Daylens piece for Thursday.

[Dim_Jimbo]

*Part 2* Sin Kids
“Why are you getting expelled exactly?” asked Kurt. Mills brought Shermie, Jollo, and Kurt with them to his office. A small tiny office with my own personal chair that proudly bares my butt print as a sign of “dedication”.
“Well the deal here is that I’m not actually getting expelled, all the school staff know that but want the students to think that.”
“Just because of some bubble wrap stunt? You’ve done a lot worse in the past.” said Shermie. “Besides why fake expulsion about all this?”
“His mother is visiting” Mills grimfully said. Suddenly Shermies confusion slowly twisted into a face of worry and anger.
“So Mills told you about your mother visiting and you decided not to tell me?” yelled Shermie “Just why are you so stupid sometimes Nash.”
“There is no need to involve you in this and it’s my own problem to deal with.” I told Shermie.
“But you decided to let Mills help you?” said Shermie.
“He was the one that first discovered her visit. If it wasn’t for him, we’d all be in english right now learning about Lord Byron and the romantic movement of poetry.”
“Well Nash, since you wanna deal with all of your shit alone, don’t worry I won’t try get involved for once!” her eyes were beginning to tear up “I’ll stop wasting my time caring.” she left Mills office and about to burst into tears. It was silent after she left. The floor was resonating with a sense of neglect and betrayal. The footprints left by Shermies stomping were definitive from the dust kicked up. Jollo was just staring into the floor showing no emotion as usual and Kurt was staring straight into my eyes with anger. My face replied with a confused gaze.
“Nice one Jack the ripper.” said Kurt.
“What do you mean by that.” I told Kurt.
“Well it’s just that Shermie is trying to be a good friend to you, but you’re being “too” nice at this point and that’s making things harder for us too.”
“I don’t see the point in making you guys waste your time on pointless shit.”
“Okay then Nash.” said the stone cold Jollo. Kurt and I shifted our gaze to Jollo, still staring at the floor. “I’ll respect your wishes and let you handle this alone, but you should apologize to Shermie even if you didn’t mean to hurt her. Believe it or not you may be a kind person, but your kindness can sometimes be the most brutal part of you.” With that Jollo proceeded to leave with his hands in the pockets of his duster and Kurt followed shortly after with a fountain pen in his right hand and his left hand adjusting his belt. Something you don’t often see.
“So how will you approach this Nash?” said Mr. Millers. Nothing popped into my head until I heard the bell ring.
“Can I borrow fifty dollars?”

As I was packing my english materials about to head downtown the door once again slammed opened now leaving a hole in the wall. The silence was broken with a loud phrase.
“The Boys Are Back In Town!”
“Downtown to be exact, more of a free for all arena on saturdays.”
“You’re a real buzzkill Nash.”
“Then tell me an actual joke Zack.”
“Pfft. Citric critic.” blurted Zack. The only musician I’ve ever met that doesn’t have soundcloud. Zack knows more about pop culture than anyone at this school and good taste. Rocking at 170 centimeter just like me and orange spiked hair that everyone likes to call “hipster sonic”. If he’s ever seen without his one of a kind headphones with him then you know it’s not Zack. A poet and a musician as best friends is like the moon hitting the earth again for fun. But unlike most music lovers I know, Zack will never seize to amaze me. He hates almost every singer and band that has been recognized for the past 7 years. His classical world. He listens to the same music as me and it’s nice to talk about poetry and music to someone that knows the same artists as me. An ironic knowledge of mythology and literature all in one man. But I still think that meeting him was a fluke that turned into a natural disaster that followed your every foot step. A regret I look back on for the single fact.
“Whaddya mean I made your birthday a sin?” said Zack.
“One of the 7 sins if I wanted to make you feel worse about it.” I growled at him “You refuse to stop comparing artists to me.”
“What’s wrong with having the same birthday as Daddy yankee?” asked Zack.
