Holden's POV
"What in the world. Am I in heaven?" I said waking up to blue sky and clouds everywhere.
I look down at what I'm wearing and I'm wearing the same thing but white. I'm looking around to see anyone but there's someone on the basketball court, aye heaven do got everything. I walked over to the court and I see a black dude playing by himself, dang he looks 6"4'. Wearing a all white basketball jersey, shorts, socks, and shoes on.
"Excuse's me." I said to him as he turned around
Wow. It's like looking at a mirror, he looks just like me, he got a short fade but we still look the same.
"Hey, you need help?" He said smiling and he got a thick Nigerian accent.
"Hey... Where am I at?"
"Oh. You're outside from heaven. Don't you see the stairway to heaven." He said laughing.
"No, there's must be a misunderstanding. I'm not dead, am I?" I said questioning him.
"You are, Lil' man." He said dribbling the basketball.
"No, it can't be." I said to him.
"It's true you died from internal bleeding from the gun shot wound on your left shoulder." He said pointing to it.
I looked down at it and I was in disbelief. "No, no I don't believe that. I'm just... dreaming! I'm dreaming right now."
"You been 'dreaming' for four in a half days."
"FOUR IN A HALF DAYS!"
"Friday night you were in a coma than you just died tonight."
"I can't believe this!"
"Believe it lil' man."
"Lil' man? Were the same height."
"But I'm a few seconds older." He said smiling.
"Has- Hassan?"
"In the flesh... well spirt." He said as we hugged.
"But you died as an infant. H-how are you 15?" I said can't believing I'm talking to my twin.
"In heaven, you can look and be whatever and whoever you want. I heard you were coming so I aged myself." He said laughing.
"So you been watching over me?"
"Yeah, I'm proud of you. Skipping grades at the age of five, having a big friend group like some tv show, going to college." Hassan said being happy for me.
"I don't know about the college, I haven't got accepted yet."
He put his hand on my right side. "But you will."
"Hey, you want to help me with something?"
"Sure, what is it."
He started to walk back in the court as I followed him. "Now I'm like you on the basketball court but there's one thing I can't do."
"What is it?"
"I can't make a three throw. I can dunk but every time I'm on the three point line it won't go in."
"Show me." I said to him.
He demonstrates and as he shoots the ball and it just falls.
"Yeah... how did that happened?"
"That's what I'm saying. Now you tell me how can it go that far and my form is good?"
"Have you tried angling it?"
"Yeah. Hey, you a mathematic genius who played basketball in 8th grade to freshman year, you show me." he said to me.
"So back in the day I told my friends Marlon, Benicio, Denzel, and Elizabeth-Bryony that basketball is like geometry but since you my brother I'm giving you the easy simply way."
"Go ahead smart guy." Hassan said giving the ball to me.
I stepped on the three point line. "So basically you got to be in the perfect angle to do a three throw and just like in a basketball movie, Above The Rim you got to spread you fingers on the ball like this." I said showing my fingers on the ball. "When you find your spot and shoot the velocity of the ball will go throw the basket."
I threw the ball in the air and it made in threw the basket.
"Dang man, nothing but net. I always wanted to see you do it in person." He said being shocked.
"Thanks. I bet if you were alive you would have been the athlete cause Adedayo works with dad at a factory, Oluwajuwon is a lawyer, Latifah's a doctor, Dara's going to go graduate with a degree and become a fashion designer, and Temidire... I don't know what he gonna do after he graduate but he gonna do something, he's hardheaded." I said laughing to him.
"What about you man? I seen you being good with money." he said.
"Thinking about going into business, you know get a night club going on in two cause nobody wants to go two hours away to party. I don't want to go to Harvard or Princeton because I don't need to go to a smart fancy school to know how smart I am." I said telling him.
"Maybe if I was alive I could go to the NBA, if I could shoot a three throw!" He said being a little mad.
"Just spread your fingers and let it fly." I said handing him the basketball.
"Let it fly?"
"Let it fly. Oh and don't have to much power on the throw. Use enough force and it will go in."
I moved out the way so he can have his space. I look down at his hands on the ball to see his fingers spread around it and he shoots, it's flying threw the air and it goes in clean as a whistle.
"You did it." I said being happy for Hassan.
"Thanks to you, Holden." he said.
We heard a noise and as we turnaround a bright light at us.
"What's going on?" I said questioning.
"Well, it's your time to go home and get my wings." Hassan said with wings growing out of his back.
"Home as in home home? I thought I died" I said saying 'home' twice just to make sure.
"Yeah, the doors up there opens when you actually die and when a door like that opens means you returning because it's not your time yet, Holden." He said as he ushers me.
"You an angel now?"
"Yup, I got my wings baby." he said as we both laughed and started dancing.
"So this is the last time I see you?"
"Not for a long time and don't worry, I'll be watching over you, but don't worry I won't watch you when you're doing it." He said to me.
"Thanks Hassan." I said about to leave.
"Wait, Holden." I turned around. "I love you, man."
I walk back to him and give him a hug. "I love you too."
We released. "I'll tell mom and dad I met you."
"Tell mum and dad I love them and tell mum to look in the back of the pharmacy to find a folder called 'Very Important' in the bottom file cabinet, it's under everything. She's been looking for the folder for a few weeks now."
"Okay." I said looking one last time at my twin then leaving.
I woke up and I see white like a white blanket or cloth above me and I took it off and I see two doctors looked stunned at me when they turn their heads to me. "H-Hi." I said lightly.
"Dr. Yazzie!" a male nurse said running out the room.
Where my backpack? Guess mom and dad took it home. "My left side of arm still hurts little." I said in my head. I got up from the bed to look at the mirror on the wall took off the gown, turned around to see a bullet hole scar. "Dang it looks like a dent in a car or wall on my back." I said in my head again.
"Do you know where you are?" A female nurse said.
I nodded as I sat back on the bed.
"What's you name?"
"Holden."
"Well Holden, you died 15 hours ago and now you just came back to life." She said stunned but smiled.
Both my parents, the nurse and I guess the doctor he was calling came in the room.
