Sins For Thought
Chapter 6: What I Wouldn't Give….
Spot shifted on the bed and Anthony realized the thing he had his legs wrapped around was not his pillow. Rather, he discovered he had his legs firmly wrapped around Spot's legs. He'd nearly had a heart attack last night when his mother had said it was too late to take Spot home and that he could stay the night. And if his mother realized the kind of relationship he and Spot had, Spot would be sleeping on the couch or just not over at all. He me might not even be alive. Slowly he untangled himself from Spot and yawned.
Anthony could hear his mother watching TV in the living room. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and headed for the bathroom. Spot turned over on the bed and rolled off it onto the ground. Anthony couldn't help himself and laughed while Spot just flipped him off from his fallen position on the floor and just grabbed a pillow and put it over his head. After Anthony had got out of the shower he had to bug Spot to get off the floor and into the shower. The two of them were currently making their way down the hall into the kitchen.
Anthony's cousin had stayed the night too, "Anthony cook, your mom said she's on strike."
"No," he pulled out a box of cereal and put it in front of her.
"That's not food," she shoved it away from her.
"How old are you again?" asked Spot pouring himself a glass of cranberry juice.
"Old enough to kick your ass," she sat huffily in her chair glaring at her cousin.
"Old enough to graduate, not old enough to act mature," said Anthony shoving the box back at her.
"Oh, hey Anth, don't eat here," Spot started gulping down his juice.
"….Why?"
"We're going over to Itey's for some menudo," Spot kicked his shoe off real fast and scratched his foot.
"What the hells menudo?" Anthony made a face then glanced at his cousin.
"Um…tripe, hominy, and chili," Spot noticed the smirk Anthony's cousin was sending at her cousin.
"That doesn't sound bad," Anthony suddenly had the urge to scratch his foot now.
"Who'd want to eat the stomach lining of a cow?" she finally just opened the cereal box and started eating it dry.
"Ew what?" Anthony looked over at Spot.
"It tastes better then it sounds, which is why I said tripe," Spot picked up a balled-up napkin off the counter and threw at her.
"You really want me to eat something like that?"
"We need to go now," said Spot heading out the kitchen.
"Its barley seven!" yelled Anthony following Spot out the kitchen.
They walked back down the hall to Anthony's room, "Yeah, well I can't stay late there because Rollercoaster hates my guts and will most likely shoot me."
"Rollercoaster?" he knew he heard Jack or Evan say that name before.
"He's Itey's cousin," Spot grabbed his wallet that he'd left in Anthony's room and the two of them headed into the living room.
Anthony was about to say something, but his mom was staring at him, "I'm gonna take Spot home right now, but I was wondering if it was alright if I stayed over for a while longer."
"Uh-huh, that's nice honey, be safe," she waved them off and never pulled her attention away from the TV.
They both walked out to the car and got in. Anthony turned on the car and they both flinched from the loud music that poured out of the speakers. Spot immediately turned it down and pulled out a CD he'd left in Anthony's glove box the other day ago before he'd gotten out. Spot stuck the CD into the player and turned up the music, which Anthony immediately turned it back down.
"Who's that?"
"NBK," Spot turned the radio up just a little.
"And they are?"
"Nastyboy Klick….they're good, you'll like 'em," Spot skipped a couple of songs. "This is one of my favorites."
The song played for a minute, "It doesn't sound so bad."
"Well, actually now they're called NB Ridaz," Spot wondered briefly if the group was even still together now.
Anthony parked the car and they got out. Itey's driveway and curb was packed with cars, Anthony had never seen this many cars parked outside someone's house before in his life. The only time he saw this many cars parked anywhere was at the mall. Though there was that one time Jack and Evan dragged him to a party when his parents were out of town. Anthony noticed Spot looked slightly nervous, then Itey came out and waved them over.
"I was wondering if you were going ta come," Itey held the door open for them. "My cousins not here yet so don't worry."
"Thank God," said Spot as he shook Itey's hand as he went inside.
"What, you and his cousin don't get along?" Anthony could smell the ….menudo?
