New York New York
Avery: I'm a New York City girl. Okay, not really, but I wish. So far this is the only state in this story I've actually been to, I love NYC. But sadly due to the route Kick and his friends are taking (and geography) I cant have them go to NYC because it wouldn't make much sense. Sorry ): And please dont hate me cuz I have not put much Kick and Kendall in this story, but I'll try harder, promise :) Enjoy!
-Jackie-
I had never heard guns before. I had never listened to see if they were even there. This was the day I had first seen it, the undeclared war. I was such an innocent nine year old, never in my life had I imagined such a war. Gunshots, discrimination, hatred, and from people who were under the age of eighteen nonetheless. Adults did nothing to stop it, and children were defenceless, silently waiting in the shadows, praying for freedom. Their voices lost forever, but if you listened hard enough then you could hear the whispers of the undeclared war. This war just began out of fear, fear of those that are different, and that didn't just include race, it included those that were of different religion, those who were fat, and many more. Including those who were homosexual.
I've never had a problem with people who are different, in fact I embraced different. But so many people are against change. What they don't realize is that change can be positive, and if things don't change then nothing will ever get better. I truly realized all of this eight years ago.
"Do you think I should get this for Liza?" Rachael asked me, holding up a very interesting looking necklace with a rainbow coloured heart.
I tilted my head to the side, not really understanding the point in giving something to someone you love. What if they hate it? Or think it's weird? Then you would have spent your money for absolutely nothing. But Rachael seemed happy. Its not like she, or any of us, expected this to happen, but no one ever really does. Liza was a lesbian, and she had always been so open about it, she didn't care that she was different. When Rachael met Liza she didn't know that she would fall in love with her, or that Liza would love her back. They seemed very in love and very happy. But everyone at school frowned upon their relationship, believing it was either sinful and wrong, or that they were slutty dykes.
"Liza will love it" I said as Rachael went to the cashier
"I'll love what?" A feminine voice said from behind us
"Hey!" Rachael said, smiling and hugging her girlfriend, they held hands as they walked down the street.
A small group of girls walked up to us, making Rachael and Liza stop in their tracks. The girls surrounded us, making us back into a nearby alleyway.
"I'm sorry sluts I don't remember welcoming dykes into this neighbourhood" Said a tall brunette with light amber eyes. She was so thin, someone that thin cant be healthy.
"Just leave us alone Amanda" Rachael snapped at her
"Why should I listen to you?" Amanda asked meanly "I'm not a little dyke like you"
The girls laughed and pushed Rachael, Liza stepped in front of Rachael, shielding her from Amanda and her friends.
"Don't touch her!" Liza screamed
"Oh look at the dyke protecting her dyke" Another girl laughed
A raven haired girl with grey eyes started poking at me, suddenly I was shoved into a wall. I may have only been nine but, like my mother, I had started puberty very early. I probably looked thirteen at nine and a half.
"And who is this?" The raven haired girl asked "The third in your threesome? You little skanks?"
I was enraged, I shoved the raven haired girl off of me, she fell into someone's garbage can. I started laughing.
"At least she can get some" I retaliated
"Oh no she didn't" A tall blonde girl said in a very threatening way
I was shoved against the wall by Amanda and, before I could even blink, a gun was shoved in between my eyes. Everyone around me looked shocked, as if they never expected Amanda to take out a hand gun.
"One more little word and your going to hell slut" Amanda whispered dauntingly
Suddenly the gun was knocked out of her hand, it fell to the ground and made a loud bang as a stray bullet flew into a nearby fire hydrant, causing water to leak out. I was startled and slightly frightened by what I had just witnessed, and even more startled to see Rachael standing in between me and Amanda.
"If you touch her your dead" She snapped
Amanda just shrugged.
"Fine" she said nonchalantly before grabbing Rachael by the shoulders and shoving her into the concrete wall head first.
I felt hot tears form in my eyes as I heard a loud, bloody murder, scream. And it took a moment for me to realize that that scream had come out of my mouth. My cousin was still half-conscious and her head was bleeding. The girls in the group had picked up some of the trash in the alley, a broomstick, a frying pan, a rope, even a steel pipe, and started hitting Rachael. I stared, frozen in place, looking at my almost unconscious cousin. I didn't know what to do. All I could hear was her whispering one little word, to both me and Liza "Run." I obeyed, she would be okay, right? An ambulance would come, the paramedics would fix her, and everything would be okay. I tried my best to convince myself this as a dragged a screaming and crying Liza away from the group, knowing that if she stayed she would be next. We ran into the nearest store and called the hospital from there. Liza told about how this happened a lot, she told me about the bullying, the racism, the gangs, the murders. How you could get attacked at any given moment. People were killed for being the wrong religion, and the wrong race, and having the wrong sexual choices. Since Liza was lesbian she had a bulls eye on her back, and she had to do everything to avoid getting hit with the bullets and harsh words. I hugged her and the both of us began crying hysterically once again. Through our screaming and crying we hardly heard the sirens of the ambulance pulling up next to the alleyway. Liza and I went to the hospital crying, and we cried even more when we discovered that Rachael had been beaten to her death.
