ISSUE FIFTEEN

The Final Straw

            The next time jump lands three years later; senior year of high school. It took Johnny awhile to recover from the beating with the wrench, however, his relationship with his sister never quite mended. She, of course, didn't get in trouble for sneaking out. And as for her hair, it took her father a week to even notice what she had done. And thus the growing gap between them widened into a chasm.

            Of course they were still somewhat there to look out for each other when need be. They were brother and sister after all. But Johnny was becoming more aware of Vicky's Jekyll and Hyde act; acting like a total bitch around her friends and then being nice at home.

            As to his father, beatings persisted. Never as bad as the wrench incident; Johnny was becoming rather good at avoiding his father. He had been quite shaken and though he despised his father, he was still fearful of him. Johnny, taking Jez's advice, continued to hang out with his friends after school. And despite the 'help' he got, his grades were just barely above passing. Except for art. Which was exactly how he wanted it. He knew the lowest he could get his grades, the smaller chance his father would be able to get him into law school. He didn't even bother with the SATs.

            Of course, by senior year, all his friends had graduated and there was no one left to continue the 'club'. It didn't bother him too much. They still kept in touch, but Johnny was becoming fond of being alone.

            Johnny stood at an easel in the art room, wrapped up in an Egyptian themed painting when the bell to signal the end of class sounded. Johnny ignored it and continued working as the rest of his programmed class meandered out the door to herd to their next destination. As Johnny was putting the finishing touches on his painting, Mr. Izz walked up behind him holding an envelope.

            "The bell rang, Nny," Mr. Izz said. Johnny jumped, startled.

            "Oh, sorry Mr. Izz. I didn't hear it," Johnny started cleaning up.

            "Hold on! I was hoping you could stay for a moment. I wanted to talk to you."

            "Um, ok." Johnny set the supplies back down.

            "I was down by guidance the other day and I noticed you were still undecided as to what college you're going to."

            "Yeah…well…I'm not sure if I'm going to…"

            "I got this in the mail today," Izz held up the envelope. "I was wondering if you would open it for me."

            Johnny gave Izz a funny look but took the envelope, opened it and read the letter. Johnny's eyes got wide.

            "HOLY MOOSE!"

            Izz smiled.

            "Th…this…this…." Johnny stuttered, too excited to get the words out.

            "Yes."

            "Best art college…"

            "Yes."

            "Scholarship?!"
            "Uh huh. Full one."

            "But I didn't…I mean…well I don't…"

            "I took the liberty of filling an application for you. They loved the sample I sent. You're going to have to take your SATs for it to be set in stone though."

            "Oh my…I ca…thanks!"

            "My pleasure."

            "I…I have to…" Johnny pointed to the door.

            "Go ahead."

            "Thanks! WOHOOO!!!" Johnny hollered as he ran down the hall. Izz smiled and started cleaning up Johnny's forgotten paint supplied.

~          ~          ~

            "Oh, come on, you have to go Vicky!" A blonde cheerleader begged Vicky.

            "I'm sorry, y'all know I don't drink," Vicky said, checking her own blonde hair for black roots in a small compact mirror. Ever since the red head graduated, Vicky had become the ringleader of her preppy group of friends as she was the preppiest of them all, right down to the light southern accent she had acquired from said red head. Right now, they were sitting at the stone table and benches situated in the middle of the school courtyard during their free period.

            "I…" Vicky started.

            "Uh oh," Someone cut her off, looking across the courtyard. "Loser alert."

            Vicky turns around to see her scruffy brother racing towards them, clutching a paper and grinning insanely.

            "Just ignore it and it'll go away," She said with disgust, turning around before he could see her, but it was too late.

            "VICKY!" Johnny shouted. She tried ignored him, but he came up behind her and grabbed her arm. "Vicky, I need to talk to you!"

            Vicky made a face only her friends could see as Johnny yanked her out of her seat and pulled her out of earshot of the table.

            "Excuse you!" She yanked her arm away. "Please do not address me in public!"

            "What?" Johnny's smile instantly faded.

            "Look, I'm sure whatever it is is really important but…" Vicky looked over her shoulder to her friends who were starting to give her strange looks. Johnny caught exactly what she meant. "This really isn't…"

            "Oh, sorry princess. I forgot."

