Calvin's emotions was all confused. He felt guilty about the harsh things he said to Dr.Kelly but then again, he was glad to let it out. The time had finally came. He was ready to meet Nicole's parents. Calvin parked neared the Harris' Residence. He got out of his vehicle and shut the door. The sky grew darker as the beaming moon touched his soft, delicate skin.
"Here we go," The apprehensive teen thought.
He motioned towards the main door. Bang! Bang! Bang! Calvin attempted to calm his nerves. The door slowly opened. His dark brown eyes met a tall man; A tall man with dark brown hair and no facial hair.
"You must be Calvin. I'm Nicole's father," Mr. Harris began, exposing his right hand for a hand shake. Calvin shook it firmly with a forming smile. They broke apart the greeting.
He continued, "Please, come on in. It's nice to finally meet you. Your all Nicole talks about." That remark brighten Calvin's smile. He walked inside the well designed house. His face was in awe. There was paintings, ornaments, and chandeliers. Mr. Harris noticed the boy's face expression.
He inferred, "I take it you like what you see."
"Very," Calvin replied, looking at the painted portrait of the Harris family hanging on the wall. His big eyes widened suspiciously.
Calvin questioned, "Who is the blonde girl with the green dress?"
"Oh, that's Nicole's older sister, Chelsea. She passed away three years ago from a bullet wound by her psychotic ex-boyfriend," The father stated, looking down hurt. The man's eyes were shuttered, trying to recover himself from his tragic lost. Calvin sensed that he felt absolutely uncomfortable discussing it. He tried to change the topic.
"I'm sure your daughter is in a better place. I'm sorry for your loss. So uh, is Nicole and your wife ready?"
Mr. Harris told, "Well, girls do take a long time to freshen up. I'll check." Calavera waited patiently, still paying his attention to the picture.
"Ladies! Your loving husband and boyfriend needs you to come down now," Father shouted, tapping his left black boot, along with Mr. Harris' hairy arms crossed.
Mrs. Harris shouted back, "Hold on, we are talking!" The two males shared a moment of laughter.
After what seemed liked forever, the women came down, looking incredibly astonishing. Calvin's eyes was locked with Nicoles'. The feeling of butterflies approached the inside of his stomach. There was so many things that the girl could do to him. Happiness, was one. Nicole walked up to her warmhearted boyfriend.
"Hey Calvin, I'm so glad that you're here," she greeted, wrapping her arms around his neck. Their lips joined together, earning a growl from Mr. Harris.
Mrs. Harris added, "We are in this room." The two romantically linked couple removed their lips as her lover blushed in embarrassment.
"Yeah we knew that," Nicole responded sarcastically, making Mr. Harris chuckle. Finally, their oven buzzed, meaning it was time for supper.
Dinner was going incredible for Calvin. He remembered to wear a long sleeve shirt to cover up his purposely added scars. The mystery boy was gaining the parents' interest.
"Calvin," Mr. Harris continued, "I forgot to ask, do you participate in any activities in school?" He consumed his wine, waiting for an answer. Calavera stopped eating the steak as his eyes stared at the parent.
Calvin addressed, "Yes sir, I do artwork after school and write poems on the weekends in a program."
"Calvin is an amazing poet. I've read most of his poems and it's emotional and beautiful altogether," His girl added on, causing a lovely grin. Writing was very important to the young man. Whenever he felt depressed or abandoned, he would write poems to express the feelings he had. The majority of the things he wrote, was the sad truth.
Mother said, "I would love to hear some of your brilliant ideas." Nicole figured he would be nervous so she grasped his hand, assuring her boyfriend that there was no need to be timid. He gulped and thought of something to say to please her parents.
Calavera began, "A relationship is a game that we all like to play. We hope for our partner to always stay. But, it only takes one mistake to make it the last day."(I literally just made this poem up in three minutes.) The family just gazed at him. All of the movement going on in the household ended. Calavera had a negative idea on their expression.
"My God...How fascinating. You literally are a genius," The astonished family man admitted, clapping his hands together. Suddenly, everyone at the dinner table applauded. Calvin was more glad than he could possibly imagine. His body felt cozy inside with joy and faith in himself. All of them had finished their main dish and it was finally time to have dessert.
