Chapter 2- Beer Drinkers & Hell raisers.
It's a ZZ Top song this time. It also fits the chapter.
5-13-01 Well, it's pretty late now, so if the first part of the story is half-ass I'll give you an explanation. I have been out in the field (in the middle of nowhere where we're moving to this summer). Where was I? Oh yeah. I was out in the field racing my sister's go-kart in the field. I wasn't actually racing anyone, but I was showing off to the people driving by. I love making ppl jealous… LoL. So I'm tired, and the first half will suck.
Joey looked at the tuxedoed form in the mirror before him. Since he was dragged to the hospital charity crap that Dave had to go to, Dave decided to buy him one, rather than pay the money to rent it. He grunted softly as he criticized the way he looked. He pulled his hair out of the ponytail and shook it. He smiled. It was a little bit better, but he was still nicely dressed. He grabbed a rucksack and put a pair of black cords and a muscle shirt in it for the party afterwards. He walked out, where Dave ambushed him with a camera. "Shit, dad!" He yelled. Jing-Mei, Abby, Luka, Carter, and Dave's neighbor, Kelli were in the living room. They each raised a camera and snapped a photo of Joey. Joey knew this was going to happen, so he lifted his bony hand and gave the group the finger. Dave laughed. "Have a good time, kid." Joey smiled and hugged his father. "I will, Dad. I will." Joey said as he grabbed his rucksack and headed out. He ran out the entrance and to the car. "Shit." He said, remembering his keys. Something clanged against his head and he looked up to see Dave and Jing-Mei grinning in the window. He smiled, and then gave them his own special 'salute'. He hopped into his car and drove.
Alex looked into her own mirror. She wore a long black dress, which seemed to shine with a purple color. (I'm sure you've all seen these dresses, they're black, but they have a colorful shine to them… I just don't know the term.) She fiddled with her hair and sighed. Why couldn't she dress like normal? It would be so much easier. She grabbed her rucksack, packed with a pair of JNCO's and a Placebo babydoll shirt. She looked at it and frowned. Was this Joey's from one of their 'dates', or was it hers? She shrugged and put her clothes in the sack and headed down the stairs. She flung her backpack on the couch and allowed her parents to get their pictures in. I feel like a star already. She thought as they took pictures. The doorbell rang and Alex rushed to beat either of her parents to it. Joey stood there with a dozen roses in his hand. "Hi. I'm looking for Alex DeBello. Is she here?" He asked. "Smart Ass." She said as she moved forward to kiss him. Joey smiled into the kiss. She led him inside to meet her parents. He shook her dad's hand, and bowed down to kiss her mother's. "Watch it, young man. If you do that, I'll have to be more polite around the house!" Hal joked. Joey smiled. "Life's a bitch isn't it, Mr. DeBello?" Hal smiled. "Yeah it-" Lady coughed a little, trying to get her husbands attention. "Look, she's my daughter, if she gets killed, raped, pregnant, harmed and/or wrecked in any other way, I swear to God I'm going to kill you, do you understand me?" Hal said. Joey nearly *soiled* himself when he looked into Hal's eyes. "Daddy…" Alex said, putting her hand on his. "I'll be fine. And if anything should happen, chances are, I instigated it." She said, waving goodbye. They had decided to get a ride from Trent and Zoë, rather than bother with a limo. The Tank was pretty beat up, and its black paint was worn and dusty. This van had taken them everywhere. It was their car, and whoever wanted to use it, could use it, as long as Trent knew about it first. This was one of the last trips together in it, except for graduation, and of course, one final road trip before they parted ways, so they took it. Plus it was much cheaper than renting a limo. Joey drove the short distance to Trent's house and they got out. "I gotta wait for Josh. So if you want to wait here, or go make out in the Tank, or whatever, go ahead." He said. Josh was their other friend. He had long, light brown hair, blue eyes, and a gorgeous smile. (Think Jesse from 'Daria'. Yeah. Real Original, Steph. I know.) He dated Trent's twin sister, Tara. (Wow! First character that isn't modeled after a Daria character!) Suddenly they heard a screeching of tires, and then they saw smoke coming from a car's tailpipe up the street. "Josh." They said in unison. He pulled up in his blue viper. Tara came running up to him. She wore a strapless red dress which seemed to clash with her black hair, but that didn't matter. She and Josh shared a sweet kiss. "Ok. Let's get the hell out of here. We have a prom to go to before we start the making out." Trent reminded them. The filed into the van and headed for the prom. Joey cuddled up to Alex, who in turn, nuzzled his neck.
They parked a few blocks away from their high school, and walked the rest of the way. "No sense in wasting gas while the engine idles." Trent said. The couples didn't care. It was a warm spring evening, and their only care was to have fun before graduation. They handed their tickets in and walked into the gym, where they were playing Zebrahead's Playmate of the Year. (I downloaded the Dude, Where's my car? Soundtrack.) Trent and Tara separated from their respective partners and went to a group of friends and they began to rock out to the music, while Josh and Joey and Alex and Zoë went their separate ways. (Wow. That rhymes…Sweeeet.) They had three hours, and with the twins out with their friends, they had time to talk alone.