"Oh my god, Holden." Mom said with a hug but being careful.
"Mom I'm sorry I missed church on Sunday." I said quietly.
"It's okay baby." She said as she hugged me tight by the back of my head.
"How are you baby boy?" Dad said putting his giant hand on my shoulder.
"I'm alive." I couldn't think of anything so I just said that.
Mom stopped hugging me and looked at the doctor. "Dr. Yazzie, how is Holden alive?"
"Well what he has is rare. He has Lazarus Syndrome and that means if someone is declared dead then suddenly wakes up but he could be dead soon if he doesn't have a full recovery."
"So you're saying after coming back to life, I could die again?"
"Without neurological impairment you can." She said trying to help me feel better.
"Does this mean I have to stay here even longer?" I said cause I wanna go home.
"Depends on how long it takes."
"Well you better start now! We are not losing another kid!" Mom said to her
"We will, ma'am. Look we got to get the good stuff first."
"What do you mean by 'the good stuff'?" Dad said.
"Like I said Lazarus Syndrome is really really rare. I was gonna say the last person that had it was years ago but last year a 20 year old women in Detroit had it." She said before leaving the room
"We'll come back later today to see how you doing okay, son." Dad said to me.
I nodded.
They started to leave. "Mom, Dad. Hassan said he loves you both."
The both stopped and looked at each other. "What?" Mom said.
"When I... died, I think I went to Heaven and I met Hassan and he told me he loves you both." I said to him.
Both of them exchanged looks. "And mom he said the folder you been looking for is in the back of the pharmacy in the bottom cabinet under everything."
Mom's eyes went wide like a cartoon character. "O-okay. Thanks for telling me." she said leaving.
"We'll see you later, Holden." My dad said ducking under the door and sliding it back.
I guess hearing their 15 year old son saying he met his twin brother in heaven is astonishing to them. Plus I only said his name once to them so they know I wouldn't lie about that.
So I woke up at 11:00 I guess and they got to work to make me not... die again. I heard of people coming back to life minutes after they died but I never thought to experience it, I mean nobody does, man. They been doing tests on me since I woke up and I didn't have a problem with it cause the faster they keep me alive the faster I get to go home. It's Thursday morning and my last day in the hospital, the good news I didn't have to go to school tomorrow and I go back on Monday so three day weekend. The hospital was so cold half the days, I slept when I had breaks and I barely ate cause hospital food is bland.
I didn't had my phone with me cause I wanted no hesitation to go on it cause I believe everyone in school knows and I didn't want people messaging me on social media asking me the generic questions about being shot and I guess seeing rest in peace photos about me. The only thing I was worried about was Elizabeth, because she's the type of girl who worries a lot but I'll found out when I get my phone.
My parents brought me home at 9:12 at night then they told me they going to get some take out when the come home cause like I said before the hospital food was bland and I needed real food.
We ate some pizza, In town there's Pizza Hut, Dominos, and my favorite La Sicilia and we got La Sicilia cause it's good like I'm biting into happiness. After eating I was going go to bed cause I'm tired as a mug.
I heard the basement door open and I see my father coming down the stairs and sat on the couch. "Hey Holden, can I talk to you for a bit."
I didn't say anything but sat next to him.
"Pretty hectic few days, huh?"
I nodded.
"Have I ever told you how you were born?"
I shake my head no.
"It was noon around Christmas in 2005, you and Hassan were born a few days late and you're mum's water broke and I had to rush her to the hospital. Holden, you and Hassan we're born as conjoined twins."
"We... we were born stuck together?" I said hear this new for the first time.
"The both of you were conjoined to the stomach facing each other, that's why you have that scar on your stomach." He said as I touched the scar on my stomach because I thought it was a birthmark since I never did anything for a scar.
"When they pulled the both of you out only you were moving while... Hassan was dead. They had to hurry and get you both out of the room to separate you before you also died since you... you shared the same heart. If the doctors didn't separate you both quickly you would die as well because they said it's rare when one conjoined twin dies and the other lives."
"So I almost died before recently?"
"Yeah, and because of that you were in the hospital inside of an incubator into late January. After you were put there your mother and I prayed and prayed for you to be fine and if you were we will go to church every Sunday."
"What if I didn't?"
"Still go to church."
"Is this why mom is the most religious out of the both of you?
"She was born religious but you were the one help kept her faith." He said as he got up from the couch. "Go to sleep, Holden, you've haven't had a good night sleep in a while." He said walking up the basement steps.
I went to my room and I stayed in bed and stayed in my head until my eyes shut. I woke up at eight on Friday and went out my room to go on my couch and turned on my tv and The Wayans Bros. was on cause after Martin they show it's different shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, The Jamie Foxx Show, Living Single, or My Wife and Kids. I got up from the couch to go up stairs to use the bathroom, as I finished peeing, I washed and my hands and left the bathroom. I walked out to the kitchen and I opened the microwave to see some McDonald's breakfast, pancakes, sausage, and biscuit. I guess my dad got this and ate the eggs cause for some reason he likes their eggs but I hate them.
Man I didn't do nothing the next day, I just sat around my room and listening to music but mostly to 'Fuck Tha Police'.
I mean it helped but after my experience only some black cops show off the white cops cause the one I know saved me. At 1:53 I went out my room to get some water and it was just me and my mom in the house on her lunch break then she said the words the would make anyone nervous.
"Baby can I talk to."
"Yes mom."
She offered me a seat next to her, now I'm scared cause that tone of voice she rarely gives me like the voice of fear and disappointment but there's was fear to it.
"Holden, you father and I been thinking since that night you got shot and we decided to give you a car for a your birthday/Christmas present."
"Are you sure mom, there's not the much space in the driveway? And I just got my permit in last month, and we can't just get a new car like anyone else?"
"We will put the other car in the grass, and we might as well get you a car instead of getting one next year. You're smart and you'll get your license next year."
I hugged my her. "Thanks mom."