()()()
After driving all day, crashing in a hotel, and another six hours of driving, we reached good old Youngstown, New York. It was almost a comforting feeling to be back in New York. I hadn't been here in so long, mostly because this is the state where I lost my best friend. She was the only person who paid me any attention, and ever since the day she died I've craved it. Attention was the one and only thing I've ever wanted. Maybe that's why I follow Kick around all the time, I just want the attention that I never got when I was younger. I guess I just cant find attention the same way my cousin Ralph does, by singing in glee club, and getting the male lead in the musical. Before you jump to stereotypes let me just clarify that he is not gay, in fact I think he originally joined glee club and musical so that he could flirt with girls.
"Start spreading the news" Moxie started singing the best song ever "I'm leaving today, I wanna be a part of it! New York New York!"
"You know that song?" I asked Moxie
"Yeah, it's a great song" She replied "Reminds me of my favourite state, New York. Nothing like going to the Rockefeller center, and shopping in time square, and throwing stuff from the top of the Empire State Building"
"Isn't it illegal to drop something from the top of the empire state building?" Kick asked in his always smooth voice
"I don't know" Moxie replied "But, if it is, people do it anyway"
"It's too bad we're not going to New York City" Kendall said sadly
I slouched back in my seat and looked out the window at the familiar town passing before my eyes. The water park that was my summer paradise as a child, the Red Lobster where my aunt took us for dinner, and the Menchies where Ralph and I blended every ice cream flavour into our cups and got brain freezes. We were turning down my aunt's street when I realized, the journey is almost over for me. I almost feel like I've been dreading my destination so much that I haven't been enjoying the ride. All I know is we are turning up my aunt's driveway and I see a familiar blue eyed blonde standing on the front porch. He's grown up a lot, his sandy hair is nicely cut and his always kind smile shines brightly. I missed that smile. I jumped out of the car and ran into his arms, hugging him tightly.
"Welcome home Jackie" He whispered
"I missed you Ralph" I whispered into his chest.
I think I heard my voice cracking a bit because I was about to cry, there were tears in my eyes that were threatening to fall down. I could hear my friends footsteps on the cobblestone walkway behind me, but I was too busy hugging an old friend to turn around and give introductions.
"Jacklyn!" Aunt Jennifer exclaimed, throwing her arms around me "Robert! She's here!"
The hug broke as my Uncle Robert stepped outside, he was in his pajamas with a long bathrobe overtop and slippers. The last time I had seen him he was in a business suit and talking on a cell phone, it was almost like seeing a whole other person. I remembered that my mom had mentioned that Uncle Robert lost his job the last time she talked to Jennifer, but I assumed he'd be back on his feet by now.
"Jackie you've grown up so much" Uncle Robert said, smiling warmly and giving me a tight hug
"Well this is slightly awkward for us" I heard Kick whisper to Kendall, who stifled a laugh in agreement
"Who are your friends?" Aunt Jennifer asked me
"This is Kick, Gunther, Kendall, Moxie, Mouth, Christina, Ronaldo, and Fiona" I said without a pause. My Aunt and Uncle smiled at them kindly.
"Since your all here why don't you stay for lunch" Aunt Jennifer suggested
Everyone nodded in agreement and followed my aunt and uncle into the house. Soon it was just me and Ralph alone on the porch. I smiled at him, a smile that he kindly returned.
"Should we go inside?" He asked
"You go, I haven't felt the New York air in years," I replied "I've forgotten how beautiful this place was"
He chuckled a bit under his breath and went into his house. I slowly walked down the porch steps and down the driveway, and stared at the car that had brought me this far. It wasn't leaving me behind just yet. Carefully, I unscrewed the little air valve that kept the tires inflated, it made a soft hissing noise like a deflating balloon. And in a matter of minutes the tire was completely flat. I walked into the house with just one thing on my mind, you guys aren't going anywhere.
Moxie's Play list #4
"New girl in New York" or "Empire State of Awesome" or "Kendall can you please be DJ now?"
New York New York by Frank Sinatra
New York City by John Lennon
Empire State of Mind by Jay Z
Strawberry Fields by The Beatles
Angel of Harlem by U2
Imagine by John Lennon
The Rising by Bruce Springsteen
New York, I Love You But Your Bringing Me Down by LCD Soundsystem
No Sleep Till Brooklyn by Beastie Boys
53rd and 3rd by The Ramones
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters by Elton John
Moxie's side notes: I know you did it Jackie -_-
Avery: Yup, she's still wacky. I hope you like this chapter, and that you like the play list, its all New York themed songs. Happy Holidays!