"Excuse me sirs and madams, we have a new report on one of the targets. Our intellegience has labelled it high priority."
"Put it in on screen. Play the video."
Coming up to the ring we have Woodcrest's very own Huey Freeman! Promising fighter for tonight folks maybe this time we can have a fight last over 1 minute! Black belt in several marshal arts, this man has been doing backflips and chopping wood with his bare hands since he was 6!
"It seems the boy is making progress."
"So much talent wasted on such trival things..."
"What are the government records on his file?"
"Huey Freeman, age 17, full-time high school student. No occupation, familial records shows only an grandfather, a younger brother, and an aunt. No significant academic or sports achievement since age 12. Comments from his teachers report him to be an introvert and a shy student, with grades being above normal at best."
"His public records are painfully average."
"On purpose. The boy has always been trying to go under the radar."
"Can you tell me what that is on the screen?"
"Yes ma'am, we have identified it to be a makeshift tranquillizer dart. It seems to be homemade out of scrap."
"mMm.. Interesting."
"Has the report stated the source of the dart? Was it shot by a person among the crowd?"
"Unfortunately we cannot identify the shooter, but we can assume it must be one of Mr. Freeman's associates."
"Surely at that age a teenager would be thinking about their plans after high school, Is there anything in our files indicating a university or career choice?"
"I'm sorry to dissapoint again sirs and madams but our files do not contain any info of that sort."
"Quite a mysterious figure."
"Then perhaps now he should be interested in our endeavours?"
"Let us not be too hasty."
"We should give the boy a chance, we may never get another opportunity once he learns how to elude us."
A week has passed since the Stinkmeaner incident. Tom does not have any recollection during the time of his possession but he excessively apologizes for anything he had done, in fact he apologizes to Sarah a dozen times an hour much to Sarah's detesment. For the past week, Tom has been on damage control, he had his house cleaned from top to bottom, with workers sent in for any repairs. He would even visit the hospital to check on Riley and Robert even though those injuries were not his fault he still carries around him a huge sense of guilt.
"Hey Huey! How are you today?"
"Hello Mr. Dubois, I'm fine. Why are you here?"
"Well Huey, I'm still really really really grateful for what you did and I know I already asked you before but- I'm just wondering if you still want that new car? I figured that you wanted a black one but I can always get it repainte-
"No Mr. Dubois, and again, I think that's ridiculous. You don't have to thank me with a new car. And anyways, I prefer not to be a car owner and play an active role in the ignorant downward spiral that we call the Climate Crisis".
"Oh. Uhhh..."
Granddad stomps his feet towards the entrance. "Boy! Who's at the damn door? You're letting all the bugs get inside! Oh hey Tom."
"Hi Robert! I just came here to speak to Huey."
"Are you talking about the car? Boy stop acting like a hippie and take the damn car. You boys are always professionals at taking things for free, you eat all my food for free, you live in this house for free, so why your balls twisted when Tom's giving you a free car! When someone gives you a damn car you take the damn car!"
Huey sighs. Muttering something under his breath.
"Fine! If you don't want the damn car then I'll give it to Riley!"
"Oh really Robert?"
Granddad smirks. "Yeah consider it a get-well gift for sending us to the hospital. You know Tom, I think you dislocated something in my back... Ever since then I have trouble walking up the stairs and I'm an old man and all but..." Granddad mumbles in a somber voice, trying to make Tom more guilty.
"Once again, I'm really really sorry, I have to admit it's been sitting in our driveway and taking up space so let me go park here right now!"
"Thank you kindly Tom!" Granddad says as he shuts the door close.
"What are you gonna do with another car Granddad! Riley doesn't even have a license!"
Granddad lets out a mischievous chuckle. "I got this massive mansion and I only have 1 car! What will bitches think when I invite a nice girl into the house and they only see 1 car? You know what 1 car means Huey? It means broke. Now 2 cars? HeeeHeeee Thank you Tom and thank youuuu Stinkmeaner for improving the Mr. Bitchez sex appeal!"
"I wonder how we are even related."
"Shut up boy. Why are you talking about that hokie pokie climate change and saving the planet, you drive my Dorothy around!"
"When it's necessary! And I modified Dorothy and brought down its carbon emissions!"