"Oh and mom, I'm sorry I didn't tell you were I was going on Friday. I never expected to get stop by the same cops... twice. I mean it was school, the jewelry store than home. "
"It's okay Holden. Even if you did that would probably still happen to you."
"I was just getting a present for... Elizabeth." I said slowly.
"And you wanted to be a secret?" Mom said to me.
"Yeah, but that night gone wrong." I said getting up from the couch to go back downstairs.
I went downstairs to sit on my couch then took a sip of the water bottle to sit down and watch 'The Best Man' since it was on VH1.
It's 2:47 and I know this is the time that Benicio goes to the nurse because he's diabetic so he leaves the classroom near the end of class to go to the nurse to check his blood glucose levels are good. I called him up first cause I want to surprise her.
I called up Benny and I'm waiting for him to answer. "Who is this? I know it ain't Holden since he's not with us anymore, so who hacked my brother's phone?"
"But it is, Benny Blanco from the Bronx, it's the Wuzi."
"Holden, carnal, you alive?" He said sounding excited.
"Yeah, look get here at 6:30 and come pick me up I want to surprise everyone."
"Bet, Holden."
"How is everyone?"
"School has been a gloomy place for the past four days, carnal. Elizabeth as well like she's been quiet like you usually are."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Look I got to go alright."
"Yeah, I'll see you later."
***
It's getting close to 6:30 and I put on my Loc Dog shirt, denim loose baggy blue jeans with my black canvas belt, then my Air Jordan's retro 5 red hot 2020 that Elizabeth got my for Christmas/birthday. I was tying my shoes until I heard my door opened and see Benicio came in
"Hey, man." I said as I'm picking my afro with my afro pick.
Benny stood still as he saw me, he then came up to me and hug me. "What's my left shoulder please."
"Sorry hermano, I just can't believe it."
I put my hand on his shoulder. "It's a miracle, right."
"Yeah."
"Well we better get going so we can get you ready for the surprise." he said getting up from the couch.
"Alright. Just let me tell my mom I'm going out."
"Let's take the front door, I feel bad for not saying hi to your mom."
Before we left the basement the perfect opportunity came to my head. I rushed to my backpack and grabbed Elizabeth's present to give to her.
"What's that?"
"Something for somebody." I said to him as I grabbed my black and red split rebel minds hoodie with a bear doing the scream face.
We walked up to the steps to say bye to my mother.
"Mom." I said as I got to the dinning table.
"Yes."
"Benicio's here and he gonna take me to see our friends." I said to her.
"Okay and be safe out there." my mom said.
"Okay. I love you."
"Love you too."
"Don't worry Mrs. Chukwuzi, I'll watch over him."
"Thanks Benicio, be careful you two."
We both walked out the house and walked down my driveway since it's somewhat of a hill but mostly like a giant ramp. We started to walking to the Emerson's farm and it's close to the school and I see flowers in front of the school.
"Were those flowers for me?" I said as I stopped to look.
"Yeah, like that school shooting episode in Degrassi." Benicio said. "Believe it or not but Scotty, Thomas, and Jeff were there." he said as he's focusing on the road.
"What about Bartleby?" I said still looking out the window.
"Nah, he wasn't there but his cronies was either they really felt sorry for you or, or, or I don't even know." Benicio said.
Corey pulled up to his driveway.
"So when the party cause am I just gonna sit in the loft?"
"Yeah and plus Elizabeth is coming here in a few minutes."
"For real?"
***
Elizabeth's POV
Another day without my baby, I miss seeing those big brown eyes he had and that tiny smile he does. The last bell rung and everybody walked out of school but I just sat at the front were the lunch tables were and I see Marlon and Carlos coming walking towards me.
"Hey guys." I said to them as I held my chin to my arms that were on the table.
"Why you sittin' here, shawty?" Marlon said to him
"Shawty?" Carlos said
"What?"
"You're not that country, you know?"
"Look, I never been in crisis with an emotional white girl, okay! I don't know how to act!"
Just then the rest except Benicio saw us and saw us.
"Why are you three out here?" Monique said to us.
"We saw a white girl in distress."
"What goofy tried to say is we saw Elizabeth sitting here looking broken like she's been the whole week so we came over." Carlos said to them.
Thuy came over to sit next to me. "Lizzie, it's been four days, do you want to talk about this? It will probably help you."
I put my head up to look at her. "The love of my life that didn't know I love him is gone from this earth." I said to her.
I made everyone silent with my comment.
"Holden has been there for everything for me, when Simon left for his navy program for college, he was there the night he left." I said smiling about him.
"He was there when I got assaulted and saved me but I wasn't there for him when he got shot on Friday." I said with my smile turning to a frown.
"I remember the time I actually met him." Thuy said started to smile.
"Is it with that Karen before Karen was a thing?" Marlon said looking at Denzel and Selena since they were there.
"That shit was funny, not that lady pulling Holden by his shirt but when Thuy's dad told her off." Denzel said laughing a bit.
"When Holden was tiny and adorable with his little accent going away very slowly, then he got tall." Selena said laughing a bit
"You're just jealous because your the shortest one out of the group" Carlos said to her.
"I'm the shortest and the youngest girl out of the group but at least Holden and I bonded over be the youngest ones and I now I got to share that with Marlon." she said.
"Girl, you are only a day older than me but I don't want that title. Dang, I miss my Nigerian homeboy, man. The three of us niggas were Mike, Roland, and Slim from The Wood, Holden was Mike because he's new, Denzel is Roland, and I'm Slim because I'm funny."
"Flashback 1"
Everyone's POV
October 14, 2016
8th grades, Holden, Selena, Marlon, and Denzel were to town to the corner store to get some snacks before the big Friday night football game.
"Aye, we need to hurry up because I need to get my stuff at home!"
"You live like two blocks down from town." Selena said to Denzel.
"Yeah but I like to be there early and get my warm up so I can be ready for a game."
"Hey Holden, what you getting?" Marlon said to him.
"Giant size Honey Bun, a Milky Way, giant bag of Fritos and an Orange Soda." Holden said quietly
"Shoo, bout to get Cheetos up in this bitch." Marlon said as they walked into bodega.
