"Jayson stay in the front yard where I can see you at all times" Eve told her oldest son while trying to balance 14 month old Braylen Anthony on her hip.
"Yeah … yeah" Jayson mumbled heading out the front door.
He bent down to make sure the laces on his new skateboarding sneakers were tied tightly. He put his helmet on but chose to leave it unbuckled. He knew his mother would scold him about it later but for right now he didn't really care too much. He kicked up the front of his skateboard and took off down the street.
After boarding for about an hour he had a seat on the sidewalk in front of the house. He looked over his shoulder to see if his mother was watching him. He cocked his head to the side a little and spat on the hot cement. He looked up the street and saw a group of kids riding bikes. They were heading his way. He didn't really feel like being bothered so he motioned to get up and enter his home. He was about halfway up the path when he heard them calling them.
"Hey kid I'm talkin to you" a tall muscular brunette yelled at him.
"The name is Jayson why don't you try using it" the younger boy replied coolly continuing his way into his home.
"Is it true John Cena is your step-daddy?" the brunette asked.
"Who wants to know" Jayson turned around and cocked an eyebrow.
"Just answer the question"
"He's my dad" Jayson confirmed with a smirk that would make Randy Orton proud.
"See dude I told you" a slightly shorter redheaded kid slapped his comrade on the shoulder.
"You wanna come and hang out with us," the brunette asked.
"I don't know I mean I really don't know you guys" Jayson rationalized.
"What are ya chicken" a blonde boy taunted.
"I ain't no chicken" Jayson remarked clenching his fists.
"Then grab your bike and let's go"
"Ok gimme a minute" Jayson disappeared.
He reemerged a few minutes later with his brand new Huffy dirt bike. He mounted his bike and kicked off, he had no idea where he was going and he didn't really seem to care how mad his mother was going to be when she found out he was gone.
"So Jayson how old are you?" the brunette boy whom Jayson had just found out was named Tommy asked.
Besides Tommy there was Jack who was the redheaded boy and the blonde who had called him a chicken was JR. Besides those three boys there was Tim, Jacob, Gary, and Joe-Don.
"I'm 12" Jayson lied.
Tommy gave him a look telling him that he didn't believe him but neither boy commented. They spent most of the afternoon just sitting around talking.
"So Mr. Bigshot you ever had liquor before?" JR asked pulling out a flask.
Jayson's insides froze, he knew he was way too young to drink and he had seen what liquor had made Deryck do when he was younger.
"Of course I do all the time" his voice cracked a little.
"I bet you never had a drop of liquor in your whole life" Joe-Don said in a very taunting tone.
"I have so … my mom and dad let me drink all the time" Jayson tried very unconvincingly to get him new "friends " to believe him.
"Guys leave Jayson alone," Tommy finally said. Jayson gave him an appreciative look. "It ain't his fault he a big baby"
"I'm not a baby gimme that" he snatched the flask out of JR's hand and took a big gulp of it.
The liquid burned his insides instantly. He choked a little and wanted to gag. Whatever it was that he had just drank tasted disgusting.
"What was that?" Jayson asked still coughing a little.
"Jack Daniel's" JR replied boastfully "I lifted it off of my dad"
After a few more hours of talking and more drinking the boys finally decided to go back home. Jayson felt sick to his stomach by now and all he wanted to do was close his eyes. His head was throbbing and his throat was burning something terrible. He looked over to see Tommy peddling next to him. His head was spinning and for most of the ride he wasn't sure where he was. By some miracle he managed to make his way home unharmed. He could see the flashing red and blue lights as he turned the corner onto his street. As he got closer he could see that they were parked in front of his house. He realized at that moment that he was going to be in so much trouble the minute he walked through that door and that sobered him up just a little bit. He opened the front door slowly hoping nobody would notice him sneaking in.
"Jayson Evan Cruiz don't even think of moving from that spot" Jayson stopped midstep on the stairs. Not only did Eve come rushing out of the parlor but she had called John, who followed closely behind her.
"Where have you been?" John asked in a stern tone.
"I was out" Jayson replied coolly.
"Young man you'll address your parents with respect … what were you thinking just leaving the yard without telling me where you were going or who you were with?" Eve asked furiously.
Jayson had to hold onto the railing to keep himself standing. His head had begun to spin again.
"Are you drunk?" John asked, having been drunk himself quite a few times he knew the signs.
"What do you care you aren't even my real father … I wish you would have just left me where I was" he ran up the stairs to his room and slammed the door.
"What am I gonna do" Eve tearfully asked "my baby is outta control"
"He'll be fine" John wrapped his arms around her in a comforting embrace.
Something that did not go unnoticed by Chase who was standing at the entrance way of the parlor.
"We'll get through it we always do" John told Eve kissing the top of her head in a comforting way.
"Thanks for coming John I don't know what I would do without you"
"You never have to worry about that"
Chase's knuckles turned white as he clamped his fingers into fists. He did not like what he was seeing in front of him. Not in the slightest bit.