The idea and moral of the story is that spreading lies and hate towards a person that's different from you of culture, race, or religion, and hasn't done anything wrong, could lead to a bunch of messes and all eyes are on them for the long run. This story is about a boy named Rahim, now Rahim is from Fort Pierce, Florida; he had to move because his dad got promoted for a job that was almost across the country, that means he has to leave his friends, family, his home and go to a place that he has never been before. Now he has to live in the suburbs in the late 90s, trying to survive his freshman year in a new high school in a new city, state, and environment.
"But I don't want to go, I wanna stay here where all my family and friends are; my life is here dad, why do you wanna take that away from me." I said to my dad while driving off of our neighborhood and going to our new place in the great city of Cleveland; and you know I'm being sarcastic. "Look, I've told you a million times, I got a job offer that I had to take. You know our finances have been a little rocky since the day your mother passed... I'm trying, okay, Rahim." I know it's stressful having a naggy teenager with no help, and I know also he has feelings too. But I feel like he doesn't understand how I feel or what I'm going through since we have to move across the country. I mean, I guess he has to leave his family, but I have school, friends, sports, clubs, and my favorite diner that I go and smash some burgers with my dad while people calling us "Fatties", and all the other important things in my life that I'm leaving behind in Fort Pierce.
Well, hours went by and we were finally in Cleveland. It's not as pleasant as I pictured, obviously not Florida, but I'm just going to have to get used to being here for the rest of my highschool life. I looked below in the glove compartment to find my lucky penny. This penny was a two headed side penny, so if someone asked me heads or tails for something, I would always say heads and use my lucky penny and win every time. "Dad, do you know where my lucky penny went?" I asked. "Uhh, I'm not sure, did you leave it at the house?". I didn't want to say I did, but I honestly had know clue where it could be. I usually placed my penny in the glove compartment of my dad's car. "I hope not, that penny and I had such good memories together, and it was a gift from Alan." Alan was one of my closest friends in Fort Pierce. We used to do everything together throughout elementary and middle school; We used to spend the majority of our weekends together just mostly causing trouble, but not that kind of trouble. I meant by we were just messing around and having a great time as kids. I sure do miss him now.
***
Before we knew it, we were here, at our new... apartments? "Dad, is this the right address?" I questionably asked. "Yep this is the place." Dad said. "You sure, you double checked the paper maps, right?" I questioned him again, making sure we were in the right place. "Yes Rahim I did, now do you want to start unpacking the stuff that we have now or wait until tomorrow when the moving van arrives with our belongings?" I was shocked, I mean dad did tell me that we were going to live small, but I didn't know he meant living in an apartment that should've been in the musical West Side Story. It wasn't the best looking place in the world, but I'm grateful that it's something, and not a corner of a freeway. "Let's wait until tomorrow, I'm way too tired and exhausted to do anything right now." We got out of the car, got our bags, and went inside. Now the first red flag that I saw in this place was that there were mostly only white people there and not really the best smell you would want to walk into.
First night in this hell hold was beyond torture. First, I had to sleep on the carpet floors of the apartment that looked like it hadn't been cleaned since the 80s, that was like eight years ago. Second, it was freezing, outside and inside. Like where's the heater? And finally, I heard over the walls, bed noises, and moaning sounds of middle aged adults getting their groove on. C'mon that's disgusting, I mean hearing that mess almost traumatized me for life. "Dad, do you have any ear plugs? I can't hear a second more of this." I said. "Rahim, that's what couples do to show off their love and affection towards each other. I mean if it wasn't for me and your Mother, then you wouldn't be here annoying me every second of me sleeping here.'' Dad said while hearing the noises and while hearing me complain about it for hours. "True that!" I replied. After that, I sucked it up and tried getting a good night's rest but those people spent hours doing it. I mean, like dang! They started at 11pm and then they finished at like 4am, how is that even possible? Are they like some undercover sex superheros that never stops or what?
Morning stuck, and Dad got up really early for work, already, leaving me here in this BeetleJuice Penthouse that we're living in now. But before Dad went to work, he stopped and ran to Mcdonalds to get me a McMuffin with hash browns and orange juice. That stuff was smackin'. I'm very grateful for my father, he sacrificed his whole life just to protect and support me. I always wondered, if I wasn't born, Dad would've become a millionaire just because of how smart he is, and also he's very athletic, he would have probably been a basketball player too, no an actor. Or both? Getting all the honeys, just like Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan, getting his own movie called Space Jam having Bugs Bunny being his co-star, what a lucky guy, could've been my father.
***
After Dad left, I decided to clean up a little bit before the moving people arrived at our cribb called Goofyvillie, a fun and horror ride that just opened up at DisneyLand. I unpacked the cleaning supplies and started to get to work on the apartment before the moving people arrived to unpack and rebuild the furniture and our other belongings that were packed in the moving van and not put into storage. Hours went by and I was finally finished. After looking at this apartment when I was finished cleaning up this dump, it looked livable after. It felt like some part of my worries vanished after seeing the apartment cleaned. Dad is going to come in like it's another apartment he just walked into, with a great smell, and cleaned carpeting.
Dad came the same exact time the moving people arrived at the apartments. When he was about to open the door in the apartment, I was getting ready for the amazing speech that he'll give me and my reward since he didn't ask me to clean this whole place. Last time I did something like this, Dad took me to Mcdonalds to get an Oreo McFlurry and an apple pie also, sometimes even a large container of french fries from there too.
