Prove It

With each passing day Mr. Feeney was able to get around without much help with simple everyday tasks. He was becoming more independent all the time. Upon his arrival back home the bright reds, yellows, and whites of his flowers began to thrive once more as if nothing had ever happened. Mr. Feeney sat as quietly as ever as he looked up to the stars in thought. His eyes slowly closed and his head began to tilt back against the black metal patio chair. As he took a deep breath he felt extremely happy to be back home, sitting outside in the fresh nightly breeze. He was so relaxed that he almost seemed to forget the things that Corey had said at the dinner table only a few hours ago. That is when he was startled by Corey's voice, "Mr. Feeney"

"Mr. Matthews!" He said as his eyes shot open and his body twitched. As he looked over he noticed Corey standing on the other side of the fence as he always had. "Mr. Feeney, I don't understand."

"What don't you understand?"

"I don't get it! I don't understand why I let my self get so upset and tell my family that I was on drugs even though I have never thought about doing such a thing."

"Well Mr. Matthews we all make mistakes, and while we may wish that we could go back and change the things that we say or do we just can't. You are just going to have to deal with the situation the way that it is."

"But Mr. Feeney I honestly don't think that anyone will ever believe me now. Even if they had the slightest belief that I was telling the truth I probably just destroyed it by saying those things."

"Tell me something Mr. Matthews. Why do you think you told your family that you did drugs just now?"

"I was angry that they were talking about me but not to me. I felt like they wanted me to have a drug problem, I mean why else would they keep believing that I do no matter what I say. I just figured that saying that they were right could not make the situation any worse. They already don't seem to believe anything that I say. However now I am thinking that I probably should not have said that."

"Mr. Matthews your parents care about you, that is why they are acting this way. They want to make sure everything is ok. You are just going to have to give them time. Soon they will figure out that there is nothing to be worried about."

"Maybe you are right Mr. Feeney."

Corey turned away from Mr. Feeney and began to walk towards the door as Mr. Feeney stepped inside the back door of his home. That is when Shawn came speeding into the backyard towards Corey. Just as Corey turned to see him coming he grabbed him with both hands. "Shawn! What's wrong?" That is when Shawn looked all around him to make sure that no one was listening and pulled Corey down onto the bench that was just behind them. "Corey I know the gang that you said you had a run in with that night at the ATM."

"Shawn what are you talking about I thought you didn't believe me."

"Well at first I didn't, I thought you had gone nuts, you know you were not playing with a full deck…"

"Ok already, I get the picture so what caused you to change your mind."

"After you told me what had happened I began to think about it. That is when I remembered the way in which you described the gang leader. I then realized that this gang hangs around my trailer park a lot. Besides I have known you almost my entire life. I know that you would never do anything like this. I would never even think of trying drugs and I have always been in more trouble and doing stupider things than you! Corey I should have never doubted you."

"You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that. I just wish that Topanga and my parents could see the truth. I got mad last night and told them that they were right, I was on drugs and stormed out."

"You dip, what did you go and do that for!" Shawn said as he used his nearest hand and knocked Corey in the back of the head unexpectedly.

"Hey Shawn what did you do that for?"

"Corey how could you be so stupid?"

"I don't know! Do I ever know anything? But I have a big problem now. How am I ever to convince the others that I am fine?" They both sat deep in thought for several minutes when Shawn thought he had it all figured out. "Corey I got it!"

"So, what do I do?"

"Ok think about it if the police catch the gang members and your family sees that the people you described to them really exist then maybe that will help prove to them that you really were tell the truth about what happened that night at the ATM. At least this could be a start in the right direction."

"Yeah, your right Shawn. There is one small problem with that. I am pretty sure the police have not caught them."

"Yet, my friend."

"Your not suggesting that…NO!" Corey questioned as Shawn formed a goofy wide smile and his head was slowly moving in a bobbing action.

"Yep! We are going to go to the trailer park. Once we are sure they aren't going anywhere we are going to call the cops and what them be taken down. Once the arrest is aired on the news. Your family will have to believe your story."

"I'll do anything at this point! Lets go!"

As they placed their feet on the ground the made sure to apply their weight slowly in order to keep from snapping a twig or moving the gravel pieces that my have found their way underneath their feet. They were crouched down as the slowly moved closer to the trailer of gang members. They found a rusted barrel and some scrawny, thinly filled bushes to hide behind. As they approached the bushes they dropped to their knees and slowly, quietly crawled as close as they could get. They watched as the member of the gang filed out of the trailer and leaned up against it. One pulled out a cigarette and tilted his head down to ignite it. The light from the trailer lit the surrounding area. It extended clear to the bush behind which Corey and Shawn chose to hide. The smoke filled the air and that is when the door opened with a squeak then slammed shut. Out had come a boy that had long black hair. He wore a black ball cap backwards and a ripped sleeveless white T-Shirt. He had back torn jeans on and dark brown cowboy boots. Corey carefully turned his attention from the gang member to Shawn. Shawn had the look of shock had just struck him only moments before. His eyes were open as far as they could be, and he almost looked as if he was not breathing. "Shawn." Corey whispered.

"Corey this is bad. We can't call the cops." Shawn whispered back.

"Why not?"

"We just can't. I don't think I could ever live with it."

"Live with what?"

"You see the boy in the black jeans and hat that just came out."

"Yeah."

"His name is T.J. Scholz"

"How do you know him."

