Forever

1996 Gangsta's Paradise

The night before graduation, I couldn't help but feel extremely overwhelmed. I was excited to go to Los Angeles. I really was, but- now I questioned if I was really ready for it. It felt like just yesterday my dad was teaching me how to ride a bike. Now, after tomorrow I was leaving home. This room will no longer be my bedroom. My posters will stay on my wall, along with my baby blue paint. The paint that'll chip away. My television set will remain on my stand. My favorite childhood books will stay on my book case, and I'll leave. All these things behind. 

The sound of a patter against my window, interrupted my thoughts. I slowly walked towards my window, noticing my best friend with a pebble in his hand. I laughed and shook my head, as the boy waved awkwardly. I opened the window sticking my head out, before whispering. 

"What are you doing?" My parents were asleep, and there was no way I was going to get in trouble the night before I was supposed to receive my 'grandiose' graduation present.

"A few of us are going down to the garage. What do you say we have one last hoorah, before we graduate tomorrow?" He whispered back to me. The garage was where all of the 'Paly Delinquents' would get together to light shit on fire, skate, smoke, drink, and do stupid shit. I hated going there, but James went there multiple times during freshman and sophomore year. The place was sketchy, but at this moment it felt oddly appealing. 

"I'll be out in two minutes." 

-----------------------

Rap music could be heard from down the street, and I was honestly just surprised the cops hadn't come to bust anyone yet. The only people at the garage that I was able to see were Trish, Alicia, and Erik. I heard a revving of an engine, and noticed two cars side by side. Derek was leaning against the side of one, talking to the person behind the wheel. 

"Glad you guys could join us." Trish grinned. "You're just on time.". Trish and I were good friends until freshman year. She's from a  wealthy family, but somehow ended up on the wrong side of the tracks. She sleeps around, steals, and always seems to be on some kind of drug. Her, James, and a couple other people were even arrested for public intoxication sophomore year. Normally I'd feel bad for her, but at this very moment I felt a strange sense of- envy. It was as though the girl had lived, and done everything being a teenager had to offer. What had I done? 

"What's going down?" James asked. 

"Scooter and Derek are about to race." Erik responded. Erik was a few inches taller than me, with jet black hair. 

"Scooter won't stop giving Derek shit about his new graduation present. The boy is obsessed with his new car." Alicia told us. Alicia and I weren't the best of friends, but we were friends. She moved here sometime last year from New York City. She got a lot of shit for being from the east coast, but all the guys wanted to be with her, and all the girls were jealous. She was tall, blonde, and beautiful. Somehow Derek landed her, and they've been together on and off. 

"They're racing here?" James asked. 

"Right into east Palo Alto." Erik explained. "They'll take Camino back around." East Palo Alto was dangerous. It was also right next to the wealthiest part of the city. There the crime rate was one of the highest in the country. I was always way to scared to even cross the border line, but often people went there to buy drugs, and alcohol. 

"They're idiots." Trish shook her head.

"ll bet you twenty bucks Derek whoops his ass." Erik laughed obnoxiously. His laugh caused me to chuckle lightly, before I looked towards the cars. I wasn't necessarily a car enthusiast, but I could spot a good car. I could also spot a cocky jerk from a mile away.