My California Angel
We actually graduated from high school. We made it out of that infernal time in our lives. With our money saved up over the years we planned to go to California. What a cliché, huh? Not for us, we have had this dream since the seventh grade. Now that we're out of high school we plan for it to be more than a dream.
While in her bedroom we came up with the idea. Back in that innocent time of 13 and 14 years of age.
"First of all, how the hell do you plan to get there? It's not like we can throw a rock at California."
"We'll go in my sparkle finish hearse."
"Right, that glorious dream of yours. Zoey, I really don't think it's ever going to happen."
She looked at me with sad eyes, not liking the quick fashion in which I had destroyed her idea.
"But... that doesn't mean I won't think about it", I said winking at her.
She quickly brightened up and threw a pillow at me. Closely followed by her favorite teddy bear. No way was I going to stand for this barrage of objects. The same pillow that was thrown was cordially thrown back, as were the other items. Wrestling on the bed we laughed without thought of stopping. I didn't mean to grab her around certain places, but by no means did I not like the feel of her body. I didn't linger on this; it was just a passing thought.
We heard her grandmother knocking on the door. She always wanted an excuse to knock on the door; always looking for startled reactions or clothing being hastily put on. We were never caught in anything incriminating since nothing was ever really done. I never dared try anything that would cause Zoey to look at me strangely.
*
My parents are against it. They never liked her; always thought she was a lesbian. My poor parents, so wrong in their assumptions. They went as far as to forbid me to talk to her. No matter, we waited patiently until the end of our senior year of high school.
We started calling each other my angel and I did. Started looking at cheap apartments in California. We didn't want a house; it would have been too big for us. What would we do with all the space? And even if we did want a house; with the money we had, an apartment was our only choice. At one point or another, we really decided to go through with the California idea. Both of us started working part time in hopes of gathering enough money to make the trip. Slowly, the money saved up became a significant amount.
*
A week before high school ended I met up with Zoey after school in a bar by the Key. Key Biscayne was the perfect place for a getaway. I had had plenty of them throughout my years in high school. And what fun they had been! Now I was sitting here with my angel discussing our apartment.
After considering all our other options, we agreed on an old apartment right in front of the beach. Our luck was incredible! The man who was selling it was leaving to go to India and didn't want to overcharge. He sold it to us for almost nothing. Zoey had spoken to him on the phone the day before. I thought the story was too funny to be true so I asked her to retell it once more.
The part that always made me laugh was when Zoey imitated him talking about "spiritual enlightenment", and how we should "consider going to India too".
"We need to set a date as to when we're going to go buy the apartment from him. He leaves on July 2 and we need to have plenty of time to take our stuff back and forth from the two states. Also, there's that wonderful act of actually telling your mommy and daddy where you're going." Zoey sighed and looked down at her drink.
"Don't you worry yourself, I haven't been saving up for nothing. There's no way that they're going to stop us from leaving."
Not much was said for a while; we just sat there on stools looking out at the sea and the waves lapping up against the shore. Occasionally the bar tender would ask us if we wanted anything else. Politely declining, we paid him and got our things.
Walking back to my old beat up car Zoey just stood holding the door and looked about her. She said not one thing, just stared at everything and nothing. I asked if anything was wrong and she smiled while shaking her head.
Finally she got in the car and I drove her to her house.
During the car ride we talked about all of the childish things we did together during our three years at middle school. Some of the things that happened could have easily got us killed or arrested, but we hadn't thought of any of that during that time. During that time we all felt like we ruled and no one could harm us.
It's only after you're a bit older that you see that people can harm you, and can destroy your dreams with only a few words.
After dropping her off, I prepared myself mentally to proceed to my own home. That very day I was going to make my plans known to my parents. My mother wasn't stupid; she knew the money in my bank account had not just been for school. She knew I had other reasons for never missing a day at work if I could avoid it.
Maybe she had been avoiding the idea in her mind that California actually was possible for me. I kept having thoughts of that nature on the drive home. As I saw my driveway coming closer I counted to ten quietly in my head. Her car as well as my father's was parked in front of the house.
I got out of my car, locked it and walked up to the front door. Taking what felt like the deepest breath of my life, I opened it and stepped inside.