"Boy!" Granddad yells. "Why you touching Dorothy! Punk ass Captain Planet when did I give you my permiss-
Crap I shouldn't have said that
Sometime later Riley comes down the stairs. When he monetized the fight Riley made quite a lot of money, so much so that he dropped it all on getting fresh new clothes, it was something that Riley tended to do when he managed to get fortunate and got a hold of some cash. Riley split the cash with Cindy and he also gave Huey and Jazmine their winning bets but truthfully according to Huey, for someone who calls him gay a lot, Riley sure has a bad habit of spending money on overpriced clothes. Like a girl.
"Ay. Sup, you hatin? Can't believe I have to go to school with my broke ass brother." Riley shows off to Huey. "See my fit? I'm what they call a bourgeoisie nigga in the streets. They be like, damn Mr. Escobar, how did you earn so much money at the yung age of 15. And then I was like: Oh I'm just in the 24/7 black businessman grindset, you know, doing it for my niggas, for my hood, and for my city you know what I'm sayin?"
"Which streets calling you a bourgeoisie nigga?" Huey scowls at Riley.
"You know... da street? The street with the bank."
"The bank is callin you a bourgeoisie nigga?"
"I- well, that's what they said."
"Bullshit. I know that Granddad forced you put the money for your college fund."
"Eyy eyy you snitchin!"
"Why the hell you spendin 300 dollars on Kevin Durant sneakers? Granddad has your money in the bank!"
"Damn shut up! you just hatin cause I'm successful. For all them books that you read I'm the one who became self-made businessman."
"All you did was earn 2000 bucks exploiting our granddad in a street fight."
"La la la- I can't hear you! I don't hear broke nigga langugage, you hatin cause I'm rich."
Riley runs away, with his hands blocking his ears. As Huey sighs and prepares his things for school, the door bell rings.
"Boys! One of you get the door!" Granddad shouts from a distance.
It's probably Tom again. Why can't I just have my morning in peace...
When he opens the door he sees a wide-eyed girl wearing a floral summer dress, her emerald eyes were shining as if it sparkled for Huey. She has her hands behind her waist along her slim and perky figure. As always, she styles her bright auburn hair into 2 large puffballs and as it grew longer over the years, her puffy hair bends downwards past her shoulders.
Oh. It's Jazmine, her hair looks nice.
"Hi! Good morning!" She beams excitedly.
"Morning."
"Daddy wanted to give this to you." She hands him the car keys for the new car. "So you are taking it?"
"No, Granddad is. He's not gonna let a free car go to waste apparently."
She giggles. "Yeah. I knew Mr. Freeman would take it." Jazmine gasps. "Are you guys going to name it?"
"What?"
"But you named the first car Dorothy!"
"No Granddad did."
"Come on Huey lighten up. I think- Hmmm" Jazmine puts her hand on her chin to think. "How bout we name him.. Timothy!"
"Him?"
"Yeah! It rhymes, Dorothy and Timothy. Dorothy is the happy little red car who likes car washes and driving through the country and stuff and then Timothy is the black car who's all mysterious and brooding and just wants to stay in the garage and sleep alot."
Huey has a light scowl on his face to display his dislike. "Yeah I'm gonna try to forget that."
"I'll try my best to remind you" Jazmine smiles. "Are you ready for school? Can you believe it? Senior year!"
"I was just about to head out.."
"Mmm- can I come with?"
Huey and Jazmine started walking to school, breathing in the atmosphere, leaves rustling, the morning sun shining down their faces. The little neighbourhood of Woodcrest slowly stirring back to life as families start the day.
They walk together down the sidewalk, with Huey walking calmly and stiffly, Jazmine is the complete opposite with her upbeat personality, in one moment she is behind Huey and follows him like a puppy then later she would be in front of him trying to walk backwards and staring at him.
Those deep maroon eyes. She's afraid to look at him for too long, thinking she might drown in those eyes.
They had been enjoying the silence, the air filled with nothing but bird cheeps and the occassional car whizzing by.
Jazmine softly speaks. "Huey, why do you always walk all the time?"
"Gas is expensive. Dying planet. Small chance of car accidents."
"I don't mean that... it's just that you really like walking. Why?"
"I don't like driving and I don't like to ride the bus. So the only option left is to walk."
"Really?"
"What other answer do you want Jazmine?" Huey scowls.
"Hey... why do you always have to be so emotionless all the time? It's like you enjoy being lonely. Why are you so... so restrained?"
Huey sighs. "I know."
They continue walking together, in a silence quieter than the one before.
The winds flow through the air, a few leaves are already rustling on the ground, a sign of an early fall.
...
...
Huey relents. "I like nature... and the peace of it all. Walking around helps me see the outdoors and gives me time to think..."