            "What?"

            "Forgot you were too busy holding court to humor your own brother," He snapped pissed.

            "Now Johnny, I…"

            "No, I understand. Please, don't keep your subjects waiting. I know how taxing it is to snub us little people…"

            "That's not what…"

            "Here, I'll do it for you," Johnny spun around and stalked away.

            "Johnny!" Vicky called after him but he ignored her. Vicky stared after him for a moment, feeling immensely guilty. She walked back to her table.

            "What was that all about?"

            "Oh, nothing. Now, where was that party again?"

~          ~          ~

            Johnny sat in his room, smearing different shades of furious red and orange on one of a few small canvases that he was able to smuggle in before his father got home from work. Loud, angry rock music spilled from his headphones as he worked.

            "Bitch," Johnny grumbled to himself. "I can't believe that whore." Johnny had been working like this for quite for some time, his CD player on repeat. He'd been so pissed off by Vicky he hadn't even stayed after school like he usually did.

            Johnny was numb to the world, absolutely nothing penetrating his little bubble until a lull came in the music and he heard the phone ring. Johnny took off his head phones as the answering machine picked up.

            "Um…ok…uh…Johnny? Are you there? Please pick up," Johnny recognized that tone. He didn't know the exact owner, but he knew it had to be one of Vicky's preppy little friends; probably calling at Vicky's bidding to piss him off more. He started to put his head phones back on.

"Um…jeeze, I can't believe this…its Vicky, Johnny," He paused. "We're kind of worried about her…I didn't think one person could drink that many bottles of scotch…" Johnny picked up the phone on this.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" He snapped.

"Oh, you are there!" The girl said shocked with what sounded like an edge of fear. "We need you to come pick up Vicky…"

"Why, you and your little friends too high to?" Johnny shot at her. "Or did she tell you to get me to come out there to humiliate me?"

"Well, no…nothing like that…" The girl was taken back. "She's really drunk…hold on…GET HER OFF THE TABLE AND MAKE SURE SHE KEEPS HER CLOTHES ON! Sorry, but we're worried and the people with cars…well…are drunk too…"

Johnny sighed.

"Fine, I'm coming," Johnny gave in and scribbled the address down on his hand before hanging up, putting his CD player on a table and tossing his paint tools in a cup of water on the bed stand. Johnny snuck downstairs and did a quick father check. He found a note on the table addressed to Vicky saying that their father was at a business party and wouldn't be back till three. Translation: Dad had won his case and the druggie client was congratulating him by paying for the company party with his cocaine money. Johnny checked the clock; two AM. He had an hour.

Johnny grabbed a set of keys off the hooks by the door to the garage which originally was the ice skating rink. After his mother died though, his father used it to extend his car collection. He leapt in to his father's silver convertible without opening the door, and sped off.

~          ~          ~

Johnny could tell he was near a party over two blocks away; much too loud boy band music and drunken couples making out behind trees. Luckily he was able to park right in front of the house. Johnny hurried up to the front door and let himself in, instantly gagging on the sour smell of booze and sweat, trying his hardest not to hurl. The few people who were still comprehensible shot Johnny death glares informing him he didn't belong there. Fortunately, a girl with blonde hair rushed up to him, Johnny guessed she was the one who called.

"Johnny! There you are! Come on, she's in here," The girl led him into another room. Within the room, were masses of people rubbing against each other. And dancing on a table in the center of it all was Vicky. And of course she wasn't dancing alone. Some jock danced on the table with her, much too close for Johnny's tastes, the expression 'easy screw' written all over his face. Vicky looked over the guy's shoulder.

"Yo Johnny-boy! Wazzup?" She slurred.

"Come on Vicky, we're going home." Johnny said, grabbing Vicky's wrist and pulling her off the table.

"Aw, I'm havin' fun…" She pouted. "Ooo, bourbon!" She reached for a glass off a tray as it passed by.

"Uh-uh, no more alcohol for you," Johnny grabbed it from her and put it back on the tray. Vicky giggled as some spilled on the floor. "I think you've had one too many."

"Psh! I'm not drunk," Vicky took a step forward and then fell. Johnny caught her as she started giggling again.