"He use to be one of my best friends. Corey we gotta get out of here. I could not get T.J. thrown in jail. I knew he was not all good, but I really did not think that he would get involved with a gang. I would never forgive my self for this." Corey watched as Shawn turned and ran as fast as he could away from the trailer park. Corey decided to follow him but just as he focused his sight on Shawn a hand grabbed him and pulled him back. "Well, well what do we have here? If it ain't the dinner boy back for more punishment. Jake, run after the other one, and don't come back with out him. We can have any trouble from either one of them. Now for you!" He said with a low chuckle. Just then he cocked his foot back as far as he could and dove it forward towards Corey's knee dropping him to the ground in pain. As Corey screamed and rolled on the barren dirt surface the member cocked his foot back and kick Corey again several more times only this time in the ribs. The two member continued to attack with a baseball bat and blows to the face. That is when Corey closed his eyes and laid lifeless on the ground not moving a muscle no matter what punishment he had to endure. Soon the gang member were bored and figured Corey would not make it through the night alive so the left and went back inside the trailer leaving Corey for dead.

Corey's eyes slowly forced their way open. He tried to move but couldn't. As he rotated his head to the side he noticed the busing and discoloration of his arm. From his arm an I.V. needle keep pumping stuff into his body. There was a white thing that was clamped to his finger that was used to monitor his heart rate. That is when he looked down to see Topanga, and his parents fast asleep sitting in chairs at the foot of his bed. That is when his mom awoke to see Corey looking around in confusion. She stood up and rushed over to his side. "Corey!"

"Mom. Where am I? How did I get here?"

"Corey what do you remember?"

"I just remember being kicked in knee and in the ribs by one of the gang members."

"One of the neighbors saw you and Shawn being beaten and called an ambulance. Corey what am I going to do with you? You keep getting yourself into more trouble. The police want to question you about the gang that you were beat by. They should be here shortly. Until then just rest."

"Mom, you have to believe me! I am not doing drugs. You know me better than that!"

"Corey please, we will talk about this later. Just rest."

"Where is Shawn? Was he hurt bad?"

"Well he is worse than you."

"You wanna know why?"

"Why?"

"Because when the gang started kicking and beating me I closed my eyes and laid limp. I pretended that I was dead, no matter how much they beat and kicked me until I blacked out. That staying still with all the pain was the hardest thing I ever had to do. Maybe that is what prevented them from killing me."

"I don't know Corey but that was probably the smartest thing you have done." That is when there was a knock on the open door and an officer poked his head through the doorway. "Hello everyone. My name is officer Oakley. If you all don't mind I would like to talk to Corey."

"Oh, should we leave?" Topanga said only a few minutes as she and Alan awoke.

"No, I don't see that there is a need for that. Just have a seat. This won't take long."

"Hello officer."

"Hello Corey. Corey tell me about the gang members you saw that night and what happened."

My friend and me decided to go down to the trailer park to see if we could find this gang…"

"Why did you want to find them?"

"Because this was the same gang that I had a run in with at an ATM no long ago, anyway they probably would have killed me then except some police cars came down street and the gang threw their gun at me and knocked me out. Then when I woke up I found pot on me. I did not know what is was and so I took it home, but when I found out what is was I got scared to come to the police so I decided to hide it. That is when my wife found it and thought that I was doing drugs just because I would not tell what happened that night. She decided to tell my parents and now they all think I am a druggie. Until my friend Shawn told me he knew where the gang lived. I figured that if we went down there, spotted them out and called the cops that they would get arrested, and then it would help prove that I was telling the truth."

"Corey you should never do something like that. First taking the drugs then spying on the gang. What were you thinking?"

"Yeah well, I don't always make the smart choice. I know I will never do something like that again. Anyway well when we got there Shawn decided to run away because he saw one of his friends with the gang. He did not want to get his friend put in jail."

"What did he look like?"

"Shawn said his name was T.J. Scholz. He was wearing a backwards black ball cap, dark brown cowboy boots, a sleeveless white T-Shirt, and black jeans."

"Corey you are lucky."

"Why is that officer?"

"Well normally I would have to charge you with possession of drugs. However in this case I am going to let you off."

"Why?"

"Well from a personal view, you don't look like the type to do drugs. Second because this gang that you described in known for discarding drugs on victims when they flee the scene. The cops that chased them that night at the ATM described the victim with your look. All the pieces fit into place, your account, our records and reports. I believe you. However do me one favor."

"What?"

"Don't ever do something like this again!"

"Yes sir." That is when the officer gathered his notes and hat, leaving the room. That is when Topanga rushed to his side and hugged him. "Oh Corey, I am so sorry."

"For what?" He said as he gasped for air.

"I should have believed you in the first place."

"But I don't get it. Why do you know?"

"I guess if the officer can believe your story and can find no lies. You must be telling the truth, which is what you were telling me from the start. Besides the officer was right. You would not do drugs. I should have trusted my feeling about you, not let the situation get so out of hand that I could not think rationally."

"I love you Topanga."

"I love you Corey."

"Hey Cor, You know Topanga is right we should have trusted you. We knew we raised you better than to do something like that. I think Mr. Feeney was right. Mr. Feeney is always right and you are a good son."

"Thanks, dad I love you too."

"Cor, I am so sorry we did not listen to you from the beginning."

"Thanks mom. I will just be glad when we all get to go home. Everything is going to be ok now."