"Nah…and here I thought we played hopscotch together like school girls," Spot went straight for the kitchen and said hi to Itey's mom and poured himself a bowl.
"Rollercoaster and Spot use to be cool, but you know sometimes it's just better not to be opening your mouth spouting truths," said Itey walking into the kitchen.
Anthony looked around the living room and got real uncomfortable when everyone sitting in it stared at him then started talking to each other in Spanish. He quickly went into the kitchen and sat next to Spot who was sitting across from Bumlets at the table. Anthony stared at the red looking soup.
"I think I'm gonna be sick," Anthony watched as Spot put some lemon juice and salt into his bowl.
"Try some first," Spot stirred it and got a spoonful and blew on it.
"No thank you," Anthony watched the rest of Spot's friends eat.
"Just try some now," Spot motioned the spoon closer to Anthony's mouth.
"How is it you can get me to put weird crap in my mouth?" he took the spoon from Spot and ate some of the menudo.
"Good, huh?" Spot nodded his head once and took his spoon back.
"I don't like the meat, I felt like I was freaking chewing on someone's arm," Anthony looked around and saw an unopened can of Pepsi.
"Hey, when were you chewing on someone's arm?" Bumlets gave Anthony a weird look.
"Don't insult my mothers cooking pendejo," Itey grabbed some oregano and sprinkled some into his bowl.
"What're you talking about, you don't eat the meat either," said Raffle-Ticket eating a big spoonful and smiling.
"Why would I, it tastes weird," Itey laughed.
They sat around the table for an hour just eating and talking. Every once in a while one of Itey's relatives would come into the kitchen and get another bowl to eat. One of them even made a comment about how menudo does wonders for a hangover, but Anthony wasn't sure if he was joking or being serous. They eventually washed their dishes and headed outback. Itey's backyard had five trees and the fence was barely visible threw the large rose bushes and Aloe plants. There was even a cactus by the corner of the fence surrounded by what Itey said were Indian rocks him, his bothers, and dad found when they use to go Indian rock hunting.
"…es muy feo," Spot and the others laughed and Anthony felt like an outsider again.
Now, he wasn't expecting Spot to proclaim undying love to him or anything because that would just be retarded. But he did however expect Spot to consider his feelings more. It seemed like whenever Anthony was gone for just a second Spot fell back into mexi-mode and started talking with a wavering accent. It didn't really bother him that Spot was like that with his friends, but he was there with Spot and he figured that maybe Spot just sort of seemed to forget he wasn't into the whole "gang" thing. Heck, Spot seemed to forget Anthony didn't even know a dime of Spanish.
Everyone jumped when they heard a door slam, "What the fucks this puto doing here?"
"Shit," muttered Spot under his breath.
"What's going on?" Anthony hissed his question at R.T.
"Cállate la boca tu menso!" Raffle-Ticket hissed back at him.
"He was just leaving Rollercoaster, chill," Itey looked back at Spot.
"'ey, quién es el gringo?" Rollercoaster did an odd handshake with Itey and motioned over at Anthony.
Anthony watched Spot back slowly to the fence door by the house and slide out the small opening.
"I'm gonna get me a beer, be back," Rollercoaster went back inside.
"You better take off before my cousin comes back," said Itey watching said cousin open the fridge.
"Yeah if he finds out you and Spot are, you know, like that together-" Bumlets picked a peach off one of the trees.
"Like what together!" not that he was denying it, Anthony just didn't like it when people assumed.
"Look, no one here gives a shit about what you two do together-" said Itey gesturing to everyone in the back yard.
"Shit, surprised me Pelon and Panzon don't kick his-" said Raffle-Ticket but got cut off by Bumlets.
"I think it's because he shares his weed-"
"But like, honestly, if you deny it, that makes you a straight up bitch," said Itey watching his cousin talking to his dad.
"Whatever, fuck you, I'm going," Anthony walked off in the direction of the fence door and left.
Anthony saw Spot sitting inside his car, he checked his pockets and realized he didn't have the keys with him. Spot was one slick sneaky little bastard. He decided not to get outright mad at the other boy and just coolly and calmly get into the car. But really, once he was in the car.
