Part 1
What a crappy day...
October 29th, 2007 – Monday – 7:00 am
I take my alarm clock and throw it at the wall.
"Five more minutes," I mumble into the pillow.
It's Monday morning and I'm really pissed that I already have to stand up. I just went to bed three hours ago, because I was out with the others.
Unwillingly I lift my blanket.
"Shit! It's damn cold!" I hiss when my bare feet touch the floor.
Within seconds I get into my pants and hoodie. After my mom hadn't paid the bill they shut off the gas. It's almost winter and I'm sure I'll soon freeze to death while I'm sleeping.
As I trod through the kitchen to get in the bathroom I almost fall over an empty bottle of vodka. My mom stands in the door holding her head, her expression more of a grimace.
"W… what time is it?" she croaks.
"Time to get new junk!" I yell, holding the bottle right in her face. Without waiting for a response, I run into the bath and slam the door.
I haven't showered for two days, because the water is to friggin' cold. So I only wash my face and brush my teeth.
***
Half an hour later...
I'm already out of the flat. Fortunately, I didn't see my mother a second time. She was either asleep again, or she had actually bought more alcohol – for this she always has money.
I quicken the pace because I'm too late as usual. The last meters I even have to run to get to my subway.
I'm totally out of breath when the subway starts to move. The cabin is crowded like every morning, so I clutch onto a staff and wish for time to pass by quickly. It smells like sweat, smoke and other disgusting stuff. I feel sick like every morning.
***
I arrive at school 15 minutes late, but the teacher doesn't seem to mind – I'm not the only one and at least I'm here at all.
"Well, well! The little Hurricane-trash appeared," Lonnie hisses and looks at me with a calculating gaze while I go to my place to sit down.
I really hate that girl. She's one of the Bandits – and definitely one of the worst. So I overhear her little comment and stay quiet. I'm not angry at all, because I talk about her and the others in the same way. Maybe she has to be so thuggish because everybody expects it from her.
The lesson passes by and I think nobody actually paid attention to the teacher. Some of the students are scratching at their books, and some of the others are listening to music.
***
At lunch break I meet Ava.
"Hey!" I drop down next to her and put my tray with food at the table.
"Hi," she responds without looking up.
We aren't really close, but she's the only friend I have at school. Ava never talks about anything private or really important to me, she's always so withdrawn into herself. I gave up getting to know her better a long time ago.
"We're going to the skater place after school, you in?" she asks casually.
"Sure. Anything is better than going home," I answer coolly. I won't touch my food anyway.
Lonnie and Kyle are making their way towards our table. I tense up a little bit – they won't just pass by for sure.
"Look, who's here..." Kyle builds himself up in front of me, his posture threatening. He terrorizes me whenever he gets the chance to.
He takes my food from the tray, throws it on the ground and tramples on it. Then he grabs my arm, clutching it tightly. It hurts but I won't give him the satisfaction of showing him any emotion.
"Listen, DeLuca. I have a little message for Billy: Stay away from the Election (club in NY), or else we'll hurt your little girlfriend." He looks at me forcefully, then he takes his hand away from my arm and he disappears with a grinning Lonnie.
I relax gradually and take a long, deep breath. Will that shit end one day?
***
After school…
Billy stands at the entry waiting for me.
"Hey, Babe!" He snatches me to him and presses his lips onto my own.
I don't care about the kiss, but at least I feel a little bit safer now. He's a strong guy and knows how to defend himself.
Brody, Sean and Ryan are there, too. We wait together until Ava appears.
***
We got to the skater park an hour ago. It's not too far from the school and we're there alone most of the time.
The guys try to outmatch each other with some hazardous stunts while the ghetto blaster plays one hip hop song after another.
Billy is always the riskiest with his skateboard – it's his nature; he always wants to be the king. Of course, Sean, Ryan and Brody pat his back, they sing from the treetops. I really can't imagine why they suck up to him day after day.
***
We leave the place at dusk.
"Babe, you're coming with me?" Billy murmurs in my ear.
I nod, seeing a chance to shower finally.
An uneasy feeling overcomes me as we approach the basketball court – the territory belonging to the Bandits. A lot of arguments and fights had happened there in the past.
Secretly I hope that they won't be there today, and my hands get sweatier with each step.
Of course we don't have luck on our side. I already hear their voices and laughter from a distance. Suddenly they stop playing as they also recognize us. They line up in front of us.
Max takes a step forward.
"What do you want? Haven't I told you like thousand times to not show up here anymore? You have no place here!" he snaps coldly and crosses his arms.
Billy also takes a step forward.
"It's not your place, Bandits!" he counters and spits directly in front of Max' feet to underline his disgust.
Kyle steps up beside Max.
"I think they need a little beating – again!" He's already stripping out of his coat.
On no, not again. I grab Billy's arm.
"Don't mind him. Let's go home; it doesn't make sense anyway," I whisper.
But he doesn't even look at me, just shoves me away so that I stumble backwards. Somebody catches me before I come into contact with the hard wall.
"Gee. Watch your girl, or she might fall into the wrong hands."
I don't have to turn around to know who's standing right behind me: Rath! I don't know his real name – but he freaks me out. I move away from him, horrified.
The guy gives me the creeps. He's creepy, his eyes are always cold, and he never shows any emotion. He's tall, even taller and stronger than Billy.
With his arms crossed over his chest he walks over to stand next to Max.
"Don't. Touch. Her. Ever. Again!" Billy shouts. But I know that he only says these words because he hates the Bandits; he wouldn't mind if someone else hurt me. The realization makes me sad.
"You threw her in my arms, loser," Rath declares soberly.
Then he glances at me and sizes me up. "Maybe she wouldn't complain, if I touched her."
Or maybe I would freak out.
Just when Billy clenches his fingers to hit Rath someone else shouted:
"Not you again!"
A policeman runs up to us. "I'm sick of you fuckers. It's always the same thing with you. Go home now!"
I sigh with relief as Billy steps back and the Bandits turn to leave, going in the opposite direction. Thank God the policeman appeared and nobody wanted to spend another night in jail - Billy, Sean and Ryan are used to it – so are the Bandits, I guess.
***