October 16, 1988
After school Marshall and me walked with Jeanette to her house to pick up my gift. To say I only knew this girl for a day she was really friendly. Hope she didn't expect anything in return because I couldn't give it to her. Marshall's birthday was tomorrow and he didn't think anyone knew. Debbie told my dad and my dad told me. Nathan had no idea he just wanted cake. So while we went Halloween shopping I would ask to be excused so I could get him something. He likes rap a lot and I'm pretty sure he's never been to a concert...maybe I'll get him tickets to Run D.M.C. He loves those guys. But how will I get money for that. I wanted him to be happy as my new 'brother' fake at that. Or I could get him a stack of comics from the book store. That sounded like something I actually had money for. I think that's what i'll get him. He's turning seventeen. Shouldn't he be in high school right now? I avoided that and kept on walking and thinking. Those Run D.M.C tickets sounded perfect, but I just didn't have a enough. I ignored that and grabbed the box that she handed me.
"What is it?" I asked her. "It's a box of clothes. I'm getting big in certain areas," She looked down at me and Marshall was smirking. I shoved him in the ribs and she started talking. "And my mom told me to make a smaller friend so they can have some of my old clothes and you look like you wouldn't rape me...so why the hell not." She was certainty something. I opened the box and the clothes were so unlike me. They were pink and mainly dresses. There was a small hardcover copy of Wuthering Heights in there at the bottom and she winked at me. "Bailey told me you were probably a huge geek. So I put my moms copy in there." I laughed and Marshall kept staring at her pants. That little pervert. I rolled my eyes in disgust and Jeanette's mother called her. "Hey um I heard You're birthday's tomorrow?" She said gesturing towards Marshall. "Yup. You got something for me?" She giggled and shook her head.
"My parents are gonna be outta town for some sex convention and I was wondering if you wanted to throw a party here. Invite who you want as long as some of my girls could come?" I knew what he was gonna say and I rolled my eyes. That come part. He was thinking so dirty then. "Sure. Anyone right?" She nodded and her mom called again. "Oh and they'll have alcohol if that's not a problem." My eyes widened. I was definitely not going! No way. "Nope. I don't care. Bring a lot of girls okay?" She giggled and shut the door.
"Marshall you're not going to that party are you?" I asked with my hands in my pockets as we walked down the street. "Umm hello it's my birthday party." He waved and I noticed his hair was shorter than usual. He still was regular Marshall though. "There's gonna be alcohol though?" I said with my eyes getting wider and wider. "So? I'm gonna be seventeen. Next year I'll be able to fucking vote. I'm a man now." I rolled my eyes and Debbie's car came into view. "Well who are you gonna invite? Proof?" He giggled and slung an arm around my shoulder. "That's what I've been wanting to tell you. I have a group now."
"A group. What do y'all do, rape?" He pulled away and pursed his lips. "Take away the E. It's called Bassmint Productions. It's me I call my self M&M, then Big Proof, Dj Buttafingaz, Chaos Kid, and Manix."
"What's up with the candy names? Dj Buttafingaz? m&m?" I laughed hard at that and he looked upset. "No bitch! Its not candy names. Mine is my initials and Dj...well he likes to eat." I laughed harder and took a great deal of air as we climbed in the car. Debbie smiled at us and asked us about our day. Well Marshall got an A on his homework and so did I. I wonder if Deshaun got one. I couldn't believe he had a group. I wanted to hear some of their music. "What do you wanna be for Halloween Isabella?" I thought for a long time. "I wanna be wonder woman. I just wish I had a real invisible jet." Marshall turned to me and his eyes widened.
"You read comic books?" I shrugged. "Sometimes. When I'm not writing." Debbie looked at us through the rear view mirror and winked at me. "So Marshall what about you?" He already knew. He put his finger in the air and said, "Robin! The best sidekick ever." I chuckled and Debbie spoke up. "Then Nate will be Superman. Looks like you got a date Bella."
"Nuh uh! Superman has a girl...Louis Lane dumbass." His mom reached back and slapped him. "Don't you ever say that shit again or I'll beat your ass!" He held his face and cursed her under his breath causing me to bite my lip to keep from laughing like a goofball.
I picked out my Wonder Woman outfit that showed my stomach but whatever. The boots were so cute. I left early for the book store and when I was about to buy the stack of Spider-Man comics, marshall's favorite, I stopped when I saw the clerk about to give three tickets to a man and a woman with a little baby girl. I walked closer to hear and I heard Run D.M.C, Big Daddy Kane and Queen Latifah in Detroit. That was the concert I needed. I had to hold my mouth to keep from screaming!
