white anyway." Carlos looks back at Javier and says "I didn't get over on them, they are holding me down." Henrique slams the brakes on the car and Carlos' hits the dashboard. Henrique says "what you mean you ain't free?" Carlos looks over at Henrique and says "I got a go to some preppy art school, judge said I had an artistic side." Javier says "eh man, I'd take art school over jail any day." Henrique looks back at Javier and says "yeah but if you go to jail be like a family reunion." The group laughs hard. Henrique says "will I got a get you home man, your abuelos are worried sick about you." Carlos says "if they ask I was at your place ." Henrique says "don't you feel kind of bad lying to them like that, sooner or later they going to find out you going to an art school." Carlos says "my PO send in some brochures and flyers in some official BS, and the school to send me some official text message that I got in on scholarship." Javier says "how you going to get there?" Carlos says "by a plane." Henrique says "you're taking your judges private jet aren't you?" Carlos says "yeah I wish, this is going to be a long flight." Henrique says "where this place at?" Carlos says "Oregon." Javier says "that might as well be Canada as far as I'm concerned."
The Cadillac pulls outside of a house that has barred windows and a barred door. Carlos gets out of the Cadillac, the passenger side window rolls down and Henrique says "you better go see Paula, she asked what happened to you." Carlos says "yeah good-looking out for me man, I'll hit her up." Carlos walks in the house and sits on the couch. An elderly Latina sits next to Carlos and says "where have you been mio?" Carlos says "I was at Henrique's casa." Carlos' phone makes a noise. Carlos pulls the phone out of his pocket unlocks it and reads the text message. The Latin woman says "who was that?" Carlos says "it's this art school, that I applied to. They said I got in and that I have a full scholarship." The woman says "well that's good, will have to tell your grandfather at dinner." At the dinner table Carlos and the elderly woman are joined by an elderly man. The elderly woman says "tell him your news." Carlos says "I got into an art school, I also got a full ride scholarship." The elderly gentleman says "that's good, it's about time your criminal behavior paid off paid off." The elderly woman looks over at the gentleman says "Jorge please." Carlos says "the place is in Oregon, and my plane leaves in two weeks. I need to go tell Paula."
At a similar house, Carlos walks up to the porch and sees a girl sitting on a chair. Carlos says "Paula, Henrique told me you were asking about me. I'm out now but I'll be leaving in two weeks." The woman stands up and says "where you you going?" Carlos says "I have to serve out a sentence at this preppy art school in Oregon. It was either that or three years in jail." The woman grabs Carlos and pulls him into a garage. Paula opens the fridge and says "Corona?" Carlos says "I would love to but they're going to test me." Paula says "that sucks but at least they ain't throwing you in jail." Carlos says "look baby, we'll talk every day via Skype and text me whenever you feel low." Paula looks at Carlos and says "I'll miss your murals, the rest of theguys around here don't have your talent." Carlos says "I know, that's what saved me from jail. The judge said I had an artistic side." Paula says "make me proud at the school, show those people some of our culture." Carlos says "You can take the cholo out the barrio, but you can't take the barrio out of the cholo. Baby that's who we are." Paula says "I know brown pride."