"Oh." Jazmine feels bad. "Sorry I ruined your peace."
"It's fine. I don't mind."
Jazmine sighs as well. "Now that I think about it, walking around with you is really nice- I mean! walking around is really nice!"
Huey replies with a confused scowl.
"I- I- look! I want to give you something! I was waiting till we get to school! But-!"
They both stop walking as she tries to get something from her bag. She takes out an old and dusty law book.
"Here!" Jazmine hands it to Huey with a hint of redness on her face.
"Oh?"
Huey reads the title Republic of Cuba Judicial Law (1971) - 24th edition. It's a book that covers communist and marxist inspired law in Cuba.
Before Huey could respond, Jazmine softly says. "I used my money that Riley gave me, from the fight..."
"How'd you get it? I couldn't find any copies in the US."
"Daddy has some lawyer friends, he helped me get one." Jazmine continues. "Do you like it?
"Yeah. Thanks." Huey says, still with a small scowl on his face.
"Yay! I- It's nothing much! It's just a gift to say thank you. F- For saving my family right?"
"If you say so. Thanks again."
It is their first day of school. The first day of their sophomore year, as for Huey and Jazmine it is their seniors. Granddad is drivng Riley to school while he wore all of his expensive clothing, gold chains and along with his Lethal Injection chain. Beside him is Cindy who they brought along to give a ride. She is equally as blinged up as Riley. She is wearing a huge beanie with a pair of sunglasses, along with an expensive looking denim jacket.
Granddad talks while he drives "What's with all these young kids nowadays, always wearing necklaces and shit. I mean, Honey-cheeks Cindy wearing those necklaces are fine, but Riley? Boy why you wearing so much jewelry?! You look like one of them African slaves on those slave ships with all those chains around your neck."
"Granddad this ain't jewelry, we in the hood call them chains. It's a status symbol."
"What you talking bout?! Status symbol these nuts! Back in my day, when we want to show off your wealth, you would get one of those expensive watches!"
"So like a rolex? Nigga that's gay. Why you need a watch to tell the time when you have a phone?!"
"Watch yo mouth boy, you a bad influence on Honey-cheeks here. Geez." Cindy turns her face and bats an eye.
Granddad drops the two off a while later and says his goodbye. Cindy also replies "Thanks for the ride Mr. Freeman!" She smiles sweetly, even tilting her head a little.
"No problem Honey-cheeks. Take care of my boy for me ok?"
She giggles. "I will!"
As Granddad drives off, Cindy brushes off her white girl persona.
"K Reezy, you ready?" They stand outside the high school, they are just a few distance away from a crowd of teenagers trying to get in the school. Most of the students here are white considering Woodcrest and the surrounding suburbs are predominantly white neighbourhoods.
Riley takes out his own sunglasses. "Hell yeah."
Cindy holds Riley's hand as they walk side by side to school. The doors of the high school swing open and they walk in the most thuggish and intimidating manner as possible. The scene looked like it was straight out of a music video. As people stare at them Cindy flashes the middle finger as they continue down the hall.
They all get similar compliments.
Damn, she fine
OMG Riley Freeman, he's such a bad boy
Shittt look at that ice
Riley then shouts at the crowd gathering around them. "First of all, I'd like to welcome the new freshmans attending the school! Welcome! Let me introduce ma self. My name is motherfuckin Yung Reezy! And this fine looking gurl is my partner-in-crime C-Murph! You will address us as these names or as your majesty! And second: May I have yo niggas' attention and take a look around you! Everything you bitches see is our territory! We run this school! We run these streets! And we run all you punk ass bitch ass pasty inbred crackheads! First you pray to Jesus, then you pray to Yung Reezy cause if any of you hoes dare cross me, my girl, or our crew then you gon end up in a body bag, your parents are gonna end up in a body bag, we gon shoot your dog, and we gon throw your shit-smelling corpses in the sewer! This is the end of our public service announcement! Thank you for listening and have a good day niggas!"
A male freshman nudges his friend. "Who the fuck does this guy think he is?"
Riley gestures his head to Cindy. "C-Murph."
In response to Riley, Cindy snaps her fingers. "Girls! Take care of him."
Suddenly some of Cindy's crew comes forward, all of them being white girls wearing denim jackets and sunglasses. One is even holding a large club. They punch the freshman in the face as they knock him against the lockers, the entire hallway is silent except for the guy's echoing screams. The crowd of teenagers just watches as the guy gets completely fucked up, even his friend he was talking to stood there traumatized.