Mrs. Harris came out of the kitchen presenting her homemade Vanilla cake. Mr. Harris licked his lips with full desire. She placed the cake cautiously on the table while it was on the metal plate.
The mother announced, "Bon appetit," In her best Italian expression, "This is my favorite dish. It has chocolate inside. Once you have this delicious vanilla filled cake, you will want more. Guests get the first slice. You're not lactose intolerant right Calvin?" Calvin shook his head in denial. She had a lot of stamina in her for her age. Mrs. Harris cut the cake neatly, while adjusting the size. The piece of cake laid on his plate.
The rest of it was distributed. His hand picked up the fork, digging into the cake. Calvin hoped that it tasted good to avoid lying. He took his first bite. The taste of sweetness hit is tongue instantly.
"I love it. This is excellent Mrs. Harris," the boy judged. The mother formed dimples on her face and couldn't help but blush.
Mrs. Harris replied, "Thank you, you are really sweet." The young man couldn't be any happier knowing that the loving parents seemed to accept him. Even though they didn't know his full story, they knew the important details of his unfinished chapters. Mr. Harris decided to pick up a conversation; an uncomfortable one.
"So," he began while drinking more of his red wine, "Are you having sex with my daughter?" Calvin looked at Nicole in embarrassment. The seem-to-be-strict father narrowed his eyes at him.
Calvin denied, "N-no not at all! We never even thought about it. That's totally unacceptable to you and to us."
"Exactly. You have completely nothing to worry about mom and dad," The daughter interjected.
The unexpected question made the boy realize something; he was a virgin. Being a virgin is known as humor to teens. If you haven't lost your innocence, you will terribly be known as the laughingstock of the school. To Calvin, it didn't matter to him because he was already the laughingstock of Harrington High.
Mr. Harris added, "Sorry it's just that teenagers and their hormones and teenage pregnancies-"
"Daddy, stop it. Me and Calvin are not having sexual intercourse and that is final. Trust me," Nicole interrupted with a gentle tone.
The wife responded, "That is great and it should stay that way." Calvin checked the time on his watch and noticed that it was getting late.
"I should get going. It was nice meeting you both," He stated, getting up from his chair.
Mrs.Harris chatted, "It was a pleasure meeting you too Calvin. Your a nice and handsome gentleman."
Calvin blushed at "handsome".
The father remarked, "Alright, see you later. I hope to see you soon." As he was leaving, Nicole follwed him out the door. They were standing on the porch as annoying cricket sounds was current. The rain slowed down it's pace.
"Guess tonight wasn't the best night huh," The girl commented giggling.
Calvin admitted, "No, tonight was a perfect night. I had fun...minus the "sex" part."
Nicole replied, "Relax, I know you don't want to do "it" yet. It's better to wait anyway. So, I'll see you in school then."
He answered, "Yeah of course, I love you." Before stepping off, the boy stopped at a halt. He actually said it; I love you. The short, three, lovely sentence that every girl wants to hear. He looked back at Nicole who's mouth was dropped fully surprised.
"I blew it," Calvin thought. It was completely silent. Only the small drops of rain made noise.
"I mean I-I um uh bye," He stuttered. She snapped out of her trance and stopped him.
"Wait, please," Nicole begged. Calvin turned around slowly. His girlfriend walked up towards him, grabbing his soft hands, the slowness of breathing followed.
Nicole began, "Calvin, you are an amazing guy. You're not like any of those popular guys in school who only wants one thing. I'm glad that you love me because, I love you. Every since I first met you, you always supported me even when I didn't want it. You make me feel special and complete. I really love you Calvin and I mean it. And I don't care what anyone else thinks about you. I also know that one day, you won't take any more crap from nobody."
A huge smile brightened from Calvin. The biggest smile that he ever created. The way Nicole felt about him was so mind-blowing. The lovestruck male made the first attempt and kissed her smoothly on the lips. The girl kissed back as it got intense. Nicole accidentally bit his bottom lip but he ignored it. The couple didn't want to stop. Calvin and Nicole was explaining their affection for each other by communicating with their lips. It was too good to be true for him. As Nicole pulled apart, they looked at each other smiling. Never had they committed such a meaningful, long kiss.
