Making our Future in History

Day seventy-one: After school

(Tony Jones AKA Minnesota)
     "You beat-up a cop."
     He closed his classroom door.
    "Keep your voice down."
      "I will not, and did you see his face?"
      "I'm well aware of what his face looked liked. I was the one that did it to him."
I rolled my eyes.
     "Have you seen your face? What was it about?"
     He sat back down at his desk, and held the bridge of his nose.
     "Yes, once again I am well aware of the situation regarding my face." He said, "And the details are none of your business."
      "It might be."
     "I doubt it." He said, "actually, I know it's not."
     "Whatever. I'm going to wresting practice."
      I turned and walked to the door.
     "Kate..."
     I looked at him.
     "It's fine Mr. Hanes. I'm a big girl with Bennett to protect me. You shouldn't worry."
     He didn't respond, and I left to go to the gym.
*****
     I watched the match, well the practice match. I looked down at the wrestlers that were on the gym floor from my spot way up high in the bleachers.
     Why can't I just be happy with Bennett? I've been dating him for a while. I just...
      "Kate?"
     I looked over at Kendal's brother.
     "Minnesota?"
     FYI... That's not his real name. His real name is Tony.
     "What are you doing here?"
      "I could ask you the same thing." He said, "I thought you and..."
     "Long story." I said cutting him off, "So, why are you here?"
      "Looking for Kendal. I found Kyle. He said that she would be with you. I guess she isn't..."
     Kendal ambushed him, cutting him off.
     "Tony!"
     "Kendal!" He said faltering slightly, "found you."
      She dropped back onto the ground, and looked at him.
     "Nope, I found you."
     He gave a little laugh.
     "That you did."
     "How is college?" I asked him.
     "Better than his place, and away from our mother."
     "She's not that bad now that you're gone." She said sitting next to me, "I thought you had to work."
     He sat next to her.
     "I switched. I wanted to see how the wrestling team was doing. You know, since I'm gone."
     "Minnesota, you've been gone for two years." I said looking at him.
     "Yep, I have."
"Tony Jones. I thought that was you. Why don't you come down here and show these sophomores how it's done."
     "Will do sir." He called to him then looked at us, "Duty calls."
     He jumped up and walked down to the main floor.
"Butt!" Kendal called after him.
"Your brother is amazing." I told her, "Did you know he was coming?"
"No, Kyle told me that he was here and looking for me. I assumed he would come and find you." She said, "So I just came over here."
"That's Tony." I said, "Some how he can find me."
"Yeah... it's a little weird."
     I heard my phone go off. I looked down at it.
Ray:
I'm sorry.
I ignored it and looked down at the gym floor.
"Aren't you going to answer him?"
"No." I said.
Ray:
Don't just ignore me. Be an adult about this.
That ass.
Me:
An Adult, really Raymond? Which one of us is being childish? The one that beat-up their best friend from basically childhood or the one that is trying to make an adult decision about their life? Which one?
     He didn't respond back.
     "Trouble in Paradise?"
     "No, but did you know that..."
     "...Paradise is a city in Pennsylvania. Yes, I did, we saw the movie 'Lost in Paradise', remember?"
     "With Nicolas Cage. I love him."
     "So do I."
     "Now-now girls. I know you both love me, but you're both my sisters so it would be weird."
     We looked up at Tony.
     "Shut-up." We said at the same time.
     He just sat down in between us. It moved us apart. He basically sat on both of us.
     "Watch-it!" We said moving away from him.
    "You two love me. Admit it. Without me your formative years would have been an absolute drag."
     "Shut-up Tony." She said at the same time I said Minnesota."
     "Alright, I'll stop."
     He wrapped his arms around our shoulders and brought us in closer to himself. It wasn't weird. It's just something that he has done since as long as Kendal and I could remember.
     He watched the rest of the matches with us. It was only like five minutes.
     I brushed him off me, stood-up, and rushed to the stairs.
     "I though you and Bennett broke-up?"
     "Like I said. It's a long story."
*****
     "You know... I don't know why you call him Minnesota."
    "Do I have to go though this whole story?"
     "Yes, tell." Bennett said, "we have a pretty good car ride home."
     "Bennett. We live about two blocks apart from one another, and we both can walk to the school before the 8:00 bell."
     "So, just tell me the story."
     I sighed and looked at him.
     "Okay, so I was over at Kendal's house a really long time ago. Tony was sitting in the living room watching a wrestling match. It was Minnesota University and Ohio State. He kept screaming 'Minnesota' at the scene. I told him that if he said it one more time that I would call him Minnesota for the rest of his life."
     "And let me guess. He said it one more time."
     "Yes he looked at me and said, 'It's just a Minnesota wrestling match.', and it stuck."
     Then we pulled up to my driveway.
    "It was a perfect story."
     "Thanks. I know you were talking about the time frame."
     "You are right. I was."
     I picked my book bag up off the floorboard and open the door.
    "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Okay, I'll be here to get you."
I stepped out of his Jeep and walked into the house.
     "Mom, I'm home!" I called no one, "somedays I miss my dad."
     I put my book bag on the table in the kitchen and made myself a snack then retreated to my room.
      Me:
Don't hate me.
     Ray:
I could never hate you. I like you too much.
      Me:
I'm glad, and I am being childish. Pulling you and Bennett along on strings like puppets.
     Ray:
It's fine. It's always fine.
     Me:
Kendal's brother showed up today.
     Ray:
I bet that was a pleasant surprise for her.
     Me:
It was. Well, I have to go. Homework calls.
     Ray:
Alright. I'll see you tomorrow.
     Me:
That you will.