They were new owners for the bodega so it had new management but it thankfully stayed the same. The four went to get what they wanted it in different parts of the bodega.
"Boom, found the crunchy Flamin' Hot Cheetos."
"Hold up, fam, it the one with Limon. You got pissed the fuck off last time you accidentally bought them." Denzel said stopping Marlon.
"Cause spicy Limon taste nasty to me, nigga."
"Cause you got pussy ass taste buds." Denzel said as him and Marlon laughed.
"Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. Don't judge me." Marlon said still laughing.
"Hey does the Monique and the others want something or they just going to go get something from the vending machine in school?"
"She said she's good but Imma get her something." Denzel said as he reached his arm to his upper left to get Sour Patch Kids.
Marlon grabbed a bag of Smartfood Popcorn. "White Cheddar for the White Cracker Corey." He said as he laughed to Deazy.
Before they four of them went in there was a white woman in her early 40s at least who was in the back at the bodega. Thuy walked in to her family's bodega since they bought it.
"Hey dad." Thuy said as she hoped on the counter to sit.
"Hey, Thuy, how was school?"
"It was good but I was wondering if I could go to the football game tonight?"
"I don't know, Thuy."
"Please dad, I've been at the school for a few weeks and I haven't been to football game since I transferred here. Tonight's the only game on Friday it's usually on Thursday's.
"You know what you can go but only if you pick up, Quyen from school since Bao, got band practice after school."
"Since when is Bao in band and what does he plays?"
"Somehow he can plays drums look they heard him play and they want him to come to practice if he wants to join."
"Okay, dad."
"You're welcome and can you watch the register I need to use the bathroom."
"Sure dad." Thuy said as she got over to sit as her dad's stool as he went to the back.
Holden and Selena was near the white women but they didn't care for her.
"You're getting a giant Honey Bun, Holden?"
"Yeah."
"I'm gonna get one as well and get Oreos for Carlos."
Holden turned around and grabbed a Fanta Orange Soda bottle while Selena got a Sunkist Fruit Punch.
"Are you going to get something for Lizzie?"
"Yeah but I don't know what she wants."
Selena looked around. "How about some gummy bears?"
"Elizabeth don't like eating gummy bears because she doesn't like eating bears."
"She's 13, she should know gummy bears are not made by actual bears, right?"
"Yeah, but she feels guilty about I mean she doesn't eat the Scooby Doo gummies at school. When I lived with her she never once ate a dinosaur shaped chicken nugget."
"Dinosaur nuggets are the best part of our childhood but I'm getting some gummy bears for Benicio, though." She said as grabbed it then reached into her wallet.
Marlon and Denzel came over to them. "You guys ready?" Marlon said.
"Hey can anyone spot me?" Selena said as she looked up to them.
"I can." Holden said to her.
Holden put the orange soda, honey bun in his hoodie pocket since everyone's hands were full and tried to get his wallet until the woman saw him put stuff in his pocket.
"Are you going to pay for that, young man?"
"Yes." Holden said innocently.
"Then why did you put those in your pocket?"
"Because all of our hands are full and I'm reaching for my wallet to pay for these."
"Excuse me ma'am, but he was just about to give me money. He wasn't going to steel anything." Selena said defending Holden.
"Shouldn't you hang out with your own kind, young lady?"
"What does that got to do with anything?" Selena said.
"It doesn't. I'm sorry for my manners but this bitch is out of line accusing my boy of steeling and told my Latina homegirl to hang out with her own kind." Denzel said getting angry.
"It's 2016 we can hang out with anyone we want to ma'am and your making my friend mad." Marlon said to the woman.
"They're always angry."
"What do you mean 'they'?"
"I expected better than you. Hanging with this degenerate troublemakers." She said to Selena.
"'Troublemakers.' Ma'am, He's got a football game tonight, he's on the basketball team, and I'm one of the top students of the school. We don't want or have time to do troublemaker things."
"LIES! You're coming with me." The woman said as she pulled Holden by his backpack strap since it's a single strap.
As the woman dragged Holden by his backpack strap Selena held on to his arm while Marlon helped her and Denzel cussing a storm at her. They turn the corner as Mr. Vu came from the back room.
"Hey, Hey, Hey! What's going on here?"
"I caught this boy stealing and they all started to gang up and attacked me."
"ATTACKED!" Selena, Marlon, and Denzel said at the same time while Holden was still in shocked.
"That's a bold face lie, Mr. Vu!" Denzel said in anger.
"Yeah, he put a soda and honey bun in his pocket because all of our hands all full and he was going to give me money."
"I believe them." Thuy said to them.
The woman scoffed. "Oh please."
"Dad, the five of us are in the same homeroom and too be honest I never heard Holden talk before. Get this dad he's 10. 10 in the 8th grade, isn't that impeccable?"
"Yeah she's got a point Mr. Vu, and we been coming here since your started your business and we never had a problem before." Marlon said to him.
"You are right."
"What so your not going to call there parents for attacking me?"
"Ma'am, if I go to the back room to look at the security footage and see that nothing happen than you there's going to be some consequences for you." Mr. Vu said to her.
"Note this dad, I was here the whole time and if they attack her she would have scream or made a thud." Thuy said helping their case.
"So are you going to believe these children over an adult?"
"Ma'am, these kids are more grown up then you now get out of my store." He said to her.
The kids cheered as the woman scoffed and left the store. "Aye that's my guy." Denzel said giving Mr. Vu a handshake as the four of them thanked him.
"Are you on the team?"
"Yes I am."
"You better win then. You know what everything you got in your hands is free." He said to them.
"For real?" Marlon said getting excited for free food.
"Yes all of you go on and get ready for the game tonight." He said to Denzel.
"Thanks Mr. Vu." Selena said as three left the store.
Holden looked back to the Vu's. "Thank you." He said as left the store.
"That's the voice of a 10 year old." Mr. Vu said. "Does he got an accent?"
"I heard he's from Nigeria and one girl he's sit with in homeroom is British."
As the four headed back to school Holden reached for his wallet to get a five dollar bill to give it to Selena.