"How the hell did you get my keys!"
"Cool your jets Speed Racer. They were hanging out your pocket so I grabbed them without you noticing," Spot gave Anthony his keys. "I was wondering when you'd noticed."
"Let me get this straight……you sell drugs, do drugs, and STEAL!" the words 'Future Convict' flashed through his mind in bright blinking sparkly white and gold lights.
"We've been hanging out for how many days now?" Spot locked his door.
Anthony sighed, Spot was turning into his hopeless case, "I'll take you home now."
XXX
Anthony stood at the top of the amphitheater and clapped his hands as the cheerleaders finished their "cheer". Evan and Jack were standing next to him whistling and catcalling. Everyone sat down and the loud cheering and jeering died as the principle came to give his speech. Jack rolled his eyes and turned his 49ers cap forward.
"Hey Anthony, I got a question for you."
"Yeah and?" Anthony opened his bottle of water and took a drink.
"You and Spot, you ain't…."
Evan smacked Jack across the chest, "Since when did you and Spot start going out?"
Jack made a gagging facial expression and sound, "I so just pictured Spot holding a box of chocolates and handing him a dime bag saying, 'are you gonna be my girl'."
"You pictured Anthony in a dress didn't you?" Evan patted Jack on the back. "Who asked who out because I can't see Spot admitting to the whole gay thing."
Anthony had been about to open his mouth then realized……..Spot and him never officially asked each other out. Did that just mean the two of them were just fucking around? Also, why were his friends being so accepting of the whole damn gay thing? He was pretty sure people would be casting stones at this point. He tried to force the mental picture of Jack out of his head, who for some odd reason, was in caveman attire throwing rocks at him.
"You guys being ok with the whole gay thing is creeping me out," Anthony liked avoidance.
"Oh, ever since you dressed up as a cheerleader in Jr. High for the talent show with some of those obviously gay guys, we've known," said Evan fanning himself with the paper fan he'd made earlier.
"Yeah, that gave it away," said Jack nodding and drinking Anthony's water.
"………" he stared blankly at his friends for a second. "I didn't even know!"
During lunch Spot had called him from a payphone at his school. Anthony had wondered off quickly from Jack and Evan and found him a private place to chat. It was kind of nice being one of those people who got to talk on their phone with someone all during lunch, opposed to actually eating. It kind of made him giddy, but he'd never say that out loud, which brought something else to mind. He wanted to clarify things up with Spot, since he realized that he and Spot never asked each other out, he just wanted to know if they could be or would be serious.
"Hey Spotty boy," Anthony smiled to himself.
"Can it, Taste of Italy."
"Uh-huh, hey Spot I wanna talk to you about something," Anthony had started pacing.
"….about what because I swear I don't know how that five bucks got in my jeans."
"Shut up, no, it's sort of about….well us," Anthony almost tripped over his own feet.
"What about us?"
Hearing the questioning tone in Spot's voice made him feel a little better, "Well, it came to my attention today that we never officially asked each other out."
"…..Don't think I'm doing it."
"You're an ass," he stopped pacing.
"Your point being?"
The draw in Spot's voice irritated him briefly, "Fine be a bitch."
"Have it your way, go out with me bitch."
"NO!"
"What do you mean no?"
"Saying bitch at the end of your sentence-"
"I'm sorry, Anthony, will-you-go-out-with-me? Please? It would mean a lot to me, in more ways then you could ever imagine."
Anthony sat down on the ground where he'd stood and smirked victoriously to himself then genuinely smiled, "Sure."
"Great….."
"Spot, ya wanna go to the mall today? I saw some things at Mervyn's I thought would look good on you."
"I can't."
"Why?" Anthony had a feeling.
"I'm not allowed to go into Mervyn's, I stole something and got caught."
"You what!" he shot up from his spot on the ground.
"Hey, I gotta go, but uh, I'll talk to you tomorrow ok? I've got some things I need to do today."
He frowned, "……k, bye."
Anthony got the distinct feeling that Spot was off to cater drugs to unsuspecting patrons and pocket a few himself. He really hated that. If there was one thing he was going to change about Spot, it was going to be his drug selling and doing habit.