The boyfriend commented, "I'm glad I said I love you now." She smiled, caressing both his cheeks.
Nicole responded, "Well I have to go back inside." Calvin shook his head, releasing his arms around her waist. Nicole gave him a peck on the cheek before heading back inside.
The young man jumped off the steps whispering, "Yes!" He was so ecstatic, that not even Johnny could kill his joy.
The teenager drove to school in his vehicle on a partly sunny morning. He was still thinking about Nicole. How wonderful and impassioned their smooching was. Calvin's opinion was that him and his beloved girlfriend, Nicole Harris, was destined to be together.
"Hello Mr.Calavera, you seem happy today," Omar greeted. It was absolutely true. His face was beaming like a lightbub.
Calvin answered, "I just had a terrific night with Nicole's parents. Dude, they loved me. That prayer really worked."
"I'm pretty sure that it was more than just a stupid prayer," Omar said seriously.
Calavera responded, "Look, I know you don't believe in God but I do. He is the reason why Nicole came into my life...in my opinion at least." Omar was an atheist. Anything that had something to do with religion, he would become stern or serious. His buddy even convinced him to read the bible but, always denied him. Omar let out an irritated sigh. The atheist had a stong feeling about him. That God was nonexistent along with Jesus. Omar's entire family was christian, but not him.
"God this, God that. Who is he? Has he ever been there for you when you almost died by a group of college seniors? Has he ever been there for you through any of your tough situations? Please, I want to know. He isn't real. Heaven is like a fairy tale, fiction. You just have luck," The boy said with finality.
Calvin thought that he was a bit overreacting. Yeah he been through a lot more than you could imagine. But, isn't there always a good out of bad? Calavera's face was down at the ground.
Omar apologized, "Look, I'm sorry about what I said. I'm happy for you and Nicole. It's just that I don't believe in a Heaven or Hell. Or a God and a Jesus. If there is a God, then where was he when I needed him most?"
The boy saw anger in his friend's blue eyes. It was no use to get him to change different sides.
Calvin replied, "Fine, stick to your beliefs. All I know is that I'm in a good position and you will learn later on. Also, I probably do have luck. But, everything happens for a reason."
Omar had no other comment. They both have never seen God or Jesus to assume that he does exist. He had every right for his claim. But, Calvin was religious based on his instincts and the information in the bible.
As they both continued their walk to class, young men were blocking their path. Calvin sighed and placed his hands on his waist. It wasn't Johnny and his friends though. The intimidating group was thuggish looking. Jewelry, chains, sagged pants, and backward hats. Calvin may had been frightened; but his best friend wasn't.
"Aye look homies, it's "Killa Cal" and his bitch," the leading boy commented. The gang chorused a loud laugh. Omar took one step forward until Calavera held him back, assuring him an "It's okay" look.
Calvin asked, "What do you guys want?" His voice was calm and not shaky.
The guy next to him, Ricardo, Calvin and Omar's ex-friend responded, "Rumor has it that you and Nicole are in love. We just want to say congrats to you being brainwashed."
Calavera was sick and tired of hearing about his and his girlfriend's relationship being fake. He wasn't doubting their relationship at all.
Omar added, "They are in love. Something that all of you imbeciles will never experience." The four "hardcores" made quick eye contacts and laughed again. Calvin and Omar were growing very annoyed. All they wanted to do was go to class but it was never that easy.
"You see," the front boy continued, "Us playas don't want love, we want sex. We can easily get that in a snap too. Speaking of sex, are you even having it Calavera?"
As much as Calvin hated them, he hated that question even more. Sex didn't bring his attention. Not only did he not want it, but Nicole didn't either.
He replied, "No, we aren't. It's none of your concern anyway." Ricardo's whole mood changed. The thug sauntered over to Calvin, looking down at him because of his tall height. Fear transpired his slim body as he looked into the eyes of his ex pal. The same boy who turned on him to devote his life on the streets.
"You want to repeat that freak," Ricardo questioned shoving his upper body.
