Their sophomore year of high school, the boys did a speech unit in English class at the end of the first semester. One of the speeches that they had to give was a three-minute one about childhood memories.
After getting the assignment, Kendall announced that he was going to talk about his first Minnesota Wild game, Logan was going to do the first operation that his mother, a brain surgeon, let him watch. James decided to do the first time he sang in public. The three turned to Carlos expectantly, only to see the normally bouncy Latino boy with his head down, staring off into space.
"Carlitos?" Kendall asked. "You okay, buddy?" He reached out and touched his friend's arm.
"Huh?" Carlos said, snapping out of his daze. "Yeah, I'm find, Kendall." Before Kendall could asked anymore questions, the bell signaling the end of the day rang, and Carlos grabbed stuff and left.
He didn't show up for hockey practice that night, making his friends worry. They planned to go over to his house after practice, but coach had them running plays until 9. Kendall, James, and Logan each fell asleep thinking about Carlos, and hoping that he would be alright in the morning.
The following day showed no change. Carlos didn't talk to anyone. He just sat there and did his work.
By the time seventh hour rolled around, everyone was started to worry. Kendall, James, and Logan each messed up their speeches because they were each thinking about Carlos.
When Carlos got up to give his own speech, the class was dead silent. He looked down at his notes for a second and took a deep breath.
Carlos looked around at the class and asked a seemingly simple question. "How many of you remember when I didn't wear my helmet? Any of you?" No one raised their hand. "That's what I thought.
My older brother Jose was the greatest. I bet most of you didn't know that I had an older brother. Well, I did. And he was my hero. He was the one I went to for advice, the one that thought me to play hockey. He's the one that gave me my helmet. I had taken a pretty hard hit to the head, and he put it on my head and said, 'Come on, Carlos! You gotta protect that noggin of yours! Otherwise, you'll lose all that creativity you've got.'" Carlos chuckled a little at the memory. "My brother died three days later in a head-on collision with a semi. I don't remember the days following, they were all kind of a blur to me." Carlos took off his helmet and stared at it for a second. "'You gotta protect that noggin of yours. Otherwise, you'll lose all that creativity you've got.'" He looked at the class. "My brother was my best friend. And even though I've got three absolutely amazing best friends, my best memories from my childhood will be those of time spent with my brother."
There was a pregnant pause as the class digested what they heard. Then, applause broke out all at once. Carlos smiled shyly and returned to seat.
After school, Kendall, James, and Logan looked for Carlos and couldn't find him. It was an unspoken agreement that their friend was more important that hockey, and ran off towards Carlos's house, ditching practice.
They knocked on the Garcias' door tentatively. Mrs. Garcia answered and wordlessly pointed up the stairs towards Carlos's room. The thee ran up as fast as they could, opening the door to reveal a sobbing Carlos. They automatically crossed the room and wrapping their arms around him, rubbing his back and murmuring nothings to him as he mourned the loss of his best friend and brother.
&&&BTR&&&
Aww. Poor Carlos.
This one was inspired by my English class. We actually are doing a speech unit, and the prompt that the boys get was one that we had to present for today.
Special thanks to my English teacher for giving me the prompt, to my math teacher for not caring that I started writing this in her class, and my amazing scene partner Jose, for lending me his name.
And, because ashleyjordan said that she enjoyed it:
My playlist for this one was a little odd, because I started it in math class. So, the first half was written to my teacher talking about the Zero Product Property and Quadratic Equations. But the rest of it was written with actual music:
BTR's Wal-Mart Soundcheck
Seasons of Love-Rent
Missing You-Harry and Quirrell from A Very Potter Musical
Blackbird-Even Rachel Wood (Across the Universe)
My Immortal-Evanescence
I Will Follow You Into The Dark (Death Cab For Cutie Cover)-Chase Coy
Thank you so much! I should have another one up soon, plus another chapter of Confluence.
Xoxo, UB
