Viva La Wayne {Book 1, Short Story Collection}

9. Back When '1975' Almost Killed Me

"You're going back there again?" my dad asked, leaning against the doorway to my room as he watched me tie the laces to my Converse sneakers. "That will be the seventh time this month, Wayne. I don't even see you come back with bags from purchases. Why do you go there if you're not buying anything?"

I was zipping up my navy blue hoodie halfway when I responded to my dad, "I just like it there. I can't have my interests?", before making my way down the steps.

Mom was in the kitchen baking a second tray of sugar cookies for my cousin Marianna's quinceañera tomorrow. I had already bought her a present and kept it wrapped nicely at the top of my closet. It has been two years since I've seen or heard from my cousin Marianna since her family moved to Delaware two summers ago from El Paso, Texas. It was pretty ironic how Marianna's parents despised the country, and yet, the moved into an area that was settled like the country.

Mom was busy talking to Abuela Rosa, my dad's mother, one the phone that she didn't notice me trying to kiss her cheek. I managed to give her one, but her loud voice threw me into a daze as she spoke in Spanish in lightning speed. The fresh aroma of baked sweet sugar cookies filled the entire downstairs floor and made me desire to snatch a cookie from the finished tray of cookies. Yet, I knew that would be merely impossible since my mom was now staring at me as she kissed my cheek.

I snatched the car keys from the dining room table and shoved them into the pocket of my hoodie. Dad was seated in his favorite leather chair with his glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose as he held the TIME magazine in his hands, opened to a random page. I felt his eyes on my back as I started to approach the front door.
He then called my name in his raspy voice as his accent forced itself through his words, "Wayne!" I turned my attention to my dad immediately with my hand around the door knob, hesitating to open the door. He continued. "The car is parked up the street near the corner store." 

I breathed, nodding my head. I gained the ability to open the door and closed to shut behind me. I locked the door and shoved the keys back into my pocket with my hand grasping it tight as I began to walk to the car. It was very rare that dad would trust either me or Rubin to drive his car to wherever we had to go. Rubin was very careful and more dependable than I am.
I'm not saying that I would do something stupid on purpose to prove my point. I'm just saying that Rubin is much older than I am; therefore, making him the 'alpha dog' of the two of us and earning mom and dad's trust more than my chances.

Now that I think about it, it feels like favoritism. I know parents aren't supposed to claim favorites between siblings, but come on. We all know that's not true. I already explained how much they trust Rubin more than me. 

Bullshit if you ask me.

I zipped my hoodie to my collarbone as the chill of the harsh autumn wind whirled against my skin. I felt my face become cold and I threw my hood over my head, tightening it around my head by pulling the drawstring. I finally reached dad's silver HONDA and unlocked the front driver's door to get inside. I closed it shut and strapped myself into the seat before starting the engine. I let the car warm up for a few minutes while listening to the radio. I have the station on 101.1 FM and a song by Vance Joy plays on the radio as I start to pull off to drive on the empty road. It is early noon and a Saturday morning. It doesn't surprise me at all that no one is really out busy in my neighborhood area.
Traffic doesn't start to occur until I reach the express way, but it isn't as bad as it would normally be. In fact, it barely felt like traffic at all.

I come to I-22 and wait for the light to turn from red to green as cars crossover in front of me. The radio station eventually plays Tegan and Sara's "Closer" and my phone buzzes in my pocket. I quickly take it out and press the home button. I read the short text message from Cole, asking for my opinion if he should wear his red Calvin Klein dress shirt for his date tonight with some guy he met at H&M a few days ago, or if he should wear his light blue dress shirt with his dark blue silk vest from NORDSTORM. 
I snorted, curling my lips into a slight grin as I slid the message to the right to respond.