“Nothing at all.” we were making our way downtown for lunch and trying to explain this to him before we parted ways to buy lunch. “It’s just that, well I don’t know, possibly because of the fact that you freaked the absolute fuck out when you discovered this. I’m fucking serious here Zack it looked like you found the winning lottery tickets at the dump.”
“And yet we never did find the golden toilet there.” said Zack.
“Imagine the what we could have done with a solid gold toilet.” I told myself “We could have started an automated garden that waters itself with a golden toilet. It probably doesn’t even exist.”
“You’re thinking out loud again.” said Zack.
“And now I’m thinking about getting a burger.” I said as we reached the “Colosseum” of downtown “Well Zack see you in about fifteen minutes” He saluted me as I walked towards the tables near the fast food. The perfect time to think of my next plan for the gang.
While aimlessly walking around tables searching for where we usually sit. I saw Shermie sitting down at a table alone. She was listening to music and ignoring everything else around her. I proceeded to sit down next and she refused to notice that I was next to her. Just looking around for something to catch my attention until I started talking.
“Billy Ocean I presume?”
“It’s really hard to listen to a whole song without being interrupted.” said Shermie as she continued to tap her fingers to the music.
“Was that towards me or towards Zack?” I asked.
“Depends.” she said with a cold feel to it.
“Well in that case I’ll just go buy myself lunch then.” Shermies eyebrow was starting to twitch. “Maybe a burger, fries,a fresh and ripe golden delicious.”
“Fine go ahead, I lost my appetite anyways.” She said weakly. Just as I began to stand up, I heard a loud grumbling coming from Shermie. I stood still for abit until I felt a nudge on my back.
“Could you….” Her voice began to trail off.
“I did promise to get you lunch today. Didn’t I?” I told her “I still need your help too if you’re offering to still.” With that I looked over my shoulder to see Shermie with that same old grin on her face. Tears reflecting off what little innocence she had left.
“Don’t you fucking tell me.”
“You need to be quicker than that to realize these things Nash.” said Shermie gleefully “Now let’s get going, I’m hungry!” as she skipped towards her favorite parlor she turned around waving me forward. You could see a light glistening off her cheeks still.
“I realized a lot sooner than you expected.” I whispered to myself. I proceeded to follow her and buy lunch for us. We waited at a fast food joint for Shermies order. The wait was long and what made the wait long was her ordering almost everything on the menu. I got myself a burger and fries and the bill added up to around ninety-five dollars. It’s not a problem for me. It’s “whose” money I had to use to pay for the rest of the bill that disgusted me.
“Sorry for buying so much.” said Shermie.
“That smile on your face says otherwise.” I told her.
“Well you are treating me to lunch!” she reminded me.
“I was forced into paying for your lunch.” I mumbled. We made our way to the table where the gang usually sits. This table is near and dear to me since it’s the furthest table from the rest and it’s on the outer rim of the colosseum so we can easily get the shop we hang out at. As we sat down, Jollo, Zack, and Kurt were already talking and eating.
“Wheres DITS?” I asked as me and Shermie sat down.
“Probably running still.” said Jollo “what about you two. Seems like you had to use the stained money I presume?”
“Forty-five dollars more than I thought.” I said “Seriously though, how do you eat that much and still complain about being hungry?”
“Mhm?” no one could understand what she was saying. She was shoving more food in her mouth then followed by more “Mhm’s”.
“Gluttony is a sin.” Zack burped while sipping his soda.
“Funny for you to talk about sins.” Zack started choking on the straw as I reminded him of his “sins”.
“HA, I CALLED IT! I AM FUNNY!” he got up repeating the same thing as he ran towards the shop. Kurt moaned when he ran.
“The idiot forgot his food again. I’ll meet up with you guys at the Blue Monday. We still need to talk about your expulsion fraud Nash.” as he gathered Zacks food and his, he gave me a stern just like Mills would. He wasn’t gonna let me get out of this one.
“Where’s your food Jollo?” looking at Jollo’s part of the table, he didn’t have any food.
“Me and food aren’t nice to each other. I prefer something healthier than this.” replied Jollo.
