Chapter 21: Fireworks (Skywriter's Point of View)
'The guys' that Bran introduces me to, are no more than a few punk eighth graders that think they're cooler than they actually are. Bran found me at lunch, like I was hoping he wouldn't, and took me out behind the back of the school, where these 'guys' hung out. Or ate lunch. Or pretended to be cool. Whatever they did, it was stupid. I know Bran thought they, as well as himself, were pretty tuff, but I've seen more intimidating first graders.
"Who's the new kid?" One of the guys asks, with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. I wonder if he even knows how to smoke it, since it's not even lit.
"Guys, this is Lex. Lex, this is the guys. Tommy, Zach, and D.J." Bran says with a sly smile on his face. I roll my eyes at their pathetic attempts to impress me.
"Well, uh, I'm hungry. So, I'll see ya guys!" I tell them, turning around.
"What? You're leaving so soon? We haven't even got to the good stuff yet." D.J whines in that trying-to-be-mysterious kind of way.
"Trust me. Whatever drugs you have I've already tried." I answer without turning back. I'm pretty sure it's true too. Bran lets out a laugh.
"Nah man. No drugs. Drugs are for parties." Bran says, and something in his voice convinces me to turn around. He holds up some colored sticks and I know instantly what they are.
"Fireworks." Zach tells me, encase I'm stupid I guess. I lift my eyebrows in mild interest.
"And what do you boys plan on doin' with those, I wonder?" I ask, returning back to my previous spot in their circle.
"Hey, what are fireworks for?" Bran whispers, slinging an arm across my shoulders.
"Setting off." I answer, returning his smug look with a grin of my own.
Darry's Point of View
"Hey Darrel! Darrel Curtis!" Ron calls from the ground. I stop nailing the boards and look down at him.
"The boss wants to see ya'. Says you have a call." He tells me. I sigh with anticipation and anger. 'A call' is never a good thing. I walk inside the company building, and meet my boss at his office where he's holding out the phone.
"Make this quick." He says to me with a glare. It's not the first time I've got 'a call' at work.
"Hello?" I ask into the phone.
"Is this Darrel Curtis?" The woman on the other line asks.
"Yes ma'am it is." I answer, bracing myself.
"This is Principal Woodland of Tulsa Middle School." She informs me. "We have a Lexan Johnston here, says you're his guardian."
"Yes, that's correct." I tell her. She sighs and I can feel her annoyance.
"You need to pick him up. There's been a….situation."
Skywriter's Point of View
Okay, I'll admit it was wrong. Wrong and stupid. But I couldn't resist. There aren't many things I like more than beer, but fireworks is one of them. I find them fascinating. Apparently, Principal Woodland, couldn't disagree more.
"Do you boys realize that this is going on your permanent record? You could have been arrested for this, had Coach Williams or I chose to press charges." she tells us. I'm not so sure how many times she's said this already, but it's starting to get old. My permanent record is already ruined anyways, so I don't find it that big of a deal.
"Principal Woodland, I'm Darrel Curtis." Darry introduces himself, walking into the office. Bran and the other guys parents are already here, and they don't look too happy. I just keep my eyes on my hands, and avoid Darry's gaze. I'm not sure if he has a limit, but if Buck's wasn't it, this will certainly push him over the edge.
"Have a seat." Principal Woodland tells him, gesturing to the chair beside mine. I sit up uneasily. All the other parents in the room give their kids angry glances, as well as each other. Hey, everyone wants to think that their kid is perfect I guess. Darry sits down, luckily not saying anything, but his eyes are eating right through me.
"Your children-boys-set off fireworks in the gym during lunch. Where they got them, or why they set them off, I don't know. What I do know however, is that there is a damaged basketball floor, and a ruined wall. Both will take and money to repair. Luckily for you parents, insurance will pay to fix them, however I think the boys should be the ones to clean up the gym, since they were the ones who messed it up. Now, we've decided not to press charges, but this will go on their record, and they will be suspended for one week. Are there any questions?" Principal Woodland manages to say this, seemly without taking a breath. When no one asks any questions, she tells us we can leave, and I wish more than anything that I had a cigarette.
Darry's Point of View
I can't believe this! First Buck's and now this! Jesus Mom and Dad, look what happens when you don't take care of your kid. I feel like I could explode at any second, and it wouldn't take much either. By the time the principal released us, it was about time for Pony and Soda to be home from school, so I know I better get all my yelling done out in the truck.