XXX
Later, Anthony plopped down on his bed finally happy to just have a day to himself. Spot seemed to be having issues and he was kind of holding a grudge against him for the key incident still. When he got mad about something, he really didn't want to let it go. He'dbeen hoping he and Spotcoulddo something today after school, but that plan got shot when Spot had said he couldn't go into the mall, particularly Mervyns. Apparently Spot had got caught stealing a coat from there and tried to ditch the coat somewhere, but they'd got hold of him anyways.The only reason heknewthat wasthrough Jack and Evan. Anthony had so been hoping he could get Spot some nicer clothes that fit him better, but with his favorite store being out of the question he was brooding.
He dragged his thoughts back to Sundya for a moment, and at the time he didn't want to give Spot the satisfaction of seeing him angry at himso he'd feigned a school project about doing a description about one of his friends. Spot seemed more then happy to oblige at the request. He'd drawn a stick figure of Spot on the corner of his page and wrote down all the brands Spot was wearing, he'd gotten stuck on how to spell the brand of Spot's shoes. Spot had said without even batting an eye, 'All daylong I dream about sex', which completely threw him off. Spot had just laughed then said, 'would it be better if I used, scraps always die in dark alleys?' and that just made him more lost. Apparently Spot was a fan of acronyms.
Anthony swore Spot was giving him a migraine and between Spot and his mother, he wasn't sure who was going to kill him first from stress. The day had wore on like a snail on the run. His head was starting to thump again. He desperately needed this day to himself, a good relaxing day. The sudden urge to go at his walls with a sledgehammer seemed oh so tempting. With a pleasant thought on his mind, at least to him, he quickly went out like a cat getting hit by a truck on the freeway.
A knock came on his door hours later and he lifted his head from the pillow he just became aware smelled like Spot, "It's open."
"Anthony, I just got your report card," his mother sat down on the bed.
"What, did I get a C?" he could already feel a lecture coming on.
"No, but I mean you can always do better, I know you can," she had the paper folded up in her hand.
"A's and B's aren't better?" he sat up and leaned against his wall.
"They are, but you're getting distracted out of the blue and instead of A pluses or high B's, you're getting plain A's and B minuses. I'm only saying this because I want what's best for you and I think you need to prioritize what's important and what's less."
"….You're shitting me right?" he winced when he said the s-word.
"Do not take that tone with me young man! I didn't do all that great in school and I just want you to be more responsible than I was back in the day."
"No you didn't, you were off smoking pot and ditching school, so why push me when I've never done a thing wrong in my life?" Anthony was glad his mother couldn't read minds.
"What did I just say?"
Anthony looked down at his blankets.
"…….." she was staring at him, eyes digging into him, he didn't want to look at her.
"Sorry," he hated giving in to her.
"Look, just be more responsible is all I'm saying. You're a smart boy Anthony, I know you are, just try harder," she got up and started walking out his room. "Goodnight honey."
He didn't say anything and continued to curse at his mother in his head.
"I said goodnight," she stood in his doorway.
"….G'night mom," he really hated his mother a lot sometimes.
Tomorrow he was so going over to Spot's and killing time. Anything was better then staying home listening to his mother tell him crap he really didn't feel like hearing and putting up with it. At least with Spot, he may get a headache, but at least he also got someone to crawl on top of….in a good and not dirty way…..
XXX
A/N: I'm going to be completely honest…..I had the song Beat It by Michael Jackson stuck in my head all day. But you know, inspiration is inspiration. I do actually have a small play list for this fic, sort of like a mini soundtrack. Maybe one day I'll share it.
Oh, menudo, dude's I'm so craving it right now. (only eats the hominy though)
Things to look forward to in the next chapter: We find out why Spot dislikes his mother and what really happened to his father. Spot has another unfriendly confrontation, but when doesn't he? And Anthony may just get a chance to vent himself……
First one to list all of Anthony's nicknames gets to pick the pairing for my next one-shot. You can choose from Blink/Mush, Spot/Race, or Dutchy/Specs.