Two weeks later in principle Wells' office, Carlos is sitting in a leatherback chair, there's a security officer looking out the window, a student sitting next to Carlos. There is a black man sitting in front of Carlos and the white student he says "Mr. Lopez, this is your peer advisor..." Carlos says "So wait you're telling me this dude is supposed to be my role model?" Principle Wells says "sort of, he will show you around Blackwell, show you where your dorm room is and help you get from class to class." Carlos says "and let me guess, were supposed to be buddy buddy and he is going to keep me out of trouble. Teach me how to act the right way. You can take that political correct bull shit and shove it. I'm only here because I got caught for a nonviolent crime." The security guard walks over to Carlos with the finger pointed at him and says "you listen to me, you will do as you're told and you will say yes Sir no sir yes miss or no miss when somebody addresses you." Carlos says "listen Mr. top-flight security, I been up against the LAPD you don't scare me and we're not in the Army. You don't fuck with me and I won't fuck with you. Now are we done here?" Principle Wells says "yes Mr. Lopez Mr. Graham will show you to your room." The two boys walk out of the principal's office and walk over to the boys dorm. Carlos looks at Warren and says "look man, I'm a pretty chilled out guy, I didn't mean anything towards you back there but these wealthy authoritarian types are asswholes in my opinion. They can act like they understand the struggle but they don't. So we cool?" The student says "my name's Warren by the way in yeah we're cool." Carlos bumps into a girl wearing black boots, blue jeans, a white tank top, black leather jacket, bullet necklace and a purple beanie with blue hair sticking out, she drops the flyer she was passing out. The girl says "hey watch it." Carlos says "Hey sorry, I'm a new fish in this prison." Carlos picks the Flyers up and takes one and shoves it in his pocket. The two of them walk in opposite directions. Carlos looks at Warren and asks "who was that?" Warren says "I don't know, I haven't seen her here before." The men walk into the dormitory. Carlos pulls out a flyer and looks at it. He says the Warren "Hey man, that girls posting up and handing out missing persons Flyers, who the hell is Rachel Amber?" Warren says "she was one of the most popular students here at Blackwell, everybody loved her to and she wanted to be a model. Then she mysteriously disappeared." Carlos says "Yo, people don't mysteriously disappear, somebody know something and they saying nothing." Warren Carlos walk over to door number 110. Warren says "this is your room. I'm across the hall if you need anything or want to hang out." Carlos says "I may take you up on that hanging out offer." Warren says "it's always on the table unless I am busy." The guys go to head out and Carlos bumps into a brown haired man wearing a red leather jacket. The man in the jacket says "watch where you are going or I'll beat the piss out of you." Carlos says "rebel without a cause, you want to go James Dean!?" Carlos reaches down into his pocket Warren steps in between the two of them and says "Nathan, cut this guy some slack here he just got in." Nathan says "yeah, he better watch what he says, I own the school and the entire town." Warren says "we'll be on our way." The two men walk to the main building where the classes are held. Warren looks at Carlos' schedule and says "oh your first class is photography with Mr. Jefferson. There's a girl in there that I now she's pretty cool, she wears a gray hooded sweatshirt with the deer shirt underneath it, sit next to her. Her name is Max and she's real nice, she'll help you if you need it."
Carlos gets into the class and sits next to a brunette wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a pink Jane shirt. He looks over at the girl who has her head in her arms laying on the desk. She is asleep, I hope this class isn't that boring. A man with gelled hair wearing a sport coat with a shirt that has three buttons undone from his neck, cuffed pants and glasses walks into the room. He he sits on a desk where he is facing Carlos and all the female students. Something's up with this guy, why is he only facing the female students. He also doesn't dress like a teacher. Is he trying to seem cool just so he can take these girls. The teacher begins his lecture a little time goes on and then the teacher says "seriously though, I could frame anyone of you in a dark corner, and capture you in a moment of desperation..."YO, did this mid life crisis wana be slick smooth motherfucker really just say that. Carlos leans over to the now awakened girl and says "hey did Mr. Jefferson really just say what I think he said, about capturing us in a dark corner?" The girl looks over at Carlos and says "sorry I wasn't paying attention, my name is Max Caufield by the way." Carlos says "Carlos Lopez." Mr. Jefferson sees them and says "Miss Caufield Mr. Lopez, do either of you have a question?" Carlos says "yeah, do you really go around trying to capture people in dark corners?" The rest the class laughs Mr. Jefferson says "no, that was a statement for me to illustrate a point about photography, if you were paying attention, you would've realized that. Enough you're just going to interrupt my class you don't belong here." The rest the class goes on.
The bell rings everybody goes to get out of class except for Carlos, a blonde girl talking to Mr. Jefferson and another blonde girl drawling at her desk. Carlos gets up to leave and heads for the door, but he is stopped by Mr. Jefferson. Mr. Jefferson says "Carlos, I know photography is it really your strong suit or passion but don't ruin it for anybody else. If you took it seriously maybe you would like it." Carlos says "look, where I am from, the only people with cameras are either crime scene investigators, guys taken pictures of the future crimes, news reporters or people filming rap videos. There is no way I'm going to take photography seriously. And also I think you should take your career seriously." Mr. Jefferson looks at Carlos with a stern look on his face and asks "what exactly does that mean?" Carlos looks at Mr. Jefferson with a smirk on his face and says "I don't know man, you seem to be real close to a few of your female students. I hope I have the wrong idea about this for your sake at least." Mr. Jefferson says in a serious tone "because your new student, I'm going to not take that as a threat. However, if you say anything like that I will let principal wells and David Madison know." Carlos "you can tell the president of the United States for all I care." Carlos walks out of the class. He stands outside by the group of lockers and sees Warren. Warren walks up to him and says "how was your first class?" Carlos says "it was okay." The fire alarm rings. Warren and Carlos run out of the building.