“Why not eat at one of the restaurants instead?” Jollo looks at the restaurants and then looks at the people leaving.
“I prefer to finish eating the food I buy.” He said while looking at a couple eating leftovers from a restaurant. “I’m heading to Blue Monday now, you guys coming along?” I look at Shermie finishing the last of her buffet. She’s still hungry and still the same Shermie. Evil, cruel, mischievous, pushy, and a good friend. Jollo already knew our answer. He began walking away as we got up and we followed him to the Blue Monday.

“If you don’t mind me asking before we get there.” said Jollo as we made our way to the Blue Monday. Before he could ask Shermie intervened.
“Well you can wait until we get there.” She threatened. Jollo knows that he’s the last guy to get punched in any situation and didn’t acknowledge her. But I decided to say something.
“Lemme hear it Jollo, it’s alright.” Shermie was pouting to the side when I said that. “Your charms are as effective as Zacks sense of humor.” she just kept pouting.
“Well all that aside.” said Jollo. “I’ve always wondered, why do you like sandals so much? Is it actually a fetish for you?”
“It’s an interesting story actually.” My mind began to wander and I started talking freely. When I was a little kid, Every morning me and Shermie would stop by this old man’s house before going to school. Shermie never liked going though, she always said it smelled too old and the same everyday. The man made sandals for a living. That was when me and Shermie lived in a small town and the town didn’t have shoe store. People had to drive hours to a nearby city for new shoes. But this man lived the town for his entire life. He made sandals for people who couldn’t drive that far. You could ask for a fancy, sturdy, stylish, or even a traditional sandal. He could make it. And when we visit him, he would always have a new sandal for me where and walk around in it. If I wore the sandals for the whole day I could keep them and he would be able to make more knowing that they would work. Even when walking back home we visited him and he would measure my foot and would ask the same question “How do you like to walk?”. At the time I couldn’t find an answer for him and he would babble on about stories of famous cobblers and sandals his father made. But one day when we visited him, he wasn’t there. He wasn’t home the day after that or the day after or for a whole month. That was when I got a call from my mother one day about something she discovered. The old man got really sick. He had an unknown disease and couldn’t even talk or move his waist. His grandson and granddaughter came to our town one day to bring him back to their homes on the other side of the state. But the old man refused. The hospital let him out and his grandchildren drove him back to his house. For 14 days he was in his workshop, refusing to leave. A few days later he came out his workshop and his grandchildren carried him to his bed. Exactly 2 hours later he died. His grandchildren later went to Shermies house and said they wanted to give me something. They gave me the most beautifully crafted sandals and said they were ceremonial greek sandals. They didn’t fit me, they said I was suppose to wear them once I grew older. They handed me a note. The note was from the old man. He wrote
Hey Little cashew,
If you’re reading this then I sincerely apologize for not giving a proper goodbye. But I finished making these sandals for you. The sandals you always wanted. They might be a little big for you. They won’t fit you now but they will fit your personality. A curious and kind kid interested in literature and mythology. These sandals are my greatest masterpiece and my last story to tell. I special made these sandal to help you answer my question. How do you like to walk. Some wise words to help you learn walk. Walk down the same path with people but walk the way you like to. Walk differently. My father did the same before he died and gave his final sandals to me to help me walk. I gave those sandals to the women I loved. She gracefully accepted them. He showed me how to walk. To walk and talk. Hopefully these sandals will help you down the path. Not the same path as me maybe, but somehow. Never be afraid to walk a different path.
Sincerely, Marcus Livern

After that, They told me what happened to the old man and what he did for the past three weeks. I stayed stuck in my room for a few days. Just examining the sandals. I didn’t cry or grieve, but still sadness took me over. The sandals were grey with engravings that looked like greek statues on them. With leather straps to hold to my feet and legs. Shermie never left the house either despite her parents telling her just to leave me be. But she didn’t, she stayed in front of my room everyday to check if I was ok or to help in anyway. Eventually I came out of my room. But after that, I got rid my old shoes and wore only sandals. Later on the old man’s grandchildren taught me how to make sandals.