Calvin promptly catched his balance. Omar bald his fist, walking up to Ricardo angrily.
"Listen hear traitor, do you seriously think that tattoos, bandanas, and fake grills makes you a man? No, it doesn't. It only makes you a punk. Since you got your boys to back you up, how about you face me one on one and let's see who is the better man?"
A smirk widened on Ricardo's face. With no word, the teenage gangsters walked off. A sigh of relief left Calvin's lips.
The African-American male who started the whole mess announced, "We'll see you later Cal. This isn't over."
Omar asked, "You alright man?"
Calvin answered, "Minus what I just heard... swell. Thanks for standing up for me. I would of helped but -"
"Don't worry about it. You will learn later on how to stand up for yourself," The hero assured. The second bell rang as a warning. They were late to class due to the interruption.
"Let's go buddy."
As the two boys entered their classroom, the students were giggling. Calvin wished that his girlfriend would keep their relationship a little more private. Now he had to deal with the even more negative feedback. Calvin took a seat next to Omar while Nicole was behind him. Mr.Ziggler faced his talkative class standing straight, sweaty as usual.
The literature teacher announced, "Please quiet down, It is wrong to talk about people especially if they are present along with you in this room."
Erin, the bully, addressed, "Calvin doesn't mind. It's not like he's going to do anything about it. Right Calvin?"
His good friend chuckled along with him. The bully victim didn't say a letter. Erin was briefly arrested because of a physical confrontation with a cop. Luckily, his uncle bailed him out. His biggest problem was drinking. The more he drunk, the more aggressive he got with his girlfriend. Like most girls, she still stayed with him.
"Nicole, I see a future with us," a young male called.
She responded, "I guess that's my biggest fear now. Thank you Drew."
Calvin hid a smirk by looking down at his desk. Mr.Ziggler laughed too, slapping his right thigh.
"Okay class enough. I have to use the bathroom so can someone who I trust volunteer to watch the class?"
A few raised their hands. The teacher pointed at Samuel, who was always reliable no matter what. Soon as he exited the door, most of the students continued talking at a loud voice level.
Erin commented loudly, "Calvin, give us all something to laugh about and jump out a window." The teenagers laughed in unison at a cruel "joke".
Again, Omar was going to defend him until, "Just let it go this time. I don't want to be involved in anymore trouble. Especially you getting into trouble also."
Nicole added, "Yeah, just ignore those idiots." Calvin attempted all he could to stay relaxed. All of a sudden, the boy remembered the assault he got from Erin. The way he kicked him like a piece of trash while Jake enjoyed the show. He just stood there; laughing at a innocent boy being mistreated terribly. Never did he ever consider that it was wrong.
Jake concluded, "I would literally pay to see you die. It would actually be a gift for all of us." Calvin bit his lip hard, breathing heavy, his eyes shut tight. Tears were ready to escape his eyes. He was easily falling into their plan.
Suddenly, the class started chanting, "Virgin Calvin! Virgin Calvin! Virgin Calvin!"
That was the last straw. The frustrated boy got up and stormed out the classroom, nearly breaking the door. Mr.Ziggler spotted the unbelievable action as he walked back in with a puzzled expression. The class settled down when the teacher looked enraged. It came clear to him that they may had done something wrong. Nicole popped up from her seat, taking one last glance at them before running out for Calvin.
"What in the world happen? Calvin never reacted like that before in my class," Mr.Ziggler asked, rubbing his long grayish hair back. The students didn't want to reply.
Omar said, "Well, everyone hear was insulting my friend and said something very harsh that lead to him running out of class."
Mr.Ziggler continued, "Thank you Omar. Now, how do you want to settle this, detention for the rest of the week or apology letters that will be graded?"
"I would rather have detention than to apologize to a loser," An emo girl responded.
"Okay, detention it is. Three hours every day and lunch detention with me as a bonus."
Everyone sucked their teeth loud enough for the teacher to hear. As long as they didn't have to write letters, they were less upset.
Meanwhile, Calvin's girlfriend was still searching for him. All of a sudden, she heard crying. A cry that was familiar to her. As she sped up her pace, Nicole stopped in front of the boys bathroom.
