All These Years
The past can something fatal to remember.
However, it can peaceful in the time of November.
From one to the next, dreams are the escape.
Hardship and Rehabilitating,
could be something Easy and Refreshing.
Friends from one side to the next.
Nothing prepares for what happens in the future and its effects.
After an entire, aggravating week of moving, they’re officially New Yorkers (yay.). Miranda first wakes up to arrive earlier to work, for the meantime she’ll cook breakfast for the both of them. At seven o'clock, Roberto’s alarm goes off with its obnoxious noise and frightens the young man. Causing him to fall off his bed and slam his face to the floor like he’s a cartoon character getting excessively hurt. Since middle school, Roberto became a heavy sleeper and often required loud noises to wake him up. One time, Miranda got up and found a set of cymbals that was disposed in the garbage bin. If you’re following along then you’ll figure out what she did with it next. Let’s say it didn’t end up nice and pretty for the rest of the day.
“Ow, son of a fucking bitch!” He muffles on the floor, face planted.
After getting up from the floor, he walks up to the mirror and immediately notices the bruise that covers the top left of his forehead and surrounding a bit of his left eye as well.
“That’s just amazing, especially for today.” He mumbles to himself.
A sense of anxiety begins to overwhelm him, his emotions, and his mindset. He shouldn’t feel this way because this is basically a part of his routine. Move with a new family, state, school, etc. Perhaps he’s feeling this way because of his commitment that Miranda and him swore yesterday or was it when they arrived? He sometimes forgets things or maybe most of the time. He couldn’t tell the future or the past and even if he could… let’s just say he’s seen a lot of Doctor Stran-- Who, WHO!! and Sci-Fi stuff in general.
In order for a great day to start, one necessity that Roberto always needs is music. An artist or band that never lets him down when it comes to a good time is Queen. He sings and dances to all of their greatest hits while getting ready. Roberto continuously gets distracted by the bruise, maybe he’ll leave it to show a tough guy that will mess anyone up or a coward that can barely take one punch. Finished and ready to devour the succulent smell that seduces him freely. Turns out that he left the bruise they way it is and walks to the kitchen acting like as if he’s a badass.
“Bobby, what the hell happened?” Miranda shockingly asks. “What do you mean?”
“I’m not a dumbass, how did you get that bruise? Wait, was it the alarm again?”
“How did you know?” Roberto asks her.
“Mother’s sense and you’ve done this before.” Miranda admits.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did. I had to apply some makeup on you to hide it.”
“Why did you do that?”
“It was grandma’s funeral. You know how she felt when you get into fights before. Also, I didn’t want everyone to think that I’m not a good mom.” Miranda explains.
“You’re the best mom I ever had and don’t want anyone to replace you. Come on let’s eat.”
After arriving to the table and eating a breakfast that Denny’s or IHOP would have made finished them off. Miranda begins to wash the dishes and asks him a question that she hasn’t asked for a while.
“So, are you excited for Midtown Bobby?” Miranda asks nervously.
“I guess. I never told you that I ran into someone that wore a shirt that said “Midtown School of Science and Technology” on it.”
“Do you remember what he looks like?”
“From what I remember. He’s caucasian, shorter than me, brown hair, and looks like he applies too much hair gel.” Roberto tries to remember him for Miranda. “That’s all I know.”
“I hope you become friends with him.” Miranda suggests
“Why do you say that?” Roberto asks unsurely.
“Well… didn’t you mention that he wore a shirt with that name? If he did then I’m pretty sure he goes there. Also, the accident, he probably lives on our floor. So, you guys might as well.” Miranda explains her reasons why. Miranda always trusted her guts when it came with people, she was never wrong how a person is good or bad.
“What if he’s like a complete asshole or maybe a murderer?” Roberto asks her sounding dramatic.
“First, he’s probably not and second don’t be dramatic about it. Do you think anyone allows a murderer into anywhere?”
“If they don’t know if they are, trust me I seen movies.”
“Stop it you’re going to be fine.”
Roberto was unsure by her statements because he can make friends at Midtown like every other school he’s been to. The problem is that he inevitably leaves his friends behind because of being transferred. It’s annoying that this is his inevitable routine that he gets constantly gets reminded in his mind. Miranda and him take off and drive to Midtown through the crowded streets of Queens.
