J.O.S, chapter 2
Jimmy pulled up to the 7-11 and stepped out.
"JESUS!" the people called. Jimmy laughed and waited for his sister.
"BABY JESUS!" one of Jimmy's friends yelled. Emily gave an embarrassed smile and walked with Jimmy into 7-11.
"Wanna slurpee?" he asked as he stepped to the machine. "Sup Jesus?" the man behind the counter said. Jimmy gave him the rock sign and turned back to the machine. "Sure," Emily said as she shrugged. Jimmy pulled out two cups and handed one to his sister. He filled his up and waited for his sister Emily to finish. As the two walked by the counter, Jimmy threw 3 dollars to the man.
"Thanks Jesus."
"Why do they call you Jesus?" Emily asked as she sipped on her ice drink. Jimmy shrugged and opened the door to walk out to the parking lot. "Because I'm God?" he joked. Emily laughed. Jimmy smiled. "I don't know really. I'm just...here all the time," he guessed.
"Dude! Jesus! Why is Mary here?" Jake, one of Jimmy's friends called. "Mary?" Jimmy asked. His eyes whipped to the parking lot.
Mary, the nick name for his mother, was storming towards them.
"Why do you call her Mary?" Emily asked as she retreated behind her brother. "Because I'm Jesus. She's Mary. Get it?" he said. Emily nodded as she gripped Jimmy's shirt tail.
"Jimmy! Get back to the house now! I don't trust her with this crowd! She'll get all the bad habits!" Mary yelled right up in Jimmy's face.
"No I won't," Emily whispered. Mary looked down at her daughter. "What did you say?" She spat. "I said: I WON'T catch the bad habits. I WON'T go back home. I want to stay with Jimmy!" She yelled. Mary grabbed Emily's arm. "Don't you EVER back sass me!" she screamed.
"Let go of her!" Jimmy and a few of his other friends yelled. Mary looked up at them. She scowled and dropped Emily's wrist. Mary straightened up and looked her son in the eyes. "I'm leaving. If she comes home and she is any more like you than she is now... you're out of the house," she said, her voice quivering with anger and with that, she stormed away. Jimmy looked down at his sister.
"I don't get why she plays this game. She acts all protective over me and then she beats me senseless," Emily muttered. Jimmy hugged his sister close as a few of his friends surrounded them. "You alright baby Jesus?"
"Did she hurt you?"
"I didn't know you had a sister!"
Heartless punks? Not these guys. They all knew what it was like. They were all here for basically the same reason. Crap home, crap life, great friends. Emily nodded.
"Yeah I'm fine and my name is Emily," she said as Jimmy let her out of his embrace.
"Sweet. Want one?" some guys said as he offered the 13 year old a joint.
"Uh... no... I'm fine," she said as she pushed his hand away. The guy shrugged. "Suit yourself. They help me," he said as he walked away.
"Dude! Gilman Street!" Jake called to Jimmy about an hour later. He looked over and him and nodded. He had been watching Peter, another one of his friends, try and teach Emily how to play a song on the guitar.
"Hey Emily!" Jimmy called. She turned towards him, the electric Stratocaster still strapped around her shoulder. "Yeah?" she called.
"Wanna go watch a band at Gilman?" he called. She smiled and nodded. "Thanks Peter!" Emily said, giving him a hug. He laughed as he watched her run to her brother's side.
A few other people started down to the club. "Who's playing?" Emily asked excitedly. Jimmy shrugged. "I really have no idea," he laughed.
Jimmy paid $10 for the two of them and walked into the club. Some crappy band was playing. He and Emily moshed around until all the bands had finished playing. Jimmy rubbed his eyes and looked down at his sister. She looked pretty tired. "Wanna go home?" he asked. Emily shook her head. "No... I'm fine," she yawned. Jimmy smiled.
"Naw... you're tired. Come on," Jimmy said as he led her out of the small club.
"Your eyeliner's smudged," Emily said to her brother. He wiped the smeared make up out from under his eye. "Thanks," he said.
Emily and Jimmy drove back home, praying that their mom was asleep. It was 9:00. How they stayed there for so long they weren't quite sure. Thank God. She was passed out cold on the couch. Jimmy gave his sister a hug before heading off to bed.
"G'night, St. Jimmy," she whispered. He smiled, "Night sis."
Emily was rudely awakened by the sound of her brother cussing. She rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed.
"I DON'T NEED THIS!" she heard Jimmy yell followed by a door being flung open. Emily gulped and jumped off her bed, only to stub her tow on the suitcase under her bed. The suitcase she always kept packed in case of emergencies. It had been Jimmy's idea.
Emily ran to the hallway and saw her mother standing there. She was next to Jimmy's door, looking in on him. Emily wasn't sure what was going on. She could here things rummaging around in Jimmy's room but wasn't sure what he was doing. The whole time, their mother stood leaning against Jimmy's door, smoking her cigarette. She flicked the ash to the floor as Emily decided to take her chances and peek in her brother's room. She was greeted with his back. He was kneeled on the ground and stuffing things in a duffel bag. He grumbled a few inaudible words to himself. Emily watched in horror as he stood up, slung his guitar around his shoulder and grabbed his jacket. He slid it on his tattooed arms as he glared at his mom.