"Calvin please get out," The young woman stated. His crying became worse. Calvin was emotional than ever. She hated the pain he was feeling. The boyfriend always hid his true feelings but this time, he was letting it out in a waterfall of tears.
Nicole spoke, "I know this is very hard but we can talk about this. I'm hear for you Cal. Just please open the door baby and you won't regret it."
"I don't want you to see me cry," Calvin replied.
Nicole answered, "I have seen you cry before and it's totally fine with me. You don't have to be embarrassed especially in front of your girlfriend. I am begging you to please come out."
The female took a step back, waiting patiently for him to step out. The door slowly opened as the embarrassed kid stepped out in shame. His tears fading away but his eyes were red. Nicole hugged him affectionately as hugged back. One last shed of tear dripping on her shoulder. He was silent during the loveable moment. When they broke apart, She looked directly into his red eyes. Calvin's eyes were still watery. Nicole placed both palms of her hands on his cheeks, caressing them in a adoring way.
"Calvin," Nicole began, "I am so sorry about everything that I caused. You don't deserve any of it. I should of kept quiet and not tell my stupid "friends" about us. The thing is, I was so happy to actually meet a wonderful, smart, funny, and handsome guy like you. When you said that you loved me, I literally just felt like a bow and arrow hit my heart. I love you so much Calvin and it hurts me when I see you pushed or yelled at or called names. The more it happens, the more I want to tell someone the actual truth about you."
He didn't want that to happen. He saw her eyes almost forming tears.
"I love you too. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be happy after being sad. As much as I want to tell, I can't and I won't. I know it's hard and it's hard for me too. But God is watching over me so I'm okay. He will make sure that no event leads to me dying and I know that for a fact. A lot worse happened to me and I'm still here. Everything is not your fault. People just hate me. I dislike you being involved with my mess though," Calvin told.
The couple's eyes were still locked on each other's. The male meant every detail he said.
Nicole spoke, "If you're happy, I'm happy. If you're sad, I'm sad. If you're in pain, I'm in pain too. What ever happens to you affects me the same way. I'm always on your side. Your going to have to deal with me being involved with your mess Calvin Calavera."
The boy managed to smirk. Nicole was special to him. It always been that way since day one when she was new. One ravishing smile made Calavera instantly fall deeply for her.
Calvin replied, "That's exactly why I love you. Thanks for everything. I'm okay now." She leaned in for a kiss and their lips sparked again. A chill ran through Calvin's spine. When their lips detached, they laughed off the situation.
"We should go back to class if you want to," Nicole reminded, letting go off his cheeks. He responded with a nod.
They walked inside the classroom again, interrupting the lesson. The class stayed silent. They sat back down in their seats and resumed their day.
"Glad that you came back Calvin. Just follow my lead," Mr.Ziggler acknowledged.
It was lunchtime for the gang and it got closer and closer to the end of the school day.
"I'm going to go get my lunch," Nicole mentioned to the boys. She went into the line with the others.
Omar said, "You guys are a very strong couple."
Calvin replied, "We have been through a lot but somehow we manage to stay together. How come you aren't in a relationship?"
"Well, he continued, "The majority of the girls in this school don't like you. So, since they don't like you, I'm not going to get involved in a relationship with a girl if they can't accept you. Secondly, I'm gay." Calavera pulled out a laugh, hitting him in the arm.
Calvin denied, "You are totally not gay. I'm not buying that."
"I am gay," Omar objected, taking a bite out of his pizza. He knew him very well. Girls is all he used to talk about back in middle school until he matured a little more.
Calvin answered, "You are not gay. If you did like guys, you would be bisexual which you are not. Also, you have never looked at a guy or talked about a guy in a sexual manner clearly making you straight."
"Fine, you got me bro. I just don't want to date," Omar admitted.
Calvin added, "You would totally pass for a gay guy though. Just saying." That earned him a glare from his friend. It was nice to see him delighted though.
Omar continued, "Glad to see your sense of humor again Cal. I'm glad that you found the right girl. Even if she leads you to more mess."