Alex and Zoë were best friends since forever, and so naturally, they gossiped about their boyfriends. "So, have you and Trent had sex?" Alex asked. "Not yet. He's more afraid of it than I am, but he says that he wants to 'protect' me." Zoë replied. "How about you and Joey?" She asked. Alex nodded. "It really wasn't as great as sex is made out to be." She said. They were interrupted in their conversation by a teacher who walked into the bathroom. "Hello, Ms. DeBello…Ms. Donelson." She said. "Hi, Mrs. Styrzo." The girls chirped as they left the bathroom. "Stupid Bitch." They said as they went back into the dance. Josh and Joey went to a back hallway behind their cafeteria. "So, how's your mouth tonight?" Joey asked. "S'okay. Still sore from the candy incident, though." Josh said. He went into flashback from the morning before.
*Around 5th period, Joey and Josh are sitting in the back corner of the room, nearest the windows. Another boy, Jon, is sitting in front of them, with a large bag full of Runts. (You know, that candy that's shaped funny, but tastes really really sugary?) He turns around to Joey and sets a green candy on the desk. Joey grunted and said, "I don't want that." He said, tossing it back onto Jon's desk. They turned back to face the front of the class. "And that is how you solve systems of equations." The teacher said. The second she turned back, Jon put the candy back on Joey's desk, who in turn put it on Josh's desk. Josh put it in his mouth. Jon smiled and pulled out a huge handful and started to drop them on the desk. Josh scooped them up and put them all into his mouth, sucking on them. Pretty soon, he looked like a chipmunk. "AAGGHH! ZZZHISH SHUCKHS!" He gurgled. The whole class was laughing at him, and the teacher was slightly upset. "Joshua! You need to pay attention! If you keep playing with candy in class, you'll fail!" Joey bolted his hand in the air. "On the other hand, Ms. Lombarski, we found a way to keep him shut up!" He said, laughing. She nodded, but looked kind of sad at the pathetic sight of Josh nearly choking on his candy. Jon put a few more on his desk, and as Josh put them in, he drooled all over his pants. "MY Gohhd! I Ghet Shomesheeing on my pahntsh everyshday!" He sloshed his words. "And today it has to be Runt Juice." He said, swallowing some of it.*
They laughed at it. "Y'know, they say that these are the best years of our lives." Joey said. "God, I hope not!" Josh retorted. "So. You going to the party at Greg's?" Josh asked. Joey nodded. "I heard they're havin a kegger!" Josh said. "Cool." Joey said, not knowing how to react. "Whatever." Josh said. "C'mon. The chicks are probably looking for us." Josh said, dragging his friend back into the dance. They met up again. Josh with Tara, Joey with Alex, and Trent with Zoë. They danced the night away, each couple lost in their dreams and thoughts. Pretty soon, it was time to announce the court. "Okay. The Senior Class Joker is… Joshua Cranston." Josh grinned as he went up and received his joker's hat. He did a few cartwheels to show his status and went back to his girlfriend. "The prom king this year is. (Whispers to another teacher…) Joseph Malucci!" She said. Joey almost fell through the floor, as he walked up to the stage. He was crowned, and then the queen was chosen. "Zoe Fihnnerty!" She said, excitedly. Alex hugged her friend happily. Zoë went up and was crowned Queen. The traditional King and Queen dance took place. Trent walked up to Alex and asked her to dance. Alex nodded and they began to dance. Joey smiled at his friend, and then scrunched his face at his girlfriend. Alex giggled from over Trent's lean shoulder. They swayed back and forth in time to Nazareth's 'Love Hurts'. Soon enough the song ended, and Joey mooched Zoë's cheek, and went back to his one and only. Alex did the same and they knew the dance was almost over. They slow danced one more time, and then left for the party. They changed on the way. Zoë shook her head when Joey stripped down to his tightie whities. "What? It ain't nothin' she hasn't seen before!" He said, pulling on his pants. The ride got a little bumpy when Joey and Trent switched places. The van swerved a little, but they kept it in control. Soon they arrived at Greg Heinrich's house. A tall redhead answered the door. "Hey!!! Come on in! Keg's over there, dude!" Greg said. Joey was handed a cup of the liquid. Not knowing what else to do, he lifted the glass to his lips and drank some of the odd tasting liquid.
5-16-01 Ok. I know it's been a while, and I'm not too sure if I'll post a chapter soon. I just found out today that my friend Chris attempted suicide. (At least that's what his closer friends say…) He hasn't been in school for about 2 weeks, and I just found out today. I'm not too scared, just shaken up that he would do something like this. I hope he's okay, and I'll be creeped out until I see him at school at the end of this month, so the story might not be written, or if it is, it might not be that good. If you're reading this, I hope you're better now, Chris. I'm your friend, and I'll always be here for you if you need it.
-Love,
Steph.
Also, the 'candy incident' is something that really happened in my math class today, and the boy it's based on is also named Josh. The whole thing is true, even what the teacher said. I was in Joey's position in the class. (Hi 5th period, if any of you are reading this!) And if you have any problems with the translation of Josh's words, tell me in the review and I'll post them there.