Chapter 5: A new Job

…

September 12th,

Well, it is finally the end of the first week of school. The past five days, as I have said, have been the worst torture. Thank God I still have Jackie and Inez, who for some reason are still my friends even though they know about what I used to be like. How could they even trust me if they know all the things I have done… I hope I can do something fun this weekend and get my mind of school. It's tempting not to just give in and get back together with my old friends… we used to have fun times. But it's now that I see they never really liked me in the first place. All I can do is push on. I am still alive and I will keep living even though life right now is hell. After all, if my Dad is in heaven watching me… I can't let him down. I'm hoping this day wont be like the rest and I'll be able to get by without having to face on of my old friends. I feel like such a jerk. Any way, my alarm is beeping at me, I better get up.

Matt Williams

…:…

Matt arrived at his first class and sat down near the back of the room. The room was loud with talking and excitement until the teacher came in the room.

"Alright, alright." He said loudly and all the students quieted down. "I want no trouble today or you'll be in detention. I'm having a bad day, and I'm not about to let it get worse."

Everyone exchanged glances. This was odd for Mr. Lee to act in such a way so they all curiously watched him carefully. He fiddled with some papers and sat down at his desk. Adjusting his glasses as he stared at a note in his hand, he said, "Matthew Williams, will you please step out of the class room?" he looked up from the paper and glared at the boy.

What is this? Am I in trouble for something already? Probably some prank…

Matt rolled his eyes, stood up and walked out of the classroom. There were to police officers waiting outside for him.

"Is something wrong?" Matt shot glances back and forth at them.

"Will you please come with us." One of them guided him by the shoulder and he was escorted to the police car.

"What is going on? I didn't do anything!" Matt tried to think of any past things he had done that he might have not gotten caught at but none rang a bell. Once in the car, they both looked at him calmly and asked,

"About a month ago, you were in the grocery store with your mother, yes?"

"I go there with her all the time… so maybe…"

"We have security camera evidence that you stole a small metal box."

"I…" Of course… that stupid little box! I should have known I would have gotten into trouble. "Actually…I found it in a cart. It didn't belong to anyone I thought."

"Why didn't you turn it into the police?" one questioned suspiciously.

"I don't know!" Matt shrugged. "I didn't think it was that serious. Is it?" the police officer didn't answer.

"You have some criminal records for getting into trouble." Said the other cop while looking at a printout on Matt. He gulped and wiped his head.

"Look, I didn't know it was important. I have been trying to stop and get away from bad habits since I have been going to church, and I honestly wouldn't steal something on purpose." He crossed his arms.

"Do you still have the box?"

"Yes… and if you drive me home, I'll return it to you." Matt was frowning. What was his Mom going to say? It didn't take long until they had arrived at his house. His Mom was at work, as usual, so he got out his keys and went into the house to get the box. He returned a few minutes later.

"Here." He handed it to them. They examined it carefully and one of them nodded to the other.

"So what is it?" Matt asked bluntly.

"We're going to have to ask you to come down to the station with us."

"Oh great." He rolled his eyes.

…:… The police station …:…

A special man who didn't seem to be a police officer talked with Matt for a bit in an enclosed room. It was a small but serious lecture on how he needed to turn in odd objects if situations like that happened. Bombs and other dangerous things were distributed in such manners.

"Was it a bomb?" Matt enquired nervously.

"No. That's the thing." The man leaned his arms on the table that the two of them were sitting at. He was wearing a black suit and had dark black hair. He was tall and lean, but looked as if he were pretty important.

"What do you mean?" Matt leaned back.

"Williams, you were involved in a crime scene. Thankfully, we recovered the box, but that is all I am going to tell you for your sake. The reason you are here now is because you need to know that you can say nothing of the matter to anyone. All we need is for you to tell us about the man who left the box and we also need your finger print so we can tell who touched the box besides you. Understand?" Matt was still a bit confused but told the man he understood anyway.

Matt was at the station for the next several hours getting interrogated about the man with the box and such. He figured it must have been something really important. After five hours, he was left waiting in that same room just in case someone needed him again. Finally, one of the police officers that picked him up from school came in the room and sat down.

"I think you're done here, Matthew." He smiled kindly at him. Matt weakly smiled back, he wasn't really in the mood. "But Matthew, I was just interested in what you were saying earlier about not getting into trouble anymore. Is this something you were very serious about?" he leaned back in his chair and looked into Matt's eyes for honesty.

"Yes." Matt said quietly but confidently. "It's harder than you think."

"I'm sure." The man nodded understandingly. "But there is something I wanted to ask you."

"What?" Matt looked down, a little sick of questions.

"You go to the local highschool, right?"

"Yeah."

"We have been having a lot of trouble with crime there, and drug dealing as well."

"I know, I used to be involved." Mat said, ashamed.

"So it says in your records, but you have paid all your community service."

"I know."

"Matthew…" the man leaned forward and looked at him in the eyes. "We are going to ask you for your help."

…:… At Home …:…

"But Matt, that can be very dangerous!" his mother was in tears and was clutching his hands as they sat together on the couch.

"I know Mom, but I think it is a good way to make up for all I have done wrong!"

"Matthew, I have heard of many boys who have died in gun fights because of this. You don't need to make up for anything!"

"I want to Mom."

She continued tearing and looked at him in the eyes, Once seeing there was no way stopping him she said,

"Well, I just don't want to lose you like I lost your father."

"You wont Mom!" he raised his voice.

"I know." She calmly stroked his hand.

"You do realize you will have to turn in some of your own friends, don't you?"

"Yes." Matt looked at her very seriously. "But they need to stop, just like I did."

…

Well, You'll never guess what happened. I had to go to the police station because of that stupid box… and it ended in the most unexpected way. The government is asking me to work undercover to help catch drug dealers. They are asking me because I have been down there, I have connections, and I know who to contact. It can be very dangerous, and it can take a long time. But I know what drugs does to me, and I have seen what it's done to people I used to call friends. Thing is, I have remake my friends… I have to go back and hang out with them and tell them I'm back… I have to turn them in, tell their names to the police, spy! I never thought I would agree to something like this… What if they find out? Or what if Jackie or Inez find out from someone I am hanging out with these people. I'm not allowed to tell them what I'm doing… They will never be friends with me; never forgive me. They cannot find out.

I guess God will be my judge. It's all I can do to make up for what I've done.

Matt Williams

…

I know it is short. But I think that's a good place for a chapter to end. I know where the story is going though… be prepared! Yes, it is a real thing for teens to work undercover like this… scary!

TD

… read and review!