When Cindy's girls finished, Cindy yells. "Let that be an example! Fuck with us and ya'll niggas never gonna walk again! My name is C-Murph and my bae is Yung Reezy! Ya'll don't ever forget!"
Jazmine and Huey finally reached the school, right as the commotion from Riley and Cindy had died down. The pair pretty much have the exact same schedule as they both enjoyed the same classes, that being a mix of Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, Law, and some other things. Taking all those classes means their schedule is pretty full and barely have any free time.
As they finish their classes together and move on with their morning, Huey can't help but notice people staring at him, not just girls but boys too, they all give him scared and fearful stares. As lunch rolls around, Jazmine and Huey go to lunch together. Huey hates going into the cafeteria, preferring to eat outside or not at all but for Jazmine's sake he accompanies her as she usually tries to socialize with Cindy.
Jazmine grabs Huey by the hand as she tries to lead him to Cindy's table but they're both stopped by a red-haired girl with brass knuckles as she stands up from her lunch table.
"Back off. 5 meters minimum distance." The red-haired girl says with an angry look.
Cindy speaks up. "Charlotte! It's cool, they're fam."
The girl lets Jazmine and Huey pass as they sit next to Cindy and Riley's table. Cindy greets them "Sorry about that Jazzy, Charlotte's new."
Huey interjects. "Cindy why the fuck you need security for lunch period?"
"Quit hatin! These girls are my crew! We are all ride or die. And besides we have a reputation in the streets, you never know when a nigga wants a nigga dead you know, me and Reezy are a target but it's all guud cause our crew got each other's back!"
"Yeah hear that Huey? It's not like you would understand, book ass reading hoe don't know hood life like we do. We got mafia fuckers ordering hits on us and shit so we have Cindy's girls on payroll!"
Huey sighs, disapproving of the whole thing. As Riley and Cindy get further into their teens they get furthermore immature and idiotic, surrounding themselves into all kinds of trouble. But he can't blame them, it's just the lifestyle that the two chose for themselves.
As the three continue bickering as always Jazmine takes out her lunch. Around the year when the Fried Chicken Flu happened she has been a vegetarian ever since, same as Huey. At first she has had a lot of trouble of finding the right food to eat but with Huey's help she is proud of making that choice because in her opinion eating meat is supporting the mass murder of millions of innocent cows, chickens, and all other cute animals as they live their horrible mistreated lives in dark clustrophobic pens. Those animals deserve to roam free in grassy fields and live their lives to the fullest rather than be exploited by capitalist monsters who have spent decades perfecting a system of cruelty and animal genocide.
So instead of a meat sandwich, she has a veggie sandwich for lunch. Jazmines takes a bite as she listens to the 3.
Huey asks the couple. "By the way, do you know why these people staring at me for? They givin me looks like I'm Jack the Ripper. One kid even ran away from me."
"You don't know?" Riley asks.
"Know what?"
Cindy finishes Riley's answer. "You've become quite a celebrity athlete. You remember that fight with Stinkmeaner?"
"So?" Huey asks with a deeper scowl.
Riley tells the truth. "Well I... recorded it and it's online on Worldstar?"
"Riley?! You put the fight on Worldstar?!"
Riley puts his hands up in defense "Not the entire thing, I cut out the part with Granddad and my fight cause we lost. Cuz Yung Reezy ain't gonna put his L's online. And besides- not my fault it went viral."
Cindy adds. "No big deal, it's just a bit of street cred, so what if niggas know you can fight, wutz the wrong with that?"
Huey sighs, feeling irritated that he put his fighting moves online. Just like with their case, certain people are out to get Huey, and he has tried his best efforts to lay low. And unlike the 2 who rely on security and having a big entourage following them around, Huey has mostly relied on maintaining his cover.
"Hey Huey." Jazmine turns to him. "You don't have a lunch?"
"I didn't plan to."
"Oh. Well I packed my lunch so..." Jazmine looks through her lunch bag. "Don't worry. Do you want some baby carrots?"
She takes out a ziploc bag with carrots.
"Jazmine it's fine I can't take yo-
She cuts him off mid-sentence and shoves the bag to his hand. "It's okay. Eat." She smiles.
Huey sighs "Okay. Fine."
Cindy saw the entire conversation and nudges Jazmine's elbow. Cindy gives her a knowing look.
He opens the bag. "Thank you."
Extra Context - In the US, Freshmans are 1st year students in high school, Sophomores are 2nd years, Juniors are 3rd years, and Seniors are last years