"What the hell were you thinking?!" Is the first thing I want to know. It's pretty much rhetorical, since I know he wasn't thinking a damn thing, but I ask it anyways. Sky is startled by my sudden outburst, and shifts in his seat uneasily.
"Um…I've always been found of fireworks." He mutters. For the love of God! I want to strangle this kid.
"You've always like fireworks huh? Do you realize you could have gone to prison?! Then, you would have been taken away from me, probably put into foster care, and you could forget about ever having a future!" I scream. I know I have a temper, and I probably shouldn't yell, but I can't help it. The thing that scares me most, is it's like Sky is immune to it or something. It doesn't bother him like it does Soda or Pony. He just shrugs and slouches in his seat.
"You're blowing this way out of proportion." He says calmly. I can feel my eyes go wide and my knuckles go white from clutching the steering wheel so hard. I slam on brakes and pull over to the side of the road, getting the middle finger from the guy behind me.
"I'm blowing this outta proportion?! Are you kidding me?!" I scream. Sky looks at me with concern, maybe surprise that I've actually pulled over, but he still doesn't look scared. Am I trying to scare him?
"You know what? Maybe I should just turn around and tell the principal to press charges! Maybe I should just stick your ass in jail for a month or so!" I yell. His eyes grow wide, and I could almost jump for joy, at getting a reaction out of him at all.
"No! No, don't! I've been once, and I don't want to go again! Please!" He begs. I've never seem him actually upset before. Actually asking me not to do something.
"Why shouldn't I? You're obviously not sorry for it! If you go to juvenile for a while, maybe you won't be so proud about nearly burning the school down." I say, determined to psych him out about this jail thing. I mean, whatever works.
"I didn't nearly burn it down. 'Sides I was doing good the first half of the day. Then I met Bran and he introduced me to his friends. I-I just did it I guess. Without thinking. I'm sorry though. Really. I don't want to go to jail. I'll stay in my room. I'll stay out of trouble." Sky pleads so quietly I can barely hear him. Now he's sounding like Pony. Or…like a scared kid. I've never even seen him act like a kid before, let alone a worried and scared one.
"You'll stay outta trouble?" I ask doubtfully, but more calmly. He nods but doesn't say anything.
"How do I know that?" I continue. He looks at me for a second, and them looks back down at his hands.
"I…just 'cause I will." He answers finally, which isn't an answer I'm proud of, but at least it's something.
"I'm going to move you out of Bran's class. I'll make sure you don't have any classes with any of those kids. You're to stay away from them, understand?" I ask firmly. He nods.
"Tell me." I snap.
"I understand." He whispers. I sigh and start the truck up, heading home. We park in the driveway, and I can see the craziness inside the house, from the truck.
Pony's Point of View
As soon as Darry and Lexan walk in, I can tell it hasn't been a good day. 'Course, I should of known that before hand, since Darry was driving Lex home to begin with. Darry wasn't supposed to get off work until five-thirty, and here he was home at three.
"Hey buddy, how was your first day?" Soda asks Lex, who gives him a half smile before looking back down at the floor.
"Horrible." He groans. I know that he musta go chewed out by Darry or something, 'cause I've never seen em' so…quiet.
"You okay?" I ask him. He shrugs and shakes his head.
"Skywriter, you have ten seconds to get to your room." Darry tells him harshly. I kind of flinch at his tone. I give Lex a sympathetic look, and he walks down the hallway to his room.
"I'm guessing horrible is an understatement." Soda comments, sitting down on the couch. Darry gives him a 'you have no idea' look and sits at the kitchen table, flipping through the mail.
"So, I heard about the little forth of July celebration that went on at the kiddie school." Two-bit says, coming into the room with a goofy smile on his face.
"Blondie doesn't have anything to do with it, does he?" Two-bit asks.
"Man, word travels fast." Darry says in a tone that tells me Lex had everything to do with it.
"Well, ya know, I am very into current issues. And Kiddies blowin' up school gyms is defiantly high on the interest scale." Two-bit explains.
"He blew up the school gym?" I ask with a mix of shock and impression. I'd never have the guts to do anything like that. Two-bit gives me a smirk.
"Fireworks. Him and his buddies put on a show. Two bad I couldn't of been there to watch it." Two-bit answers.
"What happened?" Soda asks Darry, who's been trying to pretend he wasn't listening. Darry sighs and comes into the kitchen, flopping down on the couch beside Soda.
"Our kid brother set fireworks off in the school gym." Darry confirms, and I swear I saw a hint of amusement in his eyes.