I came back to my senses to see the surprised face of Jollo and Shermie just hiding her face with her hoodie.
“Wow!” said Jollo “I sincerely apologize about that.”
“Why so apologetic all of a sudden?” I curiously asked.
“I just didn’t think it be that emotional or meaningful to you. I honestly thought someone just dared you or it was one of your simpler insane ideas. I didn’t expect a story like that.”
“Ok Jollo now this is the part where you apologize and I forgive you for thinking so low of me.”
“I don’t repeat myself nor did I think low of you.” said Jollo. The tone of his voice was as cold as ever but the look in his eyes could tell you he felt offended. “I just thought that’s something Nash would do and probably the reason why.” He turned his head and kept walking. He looked at Shermie, still hiding in her hoodie, and whispered something to her.
“As red as a tomato.” teased Jollo.
“So will the holes in your mouth when I take out your teeth.” She growled as she revealed her red face a little bit. Jollo took a deep breath and started to spell out the letters.
“B-E-L-O-V-E-D” He said, each letter louder than the last.
“V-E-D? Ved?” I asked. Jollo turned around to answer me.
“Oh I was just making fun of how Shermie has a c-”
“ENOUGH!” Me and Jollo look at Shermie except for the fact she was already clenching her fists.
“You poor sap.” I whispered as Jollo gets the lights knocked out of his eyes. A bit of blood splatters over the red concrete. After that, a man walks out from the store and says
“Can we please go one day without getting blood in the front of my door” Shermie just turns around at the owner of the store with a face still a bit red but smiling and cheerfully answers him.
“Sorry Pierce! But with us around we can’t have any guarantees!”
We were at The Blue monday. A store with the front covered in stains of blood. “Why?” you may ask. Well our gang has never made it to this store without losing some blood or teeth even. It’s our little place we call peace.

We brought Jollo into the store as Pierce went to the back to get medical supplies.
“What happened to him?” someone asked.
“Jollo took his toll-o on Shermie and payed the price in blood! Also welcome back DITS.” I replied
“I finished my exercise, cool down stretches, and my lunch and still got here before all of you.” bragged DITS.
“Because you’re the most athletic person and your lunch was just a carrot” replied Pierce.
“Never correct or tease a lady Pierce or you’ll end like Jollo.” said DITS. Pierce comes back with some bandages and painkillers to give to Jollo. Kurt and Zack popped their heads out from the mountain of items in the store.
“Is all that necessary for a punch?” said Kurt.
“How did you know it was a punch?” asked Zack.
“You could hear the impact of that punch from Ohio.” Kurt just rolled his eyes as he answered Zack.
“Two things.” announced Pierce “No one here considers you a lady DITS but more like an infant girl.” DITS just sits there pouting. “Also, has anyone ever been punched by Shermie?”
“Not yet.” replies everyone in unison.
The Blue Monday. A pawn shop owned by our friend Pierce. It’s where the gang hangs out and where we get most of our stuff for our stupid adventures. You can easily spot it by looking for bloody concrete, an athletic sweaty girl sitting inside around twelve, and a twenty year old man cleaning his guitar. DITS is always the first person to get to the Blue Monday. She’s the athletic person of our group and knows how to play any sport that our school provides. She could care less about the stuff me and Kurt get into but she always says “At least stretch before doing anything stupid or you’ll get a cramp.”. She got a strange sense of humour considering that she’s the only person that laughs at Zacks jokes. But the real reason behind that is the funniest part about it. Only I know that too. Her nickname DITS is something Zack started calling her after finding out they have the same favorite song. Ever since then anyone that calls her by her real name will regret it. Even those in her family. She has long black hair but she usually braids it. She’s around 160 centimeters tall and intimidating cause of how competitive she is. Pierce on the other hand graduated from our school last year. Pierce and DITS are cousins if you wanted to know. The shop was a hand me down from his father as a gift when graduating. His father is a traveller and always brings back souvenirs to this shop when visiting. He calls it “self efficient product restocking”. He has no clue how to run a business unlike Pierce. Pierce graduated our school with a scholarship to go to the top college for business. But he decided to hunker down in our town and run the Blue Monday for us to come by everyday. He says he would learn more by trading items rather than buying and selling. He’s a ruthless but generous man. He might not get as many customers as other stores do. But from time to time there are some important customers that he does business with which is the only way he makes a reliable income. Easily said that’s why the store hasn’t been closed for good. He’s received job offers for big bucks to work with those men. But as long as we live in this town and visit his shop every day then he has no need for anything new to do.He’s content with life as it is at the age of 20. Playing the guitar at the store relaxing with his green as cash hat and long black hair. Sitting still at 195 centimeters tall and too much free time.
