Chapter One Roxana & Malina

The sudden ding from the instant messenger startled Roxana. She went to her computer and looked at the message. Unknown sender, she thought. Who on earth could this be? She clicked the show I.M button.

Birdman77: hey, I’m Cam, I found you on ChatSpace.
Birdman77: Are you there?

Roxana had forgotten that she had posted her screen name on her profile. She debated whether she should answer him or not.

Smiley16: Hey, what’s up? Sorry, I was AFK.
The messages were back and forth, he seemed like a cool kid.
Smiley16: Can you send me your profile link?
Birdman77: Sure http://birdy.chatspace.com
Smiley16: Thanks…hold on.

She checked the profile. “Oh no!” she cried aloud. “Not this asshole! Fuck! Now what am I going to do? He’s never going to leave me alone!” She grabbed her cell and quickly dialed Malina’s number. “You will never guess what just happened to me!”
“What?” Malina responded flatly, obviously her attention was not fully focused on the phone call.
“That kid from ChatSpace. Remember? It’s the kid that keeps friend requesting us with the German flag on his profile. He’s so ugly, I almost feel bad for him. But he seems like a pretty decent kid. Not that I would ever see him as more than a friend.”
“Well, you can always block him if he gets annoying. What if he wants to meet you?”
“I don’t think that’ll happen, but if it does I’m not going by myself.”
“I’ll go, if he brings a cute friend.” It was expected from Malina to offer such a suggestion. She was boy crazy. Roxana still loved her all the same. She told her she would call her back if the kid offered to meet, hopefully he’d spark up a blunt and buy them some beers.

Birdman77: So, what’s going on for tonight? Any plans?
Smiley16: Nah, my friend and I were actually just trying to see what was going on for tonight. What about you?
Birdman77: Nothing, my boy and me were doing the same thing, but none of our friends had anything planned. You want to chill?

Roxana was so used to this Internet meeting thing that she didn’t hesitate. She gave him her cell number and told him to call her in twenty minutes. She had already showered, but had been bumming around in her pajamas. She got dressed and called Malina once again. “OK so the kid bit, he’s going to call me in another five minutes to see where we’re gonna meet. I figured someplace crowded and close to my house in case something happens we just book it here.”
“OK, so how long? Do they have a car?”
“Nah, they said that we could smoke outside, by my house. I just want to smoke. We can have someone pick us up to party later. I just have no dough, and my mom doesn’t get home till later. She’s out with her whatever he is.”
“OK, so where are me and you meeting?”
“The usual, Taco Bell. I’ll see you in 15.” She hung up and waited patiently for Cam to call. She lay on her bed and stared up to the ceiling. Her walls were painted a mustard yellow and a blood red, and the ceiling was plain white. She felt sorry for it in a strange way, like it had been forgotten about. The room was small with two large windows and hardwood floors. Her sister’s bed had been thrown out or given away recently, so there was much more space. Her computer was by the door and her dresser was on the opposite side. The bible, a book that never went missing in a Hispanic household sat neatly in the middle, a rose resting in the center of the bible as if book marking the page of Psalms. Around that, there were all her perfumes and brushes, hair scrunchies, and a bunch of other junk she hadn’t bothered to put away. There were clothes everywhere; her school bag was at the foot of her bed with the contents spilling out. She went to her computer to see if she had any new messages, when her phone vibrated and made her screen go haywire. “Hello?” She answered nonchalantly.
“Hey there, gorgeous. I’m on my way to you right now, where should I get off?” His voice was deep, but he sounded like a complete moron. He failed pathetically to make his voice sound sexy. Roxana stifled a giggle. “Yea, um… you know where Cybernetics is? The Internet café on Ashe? Get off there, we’ll be inside close to the back.” Roxana went to the mirror and put on her peach lip-gloss. She locked her door and ran outside. The large boulevard was crowded with cars and her face was bitten by the icy wind. It was the middle of January but the weather had been crazy. The trees were bare, their branches swayed stiffly, creaking loudly as she passed them. It was isolated, until the friendly light of the 7-11 on the corner illuminated the sidewalk. The Korean barbecue place next door chimed loudly with the din of its diners. Roxana walked past all of it and crossed the street. The Chicken Place and Mattresses “R” Us were on the next block, and then it was the big Taco Bell parking lot. Malina’s sensual sway could be spotted miles away. She was busy jabbering on her cell phone, probably talking to her boyfriend Ari. He was a total asshole, but Malina loved him anyway. No matter how many times he cheated on her, she always ran back. Roxana knew from personal experience that the guy was no good. As she waited for Malina to get to where she was, she stood in thought.