Outside Carlos and Warren stand in front of the building. The fire alarm stops and principal wells comes over the loudspeaker, saying "Nathan Prescott to principal wells' office." Warren and Carlos look at each other for a minute. Warren says "hey want to hang out in the parking lot, I just got a new car and am waiting for someone." Carlos says "yeah, sure man." The man walk out to the parking lot and Warren sits on a 1980 blue Honda CR X. Warren asks "so how do you like this?" Carlos says "I was never big into tuners, but hey, if you like it is cool. Around my area everybody had a low rider. Mostly American cars, lead sleds, tricked out with crazy paint jobs. Always wanted to do custom work on cars." Carlos looks over at an RV in the parking lot, Warren sees him eyeing up the RV and says "hey man, that's Frank's RV. He's a drug dealer needs kind of creepy." Carlos says "who's he think he is Walter white?" Warren says "yeah but he's no made-for-TV drug dealer, he's the real deal." Carlos says "I knew people like that, standing on the corner trying to make a living for their family. It's not all glittering chains, glamorous house parties. It's a bad life." Carlos looks over and sees a pickup truck taken up to handicap spots. The blue haired girl that he bumped into goes over to the truck and gets. She tries to start the truck but it won't start. Carlos walks over to the truck. The girl gets out. Carlos looks at her and says "oh hey you, so we had to meet like that. Sounds like you're having a little bit of car trouble. Do you have any tools?" The blue haired girl looks at Carlos and says "what do you think you need?" Carlos says "well, pop the hood and we will see." The girl gets back in the truck and presses the hood release. The hood pops open a little bit and Carlos lifts it. He slides the pole into the hole so the hood will stay up. Carlos says "start it again." The girl turns the key in the motor tries to start. Carlos walks up to her open door and asks "do you have a socket wrench, sounds like it's your battery." The girl opens the glovebox and hands him a socket. He goes over to the engine tightens the leads to the battery. Carlos says "start it again." The girl turns the key in the ignition and the engine turns over. Carlos says "yeah you should be good." The girl gets out and says "thank you, my name is Chloe by the way." Carlos says "Carlos." Pulls out a Post-it note dependent begins writing down his phone number here to post a note off and gives it to the girl and says "if you ever here, and this beast dies just give me a call or shoot me a text, I'll fix it for you." Chloe says "what can I do for you?" Carlos says "nothing, working on cars is just a passion of mine. I like the older stuff before you needed to have computer." Chloe says "hey, if you ever get tired of cafeteria food, there's this place that my mom mom works at called two whales diner. It's open 24 hours the foods not that bad." The girl pulls out her cell phone and starts texting. Carlos's phone goes off. Chloe says "to now that we have each other's numbers let me know if you're ever hungry, I get free food from there all the time." Carlos says "thank you." The two of them looked over to see Nathan Prescott harassing Max Caufield. Carlos says "I know that girl that he's harassing, do me a favor you pull up alongside of them, open your passenger side door and speed off with her, let me take care this Guy." Carlos walks over and sees Warren starting the fight Nathan. Carlos pulls Nathan off of Warren. Carlos picks up Nathan and throws him in the back of a pickup truck. Chloe speeds up in her truck and grabs Max Caufield speeds off. The security guard from principal wells' office walks over and yells "what's going on!" Carlos looks the security guard in the eye and says "this cat in the red jacket started it." Warren says "Nathan started attacking me, and Carlos just picked him up and determine the back of the bed is pickup truck."
Authors note: hey guys, this is a slightly alternative universe to life is strange, but I thought it would be cool to write a character who does not blend in life is strange. This is a perspective from my high school experience, Carlos and the other characters that are not from life is strange are based off of some of my friends from high school. Feel free to review, this was going to be a one-shot, but I have too many ideas for this.