Childhood is the most important chapter in anyone's life. It's a foundation to a persons personality, characteristics, and fears. Whether you're a drug dealer, or a wealthy businessman you are where you are because of your childhood. When I was little I saw the world as a small space, where everyone was happy and knew each other and there were no problems whatsoever. Over the years, I became fond of how things really go in the real world. From understanding the real meaning behind the phrase 'life sucks', to comprehending that money is the bleach that runs down society's throat. For as long as I can remember I've been surrounded by the same trees, the same people, the same noises, smells, and sights. I live in a very small town near... Nowhere really. My childhood consisted of the same people it consists of now. Taz, Bay, Kahn, and Mick.
Taz is my oldest friend, we grew up neighbors our whole lives. I officially met Taz when I was 9 and he was 8. I was in my backyard digging for worms when I heard splashing in the yard over. I looked to the left of me and saw a little boy thrashing inside the pool gasping for air. I ran over, hopping the fence and pulled the boy out of the water, at the time me feeling like a hero I asked him if he was okay.
"I'm Taz" he says still breathing heavily, ignoring my question. "Thanks for saving me."
This is the first memory I have of Taz, and from there on out, he slowly but surely became like a brother to me.
Bay was that person you grew up with because your parents knew each other and you went to the same elementary and middle school, and would always see each other at birthday parties and what not. But it wasn't until I was about 13 that I really appreciated Bay and how beautiful she really was; Both inside, and out. It was the Fourth of July and the sun was still out, but just began to make its descent, as the moon was waking up on the other side. Taz and I were running around the neighborhood going to different booths of the neighborhood block party, stealing prizes for all the games we weren't aloud to play because we were "too old". We had soon arrived to the bouncy house at the end of the street where we planned on popping it, because we weren't allowed inside because it was only aloud for kids from the ages of 5-8. Taz and I were looking around for something sharp to pop the house filled with kids, and laugh at their disappointment, as it slowly deflated and became nothing more than a large piece of rubber on the floor. As we were rummaging through some boxes underneath a nearby booth, we found something that lit up our eyes in an instant. Fireworks. As we picked up the long, piece of explosive we looked at each other in amazement. We knew that this would be the highlight of the night, and something that we would remember for the rest of time. We waited until the grand finale at the end of the night where everyone gathered together on their blankets, beach chairs and the open trunks to their cars, to watch the fireworks display. Something that our neighborhood did every year. Before the fireworks started, Taz and I decided to make our own show. We would lay the one firework we had stolen earlier that evening, down on the floor so that it was facing where the majority of the people were, light it on fire, and sit back as we watch chaos run amok. Everything was going as planned. Taz had just lit the end of the fuze on fire and we both backed up. I looked where It would hit, so that I could be ready to view this spectacular event, and as I scanned the crowd, My eyes landed on Bay, sitting with the rest of her family, not a care in the world. It was in this moment that I saw her in a whole new way. A way that I have never felt before, and suddenly I completely regretted this plan and instinctively ran over to her as soon as the firework went off. I had jumped in front of her just according to time, the firework hitting me, instead of the innocent damsel. Everyone yelled, scared out of their wits. Bay looked down at me; eyes wide, mouth open, completely caught off guard. And then soon, a small smile erupted on her face. After this day, we hung out more and more, which eventually led to kissing, which led to making out among other things, and soon, we were in a three year relationship and counting. The scar from the impact of the firework still lays proudly on the side of my torso.
I didn't meet Kahn until the summer going into 7th grade. I was forced to go to summer camp, and completely dreaded the thought. With Taz on vacation, my 11 year old self didn't know what I would do all by myself in camp with no friends. However, I was wrong. When I arrived at my cabin for the next few weeks, I set my bags down, and sat on one of the seven mattresses. I contemplated on how I would last these few weeks without Taz, when a short, black haired kid walks into the cabin and looks around.
"Hey I'm Luca." I say ,trying to be polite as possible, with intentions on hopefully making a new friend.
Without a response, he drops his bags on the bed that I am sitting on, as if I am completely invisible. I stare at him blankly, and he stares back. Within a couple of very long seconds he breaks the awkward silence.
"So are you gonna move or..?" He says.
I continue to stare blankly at him, in complete disbelief, at how self centered and rude this little kid is. But I reply so I don't seem too intimidated, which quite frankly I am.
"Why don't You just take another one. There's like six other beds, man." I say, trying to seem as cool as possible.
All of a sudden, I am yanked off the mattress, and thrown on to the floor, my bags soon following after, almost hitting me in he face, as I dodge them. I get up, now furious and lunge. We were three minutes, into fighting when we hear the door open, and our counselor walks in. We continue fighting. The counselor runs at us frantically, and rips us apart.
"What is this all about?!" He yells holding each one of us by the back of our shirts.
We both stare at each other, and begin to burst out laughing. The counselor looks at both of us puzzled, and we continue to laugh, realizing how funny the whole situation was. He drops us to the floor, and rolls his eyes, as he greets the rest of the cabin in, who was standing there laughing as well. This summer, we got to know each other extremely well, and would soon lead to me introducing Kahn, to Taz, and all of us hanging out together. Kahn lived about 20 minutes away, in the next town over, so I rarely saw him in the beginning of our friendship, but he soon moved with his single mother to the neighborhood, and our friendship only strengthened from there.
Last but not least, Mick. Mick is my brother who is younger than me by two years. I never really thought of Mick as anything other than my annoying little brother until one day, when I was probably 12, we were on a family vacation, and the first night, I snuck out of the house to meet up with some girl that I met that day at the pool, who was staying at the same hotel district that we were staying at. That night, the only thing that me and that girl did, was go night swimming after hours, and kiss a few times. At the time, it was an amazing night, and I couldn't have asked for anything more. Until I tried to get back in the house. When I opened the door to the hotel, my parents, and Mick were sitting on the couch, as though they were waiting for me. The guilt arose on my face, and soon enough, my parents were yelling at me, and there was nothing I could do but simply stand there. I looked over at Mick, and he began to speak.
"It's not Luca's fault. I tricked him, and dared him to jump in the pool, but then I locked the door, so that he couldn't get back in." He said
It took me a minute to comprehend what had just happened. My little brother, just defended me, and took the fall for something that was completely on me, and not his fault at all? Maybe Mick wasn't such an annoying little brat, as I always thought he was. Later that night, when Mick and I were in our room, I told him that what he did was cool, and I loved him for it, but that I would have to tell my parents the truth. I couldn't let him take the fall. His actions didn't go unnoticed though. As the years progressed, Mick started to hang out with Kahn, Taz, Bay and I, and he fit right in.
Authors Note:
Hope you guys enjoyed the prologue. I wanted to give you guys some background information on the characters before I go into depth with some of their stories. Thanks for reading. The next chapter will be posted soon :)