Roxana had been walking with her sister Peyton’s boyfriend Michael. They had just picked up some pot, and were headed back to their place to smoke it. She saw a familiar face in a car that drove past. “Yo!” she yelled, “I’ll be back.” She headed in the direction of the car, which was stopped at a red light. A familiar figure stepped onto the sidewalk. It was Ari, tall, blonde, and handsome. Piercing pool blue eyes and full pink lips. It was summertime, and his pale green t-shirt showed off his chiseled tan arms. She had always been physically attracted to him, but he was a scumbag, and her best friend’s on and off boyfriend. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing. I’m driving around with my boy headed to pick up some stuff.” Ari dealt coke and ecstasy pills. His shit was always grade A so Malina said, but Roxana had never really tried his stash. “Where are you off to?” his eyes looked her up and down. She looked good that day. She wore really tight jeans and a red t-shirt with a thin ¾ sleeve hoodie, which showed her flat stomach. Her hair was loose around her shoulders, gelled to give it that wet curly look. “Well, hey me and my boy gotta get going, our connect is waiting, he’ll skimp my shit if I’m late, the bastard.”
“OK, I’ll see you around.”
“Lemme get your number, I’ll give you a call tomorrow.”
“I thought you were going out with Malina, we sort of had a little fight, so I haven’t spoken to her.”
“That chicken head. I don’t want anything to do with her. She’s a lying slut. Here.” He handed Roxana his cell phone, she punched in her number and saved it. Although she wasn’t talking to her best friend, she felt a pang of guilt for giving him his number and it hurt what he had said about her. She dismissed it, thinking about why they had fought. The next day, he called her.
“Yo, sexy. I’m feelin’ lonely. Wanna come over and watch some movies with me?” Roxana saw nothing wrong with watching a movie, and she had nothing planned, so she took a shower, dressed and rode the bus to his house. She got there, and he had made lunch for her, and they drank some liquor and sniffed a little coke. Roxana rifled through his CD collection and yelled out questions to him in the other room.  They finally settled down to watch a movie, when he suddenly pounced on her and kissed her. “What took you so long?” she hadn’t meant to say this, but Roxana was a cunning charmer by nature. It obviously turned him on, because the next thing she knew they were both naked. She lied on her stomach and waited anxiously for him to enter her. Malina and her had always been open about their sex life, so according to Malina, he was a real sex god. Boy, was she disappointed. She faked everything, the moaning and the squirming and the pillow grabbing. She hadn’t even felt him in there, and he came just as quickly as he had gone in. “Did you come?”
“Yea, did you.” Roxana hesitated. She nodded her head. She continued to be completely infatuated with him, while he waited for her cab. She kissed him on the lips good bye, and heaved an exasperated sigh in the comfort of the taxicab.

