Chapter 7
Today is Sunday. My parents have been fighting since my mom got off work yesterday. It's six o'clock now and the noise hasn't lessened. If you were our neighbor you'd think we throw parties every weekend from all the loud music.
My parents are at it in the living room right now. I just hope they don't try and come in here. I feel my brothers tense up as glass shatters. I turn off my iPod standing up. Iggy and Gazzy both look at me questioning.
"Come on" I whisper pointing to the window.
"Where are we going?" Iggy asks.
"Take Gazzy with you and go down to the park stay there 'til I call you" I say.
I open my window taking off the window spring off. Iggy jumps out first followed by Gazzy. I mouth 'Be careful' and Iggy whispers "You too". Iggy shoots me an encouraging smile and there off on their bikes.
I sigh as soon as I can't see them anymore. I cover my open window with my dark purple curtains and walk out into the hall way. I crouch into a spot where I can hear them better and watch them.
"I'll fight you for them! We'll go to court." My father shouts at my mom as if he gave a shit about us.
My dad always said he was going to take us. But the court would never give us to him. He had a bad recorded. He always said he was going to do things but he's just a liar. I learned a long time ago that I could never trust him.
"You can have them! Just don't think I'm lying" My mom shouts back.
That was it. If she didn't want us she didn't have to deal with us. I run back to my room pulling out the three emergency backpacks I had set up for Iggy, Gazzy and I in case we ever had to run.
The three backpacks held clothes, shoes, undergarments, and pretty much whatever they need for a couple of weeks. Mine more than there is. It held a First aid kit, all of our passports, copies of our birth certificates, 30,000 dollars I had saved from my job, my car keys, there health insurance cards, my fake ID, and papers in case we needed to leave the country.
I throw the bags in my car. This was it, we were really leaving. I start my car driving up to the local park. No one runs out of the house screaming 'Don't leave!'. My heart pangs and I feel a tear slid down my cheek. I quickly wipe it away. There not worth my tears. Not anymore.
I arrive at the park in less than five minutes. The boys are racing against each other. I wolf whistle at them to get their attention. They both stop looking around for the person who whistled. I fake a smile as they see it was me. They bike over to me.
"Max whatcha doin' here?" Gazzy asks.
"Hop in guys we're going...on a vacation" I say hiding the truth from Gazzy.
Gazzy looks ecstatic as he goes over to the trunk to throws his bike in the back. Iggy looks me in the eye. He understands what I mean. He knows all too well were running away. I plead with my eyes for him to hide it from Gazzy. He nods and goes around to the back of my car. I open the trunk and they pile their bikes into the car. Iggy and Gazzy take the back seat. I drive off to the nearest Denny's for dinner.
"Yay Denny's!" Gazzy shouts as I park.
"Here Iggy" I say handing him a fifty and then add "I'll be there in a bit, order me something. I need to make a call"
He stands still for a moment as if arguing whether or not he should stay with me. I make a 'go' movement with my hand and they head inside the restaurant. I pull out my phone and dial my old friend Gustavo. I meet him back in my fighting and party days.
"China?" He answers calling me by my party name, I earned for my crazy curly hair.
"Aye G" I say and smile in memory of all the times he's helped me get out of my shit.
"It's been too long. Where you at? How shit been?" He replied.
"Yeah it has. I miss you. I'm at Denny's gettin' my bro some grub and you know shits been shity always has been" I say.
"Anyway I could help make shit be less shity?" He asks like good old him, always helping out an old friend out.
"Actually, I'm takin a break from the rents, and I need a place to crash thought maybe you could find me a hotel" I say crossing my fingers.
"Oh that's gonna to be tough" He says.
I sigh into the phone. He was my last hope.
"I'm just playing with you China. For you anything's possible." He say and then adds "Damn, I still remember that day the cops almost caught you. You bite the officer and ran like the wind. You were so fast."
I smile and say "Those days are long behind me and thanks you really are a life saver."
"Anytime" He says and then adds "Okay there's a nice hotel on E street it rents for $100 a week for one room" He says.
"That's perfect, I'll take it." I say.
"You know if you need the cash you can always go back to fighting. We really do miss our best fighter." He says.
"I'm good. I still got that job at the old gym. Don't pay as good as the fights, but I just can't risk not being able to do my best for these kids. You know how it is" I say.
"Yeah. Well if you ever do you know where to find me China" He says.
"Yeah thanks again G" I say.
"No problem. Take care of yourself. Okay, China? And 'member you deserve better too" He says.
"I gotta go" I say and hang up.
I lock my car and enter the diner. I spot my brother chowing down. I walk over to them and start to eat my food too. I smile because for once I know things will get better.