"Sir that's too much." The man said. "Sorry. I bought these tickets with my own money so you have too. Six hundred dollars or no concert." They considered it and backed away. "You're fault! These are front row seats!" The clerk called after them. I breathed and walked closer to the counter. "Um I was going to buy this," I pointed to the stack of comics. "But I overheard your conversation and I really need those tickets."
"Look kid, unless you got six hundred dollars in cash then I'm gonna enjoy these tickets."
"What do you even need six hundred bucks for?"
"My waters cold and it's causing serious problems so I need six hundred bucks to get it fixed."
"My dad can help! He's a plumber." I was lying. "Really? Well how much ya got?" I breathed. "Two hundred." He rubbed his chin and thought it over. "Alright. There your's but I want your dad at my place to fix my water the day of the concert." I grabbed the tickets and he wrote his address on a napkin. Hopefully my dad got a job as a plumber.
I did my best to hide the tickets. I put them in my bag and he'd never dig in there. Debbie was cooking and Marshall was on the phone with Gary Kozlowski, one of his friends. I saw a piece of paper and it was titled 'My Bucket List' the first one said, 1) sample Aerosmith's Dream On,
That was sick! How in the world...i thought he wanted to be a comic book artist now he's planning his fame. I thought that was so cool but I kept it to myself. "Say G, you wanna come to a party tomorrow? It's at Jeanette Copes place. Yeah the one with the big boobs." He laughed and I felt so...uncomfortable. I started studying for my test and I decided to change my nickname for Marshall. I'm gonna call him Mickey like his mom does. "Say Mickey can you please get off the phone and study." He pulled away and slowly turned his head. "Did you just call me Mickey?" I nodded and he hung the phone up.
"Don't call me that." He covered his ears and I laughed. I ran over to him and pushed him on the bed and started trying to get his hands off his ears. "Remove your hands or I'll call you Mickey!" He shook his head and I was in straddling position and he smirked. "Eww you're gross Mick." He laughed and grabbed a towel. "Where are you going?" I asked. "Oh um...the Hip Hop Shop." He said. "Why are you bringing a towel."
"Rapping causes you to sweat Bells. You coming or..." I pointed to my books. "I have to study. But good luck." He shrugged and shut the door. I heard Charlie walking in and I had to explain. Gosh this was gonna be hard. I walked down slowly and started kissing up. "Hey daddy! I missed you." He kissed my forehead and squeezed me back. "Oh bells....what do you want???" I looked up at him and he was smirking. "Um I don't want anything." There was a long silence. "Fine. See Marshall's birthday is tomorrow and I wanted to get him a really, really good gift. So I decided I'd get him Run D.M.C tickets, but I didn't have enough money so I decided on comic books
,But when I got to the book store there was some people who were about to buy tickets from the clerk but they cost too much. So I tried and he said the price was Six Hundred bucks. I was upset and when he told me he needed a plumber I mentioned...you."
"Awe cmon Bells!"
"But I got three tickets for free and all you have to do is fix his water."
"You...you...are so lucky I got a job as a plumber." Omg what a coincidence. This is crazy. "I'll do it baby. Where's the address?"
"It's on seven mile but if you need real directions I have it written down. Here." He rolled his eyes and I was so happy right now. Everything was going great. I just needed a third person to come with. I walked over to marshall's mobile phone and went through his black book. I saw the name Deshaun Holton and dialed. It only took ten rings but he answered.
"Hello?" I said.
"Oh hey bells! What you doing?" I could hear music in the background and people yelling. "Um where are you right now?" I said pacing the room. "Oh I'm hosting at the Hip Hop Shop today. If I do good I get the job." Dammit! Marshall's there. "Umm can you walk outside or in the bathroom right quick." I'm guessing he followed orders because I heard it go silent. "So what's up?" he said. "Well I got tickets to Run DMC for Marshall's birthday tomorrow and I was wondering if you wanted to come?"
"Hol up, hol up! How. in.the. living. Fuck. Did you get Run DMC tickets?" I laughed and he wasn't joking. "I'll explain later okay but do you wanna come or naw because it's on Sunday."
"Wait isn't Marshall Baptist. He can't miss church."
"Are you serious? Marshall probably doesn't go to church."
"I'm just fucking with you Bells. I'll come. But you're driving."
"I was planning on it."
"Well I gotta go host talk to you later."
"Wait! Don't tell Marshall."
"I'm not!!!" He hung up and everything was perfect now.