I DO NOT OWN ALPHA DOG. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO NICK CASSAVETES. AFTER WATCHING THE MOVIE, I FELT LIKE DESPITE EVERYTHING, FRANKIE DID CARE ABOUT ZACK. ALSO, AFTER SEEING ALL THE EMILE HIRSCH FANGIRL STORIES, I FELT LIKE THE FANDOM NEEDED A STORY THAT SHOWS RESPECT. ALSO, SHOUTOUT TO THE REAL ALPHA DOG: 90THEGENERAL09. HE HAS GOT SOME ALPHA DOG STORIES ON THE WAY THAT YOU HAVE GOT TO CHECK OUT.

Eden Memorial Park. Mission Hills, California. October 31, 2013.

It was the afternoon of Halloween, the perfect time for the business of the dead. The cemetery was ironically silent as the grave when the black Buick pulled up. Frankie Ballenbacher stepped out with a look of stone on his face. Anyone who knew him before Zach's death wouldn't have recognized him. Gone was the fun loving, free wheeling, dope smoking, chick screwing badass he'd once been. 11 years behind bars had taken their toll. Physically, he looked the same, but emotionally, the dude was a shell of his former self. He reached into the car and grabbed 2 White Claws and walked into the cemetery. He carefully counted the graves until he finally found the one he sought.

"Sup little man?" Frankie asked as he fought back the tears as he read the inscription stacked between the freshman class picture and the picture of a baby boy in the arms of the mother who loved him.

Zachary Joshua Mazursky

Sept.19, 1984-Aug. 9, 2000

Step softly. A dream lies here. Sweet dreams Zach.

Mommy's gift from God. Such euphoria and devestation in a lifetime. A son. Your father as proud as could be. You were loved the moment you were conceived. A devoted brother. Your unconditional love will never be forgotten. A loving grandson. Memories of holidays, and special times. A nephew and cousin, admired and adored. A true friend, companion and confidant. We all loved, believed in, and learned from you Zach. Most important Zachary, you have made an impression on all who knew you. Your memory is everlasting in our hearts.

"That ain't bullshit Zacky, you damn sure made an impression on my ass." Frankie chuckled wistfully as he sat on the grass in front of the headstone. He was glad that Zach's folks had gone to the trouble to get him a grave that was worth a damn. If it was up to his father, Frankie would just be cremated and his ashes dumped in the toilet.

"I bet you was thinking that ol' Frankie was never gonna come, but I only got out of a few days ago; so give me a break." Frankie said as he opened up the White Claws. "Good news, I brought booze. So we can have a last drink together." Frankie clinked the cans and chugged one while he dumped the other out on the grass in front of Zach's grave. After he finished, he crushed the cans and tried to figure out that to say.

"Zach...I know that you must think that I'm the biggest fucking piece of dogshit because I taped you up...but I was trying to save your ass!" Frankie insisted as he glared at the headstone. "I was trying to buy time, because up to end...I kept think that Elvis was gonna pussy out like Keith did. I mean, that motherfucker ain't ever iced a dude before. I really thought he was gonna pussy out the closet he got. If I'd known, that he was actually gonna bust a cap in your ass...I wouldn't taken him down; I fucking swear I would have."

Frankie stood up and paced about as tears slowly rolled down his cheeks as he thought of how Zach had begged for his life at the end, Zach had truly believed that Frankie would get him out of it and talk Elvis down. Frankie was filled with anger:

At Johnny Truelove for kidnapping the kid over a debt that wasn't even his.

At Jake Mazursky for not paying the lousy twelve hundred bucks or at least getting his folks to cough up the dough.

At Elvis Schmidt for killing Zach just to clear his debt with Truelove.

and most of all at himself for not dragging the kid out and driving him straight home to his mom.

"You know Zach, you gotta take a cut of the blame for this shit!" Frankie exclaimed as the anger poured out like a leaky can of beer. "I have you so many fucking chances to get out. I would have spun some bullshit to Truelove and you could have just chalked up to an adventure to tell your fucking kids. But no, you had to be all noble and stick it out for that piece of shit brother of yours."

"Jake is a fucking piece of shit and you know it!" Frankie continued as he knelt over the grave. "You know something? I saw a true crime show that your mom was on when they was looking for Truelove. She said that Jake didn't even come to your fucking funeral! Fuck Zach, you deal with all this kidnapping shit, you literally lay down your life for this shit head and he don't even show to your funeral! You laid down your live for the wrong fucking guy. Jake didn't deserve the check you wrote for him, honest!"

Frankie spent the next few minutes sobbing his guts out for his homie. He knew that it wasn't Zach's fault. He was just a kid who wanted to have fun. He didn't deserve to get iced for that. After a few minutes, he dusted himself off and stood up above the grave.

"Zach, I fucking swear to you. If I have a son, I'm gonna name his ass after you: Zach Franklin Ballenbacher." Frankie vowed with all the sincere out he could muster. "I'm gonna tell him about you and how awesome you were. I ain't gonna let your memory die."

Frankie leaned over and grabbed the crushed cans and then planted a kiss on the headstone.

"I'm still your boy Zachy...I'm still your boy." He whispered as he left the cemetery to the sounds of trick or treaters having a night of fun and sweets. It was nothing special, but at the same time it was.

Just kids being kids.

NICHOLAS MARKOWITZ DESERVED BETTER. REVIEWS NEEDED AND APPRECIATED