"Holden, you don't have to give me money since we got it for free." Selena said to him.
"It's okay, Selena. When the time is right to need five dollars remember a kind person gave one to you."
"Thanks, Holden, I owe you one."
*Flashback 1 Ends*
"I remember that shit, our first sighting of our a Karen in the wild," Marlon said in an Australian accent.
"Thuy's dad saved the day and because of him we won the game." Denzel said as he hi fived Corey.
"Are we just going to ignore that face that Elizabeth don't want to eat gummy bears?" Monique said.
I laughed at her comment. "I just don't like eating gummies that are shaped like people or animals."
"So you don't eat animal crackers then?" Carlos said to me.
"I don't."
"But animal crackers are the best thought." Monique said laughing.
"Oh Elizabeth, sweet pure Elizabeth." Thuy said as he put her hand on my shoulder laughing.
"Hey Carlos, Ben, Lizzie, remember when Holden played kickball for the first time?" Corey said smiling.
"Oh, I never forgot that." Carlos said about to laugh.
*Flashback 2*
October, 28, 2011
Holden, Carlos and I walked to the baseball field in the playground to play kickball. Carlos and I play but Holden didn't want to because he was small he didn't want to play with the big kids.
"Come on Negroni, give me something to kick." Will from our 3rd grade class said to Benicio.
"Alright, Willy, this is my ultra throw. I triple dog dare you to kick it out of the of here." He said as he threw the ball to him.
Will kicked it hard and to the middle of the field where the other playground the school have and one to two other kids ran to get the ball and the second they got it Will and the other three ran all bases. I was on the field and I walked off to check up on Holden on the bench behind the chain link fence.
I sat next to him. "Holden, are you sure you don't want to play? It's almost the end of recess you could play at least once."
He turned his head to look at me gave me a shrug and got up and it was perfect timing since they got someone out for the third time and so we all switch and it was our team turn to kick. I quickly ushered Holden so he can be one of the firsts to kick and it was Bokeem, Benicio, Holden, and Corey since I let him in front of me and Gavin Coles was pitching on the diamond.
Bokeem kicked and made it to first then moved to second after Benny kicked it. It was Holden first time.
Will started to laugh. "Here come the five year old baby coming to kick, this game is for big kids. Hey move up." He said and two others went close to Holden.
"Willy, you don't have to do that, man." Gavin said to Will.
"Everybody needs to stop calling me Willy!" He said ignoring Gavin.
Gavin threw the ball and it rolled to Holden, he kicked it and it went off the ground square to Will's face and made him fall on the ground when Holden went to first base.
"OW!" Will shouted.
Gavin started laughing. "Ha Ha Ha, karma got you, Will. I told you don't do it but you didn't listen."
Will got up from the ground covering his face with his hand. "He deserves to be out of the game!"
"You gotta be kidding me Willy. You said this game is for 'big kids' and you're acting like a little kid."
"Come on Zucker stop acting like a sucker!" Bokeem shouted for third base.
"You know what screw this crap!" Will said as he looked at Holden. "I'm going to get you out before the game ends, little boy."
"Don't listen to them, Holden!" I shouted to him.
Corey step up to kick but looked at Holden first. "Hey little man, the second the ball goes flying you run as fast as you can okay." He said doing a thumbs up.
Holden did a thumbs up shyly.
Gavin threw the ball to Corey and he kicked it fair and Bokeem made it home, Benicio, Holden and Corey ran all three plates and made it home. The second Will picked up the ball and turned around a whistle blew and everyone ran inside the building.
We all cheered for the four of them but mostly Holden because his first time playing kickball was unforgettable because he kicked the ball to someone's face. Will's face was red the whole day of anger.
Corey, Benicio, Bokeem, and Gavin came up to us. "Good job, kid." Bokeem said as he patted Holden on the back and ran inside.
"You got a monster of a kick." Gavin said as he ran inside as well.
"Hey man, that was awesome how you kicked the ball to Will's face. I always wanted to do something but not on purpose you know." Corey said to him.
Holden smiled and nodded.
Corey looked at Carlos and me. "Can he talk?"
"He's mute." I said to Corey
"So he's deaf?"
"He can hear you he just choose not to talk."
"Have you ever heard him talk before?" Benicio said to me.
"Nope."
"Dang, anyways I'm Benicio Franklin Negroni, Jr. and this is Corey Emerson, IV."
"The fourth?" I said to him.
"Yup."
"Corey, Ben Frank, this is Elizabeth-Bryony Watson and that's Holden Chukwuzi." Carlos said.
We went inside the building. "Yeah weren't you visiting the school with us second graders at the time visiting the school with us?" Corey said to me.
"Yes, that was me."
"We heard you were British and I told Corey it's going to be a reverse House of Anubis in the school." Benicio said to me.
We got to our classes and they're across the hall. "Look, will see you around alright." Corey said as Benicio and him went to their classroom.
The three of us went into the classroom and after we sat down Will came in the room. "Will, what happened?" Mrs. Duncan said asking.
"Got hit in a face by a ball." A kid said and everyone except Holden and me.
*Flashback 2 Ends*
"Man, whatever happened to Will and Max?" Carlos said.
"I heard Max moved to Nevada before 5th grade and Will's parents sent him to military school during 8th grade." Selena said to him.
"A parent actually sent their kid to military school? I thought that shit was for movies and shows because I always thought military school was a myth." Marlon said to us.
"Because nobody be sending their kids there." Denzel said.
"That day was funny to see Will Zucker's face red for the next five days and we Benicio and I met Hermione Granger and... Tobi from the Sidemen." Corey said to us.
"Holden didn't mean to aim at Will's face." I said defending him.
"I know but Will deserved if I'm being honest." Carlos said.
"Guys, even know we got more stories about Holden, but can I say this. He is kind of the reason that we all stayed together all these years. He legit told us that nobody cares what you do, who you are, or how you act around your friends because nobody cares in school, or at least we don't." Monique said.
We see Benicio walking out the school walking out smiling.