We actually graduated from high school. We made it out of that infernal time in our lives. With our money saved up over the years we planned to go to California. What a cliché, huh? Not for us, we have had this dream since the seventh grade. Now that we're out of high school we plan for it to be more than a dream.
While in her bedroom we came up with the idea. Back in that innocent time of 13 and 14 years of age.
"First of all, how the hell do you plan to get there? It's not like we can throw a rock at California."
"We'll go in my sparkle finish hearse."
"Right, that glorious dream of yours. Zoey, I really don't think it's ever going to happen."
She looked at me with sad eyes, not liking the quick fashion in which I had destroyed her idea.
"But... that doesn't mean I won't think about it", I said winking at her.
She quickly brightened up and threw a pillow at me. Closely followed by her favorite teddy bear. No way was I going to stand for this barrage of objects. The same pillow that was thrown was cordially thrown back, as were the other items. Wrestling on the bed we laughed without thought of stopping. I didn't mean to grab her around certain places, but by no means did I not like the feel of her body. I didn't linger on this; it was just a passing thought.
We heard her grandmother knocking on the door. She always wanted an excuse to knock on the door; always looking for startled reactions or clothing being hastily put on. We were never caught in anything incriminating since nothing was ever really done. I never dared try anything that would cause Zoey to look at me strangely.
*
My parents are against it. They never liked her; always thought she was a lesbian. My poor parents, so wrong in their assumptions. They went as far as to forbid me to talk to her. No matter, we waited patiently until the end of our senior year of high school.
We started calling each other my angel and I did. Started looking at cheap apartments in California. We didn't want a house; it would have been too big for us. What would we do with all the space? And even if we did want a house; with the money we had, an apartment was our only choice. At one point or another, we really decided to go through with the California idea. Both of us started working part time in hopes of gathering enough money to make the trip. Slowly, the money saved up became a significant amount.
*
A week before high school ended I met up with Zoey after school in a bar by the Key. Key Biscayne was the perfect place for a getaway. I had had plenty of them throughout my years in high school. And what fun they had been! Now I was sitting here with my angel discussing our apartment.
After considering all our other options, we agreed on an old apartment right in front of the beach. Our luck was incredible! The man who was selling it was leaving to go to India and didn't want to overcharge. He sold it to us for almost nothing. Zoey had spoken to him on the phone the day before. I thought the story was too funny to be true so I asked her to retell it once more.
The part that always made me laugh was when Zoey imitated him talking about "spiritual enlightenment", and how we should "consider going to India too".
"We need to set a date as to when we're going to go buy the apartment from him. He leaves on July 2 and we need to have plenty of time to take our stuff back and forth from the two states. Also, there's that wonderful act of actually telling your mommy and daddy where you're going." Zoey sighed and looked down at her drink.
"Don't you worry yourself, I haven't been saving up for nothing. There's no way that they're going to stop us from leaving."
Not much was said for a while; we just sat there on stools looking out at the sea and the waves lapping up against the shore. Occasionally the bar tender would ask us if we wanted anything else. Politely declining, we paid him and got our things.
Walking back to my old beat up car Zoey just stood holding the door and looked about her. She said not one thing, just stared at everything and nothing. I asked if anything was wrong and she smiled while shaking her head.
Finally she got in the car and I drove her to her house.
During the car ride we talked about all of the childish things we did together during our three years at middle school. Some of the things that happened could have easily got us killed or arrested, but we hadn't thought of any of that during that time. During that time we all felt like we ruled and no one could harm us.
It's only after you're a bit older that you see that people can harm you, and can destroy your dreams with only a few words.
After dropping her off, I prepared myself mentally to proceed to my own home. That very day I was going to make my plans known to my parents. My mother wasn't stupid; she knew the money in my bank account had not just been for school. She knew I had other reasons for never missing a day at work if I could avoid it.
Maybe she had been avoiding the idea in her mind that California actually was possible for me. I kept having thoughts of that nature on the drive home. As I saw my driveway coming closer I counted to ten quietly in my head. Her car as well as my father's was parked in front of the house.
I got out of my car, locked it and walked up to the front door. Taking what felt like the deepest breath of my life, I opened it and stepped inside.