Rooming With Elvis

Chaper 17: Elvis

"I LIKE THAT YOU'RE BROKEN, BROKEN LIKE ME, MAYBE THAT MAKES ME A FOOL!" Jane shrieks, and I laugh. It's already been a hell of an experience, and it's only been two hours. Memphis is another four hours away. I started driving after the first twenty minutes because Jane insisted that she had to be the DJ. All she played was lovelytheband and AJR. My least two favorite artists. Coincidence. Anyway, she won't stop playing Broken, and she doesn't just play it, no, she screams it. And I have to have the windows open, because the AC is broken. Everyone in surrounding cars stare at her and it's super embarrassing. But, the only thing that matters is that she is mine and only mine. She's super adorable no matter what she does. With her golden hair flowing gracefully in the wind, and her brown eyes shining bright. There's nothing more perfect than her. I still regret ever cheating on her. The one thing I didn't tell her was I was getting money from the hoe to pay for her anniversary gift. I probably should've just taken up a job.

"Hey, you! Are you paying attention?" Jane yells, and I laugh.

"What do you want, my ever so loyal girlfriend?" I respond.

"Can you sing with me? Just once? I love hearing you sing!" Jane pleas, and I can't say no. Her begging ALWAYS gets me.

"Okay fine, but not to this retarded song. Do you have Blue Suede Shoes by Carl Perkins?" I ask, praying that she does.

"Yep. That's the only song I like by him. You're lucky," Jane informs me, and all the weight is lifted off my chest. This is my all-time favorite song. "Playing the song in three, two, one!"

Carl Perkin's guitar fills the car and my spirit is immediately lifted. The first lyrics come on and I am immediately immersed in the song.

"Well it's one for the money, two for the show
Three to get ready, now go cat go
But don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes"

People stare, but I ignore the looks and focus more on singing. When the song ends, I regain my breath. I turn to Jane. Her mouth is hanging wide open.

"What? Did I do something wrong?" I ask as I turn back to the road.

"Holy shit. That was AMAZING. You should record an album or something. That could sell for big bucks. I mean, holy crap. How long you been singing like that?"

"Uh, I don't know, my mama always liked my singing, so I just kept singin to her. It progressively got better and better, to the point that I had to stop singin because it was drawing too much attention. People would stop me and tell me they'd pay me to sing at different events, which I refused. My singin was strictly for my mama only. So the only thing I could think to do was stop. I even stopped singin for my mama. Then I got ashamed of it. The boys started calling me gay and other rude comments. They knew it got under my skin, and it did. It really did. So I started physically retaliating. One day it got way out of hand. The biggest boy of our grade, Maximus, teased me, and I punched him. He started beating me up, and the teachers split it up, but not before he gave me this scar," I point out the faded scar. I wait for her to murmur condolences before I continue.

"He got me good on the side of the head, and I guess I deserved it, but I was just a kid at the time, and I thought my life was over. I ran home right away and cried to my mama. She spanked me for getting into a fight but was also very, very concerned. So concerned that she called the school and scolded them. I laugh now, but at my foolish age, I was mortified. Of course, the boys got in trouble, but they also knew why they got in trouble. That made them tease me and tease me, which made me more and more violent, and that worried my mama. My papa didn't like that I was snapping at him, and he's spank me, day after day. I'd scream, and mama would yell at him to stop. The house was not functional at all. But, I turned my act around, and all was happy again. The end!" I end abruptly, not wanting to tell the actual, horrific end to the story.

"Well, that was one hell of a story. Anyway, what did you do to turn your act around?" She asks cautiously.

"Oh, you know, the usual stuff," I respond quickly. Maybe too quickly. Jane glances suspiciously at me and probes further.

"So, how did your parents react to your sudden change?" She asks nonchalantly, and that's the last straw for me.

"I didn't change, okay? What actually happened is something I don't talk about. And I don't ever recall or think about it. It's too, well, it's too everything. So I kindly ask you to stop. Thank you!" I roar, and Jane sits there stunned. "Sorry," I apologize after a few seconds. "It was just the worst thing I've ever done in my life, and it's not something I'm proud of at all."

"It's okay, but oh my bejesus. I've never seen you that mad in all the years I've known you. And that's a long time. It must have been something terrible, if you are that mad."

"Yeah, it really was."

It's all your fault!! My father yells after I told my parents about my suspension. They didn't take it well.

"No, it's YOUR fault! You're the reason the kids keep picking on me, and YOU'RE the reason I got suspended!!" I blame them.

"No, Elvis, it's not all our fault. Maybe callin' the school wasn't the best option, was it Vernon?" Mama asks Daddy, but I will not have a stand for her sweet talk.

"No! It WAS your fault. You called the school after I repeatedly begged you not to and told you this would happen! You just HAD to ignore me. I'm a kid, but I know more about the monsters at the school more than you do! Why wouldn't you listen to me?? Oh yeah, I know, because you think I'm a nobody, and I'm sick of it! I won't stand for it! I'm leaving, and never coming back," I shout, and run to my room at pack my stuff. I throw random things in my suitcase and sprint out the door with a plan.

"Elvis? ELVIS!" Jane shouts and shakes me.

"Yeah, what's up?" I ask like noting ever happened.

"Something, apparently, because you almost hit that truck!" She exclaims, and I laugh.

"I don't know, I was just lost in my mind I guess. But the bright side is we didn't hit the truck!" I fake excitement, hoping she won't think something's up with me.

She obviously does, from the way she looks at me, but drops the subject.

"Well anyway, how far until Memphis?" She asks me, changing the subject.

"Uh, three hours to go," I answer, and she looks defeated.

"Memphis here we come," she says half heartedly, and slumps down into the seat.

This is going to be an exiting three hours.

sorry the update took so long. school is taking up all my time and it SUCKS.