He jogged over to us. "Guys, can we hang out tonight?"
"I'm down, I need to lift my spirits up but maybe watch a movie, a sad movie maybe." Selena said.
"What do you think Corey, you think we can all hang out at your place tonight?""
"Okay, but maybe inside the house cause it's cold as all get out." Corey said as he's going to get his truck to the parking lot.
Marlon turns to Carlos. "I'm not that southern but Corey is?"
"Corey's a farmer and other white boys around say random shit like that." Carlos said to him.
"Whatever, shawty."
"Elizabeth, Elizabeth-Bryony." Benicio said in a funny voice as he said put his arm around my shoulder in a non romantic way. "Do you want to hang out with us tonight?"
"I don't know?"
"Come on, Lizzie, you don't have to be like Mr. Fredrickson from 'Up' and be sad about the love of your life is not with you and you sit in front of your house just looking out in the world." He said to me.
I turned to him. "He told me we we're going to get married when he turns 18."
"Oh, gosh." Monique said doing a sad face palm.
"Oh, God, well do you want to be lonely when you become an adult?"
"Well no."
"Then come hang out with us, the squad, the nine of us... ten of us." He said under his breath.
"What was that last thing you said?" I said looking at him.
"I said all of us, and I'm gonna say this in the nicest way possible, can you wear clothes that are not black because it's weird when you wear all black."
"I'm not gonna lie he's right, I miss old colorful or light colored Elizabeth." Thuy said to me
A light smile came to my face. "Yeah, me too. This is my last set of all black clothes anyways, the rest are-" I cut myself. "Were Holden's since I took some of his clothes over the years."
Corey rolled up in his truck. "Who needs a ride home?"
"We all do!"
"Oh damn!" Corey said to us.
"We did miss the bus." Selena said to him.
"I didn't bring my car, I walked here with Monique." Carlos said.
"Shit, my tail light is getting fix today." Denzel said to him.
Corey sighed. "Everyone get in."
***
Corey dropped us all at our houses and I honestly did what Benicio said I changed from all black to medium blue jeans then my white belt, white hoodie then I put a purple football t-shirt with two white strips on the bottom of the sleeve over it because I feel like it and the shirt is larger than the white hoodie, and white flats on. I the put on Holden's black and red sleeve letterman jacket that he got from the school store. I stared at the jacket through my mirror just thinking of Holden playing basketball and in and out school and wanted to be like Hakeem Olajuwon when he's past 6,0". He left it here but I kept it because I like wearing his clothes because it's something I did or do.
I went down stairs to see my parents eating ice cream for dessert and they both looked up to me. "Finally, you look like someone who's been going to funerals for a whole week." Dad said to me.
"Mom, may I use the car tonight, please?"
"Sure." She said as she took a bite of her ice cream.
I walked over the the key bowl in the counter in the kitchen to get her car keys. I said goodbye to both of them and head to the front door. "Be back at 11 or midnight or whenever since you haven't done anything wild through out your high school years." Dad said being a little mad at that.
"Should I do something rebellious?" I said to him.
"I'm just saying that Kimberly had that house party here and we punished her, than Simon driving underage and he got in trouble, then you, nothing." Dad said while mom laughed.
"Because I know how to use my head right." I said giving him attitude in a good way and not in a smart tone.
"Sweetheart, what your father is trying to say is you should do some outrageous stuff in your high school days."
"Oh, yeah like what?"
"Well... oh, a couple of us filled our headmaster's office full of sticky notes and wrote 'See Ya!' when were about to graduate from high school." Mom said laughing.
"That's it?"
"Elizabeth-Bryony, it took us the whole night to fill that office with sticky notes? It took us almost four to five hours that night." Mom said to me.
"What about you, dad?"
"Your uncle Josh and I didn't want to cause trouble unlike your uncle Allister did. It cause your nan to worry so we didn't do anything bad but just because I didn't do anything crazy like put sticky notes in my headmaster's office like your mother as a teen doesn't mean you don't have to."
"It was a good prank!" Mom said to him.
"Lydia, it was boring." Dad said as he ate a spoon full of ice cream.
"Oh whatever Mr. Sit at home and be a good little boy for his mum." Mom said taunting him.
"And I was a good boy for me mum!" Dad said as they both laugh. "You're lucky our kids never did that to me for a senior prank. Kimberly's class somehow filled the whole school hallways with bubble wrap, Simon's class put farm animals all around the school, and Elizabeth's senior prank was wholesome because we both came down stairs to see half of the senior class down at the kitchen and dinning room."
"You guys are full of baloney." I said starting to laugh how I use to since last Friday.
"What were trying to say is some rules are meant to be broken sometimes." Mom said to me.
"I'll think about it, Mom." I said as I left them in the kitchen and left to the front door.
I got into the car and I drove all the way to the Emerson Farm and I see Carlos' car in front of me and we drove up to their drive way. We all got out of our cars and Carlos' car had Selena, Marlon, Denzel, Monique, and Thuy in his car like it's a clown car cause it can hold six people in it.
Thuy got out of the car first and hit the ground. "I never going in your car again when there's more than six people, Carlos!" she shouted in the car.
Carlos got out as everyone did. "Thuy, it's not my fault blame the people who made the car."
We all walked up to Corey on the front porch sitting on the railing waiting for us. "Where's Benicio?"
"He said he's coming home from the dentist." Carlos said as we walked to the porch and inside Corey's house.
Some of us wore jackets since it was cold even though it's Spring but it's freezing, we took them off and headed to the basement. We all sat down on the giant L shaped sofas since his basement is huge and Thuy sat next to him, we all sat anywhere since there is so much space between it.
"So um... when's Benicio Franklin gonna get here?" Monique said to us.
"Maybe he got something to eat since he was at the dentist for what two hours." Carlos said.
We heard the basement door close and heard footsteps running down the stairs quickly. "Hey everyone." Benicio said as he jumped over the couch to stand in front of the tv.
"Why are you so energetic Benny? You didn't get a cavity or something?" Selena said to him.
