Chapter 15: Peek a Boo

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Feeling as frustrated as always, Street turned back to his apartment... still talking to himself.

"I know I've been a screw up all my life, but I think I deserve some slack, God. Just let me have my girl home! I need her here!" he pleaded, as he closed the front door

I'm gonna check on the kid and then take the longest cold shower of my life. he thought as he knew he needed to calm down if he was ever gonna catch some ZZZs.

He went over the kid's room. He opened the door and stuck his head in. Rubio was peacefully sleeping, sheets all the way to his jaw as he lay on his side. Just before retrieving, something on the bedside chest caught his eyes. He tip toed his way inside, trying to keep the noise to a minimum.

He took two steps, then felt something on the floor peek through the skin of the bottom of his left foot. "Oow!" he whispered as he grabbed his foot

"AAAAAHHHHH" the kid yelled, as he rose in an instant to his feet, landing on the other side of the bed.

In a swift move he tossed both pillows at Street and flashed a big carving knife. "GET OUT! ¡LÁRGATE PAL CAR*JO!"(Get the hell out!) he yelled repetitively

"STOP! STOP! IT'S ME!" Street yelled, both hands in front of him.

He tried to get the teen to calm down but nothing worked. Rubio was enraged! He grabbed the knife in his fist and took violent swings at Street. Then, Street remembered the negotiation and training seminars he had taken,  for he realized the boy must've been having a psychotic break. According to the training, those occur when something provokes  the individual to relive a traumatic situation. He was taught to never engage in a physical confrontation with someone in the ordeal, but to remain calm. Another important aspect he remembered was that sometimes victims tend to open up or reveal details of the attack during these episodes. So, with a swift move, Jim dug one hand unto his pocket and pressed the home button on his cellphone twice, then clicked on the screen.

He breathed deeply, then took a step towards the wall, switching the light on. It revealed a teary petrified teenager, holding a knife and breathing hard.

"Rubio, it's me. Jim! Relax" he said in a soothing voice tone

"Please, man...don't! Don't do me like Marcos and Sebastián! ¡Por favor, te lo ruego! (Please, I'm begging you!)" he said as he began to cry loudly. He wept and sobbed, as now the tears wet the floor. The teen was inconsolable! 

"Rubio, relax. Ok, buddy? It's me, Jim, remember?" he said softly, as he slowly took a step closer to the teen, "Listen, I'm gonna ask you to put the knife down, ok?"

"¡NO! ¡ESO FUE LO MISMO QUE LE DIJISTE A MARCOS!" (No! You said the same thing to Marcos!) he yelled between cries. He kept wiping his face with his free hand and swerving the knife towards Jim with the other. "Hiciste que se volviera loco y se matara. ¡Alfrente de mí, canto eh c*brón!" (You made him go crazy and commit suicide. In front of me, you f*cker!)

"I don't- I don't understand what you are saying- Sorry."he said slowly, lamenting his lack of understanding of the language. His only consolation was the recording on his phone.

 However, the kid was blind to the world. He kept screaming and yelling things Jim couldn't comprehend. It was at that moment he regretted Chris' departure even more!


RIIIING

RIIIING

"Hey Street! What's up?" answered a cheery Luca

"Hey Luca" said a tired Street

"You sound tired, man."

"Yeah" he answered dryly

"Listen, tomorrow I told the guys to meet up and head on to Hondo's house. Go and congratulate him on the new baby coming soon. Whatcha say?"

"I don't think so." Street answered with the same stale tone

Luca was puzzled with Street's answer, as there was an awkward silence. "Um...ok? You're- umm- skipping work tomorrow Jim?"

Luca was getting a weird vibe through the phone. Jim was usually a talker, yet his answers have been dry and to the point. He had a bad feeling about this!

"Probably."

"Everything ok, bro?"

"Not really."

"What's up? Where are you?" he asked desperately, now fearing the worst

"I'm at St. Mary's."

"What? You're in the hospital? What happened, man?" Luca asked panicking

"Rubio went at me with a knife, then slid his wrist. Suicide watch."

"Oh my God!" Luca was speechless for a moment. "You want me to meet you there?"

"If u want."

"Talk to me, bro. It's gonna be ok. You need anything, Street?"

"Chris" he said dryly

Luca placed the ice scream bowl he had just served himself in the fridge and ran to his room. With keys in hand, he grabbed a towel, a blanket, a jacket, some socks, toothpaste, a new toothbrush, and some long pants and stuffed them inside of a bag as quickly as he could. Many thoughts ran through his mind as he knew what awaited him was a long night, but...his friend needed him! He thought of calling Chris, but then changed his mind.

"Hey! What's the rush?" Terry asked, from his computer desk

"I gotta go to the hospital." he answered quickly, closing his bedroom door behind him

"Who?" he asked stopping his movements to stare at Luca, who froze in front of his door

"You can keep asking me stuff or you can help me, bro."

"Alright, let me save this." he clicked and left the room

Both brothers rushed to the truck, as Luca explained the recent events to Terry. Both were worried, as they had created a great bond with the kid. However, as much as the kid was in danger, Luca was more worried about Jim. He sounded devastated!

They were about 5 minutes out, when...

RIIIIING

RIIIING

"Hey, Hondo!" he greeted as he grabbed the cellphone with one hand and the wheel with the other

"Yo, Luca, you alright?"

"Yeah" he paused, "You know what? No. I'm not. I'm worried about Street and his kid."

"I wanted to talk to you about those two, but...what happened?" Hondo asked confused

"Seems the kid attempted suicide. Slid his wrist."

"WHAT? Dear God!" Hondo said almost out of breath, "Listen, I know it's a bad time, but if you can get Street to give me a call. It's about his kid's trial."

"What about it?"

"Calvin got Katrina to help out and she might be able to help clear the kid."

"I wish those could actually be great news in this moment, boss."  Luca lamented

"Listen, let me know if y'all need anything, aight? ....and don't let Street out of your sight! Something tells me he might do something drastic."

"Like what?" Terry whispered to Luca curiously

"Like what, Hondo?" Luca echoed into the phone

"Did he asked for Chris?" Hondo asked

"Uh oh!" both brothers said staring at each other




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