Eyes shut, rapid eye movement commences, and the psychology behind him enters. Just him sleeping in the back of the car, a teenager sleeping like a child. Begins to reminisce about a time when he lived in Michigan. Living over there was decent and no problems conjured except for the bullies. It was recess after he left the cafeteria, and his best friend at that time was waiting for him at the tree near the entrance of the school. They were playing soccer together by themselves, it was just them against the world.
“Ok, my turn to be the goalie.” Roberto breathes heavily after a intense match between them.
“No, it’s my turn still.” Teddy lies. “Dude, I let you do it for three times today. Give it to me Ted.”
“Fine, but you’re going to have get it from me.” Teddy challenges him while sticking his tongue like the immature child he was from what Roberto remembered.
“It’s on blondie!” Roberto shouts in anticipation.
They ran throughout the whole field with Teddy running a few inches ahead of Roberto. Imagine a gazelle being chased be a lion wanting to eat his prey, there’s no cannibalism in this though. If you’re into that, move on to another story in AO3. Anyway, Roberto tackles him to the ground near the upper right side of the fenced field.
“Gotcha Blondie!” Roberto announces like a proud, egotistical king such as Joffrey from Game of Thrones (glad he died) and sticks his tongue out.
“Fine, fair game. I surrender to our majesty.” Teddy sarcastically pleads.
As they both walk to their spot, they both see a kid in their grade who was heavier than both Roberto and Teddy together. He was getting bullied by two kids that Teddy and Roberto despised, they ran up to them to try help him.
“Leave him alone Jax and Jameson.” Roberto demands them to stop, but it didn’t intimidated them. “Or what? Let your boyfriend do it for you.” Jax makes fun of him.
“First, we’re not dating. I have a girlfriend and what do you want with him?” Teddy intervenes in the conversation.
“Well, we don’t have money for lunch. So we wanted to ask him for our help.” Jameson came in explaining. “Hey fattie, we’re helping you out.”
“How are you helping him out?” Roberto asks the both of them. “We’re helping him out if he gives us the money we can eat and he can lose weight by not eating lunch, so his crush can like him.”
In the background, they both see him tearing up trying not to make a commotion.
“You guys are fucking assholes!” Roberto shouts out and throws a punch at Jax’s nose brutally.
Seriously, it was probably his strongest punch because Jax was bleeding profusely. Jameson comes up and punches Roberto in the face. Roberto falls to the floor as well, while Teddy tackles Jameson to the floor punching him after. A group of students circle around as they fight commences chanting “Fight!” or “Weaksauce!”(because 2000’s slang). Few teachers picked them up to stop fighting, Teddy and Roberto get sent to the nurse while Jax and Jameson were sent to the principal’s office.
An hour later after the fight, Roberto and Teddy had several bandages in their faces and arms. What they didn’t expect was the boy arriving to the door and visiting them.
“Hey guys.” The boy greets himself in a sad tone.
“Hey man, how are you?” Roberto asks him concerningly.
“I’m fine, I’m sorry for what happened.” He answers while trying to hold back tears.
“No, it’s not your fault man. It’s Jax and Jameson’s fault. They were being mean to you.” Teddy explains to him.
“Yeah, they were being mean to you. We don’t like to see anyone picking on people, it’s just not right.” Roberto cut in on the conversation trying to explain it wasn’t his fault.
“Here sit down with us.” Teddy insists on him sitting right next to them.
The boy sits right between them and they put their arms around him. “Look always stand up for yourself. It’s not going to be easy, but you’re going to be strong like Arnold or Hulk Hogan is. It sounds as cliche and stupid as shit.” Teddy peacefully tells him.
“Language!’ The school nurse shouts out sounding like she smokes a pack of cigarettes everyday.
“Yes, Ms. Wilson.” Roberto apologies sarcastically, rolling his eyes behind her back. Good thing she couldn’t tell sacrasm.
A knock from the door echoes throughout her office, turns out it was the kid’s mother.
“Hey, I gotta go. Thanks guys for helping me out.” Ned thanks Roberto and Teddy.
“Wait! We never got your name.” Teddy runs up to him with Roberto following along.
“My name’s Edward, but my friends call me Ned. If I had any.” Ned tells them sadly.
Teddy and Roberto both turn to each other’s glances and nod their heads simultaneously. “My name is Teddy.” Teddy shakes his hand.
“My name is Roberto, nice to meet you.” Roberto shakes Ned’s hand too. “You wanna spend the night this weekend. We’re going to stay up watch Star Wars, play with LEGOS, and tell scary stories.”
“Mom?” Ned asks his mom looking up. “Of course you can baby.”
Suddenly Roberto wakes up.