"Hey Noodle Boy!" The jock jumped off the table. "She doesn't want to go!"

Johnny turned around after making sure Vicky was upright.

"Step off, jockstrap."
            "Hey! You don't talk to me like that, you skinny little fag!" The jock took a swing at Johnny but, having much practice, he easily ducked around it and punched the jock in the stomach, sending the drunken jock reeling back into the table, hitting his head on it, knocking him out.

"He must have been tired," Vicky said. Johnny turned back around and started to herd her out to the car, leaving everyone staring at him in his wake.

"You are such a fucking drag," Vicky informed her brother outside, almost falling again. Johnny stood her upright.

"You'll thank me in the morning," Johnny said, opening the car door for her. She had just passed out on the sidewalk though. Johnny sighed, and picked her up, placing her in the car.

~          ~          ~

Johnny pulled in the garage and turned the car off. Vicky was still asleep in the front seat. Johnny carefully picked her up and carried her to her room. That's when Johnny heard a door close downstairs, and he panicked. Johnny checked the clock; not too long after three. Johnny quickly ran over in his mind to make sure everything was in place. He had put the keys back, made sure to park the car in the right place, the garage door…shit, he'd left the garage door open. Johnny rushed over to his room and turned the lights off. Through his cracked door, he could hear his father come up the stairs. Luckily, his father just went straight to his room and closed the door. Johnny sighed in relief, hid the paint supplies in the fake bottom of his chest, shoved his painting in the closet for the time being and went to bed.

~          ~          ~

Johnny woke up late the next morning but as far as he could tell, no one was up yet. He rushed the painting up to his stash in the attic and then checked on his sister. She was still asleep with a troubled expression on her face. Vicky cracked open an eye as Johnny set it down a glass of water and some aspirin, then moaned and pulled the covers over her head. Johnny rolled his eyes then headed downstairs. It was Saturday and he was hoping there might be some good cartoons on.

As he headed to the kitchen, Johnny heard his father on the telephone. Johnny sighed in dismay and started back to his room when something his father was saying snagged his curiosity and he went back to the doorway of the kitchen.

"Yes, I'm very sorry for the mix up…no he won't be accepting it…yes…ok, goodbye," He hung up the phone quite forcefully. Johnny started to back up, realizing he was in danger.

"JONATHON! GET IN HERE!" His father yelled. Johnny stepped just inside the doorway.

"Yes?"

His father rushed over to him and slapped him. Johnny could tell just by looking at him he had an obvious hangover.

"What the hell is this?!" He shoved a paper in Johnny's face. Johnny gulped; his acceptance letter. He'd left it on the kitchen counter. Johnny stayed silent.

"I hope you weren't planning on going here," His father ripped the paper in half in his face. "I took care of that this morning."

"What?!" Johnny finally spit out.

"I nipped it in the bid. I called these… 'people' this morning. Now some other riff raff can waste his time…"

"You cancelled my scholarship?! That's the best art college…" Johnny started yelling. His father slapped him again.

"I don't want to hear anymore of this art garbage! Now you screwed up your chances for Harvard but I'm sure a local college will take you," He opened a college book on the counter. "I'm going to have to pay for your sorry ass now. Victoria got a full scholarship for her violin audition. I don't have to worry about her."

"I don't want to go to law school! I'm not you and don't want to be anything like you!" Johnny yelled defiantly. Nobody, not even his father would ruin his chances of going to that college.

"DON'T TALK BACK!" His father shoved him into the wall. "While you live under my roof, you do what I say!" His father swung his hand to punch Johnny but Johnny blocked it without blinking.

"Fine, I can fix that," Johnny said and he rushed out of the room.

"What, you're gonna runaway?!" He father started shouting after him.

"No, Father! The authorities call it becoming an independent, you know, being 18 and all?" Johnny hurried up the stairs.

"Yeah well, I pay for your sorry ass to go to that school, you walk out that door, I don't finish paying for your last two months of high school!"

Johnny paused. Leaving would ruin his chance at college, but he couldn't stay any longer.

"Fine," He said, so resolved now he was almost in a trance. He marched into his room and started shoving stuff in a backpack.

"You're an idiot! You'll never amount to anything!"

Johnny was gone before Vicky woke up.