The boy responded, "Me and Nicole talked about this earlier. Apparently it doesn't matter to her and it doesn't matter to me either. It wouldn't change a single detail in my life for us to break up other than me being miserable than I am now. But other than me being miserable, I have a single drop of goodness along with it."
"Oh," Omar replied.
It wasn't just a regular "oh" though. It was a disappointed, deep "oh".
Calvin spoke, "What do you mean "oh"? Sounded like you have disapproval of my relationship-"
"Oh no, not at all. I am completely happy for you two. Just hate to see you go through so much. Hopefully after graduation, you can live a better life," Omar interrupted.
Calvin said, "Oh alright, thanks. I hope so too. Nicole is just a very unique girl. So mature, sweet, kind, and beautiful. I can't believe that she agreed to go out with me after embarrassing myself numerous times. But thank God she did."
Opposites really did attract. The couple had been together for five months. No arguments or disagreements. A relationship like that is hard to build.
He replied, "That's awesome man. You guys deserve each other." His girlfriend sat back down with her tray.
Calvin asked, "Hey babe, do you think Omar would pass for a gay guy?" Nicole observed him head to toe.
She answered, "Totally." The slightly offended boy pursed his lips, actually trying to hold back laughing.
After lunch, Calvin needed to use the restroom. He swung the door open and walked inside the urinal stall. As he used the urinal, he heard the door open with multiple footsteps. When he finished, he flushed the urinal. But, the boy noticed shoes in front of his door.
Something was telling him not to open it. It seemed he didn't have an option. Calavera opened the door to the blood gang. All six of them now eyeing Calvin furiously. He swallowed the saliva down his throat. The young male was handicapped. No other weapons as protection but his bare hands. Fighting wasn't his skill at all.
"Want to finish where we left off," Ricardo questioned, cracking his knuckles. Good news was that they weren't carrying illegal weapons. Bad news; they had more advantage since they were built, tough, and a lot of them.
Calvin replied, "I prefer not to." De'Vante grabbed him by the collar roughly, taking him out of the stall. The victim already felt the torture and they didn't even start yet. Bam! De'Vante struck him hard on the lip, causing him to fall on the tiles. The rest started to jump him while he laid on the ground.
Ricardo mentioned, "Try not to leave blood and marks on him. He will learn not to get smart with us. Hold him up!" Calvin felt weak as he groaned loudly. Two boys hoisted him up. Ricardo walked up to the helpless ex-friend of his.
"I thought we were friends," Calvin added. That made all the bad guys laugh.
Ricardo answered, "Friends don't snitch on friends to the cops." After that, he punched him in the stomach with no hesitation. He started to cough as they still held him up.
Calvin explained, "R-Ricardo, I was trying to help you. This isn't you."
"You don't know a Damn thing about me. You are a disgrace to this earth. God made a mistake making you," The tattooed boy said, punching him powerfully in the gut, Earning a cry of pain. Calvin was positive that another bruise was forming on his stomach.
Ricardo continued, "My life is better now since I joined the gang. The cops have no chance stopping us. We are populated throughout the west coast. Your life sucks Calavera. Hanging out with you was an embarrassment and it made my image horrible. You're the reason why I was in juvie and thanks to my real "boys", I'm out. I don't care if I go back because at least I have someone to rely on." Ricardo's last hit made the suffering teenager fall on his knees. Then, they continued kicking and punching him.
"God please make it stop," Calvin thought while holding back tears from dropping down. Finally, a person walked through the door. Unfortunately, it was Johnny.
"Alright that's enough. You guys are going to kill him even though it wouldn't matter to me. Let him go," Johnny announced smiling, clapping his hands together. Ricardo kicked Calvin with finality before walking away. He was rolling in agonizing pain.
Johnny commented, "Yeah, I pretty much set you up. If only you listened." The brutal young males walked out as if nothing happened.
"Later bitch," A blond hair thug added. The assaulted boy laid on the hard floor, banging it to calm his nerves. Calvin screamed as loud as he could. No one heard his pain; No one felt his pain.
The kid in the school to experience it was Calvin Calavera. All the others similar to him got a pass but not him. Partially why was because he ratted Ricardo out to the police when he had a gun in his locker. Ricardo trusted him but his instincts made him feel guilty. All he wanted was to help but his caring heart backfired on him. As he continued laying on the colorful tiles, that very moment made Calvin feel unwanted, unloved, and lonesome.
