Chapter 3

1524 Words
Chapter 3 Jarrod Lerman As I near my house, I slow down my car. The beers I have bought is on the back seat. Tonight, I'm planning on getting drunk. it's been a long time since I drank beers and got drunk, that was before Redina died. Parking the car in the garage, I get out of it then pick the beers and get inside my house to start my little plan. I place the beer on the living room's big mahogany table and open the TV. I take a seat as I open the first beer I will drink. I stare at it then say to myself, Just drink and forget everything even for just a day. You deserve it. Then I drink. The beer burns my throat like hell, making me grimace just for a second then completely drink it it one more down. Wiping my lips with the back of my hand, I pick up another beer and open it then drink it. Taking my phone, I order a peperonni pizza and wait for it. Then wait and wait until there's a ring on the doorbell. I quickly stand up and run over the door, swinging it open. The delivery man is holding my pizza and I immediately take my wallet inside my pants' pocket and pay him with a $10 tip, then I take the pizza out of his hand and shut the door. Licking my lips, I open the pizza's box and the smell hits my nose and I sigh, mostly from the pleasure of smelling it. God, it smells perfect and good. Slicing it, I put a hot sauce on it then take a huge bite. Another memory flashes in my mind and my mood goes down again. 4 years old Jared was sitting on the sofa, yelling about he wanted a pizza and it should be cheese. Redina, who was busy making food for dinner, rolled her eyes and got back to work. When Jared started to cry, I sighed, pulled my phone then ordered a pizza, cheese. Redina glared at me, telling me 'I'm spoiling our little Jared'. I just chuckled at that and playfully rolled my eyes. I went to the living room, Jared was still crying, his hands were on his eyes, rubbing it. I told Jared that I ordered a pizza and it was cheese flavor and his face lighten up, like a bright bulb being turned on. He began to chant 'pizza, pizza, pizza' and I just chanted with him. Redina came into the living room and shot us a glare, which made Jared and I laugh. She ran to the living room and tackled me, tickling me harshly. I started to laugh and shouted, 'Jared! Jared! Help your father!' and Jared tried to help me by pushing her mother. Which didn't work. He just pouted and his face lighten up again. Smirking evilly, he began to tickle Redina and she bursted out laughing. The bell rang and Jare quickly stood on his feet and ran over the door, jumping to reach the doorknob. Redina and I just chuckled at out little Jared. He pouted at us, silently pleading if we could raise him and he could reach the doorknob by himself. Redina went to Jared, picked him up and Jared got a hold of the doorknob, opening the door. When the door revealed the pizza's delivery man, Jared bounced up and down, clapping his hands happily and Redina just shook her head. I paid the guy and gave him a $10 tip, like I usually did—do. We ate the pizza happily. Jared had this grin on his face that couldn't be hidden. I groan, shaking the thought away. I drink another bottle of beer, downing it in one big gulp. I vowed that one day, when I got married, that I would drink less beer and more water, but right now, it totally slips in my mind as I open another bottle. Jared is gay. I want to accept him. In fact, I've already accepted it. But there's this nightmare that keeps haunting me; keeps scaring me. My body begins to tremble as the nightmare runs in my mind and I gulp. Go away, go away, I tell the nightmare. The voice. His voice. Stop it, please God, stop it. I clutch my head with my hands, as if it would stop running in my head. My hands turn into a fist and I just want to break anything in sight. Unleashing the anger, I punch the mahogany table and it breaks, the empty bottles cluttering on the floor, some are broken. My knuckles start to bleed as the tears begin to pour out of my eyes. Crying as if the Satan comes into the real world, I wipe my tears off my face. I won't let that bastard haunt me. Standing up, I head to the kitchen's sink to wash my bleeding knuckles. Stinging a little as the water cascades down my knuckles, I wince. I think I'm a little drunk. I shake my head, trying to ease my mind just a little. I'm still sober. I walk over the living room and pick the shattered bottles of beer, throwing it in the garbage bin. The beers I have bought are now gone, so I decide to buy again. I'm not a heavy drinker, but this time, there is an exception. When I reach the grocery store, I grab 7 beers and head to the cashier to pay it. "Thanks," I mumble as the cashier lady hands me my change. She eyes me up and down and licks her lower lip. Usually, always, I would be turned on by that gesture, but this time, no. Because I don't care about the world right now, I just care about myself. I ignore the lady, taking the change out of her hand and get out of the store. Then I drive back to my house. Downing the beer, I think of something I could do right now to keep myself being entertained. You can tell I'm drunk right now as I begin to chuckle all by myself without knowing what to think, or what I am thinking. My vision is blurry and I'm saying words through a slur. Plus, I'm tired as hell. I crack my neck to the side and watch a TV. News. "A boy has been killed in a school's parking lot because he was gay," the reporter says, smiling like a cruel man towards the camera. I try to listen but I just capture some words. Not all. "He was seen last time by his friend, Jethro." Then the camera turns into Jethro. "When was the last time you talked to him?" "We were talking on the phone. He said he had a problem about homophobes," Jethro says, looking broken. "Then everything went down when I've been punched in the gut by some stupid person. But someone helped me though. Then I decided to call him but there were no answers. So I went to his school, but when I reached the parking lot, his body was lying lifeless on the ground and I couldn't help the shock. I told myself it wasn't my friend Tony. But as I neared to him, it was him and I just cried, then I called Mrs. Shin, his mother." Mrs. Shin? Why am I hearing my client's name on national TV? Is she an actress? A model, perhaps? I scrunch my nose up, listening intently but can't since I'm so drunk. I scratch my cheek, standing up then head to the bathroom because I need to piss. When I'm done, I zip my pants up. I can see the dark color illuminating in the sky through the bathroom's open window, the half moon is shining brightly across the sky. There are stars, scattered around the galaxy, twinkling gorgeously. And it makes me calm. Redina and I used to stargaze, but when she died, I stopped doing it. Because it's sad. There is a shooting star and I quickly close my eyes, wishing: I wish everything would be back to normal. The way things worked before. Don't let Jared get hurt. Protect him. Then I open my eyes. I wash my hand, rubbing it vigorously then get out of the bathroom. Taking a deep, long breath, I shut my eyes as I feel the tiredness seeping into my body. Then there's a noise. There's a knock. Three knocks. Then follow by a voice. "Is anybody home?" It sounds like a guy, his voice ringing in my ears beautifully. It sounds familiar to me, as if I've heard that voice a million times. Then something pops up in my brain, the memory I've been keeping to myself, not telling anyone: the bastard. I begin to tremble again, anger boiling inside me, throbbing in my veins. I let out a growl and then head to the kitchen. The door is open already and I shut it, locking it. I scan the room and find nothing. Then I get upstairs. Only to find Ajax.
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