Far Beyond Broken

October 31, 1984. Wednesday

All of us sat around in the Abbott brothers garage.
I was starting to get tired as we had all been there a while.
I went to the bathroom to splash some cool water on my face.
There was a commotion going on in the garage. Everything went silent when I walked in the room.
“Something wrong?” I asked.
Rex was sitting on the floor, drunk off his ass.
Darrell just stared at me.
He was quick to shoot out a question, “Why didn't you tell us you and Rex had a thing?”
“Oh, um. I just, I don't know. I didn't think it was that big of deal.”
Vinnie laughed, “It's not. Darrell's small brain just can't process much.”
“I never would have thought in a hundred years that Rex could get a girl like you,” Terry stated.
“Shut up dumbass,” Rex shot back.
“It's not like we're dating. It was just a fling. Let's talk about something else.”
It was quiet for a few minutes.
“So what about y'all?” Terry looked over to Mad and Vic. “Are you seeing anyone?”
Mad shook her head no. Vic didn't say anything.
“Mad, I know like five guys at school that think you're hot,” Darrell said.
“Wow, thanks for telling me that.” We laughed at her sarcasm.
“All the guys at school just want a body to touch. They're immature. I'm not gonna waste my time on them.”
“What about you Vic?” Terry asked again.
“Why do you care?”
“Aw, it's just small talk. Come on, tell us?”
She gave him a death glare.
He chuckled, “Fine. Maybe you're not seeing anyone. If I was a younger guy you would intimidate me. I mean, look at yourself.”
“Fuck you Terry.”
She stormed out of the garage.
“I'm sorry-”
“Just stop,” Mad said as we chased after her.
We found her on the end of the street sitting on the curb.
I took a seat next to her.
“Terry's an ass. But he's been drinking a lot,” I tried to comfort her in any way.
“I know.”
The three of us didn't say much for a while.
“Vic, what's up with you? You usually hold your stuff together well. Why'd that question run you off?” Mad asked.
“Look, I'm fine. He was just being stupid and I didn't want to be in there anymore.”
“I don't believe that. You can open up to us Vic. We're your friends,” I stated.
She was very hesitant.
“I am seeing someone.”
“I'm sure he must be very special to you then?” Mad said in a joking matter.
“That's the problem.”
“What?”
“It's not a guy. I'm seeing a girl.”
Mad and I were in shock.
Vic laughed, “That's how I thought you guys would react.”
“No. Uh, what's her name?” I was trying my best to be normal.
“Jessie.”
Mad started to take over with the questions.
“Does she go to school with us?”
“No, she goes to a private school.”
“How'd you meet?”
“I snuck out one night to go to the park, and she was sitting underneath one of the slides.”
“Does anyone else know about you two?” I felt like I needed to ask that.
“No. We told each other we wouldn't tell anyone unless it was someone trustworthy.”
“How long have you been together?”
“Since July.”
“When do you see each other?”
“Usually every night. I sneak out to the park.”
We sat in silence again.
“Vic.”
She looked at me. Her eyes were blank.
“I'm happy for you. If she makes you happy fuck what everyone else has to say, okay? Mad and I won't tell anyone. It's your place to let people know. Can I ask you one thing?”
“Yeah.”
“Let us meet her one day.”
“I've told her a lot about you two. I think she'd like to meet.”
Mad pulled Vic into one of her warm hugs.
“I'm so proud of you. That must have taken a lot to open up about.”
“It was gonna happen at some point.”
“Tell us more about you Vic. We've been friends for so long but barely know anything about you.”
We sat on that curb for a while listening to Vic open up.
She told us how her mother was an alcoholic, and they lived in a little beat up trailer. She was embarrassed and didn't want anyone to see where she lived. That's why we always had to pick her up at random places.
Vic told us she got all of her belongings from doing odd jobs and occasionally stealing.
Her mother was a piece of shit that did nothing for her.
When we got back to to the garage Rex and Terry were asleep.
Vic told Darrell and Vinnie about Jessie.
They were in total shock.
Vinnie just wrapped her up in a hug while Darrell was still trying to think.
“Damn, there's been way to many romances happening tonight. I'm happy for you Vic. We'll have to meet her sometime.”