"Calvin Calavera," the math teacher asked. Nowhere in the room was he present. Nicole looked around for hope but he still wasn't there.
"I take it he's absent then," the teacher inferred. No one said anything but utterly silence.
Meanwhile
"You're leaving early Mr.Calavera," The Secretary asked.
Calvin replied, "Yeah. I'm not feeling well so I'm going to drive home." The assistant clocked him out, noticing a scar on his forearm that looked serious.
She asked, "Calvin what's that on your arm?" He was nervous about his response. Calavera made a blank face while looking at the elder woman.
"Just a scar from falling off my bike. Nothing that needs special treatment though," Calvin responded with a fake smile.
The Secretary ended, "Alright well see you later. I Hope you feel better."
As the saddened boy drove his Mercedes-Benz, he listened to "Not Afraid" by Eminem. The lyrical song was his favorite. That always could cheer him up but somehow wasn't working. Calvin was glad to actually have time to himself.
"You don't know a Damn thing about me. You are a disgrace to this earth. God made a mistake making you," The young man thought to himself. It affected him a whole lot more since it was Ricardo who said it. A close childhood friend which he betrayed. Now they were both very aware of that feeling.
Calvin looked into the mirror in the bathroom. He examined himself. He didn't like his image. How puffy his hair was or scrawny he looked. All Calvin saw was just another living human being on earth. No one important or known.
The bruise on his neck was fading away. As he looked at his shirtless body, marks were spread all over him. Big, reddish marks that seemed permanent. One could of been considered a tattoo. Calvin grabbed the scissors off the sink and began cutting his hair.
Pieces of curly hair made it's way to the sink. He kept cutting and cutting until he was satisfied with his look. Calvin's hair got lower. When the young man was done, he placed the scissors back down and paid attention to the new look. It was very short and not close to baldness. Just a regular buzz cut.
"I guess better than before," Calvin said, throwing the remaining hair in the garbage. The front door opened and his parents were home.
"They're home early," The boy thought. Calvin rushed down the steps.
"Hey Ca- what on earth have you done to your hair," The mother asked with her hands on her hips. The father was froze at his new hairstyle.
Calvin responded, "I had cut it. Do you like it?" She didn't know what to say. All of the puffy hair on his head was gone.
Mr.Calavera stuttered, "Oh uh um u-uh it looks terrific. You look more of a man now. Sorry but I'm just so shocked right now. Wow!"
"Yeah it looks great now that I thought it through. Just please inform us next time when you decide to cut your hair or I'll have a panic attack," Mrs.Calavera added. Calvin smiled, rubbing his hair. His self esteem was slightly boosted. A feeling of a new person.
Mother continued, "I have to get started on dinner. I'll call you down when it's done."
The Calaveras was seated eating their rare dish. It had been awhile since they all had a family dinner. Mostly due to their schedule, their son had to order food to go.
"So big man, how was school," The father asked, cutting his steak with a knife. That question would mostly be answered with an "okay" or "fine." Calvin knew that parents were suppose to be concern but it annoyed him.
He simply answered, "Fine, just the usual."
"Well, how are your grades then son?"
"Average. I would have straight A's but instead I have straight B's."
Mrs. Calavera assured, "Oh don't worry sweetheart. Your grades are still good. The more you study, the more your grades will be even better. After all, it's not about the grades, it's about the knowledge. We are proud of you no matter what." Calvin gave a nod, continuing to eat his broccoli.
Mrs.Calavera questioned, "How come you always find a way to hurt yourself?" She pointed at his arm. His sleeve wasn't covering that part. The young boy stopped chewing as he looked at his parents across from him. They were both looking for an answer. The long silence drew suspicion and Calvin knew it. Was he finally doomed?
Calvin replied, "I'm just very clumsy. An accident prone to be exact. My scars will eventually go away. Nothing to worry about at all mom and dad." Another long pause occured. Calvin hoped that they would buy it.