“What did you even do to get punched?” asked Pierce.
“I was teasing her.” immediately replied Jollo.
“You really shouldn’t be so confident about something like that.” groaned Pierce “Hey Shermie!” Shermie turns around and fixes her gaze on Jollo. “Come over here and help me add to my tooth!” Shermie happily agrees by cracking her knuckles.
“Woah there Five Finger Death Punch. No need to make this real. We already got problems to settle here.” I decided to intervene before something else started. Give Shermie something to do and she won’t hesitate.
“Alright then how long is Nash suspended for this time?” said DITS. As a simple way for Zack to put it he’s the first to answer.
“Expulsion!” DITS falls off the shelf she was sitting on from hearing those words.
“OW QUIT IT!” yelled Jollo. Pierce ripped off the band aids that were on Jollos cheek leaving a mark as red as an apple.
“Sorry. Hearing that made me react.” Ignoring Jollo’s complaints, Pierce turns his head to face me. “You got a lot of explaining to do Nash.” as he looks down on me. His gaze reminds me of Millers. I guess he picked up a thing or two from him before graduating.
“Well Pierce buddy of mine. The thing here is that I didn’t exactly get expelled but the entire school except for teachers know that it’s fake because my mother is visiting which is what Millers told me so he pulled me out of class but before for something else then came along the rest of the gang to tell them and stuff happened then Zack found out about and we talked stuff like that the expulsion is fake as a way to trick my mother that I’m studying all by myself therefore I won’t need to leave.” I took a deep breath after talking that fast.
“Okay Nash now I want you to do this for me.” said Pierce slowly.
“Alright then.” I said ready to accept the job.
“Repeat everything you just said slowly, shorter, and simpler. Keep in mind that Zack and DITS are listening too. For their sakes.” said Pierce.
“Why that’s so considerate of you Pierce!” yelped Zack. Kurt and DITS just place their hands on their faces. He took that seriously.
“Zack has anyone ever told you that you’re a dumbass?” insulted Pierce.
“Well um. Not until now I think. Why do you ask?” questioned Zack scratching his head. I’m convinced that he’s either the biggest blockhead ever or he is the most cheerful man to ever exist.
“Forget it snowflake.” Pierce said giving up on his insults. He sat back down and rubbed cream over the red spot on Jollo’s face. “Sit still this should help with the bruise and prevent and rashes from the bandaids. Now in all of that fucking nonsense Nash I heard mother visiting and didn’t get expelled.”
“He also left out a lot more than that. But you know it was just “stuff and things” as he described it.” corrected Kurt still by the pile that Zack popped out from. Harsh.
“I could care less about what happened in between but for now let’s talk about those two. You’re not suspended or expelled but you can’t go to school? And something about your mother?” asked Pierce. Jollo tried to say something but Pierce smothered his face with medical cream.
“If you want a full understanding of the situation. Then you’ll get the whole story.” I said, I sat on counter where Pierce bargains with customers. “I wanna point something out first. I had a nice, rich, beautiful, childhood when living with my mother. But never for a single second, did I consider her my mother. I’ve told her this before and I would do it again if she dare show her fucking horrendous face to me. “You.Are.Dead.To.Me.Bitch.” after saying those word. I became the man I wanted to be. My definition of being a man. To never give a fuck about the hardships of life and treat everyone as a friend you haven’t met. My way of walking life.”