"This place is a dump. I'm leaving you now. All you do is treat me like scum. I won't miss you," he said as calmly as his voice would let him. Mary just blew the smoke in his face. "You won't leave. You'll come back. You won't last on the streets," she chuckled. Jimmy clenched his teeth.
"Watch me."
He walked out the front door, completely surpassing Emily. She looked up at her mother and then to the door which her brother had just disappeared out of. Then, the two girls took off towards the door. They stood on the step as Jimmy threw his duffel bag in the back. Emily bit her lip as hot tears rolled down her eyes. He glanced up at them as Emily felt her Mom put a hand on her shoulder. Jimmy jumped into his car and started the engine.
"You can't leave me here!" Emily heard herself scream. Jimmy looked up at her.
"Please... " she sobbed. Jimmy's eyes traveled to the bruise forming on her cheek and then to his Mother. Emily put her head in her hands and sobbed. She felt arms wrap around her in a warm hug.
"I'll come back for you... I promise I will. I just need money and a place to stay. I won't leave you here," Jimmy whispered to his little sister. Emily wrapped her arms around his crouching figure.
"Please... don't' leave me... " She whispered in his ear. Jimmy gave her one last squeeze and stood up, facing his Mom. To his surprise, she had tears in her eyes. Mary hugged her son tight, not wanting to let go.
"I'm sorry... for everything," Jimmy heard his Mom say. He hugged her slightly, but then backed away. "It's too late... " he said. He looked back down at his little sister as he back pedaled to his car.
"JIMMY!" Emily yelled as he sat in the driver's seat again. Tears were flooding her face now. "I thought you were my Saint! You're the only thing I had in life! And you're just going to leave me?" she cried. Jimmy stared at his little sister through the front window.
So many thoughts were running through his mind. He didn't know where he was going and didn't know how he was going to survive. He didn't want to bring her down with him. He wanted her to be ok...but who knows what would happen here. Emily had seen him at his worst and he knew that's the way he was going to be a lot of the time. He didn't want her to see him like that again. But she'd seen her Mom in her worst too... and she had the bruises to prove it.
Where was she safer?
Jimmy sat in his car as he let it run idle. He stared at his sister's sobbing figure, his mother's hand placed on her shoulder in a loving manner. He knew that wouldn't last. She'd get drunk and go on another rampage. Who would take her away after that? Who would make everything alright? He didn't know what to do...he couldn't take her... he couldn't leave her... but... he couldn't take her...
"JESUS!" the people called. Jimmy laughed and waited for his sister.
"BABY JESUS!" one of Jimmy's friends yelled. Emily gave an embarrassed smile and walked with Jimmy into 7-11.
"Wanna slurpee?" he asked as he stepped to the machine. "Sup Jesus?" the man behind the counter said. Jimmy gave him the rock sign and turned back to the machine. "Sure," Emily said as she shrugged. Jimmy pulled out two cups and handed one to his sister. He filled his up and waited for his sister Emily to finish. As the two walked by the counter, Jimmy threw 3 dollars to the man.
"Thanks Jesus."
"Why do they call you Jesus?" Emily asked as she sipped on her ice drink. Jimmy shrugged and opened the door to walk out to the parking lot. "Because I'm God?" he joked. Emily laughed. Jimmy smiled. "I don't know really. I'm just...here all the time," he guessed.
"Dude! Jesus! Why is Mary here?" Jake, one of Jimmy's friends called. "Mary?" Jimmy asked. His eyes whipped to the parking lot.
Mary, the nick name for his mother, was storming towards them.
"Why do you call her Mary?" Emily asked as she retreated behind her brother. "Because I'm Jesus. She's Mary. Get it?" he said. Emily nodded as she gripped Jimmy's shirt tail.
"Jimmy! Get back to the house now! I don't trust her with this crowd! She'll get all the bad habits!" Mary yelled right up in Jimmy's face.
"No I won't," Emily whispered. Mary looked down at her daughter. "What did you say?" She spat. "I said: I WON'T catch the bad habits. I WON'T go back home. I want to stay with Jimmy!" She yelled. Mary grabbed Emily's arm. "Don't you EVER back sass me!" she screamed.
"Let go of her!" Jimmy and a few of his other friends yelled. Mary looked up at them. She scowled and dropped Emily's wrist. Mary straightened up and looked her son in the eyes. "I'm leaving. If she comes home and she is any more like you than she is now... you're out of the house," she said, her voice quivering with anger and with that, she stormed away. Jimmy looked down at his sister.
"I don't get why she plays this game. She acts all protective over me and then she beats me senseless," Emily muttered. Jimmy hugged his sister close as a few of his friends surrounded them. "You alright baby Jesus?"
"Did she hurt you?"
"I didn't know you had a sister!"
Heartless punks? Not these guys. They all knew what it was like. They were all here for basically the same reason. Crap home, crap life, great friends. Emily nodded.
"Yeah I'm fine and my name is Emily," she said as Jimmy let her out of his embrace.