"Ha, well I guess you need to get use to nature a lot more Cal," His father suggested. They laughed while Calvin laughed along.
He was off the hook again until, "And how come you weren't at therapy today?"
"I just don't need it anymore Mom. My social life is fine."
Mr.Calavera added, "Well that's not what we heard. Dr.Kelly called us briefly and said that you disliked something that she said so you walked out." The teenager got aggravated. He didn't really like having discussions which he had no interest in. To Calvin, signing him up for therapy was a mistake and barely helped him.
The boy responded, "Well I guess Dr.Kelly is a liar then." His head was bent down as his parents looked at him not comprehending. Calvin never had problems with his therapist at least that's what they thought.
The worried mother said, "Calvin you take that back about her. She has done a lot to help you. If you did something wrong-"
"Why does it have to be me that has done something wrong? What about her," Calvin interrupted as his voice raised. Mr. Calavera got angry. It was a rule in the household to never yell back at an adult. He disobeyed and broke that rule without thinking. Mrs.Calavera was dismayed. She didn't mean to upset him.
Mr.Calavera commanded, "You broke the rule Calvin. Don't talk to your mother like that and apologize immediately." The look in his father's face was serious and his tone was harsh. Calvin looked straight into his dad's gray eyes soon afterwards. Tension instantly rising between family members.
"She isn't my real mother anyway. And you're not my real father," The son retorted, getting up from his seat.
"What are you talking about Calvin?"
He continued, "Well I guess "dad" didn't tell you. Well, I heard you and him talking about me last week and you clearly said that I'm not really yours. That makes me question if you even care about me at all." Everything was going down hill. It got quiet again for them.
Mr.Calavera replied, "Me and your mother love you. We raised you and took great care of you no matter what. You can stand there and not call us your parents but you damn sure can't say that we don't love you and you know it. We didn't want you to know because of what you are doing now. Have you ever stopped and thought about your "real" parents. Unlike them, we would never abandon you as we live on this earth. Now, all we wanted was a nice, easy, simple family dinner and thanks to your rudeness, you blew it. What do you have to say now Calvin?"
The teenage boy asserted, "I guess I am no longer part of the family then. I'm going out." Calvin pushed the chair out of his way and ran out the door.
"Calvin," Mr.Calavera yelled. Mrs.Calavera bursted in tears. The first time that they ever argued altogether was that very moment. The dad threw his empty glass on the floor, making it shatter into pieces.
Mom whined, "This is all my fault." The husband comforted his crying wife by hugging her tightly, moving strands of hair away from her face. She clenched his jacket, crying on his shoulder.
"Everything is going to be alright baby. Calvin will be okay." How furious Calvin was made it seem unlikely to believe that. All hope was lost.
Calvin was behind the wheel again. The night was dark and all you could basically see was tail lights. He needed someone to talk to. Nicole was his first choice. Calvin still felt frustrated. The look in his Mrs.Calavera's eyes made him feel guilty again.
After all that driving, he pulled up to Nicole's house. The teenager shut his door softly while holding his keys. As he made his way to the sidewalk, he saw a car that caught his eyes. The reminded him of Omar's car. Since it was dark, Calvin couldn't really make it out.
The boy also realized that his girlfriend's parents wasn't home. He wanted to make sure so he checked the window; which wasn't a good idea at all. Nicole was home...with another guy. Calvin gasped quietly, covering his mouth. They were making out on the sofa about to have sex.
She was topless on him. When Calvin looked even closer, it wasn't just a guy...It was Omar! The world stopped on him. Omar Davis, the guy he knew almost his entire life, was fooling around with his girlfriend, Nicole Harris. Something you wouldn't even think about, right? How could he hurt his feelings again? Neither of them wasn't even trying to stop their cheating act.
"No, no, no, this can't be true. This isn't happening. It's just a bad dream," Calvin thought.
It wasn't a dream. Unfortunately, it was reality. Every touch, every kiss, and every laugh, was real. He immediately blacked out. He didn't even bother knocking. Calvin stormed back into his car, shutting the door aggressively. His breathing quickened as he shaked his wheel.
"Why me God? Why me," was all he said, wanting to know the answer.
A/N: Will be edited.