Roxana’s flashback was interrupted by Malina’s squeaky voice. “Oh shit, bitch. You scared me.”
“Where are we meeting these fuckers?” she smiled. Malina was of average height. She had curly blonde highlighted hair and a heart-shaped ass. She always wore gold heart shaped earrings and a Coach bag on her arm. She had tan skin and a really curvy figure. Roxana had always been in love with her, but she was too chicken to say anything about it. “We gotta get back to Cybernetics on Ashe Street. Wanna hop on the bus? Or should we just troop it?” Malina looked around in thought, her up-turned nose wiggled like I Dream of Jeannie. “Let’s just walk, save whatever money we have for later.”
“OK, so let’s go. They should be there by now. I’m not sure where they were coming from though.” They walked the opposite direction, passing the restaurants and 7-11, an abandoned parking lot, and the train tracks. They crossed the street and walked into the dim lit café. “One, please,” the little Oriental man walked them to their usual computer station in the back by the bathroom. The little Asian man knew what they were up to when they went, but he never said a word, he appreciated the business the two girls brought with them every time they came. They went on ChatSpace and waited for Cam and his friend. “What if they’re ugly?” Malina broke their concentrated silence.
“Well I know for a fact that Cam is. I don’t know about his boy, Taylor. If not, then they’re just good to smoke a blunt with once in a while.” The bell on the door jingled, and Roxana leaned on the arms of the chair to see above the divider. It was definitely Cam, but she didn’t see Taylor. She waved Cam over to the back. He was tall and lanky with a big nose and little beady brown eyes. He had light brown almost blond hair and wore a big North Face bubble jacket and gray sweats. “Hello, ladies. You ready to spark up?”
“Sure,” they replied in unison with equal enthusiasm. They got up, and walked to the front passing several computer stations with people talking to family members in distant countries. The blast of air woke her up from the heat-induced fatigue from Cybernetics. They walked across the street in the direction of Roxana’s house. There was a little park on the corner of Samson and Myrtle where they wouldn’t be bothered. “So what are you girls into?” Roxana rolled her eyes. She hated that question, it sounded like she had to respond with fetishes she had. “Smoking, partying. You know the usual stuff.”
“Dude, you are not rolling the blunt. I will kick your ass, fool. You always make a loose canon it’s so annoying.” It was the first thing Taylor had said since they met up. He was really tall, about six feet, with dirty blond hair and blue yes that changed color depending on his mood. He slouched a little when he stood up straight, and he had a broad white-toothed smile. It was dark now, so most of his features were shadowed. Roxana nudged Malina, and slyly pointed in his direction. Malina did the so-so motion with her hand and wrinkled her nose. Roxana was a little surprised; she thought tall blond and blue-eyed guys were her type. Works out for me, she thought. She felt intrigued by him. At the same time she didn’t like his arrogant first impression. He had never said hello, and he never directed any conversation towards them. Taylor finished rolling and lit the blunt. He passed it to Roxana smiling at her. She smiled back but his disappeared as quickly as it came. “Hey, listen, it’s a little cold guys. I wish I could invite you to my house but my mom will interrogate you guys. I don’t think you guys want to go through that.”
“Sure, no problem Lexi. We’ll throw you a call tomorrow.”
“OK, well my birthday is next week, we can chill then,” she replied. She smiled her gorgeous broad smile. “What about you, Taylor? Are you chillin’? “
“I guess… if I got no plans.”
“Ahh, so you have more important people to see?”
“Nah, I just don’t know what I’m doing.” Roxana stopped smiling, unable to tolerate his arrogance. They said their goodbyes and they went their separate ways. Roxana’s house was warm and inviting. The TV was blasting some Spanish channel and there was a commotion in the kitchen. “Mom, we’re home! What the hell are you doing?” Arlene’s small frame peered into the hallway. “Where the fuck have you been? These dishes have to be washed, and you’re fucking room is a mess! I can’t do everything by myself. The least you could do is do the things I fucking ask you to do! Goddamn it! When are you going to apply for a job so you can get the fuck out of my hair?”
“When I fucking feel like it! Do you always have to embarrass me in front of company?”
“Malina’s not company, she practically lives here. Hi, Malina. When are you going to get a job yourself?”
“When your daughter does,” Malina laughed, disappearing into Roxana’s room. Her mother was constantly yelling at her about something. She got used to it and learned to just shut the screaming out. Even so, her mother always found a way to push her buttons and piss her off. Her mother was right, she should get a job, but Roxana didn’t want to be another mediocre asshole chained to the system. She wanted to do something she enjoyed, whatever that was. Her mother was also pissed because she never graduated high school, but when she told her that she was leaving, she never made any attempt to stop her. Arlene had always let her do whatever she wanted, but bitched at her afterwards. If there was a problem at school, Arlene pulled her out and transferred her to another school. Until recently her mother didn’t even care what happened to her. She had dumped her and her sister at Roxana’s father’s house to move in with her boyfriend. They never even received a call to see if they were alive. The only time her mother called was when she needed something looked up on the internet, like a plane ticket or to rent a car when they went on vacations somewhere. Roxana didn’t care, she just wanted out. She followed Malina into her room and scooted her of the computer. “Call someone so we can get the hell out of here. My mom is on one of her rampages and she’s not going to let it go till I leave.”
“What the fuck is her problem bro? She needs to get laid or something. Anyway, we always go through this. I don’t have anyone to call until nine. It’s 7:30. We could eat here and go back to my crib, or we can just vegetate here. Is your mom going out?”
“Ma! Are you going out?”
“I have an appointment with Dr. Salem in a little while, why?”
“Just wondering! All right so we have time. We just gotta be out of here by 10 the latest.” They surfed ChatSpace and waited for phone calls. Roxana’s mind wandered to Taylor.