"Sweet. Want one?" some guys said as he offered the 13 year old a joint.
"Uh... no... I'm fine," she said as she pushed his hand away. The guy shrugged. "Suit yourself. They help me," he said as he walked away.
"Dude! Gilman Street!" Jake called to Jimmy about an hour later. He looked over and him and nodded. He had been watching Peter, another one of his friends, try and teach Emily how to play a song on the guitar.
"Hey Emily!" Jimmy called. She turned towards him, the electric Stratocaster still strapped around her shoulder. "Yeah?" she called.
"Wanna go watch a band at Gilman?" he called. She smiled and nodded. "Thanks Peter!" Emily said, giving him a hug. He laughed as he watched her run to her brother's side.
A few other people started down to the club. "Who's playing?" Emily asked excitedly. Jimmy shrugged. "I really have no idea," he laughed.
Jimmy paid $10 for the two of them and walked into the club. Some crappy band was playing. He and Emily moshed around until all the bands had finished playing. Jimmy rubbed his eyes and looked down at his sister. She looked pretty tired. "Wanna go home?" he asked. Emily shook her head. "No... I'm fine," she yawned. Jimmy smiled.
"Naw... you're tired. Come on," Jimmy said as he led her out of the small club.
"Your eyeliner's smudged," Emily said to her brother. He wiped the smeared make up out from under his eye. "Thanks," he said.
Emily and Jimmy drove back home, praying that their mom was asleep. It was 9:00. How they stayed there for so long they weren't quite sure. Thank God. She was passed out cold on the couch. Jimmy gave his sister a hug before heading off to bed.
"G'night, St. Jimmy," she whispered. He smiled, "Night sis."
Emily was rudely awakened by the sound of her brother cussing. She rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed.
"I DON'T NEED THIS!" she heard Jimmy yell followed by a door being flung open. Emily gulped and jumped off her bed, only to stub her tow on the suitcase under her bed. The suitcase she always kept packed in case of emergencies. It had been Jimmy's idea.
Emily ran to the hallway and saw her mother standing there. She was next to Jimmy's door, looking in on him. Emily wasn't sure what was going on. She could here things rummaging around in Jimmy's room but wasn't sure what he was doing. The whole time, their mother stood leaning against Jimmy's door, smoking her cigarette. She flicked the ash to the floor as Emily decided to take her chances and peek in her brother's room. She was greeted with his back. He was kneeled on the ground and stuffing things in a duffel bag. He grumbled a few inaudible words to himself. Emily watched in horror as he stood up, slung his guitar around his shoulder and grabbed his jacket. He slid it on his tattooed arms as he glared at his mom.
"This place is a dump. I'm leaving you now. All you do is treat me like scum. I won't miss you," he said as calmly as his voice would let him. Mary just blew the smoke in his face. "You won't leave. You'll come back. You won't last on the streets," she chuckled. Jimmy clenched his teeth.
"Watch me."
He walked out the front door, completely surpassing Emily. She looked up at her mother and then to the door which her brother had just disappeared out of. Then, the two girls took off towards the door. They stood on the step as Jimmy threw his duffel bag in the back. Emily bit her lip as hot tears rolled down her eyes. He glanced up at them as Emily felt her Mom put a hand on her shoulder. Jimmy jumped into his car and started the engine.
"You can't leave me here!" Emily heard herself scream. Jimmy looked up at her.
"Please... " she sobbed. Jimmy's eyes traveled to the bruise forming on her cheek and then to his Mother. Emily put her head in her hands and sobbed. She felt arms wrap around her in a warm hug.
"I'll come back for you... I promise I will. I just need money and a place to stay. I won't leave you here," Jimmy whispered to his little sister. Emily wrapped her arms around his crouching figure.
"Please... don't' leave me... " She whispered in his ear. Jimmy gave her one last squeeze and stood up, facing his Mom. To his surprise, she had tears in her eyes. Mary hugged her son tight, not wanting to let go.
"I'm sorry... for everything," Jimmy heard his Mom say. He hugged her slightly, but then backed away. "It's too late... " he said. He looked back down at his little sister as he back pedaled to his car.
"JIMMY!" Emily yelled as he sat in the driver's seat again. Tears were flooding her face now. "I thought you were my Saint! You're the only thing I had in life! And you're just going to leave me?" she cried. Jimmy stared at his little sister through the front window.
So many thoughts were running through his mind. He didn't know where he was going and didn't know how he was going to survive. He didn't want to bring her down with him. He wanted her to be ok...but who knows what would happen here. Emily had seen him at his worst and he knew that's the way he was going to be a lot of the time. He didn't want her to see him like that again. But she'd seen her Mom in her worst too... and she had the bruises to prove it.
Where was she safer?
Jimmy sat in his car as he let it run idle. He stared at his sister's sobbing figure, his mother's hand placed on her shoulder in a loving manner. He knew that wouldn't last. She'd get drunk and go on another rampage. Who would take her away after that? Who would make everything alright? He didn't know what to do...he couldn't take her... he couldn't leave her... but... he couldn't take her...