"I'm just... happy that the weekend is here and we get to take a break of school and seeing Elizabeth not wearing all black because it's low key a mood killer." He said looking at what I was wearing.
"To be honest it was." Carlos said to me
I scoffed at the both of them. "What are you doing with your phone, Ben?"
"I was in the middle of playing geometry dash." He said as he pulled out his another phone.
"Two phones?" Mo asked him
"Don't question it." He said as he started to play one of Holden's favorite songs, Michael Jackson's 'Beat It'.
Beat It started playing and we see Marlon started to dance a bit while sitting down.
"So, why are you playing this?" Thuy asked him.
"Holden wouldn't want us to mope around for the rest of life because of him, he would want us to be positive like how Elizabeth is always positive." Benicio said.
Selena scoffs. "I'm positive as well!"
"But you have negatives thing to say at time."
"Wait here comes the 'just beat it' part." Marlon said us.
"Just beat it (beat it)"
"Just beat it (beat it)"
"Just beat it (beat it)"
"Just beat it (beat it, uh)"
"Just beat it." A voice said behind all of us.
We all turned around to see Holden leaning on the bar counter and we all ran to him but they all beat me to it.
"Be careful with the left side of my body." He said as Corey lifted him up from the floor.
"How is this possible? We thought you died?" Thuy said as Corey put him down.
"A rare thing called the Lazarus Syndrome which means I died and came back to life." He said to us.
"There is a god." I said in a tone that got his attention.
Holden and I locked eye contact. "Lizzie-Busy."
I started to tear up a bit and I ran and jump to him like a kid seeing a parent but he hugged me back so worth it.
"Dang Lizzie, it's been 20 seconds of hugging him." Monique said to me
"LET'S PARTY, EVERYBODY!" Benicio said as he started dancing.
"Wait hold up what are you doing Benny Blanco." Marlon said making Benny stop dancing.
"What you mean, Mar?"
"Bro I thought Spanish people know who to dance as well? You dance like a white man at a office party."
"He's right." Corey said laughing cause he knows it's true.
"Okay you get everyone pumped then." he said giving him space.
Marlon pushed Benicio out the way so he can do his moves.
"Go Marlon, Go Marlon, Go Marlon." they all chanted and started to dance while Holden still having me hugging him.
I remembered that he got shot in the arm so I did release myself from him. "I'm sorry, Holden, did I hurt you more when I jumped on you?"
"I took it as a healing process when you hugged me because your hugs are my medicine." He said so smoothly in that little velvety voice that makes my knees week.
"You weren't playing on a game on your phone, huh, Benicio?" Monique asked.
"Nah, I've been recording you guys to record all of your reaction to see Holden alive and not dead." He said as he's recording us.
I looked back at them then looked back to Holden. "For a person who came back to life your handsome." I said smiling to him.
I see him blush. "Thanks." He said as he cupped my face to wipe a tear for my eye. I hugged him again because I can but being can. "Holden Chukwuzi, never ever scare me like that ever again, please."
"I'll try not to."
"Hey Lizzie, are you gonna squeeze the life out of him or are you gonna let him be?" Marlon said as he was break dancing on the floor.
"You can let go now."
I opened my eyes realizing I'm still hugging him. "Oh, yeah, I'm sorry." I said adjusting his hoodie.
"Oh just a little longer!" I said hugging him again.
He started to move to the couch and I moved as well. He laughed at what I was doing. "You not going to let go over me are you?"
"No." I said softly.
"You sounded like Mandy Moore when you said no." He said with a laugh. "Like that one scene in A Walk to Remember on the bus he asked her a question and said 'no' so genuine and cute like how you just did." He said with a smile.
We walked over to them and sat down as they party started we all was having fun dancing, half of us we're singing and rapping, and laughing. Marlon was in the middle of the basement breaking down into break dancing. After everyone was getting tired we all got something to sit on so we can hear Holden's story. It was so sad to hear someone to get shot from cold blood but at least his partner saved stayed with him, and stayed by his side when an ambulance came to get him. He told us about Officer Grover Glover, if he ever introduced him to us I'll thank him personally for saying him.
While Ty Dolla $ign's Your Turn (feat. Musiq Soulchild, Tish Hyman & 6LACK) plays in the background.
"So do you think that cop is going to jail?" Corey said.
"I sure hope so, Grover had a body cam on and I'm pretty sure half of the houses in the neighborhood we were at had security cameras on porches around the area. Plus my parents are suing."
"I'm suing too, the honky patrol broke my tale light." Denzel said.
"So how did a bullet felt, kid?" Marlon said.
"It hurt like a bitch, man."
"So are we going to meet the man that saved you?" Carlos said.
"Yeah, I got a feeling his your guardian angel." Selena said after what Carlos just said.
"I'm with you on that Selena and yeah, you guys are going to meet him one day." I said to her.
"What was the reaction when the pig found out his partner's body cam was on." Denzel said.
"The second Khalil said that, Duke was like I'm fucked."
"Duke Bradford? David Duke? Both racist white men? Yo I ain't trusting no white guy that has Duke in their name." Denzel said.
"And you said he harassed you in the afternoon?" Monique said wanting to hit the racist.
"Yeah, dude called me African, had to correct him saying I'm Nigerian."
"I agree with you Holden, a police officer told me to go back to Japan, I'm Vietnamese." Thuy said remember that incident. "At least he didn't say China like they always say to someone who's Asian."
"Can I say as a white boy who was raised by farmers, Fuck Racism, I love you guys." Corey said making us all laugh.
"Shut your corny ass up Cor. You sound like a white men from those PSA videos that they show you in elementary school. The really old and very cringy ones. And if I hear the phrase 'I don't see color' your a racist for that." Denzel said.
"Like the white boyfriend from The Hate You Give?" Marlon said.
"Yeah, fuck that peckerwood guy for saying that." Denzel said laughing and hi fiving Marlon. "Cringy ass white boy said the worst thing to say to a minority."
"Whoa whoa whoa take it easy there, Malcolm X." Monique said.