Dad opened the door and said to me while walking straight to his room and not even acknowledging that I made this place spotless, "Rahim, go downstairs and help the moving people bring out our stuff from the truck." Dad said. I wondered what could have happened to my Dad from just being at work for only a few hours. I went downstairs, opened the door, and went right back inside cause it was freezing. Outside felt like the temperature was supposed to be in the negatives, and I was wearing a thin tank-top, basketball shorts, and some ninety-nine cent flip flops from Dollar General back at home. Was not prepared at all. So I went back upstairs to our apartment, opened the door, and went straight to my father's room to ask if I can borrow a jacket from him or if he could possibly buy me one from target or at any other stores, but preferably target, "Dad, do you have an extra coat that I can borrow?" I asked. " I don't believe I do. Do you want me to buy you one for school?" He asked. I was very happy that he offered to buy me a coat without me even asking, it's like we're the same person.
The moving men came inside and started to unpack our belongings out of the packages. The men inside of our apartment were bulky and built, ready and prepared for the winter. Their coats looked like they were wearing thousands of layers full of coats on. I looked back at my dad and told him, "I DO not want a coat that's going to make me look like a humpty dumpty like these men here." Dad shook his head back and forth and started laughing and said, "Well I mean, if that's the only coat that they have in the stores, then you might have to wear it. You know because you're starting school tomorrow and so forth." "TOMORROW." I yelled. I was not ready nor prepared to start a new school in a new environment, especially when I'm going to be a new freshman, or should I say freshie, in the middle of the school year.
"I can't go to school tomorrow. I'm not ready yet." I said, hoping my Dad would understand the pain and struggle I'm in right now from starting a brand new school where I don't know anybody. "Rahim, you're going and that's final. And besides, I already told the school you were coming in tomorrow anyways." Dad replied after hours of me begging him not to take me tomorrow. "Yea but daddy whyyy! Why are you doing this to me, don't you love me?" I said with a little bit of humor. " I do love you Rahim. It's just that I have to work daily in the mornings til the afternoons and I didn't want you to be alone for hours out of the day." Dad said with a loving tone of voice. Which I understand him, he's trying to protect, love me, and all. But why did it have to involve school? I could've just walked to the Public Library in the mornings and waited until Dad got off from work to pick me up after.
***
Before I knew it, I was there, West Park High School. There were so many students here trying to walk past the hallways in front of me, pushing and shoving. The hallways acted like there was a whole war going on and in order to survive, you had to make it to class on time. I didn't have to go to first period on the first day. I had to go to the guidance office for someone to show me around, hopefully it's not a pick-me, those kids are hell of annoying. I went to Guidance, found the principal's office, and went inside, there was a sophomore waiting for me. "Ahh Mr. Copa so nice for you to join us today here at West Park High School, where we are here for excellence and achievements." Principle Waules said, and yes my last name is actually Copa. "Yea thank you for having me in the middle of the school year." I replied. "Oh no worries, we're actually glad you're here now." he said, "Really?" I asked. "Yes of course, we've done some research to your old school and trust me, if you had stay'd there, then no colleges wouldn't even recognize your existence." he said. Is he for real? I was actually ready to throw some hands because he was talking about my school district. I know it wasn't the best school in America like West Park, but there were still supportive and helpful teachers, amazing people, good tunes in the hallways, and a healthy and calming environment, sometimes.
I walked out after the conversation I had with the principal, and walked behind the sophomore that was introducing me to the school. "Hey the name is Nick Gomez, and you are?" he asked, while leading me to the cafeteria. "Rahim, Rahim Copa." I replied. "Well it's a pleasure to meet you Rahim, and I could tell that you're not from here also." Nick said. "Really? How come?" I asked, looking suspiciously. "Just because you're wearing shorts in 20 degree weather, I mean you have very nice legs. But I just probably recommend wearing some jeans so you don't get sick, you know." Nick said. "Noted... soo what are you into?" I asked. Nick stopped his way while walking in the hallways, while showing me my way around this huge school that I'm gonna have to get used to. "Why do you wanna know?" he asked. " I don't know, I'm just curious. Maybe if we have a little bit of common interest in things, we could be friends or something." I said while looking dead in the eye with him. But he went up closer to me and said, "Or something like what?" he said. "I don't know... let's get back to the question of what you are into, okay." I said while losing eye contact with him. "Okay, um well, i'm really into art, I like to read, listen to music, kickin it, you know." Nick said. "Yea totally. I like some of that stuff minus the reading part, but everything else I like to do." I replied. "Oh well in that case how about me, you, and a couple of my friends after school show you around town, and then we can go to the movies or something if you're interested?" Nick asked me.
I don't know if I should go, or if I'm going too fast with everything in my life right now. It feels if so that I want to move on and start a new life here in West Park. But a part of me still wants to move back home with my people and my life that I've known for my whole life. But life has change in it, and I'm going to have to just take that risk. "Yea sure, I'd love to hangout with you and your friends after school." I answered him after thinking about it in my head. "Great, just meet me at the main entrance when school's over." he said. "Okay, I will, and NIck?" I said. "Yes Rahim?" he answered. "Thank you!" I replied. "No problem! I'm glad I've met you." Nick said. "Me too." I replied. Something tells me this new journey that I'm about to embark, won't be as bad as I thought it would've been.
After school I went with Nick and his band friends, surprisingly Nick was in the marching band and he played the drums on the percussion. While I was walking with his friends; one of his friends showed me a video of Nick marching in the band and he looked so good, he was great at playing on the drumline.
To be continued…
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