"Yeah Corey is one of the good white men I hang out even though he's the only one I hang out with." Marlon said patting him on the back "And Elizabeth is definitely the best white girl in the world." he said to me and I smiled.
"Holden, I'm glad you still with us." I said smiling at him.
"I'm glad I'm still with you guys, heaven wouldn't be the same without you guys."
"Yeah, Elizabeth had been moping the whole week, wearing all black." Benicio said making everyone laugh and me hiding my blush.
"Man, I had to finish notes cause I went to the bathroom, I asked Elizabeth "Hey can I see the rest of you're notes?" she said, "I miss Holden!" That is not what I said." Denzel said laughing.
Everyone including Holden laughed while I threw pillows at Benicio and Denzel.
"Hey Elizabeth, do you have a dollar for the vending machine? "I miss Holden!" So is that a no on the dollar?" Monique said giggling.
"Okay, okay, it's not my fault that I was missing my best friend after hearing what happen to him." I said as I'm still hugging Holden for an hour.
"Acting like that's your boyfriend." Selena said smirking.
When Selena said that I opened my eye and I was looking at Holden and the second she ended her sentence I turned away blushing a bit.
"Judging by the stories you had a melancholy mood for a week, huh?" Holden said looking down to me
"Oh now you back from the dead, your using five dollar words like melancholy?" Carlos said taking a sip of his soda.
"Yeah is melancholy a fruit or a flower?" Denzel said.
"And I thought I was the dumbass. Melancholy is another term for sadness you ignorant nigga!" Marlon said to Denzel.
Denzel got up and jokingly fought Marlon as he uses his arms to cover his face than sat back down on his side of the barn. "I blame the Baltimore public school system!" Marlon said jokingly to Denzel.
"I moved here before kindergarten started, you piece of shit!" Denzel said laughing.
"And why would you know what that word means before maybe the 5th or 6th grade anyways?" Benicio said.
***
It was almost nine and the everybody was leaving, everybody left in Carlos' car while Corey let Thuy stay.
"Elizabeth." Holden said walking up the basement steps.
"Yes Holden?"
"Um... do you want to take a quick walk with me, after we're done I'll walk you straight back to you car, I promise."
I smiled. "Okay." then he smiled.
We got up the stairs to see Corey's siblings Brooks and Abby in the kitchen. Abby ran and to hug Holden. "Oh my go I thought you were dead." she said to him.
"I was." He said as he hugged her back.
"It's great to see you, I'll see you around school on Monday." She said as she went up stairs.
Brooks gave me a hi five and left to go up stairs as well.
We got to the front door and I opened the door to leave and I grabbed his jacket before we left. "You still got my letterman jacket?" He said with a light smile.
"Yeah, I can give it back to you later?"
"No, keep it. You look beautiful with it on." He said to me. "Hear, let me by a gentlemen and put it on you." He said as he put his jacket on me.
He opened the front door and we started to walk around the area. The Emerson farm has a trail next to the wooden bridge and the trail goes around the farm and more farther because of the acres they have.
We walked about a minute throw the trail. "They let you borrow the car tonight?" Holden said breaking the silence.
I smirked at his comment. "Yeah, dad wants me to do something crazy but I don't want to."
"That's cool, today my mom told me after you know, her and dad are going to get me a car for a birthday/Christmas present after what happened."
"You're getting a car even know you don't have a license?" I said with a smile.
"The police don't be driving around town and it's not like I'm driving all the time. The police never complain about me riding my dirt bike so I can do it." he said laughing a little.
"How's your shoulder?"
"It hurts a little but I'm okay."
We walked to the gazebo they had at the farm but they and us usually be around it during the summer when the weathers nice. Holden guide me to the gazebo to sit in the couch in the middle of it.
"Elizabeth, the reason why I didn't tell you where I was going on Friday because I was getting you this for you."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small present. He was holding a small box, I grabbed it from him teared the wrapping paper and opened the box.
"Yeah, I got it wrapped because I this is something really special from the bottom of my soul."
It was a heart shaped locket saying 'I Love You'.
When I opened it, it was a picture of the both of us, tears were coming out of this beautiful gift someone has given me.
Holden was nervous on what he was about to say but he had the courage to say what he's been wanting to say for months.
He looked on the ground then started to talk. "I've been wanting to do this for years." He said taking a deep breath. "Elizabeth, for a few years ago I had a crush on you, then on December when I gave you that present, I was beginning to think that I was in love with you. During spring break at the barn when we danced I realized I am actually in love with you."
I couldn't believe I was hearing and seeing this with my own eyes and ears.
Holden then looked back up and stared into my eyes but this time he held my hand. "Look Elizabeth, I think your one of the greatest, most wonderful person I ever met. Your funny, smart, caring, sweet, and beautiful, how can nobody fall for someone like you? It's impossible. I know about the no dating rule until you turn 18 but I can't wait anymore, so Elizabeth, I am in love with you."
I'm speechless nobody had ever said all those things about me, and my best friend for years finally said that to me.
"Can you please say something, I can't really tell if those are sad tears or happy tears?" he said with fear waiting for me to answer back.
After he said that something in me told me I should kiss him.
"I'm sorry it's just that I can't hide my feeling for you no more. Lizzie, I want you to know that someone loves you for you, I want you to wake up every morning and remember that one person loves you and that person is me, your best friend. Me."
WHY CAN'T I SAY ANYTHING? SPEAK ELIZABETH-BRYONY! SPEAK!
I saw fear in his eyes. "I knew I shouldn't have done this. It's okay if you don't think of me like that. I just wanted you to know how I feel without me being weird around you." he said getting up from the bench.
I grabbed his hand and he turned his body back to me. I slowly stood up making direct eye contact on those beautiful chocolate eyes of his that look like Hershey kisses.
I grabbed the back of his head lightly slowly guide his head to me. "What are you doing?" Holden said softly to me.
"I really want to kiss you right now."
"I might be bad at it." He said so cutely.
"Same here." I said as I kiss him passionately on his lips
I stop kissing him to finally tell him my feelings. "I love you too, Holden. I always have."
He smiled at me which made me smiled then we kissed again.