Yuree
The house was a mess . A total disaster , and had someone come in here they would not have been able to believe that people actually live in here . There was dirt on carpet as if a wheelbarrow had just dumped it's contents from a construction site . A smell hung in the air like burnt noodles and fried rotten eggs , I tried not to gag . I walked into the house and I heard the flip and flap of cards with background chatter . This meant only one thing . Gus was having poker night and all his friends were here . I walked up into the dining room and saw Gus sitting with his three bestest friends .
" Hey look who's come to see us play ? " a man with a big black moustache said looking at me . He had a cigarette in his mouth . They all did but he held the cigarette with finesse like a man with his lover . And cigarettes were surely his lover because I always him with one in his mouth. This man was Rodrigo . A Mexican friend from Gus's days in highschool .
" Hey kid , your back ? " Gus said turning around and so did the other two men in their seats .
One man was a big bulk of a man with a tattoo design on his exposed right arm . It was a wolf smoking a cigarette , with the words ' Huff and puff ' under it . The man had a white vest on that I'd never seen him without . His name was Bradley but Gus and company called him Brad . He didn't smile . Ever .
The last man was a short guy with a small fluff of what used to be hair on his head . He had a double chin from fat more than physical design . He wore a green open cap like poker players in movies . He was always one to give a joke . Usually he was the only laughing at those jokes . His name was Richard .
" Yeah . " I answered ready to turn around and quickly go up to my room .
" Wanna see me mop the floor with these guys ? " Gus asked smiling .
" Except me Gus " Richard said patting his nearly bald head ," No hair left to mop with . " He laughed and as expected he laughed alone . I shook my head and was about to turn around but -
" Hey kid " Brad said looking at me " I heard one of the kids round my area say you got boys after you . "
Wow , news travels fast , I thought dejectedly .
I put up a false smile ," Yeah but I can handle it ." I said to Brad and he just raised a brow .
" Well the kids like a model with for sale sign . Not his fault, he's blessed like his Mama ." Rodrigo said looking into the kitchen admiringly . Gus snapped his fingers infront of Rodrigo's face.
" That's my sister ." Gus said making it clear how he thought about the whole idea of Rodrigo blatantly admiring mom .
" And that's your nephew . " Richard said ," When he brings home some gangster what you going to do ?" .
When did this discussion become about me ? I thought .
" Eh nothing . His life , his rules . " Gus said shrugging it off ," My folks always tried to put rules on my head but I ain't them . Yuree can do what he wants, when he wants . It's Amanda who's always babying him ."
" Can she baby me ? " Rodrigo asked looking at the kitchen again . Gus gave him a swap on the head .
" Back to the game , you bull. " Gus said redirecting everyone to what they were doing .
I turned finally ready to leave the group of misfits who looked and acted like they belonged in a crowded bar ...in prison .
" Hey kid ." Brad said calling me again .
Why !?
" Yeah ?" I asked looking back . Brad had his hand outstretched towards me . A burning cigarette was between his fingers . I looked at him questioningly , what was this for ?
" Go on kid . Take a puff ." Brad said and I gaped . He wanted me to smoke ? I thought stunned .
" Brad what you doing ? " Gus snapped , "The kids seventeen ."
" You said he can do what he wants , when he wants . So he can puff if he wants to , right ? " Brad said .
" We were talking about him and his heart not him and his lungs . If Amanda sees you handing that to him , she'll kick you out . And me afterwards ." Gus said reaching to grab the cigarette but Brad tossed it at me .
I caught it easily between my fingers .
Everyone sat looking at me , waiting to see what I would do .
Brad's face was serious , Richard looked ready to laugh , Rodrigo was smiling encouraging me to do it and Gus looked like he would have a heart attack .
Well , why not ? My life , my rules right ? I thought , I remembered what Terry said . " You only live once ."
I blew out a deep breath and put the cigarette on my lips . It tasted sour . I got ready to take a puff then I heard footsteps coming . I immediately took the cigarette out and tossed it back onto the dining table .
Mom walked in carrying a pack of beer . When these guys were playing she was their unofficial waitress . She mostly brought beer but sometimes she brought snacks like cookies or fries .
" Yuree , your home ?" she said smiling . I nodded my head and smiled .
If she had seen what I had been about to do ...it does not bare thinking.
" Senorita Amy " Rodrigo said smiling fondly . Mom was looking at me so she didn't hear him . Thank goodness !
" What did I say ? Back to the game ." Gus said with finality and all members looked at the cards in their hands like nothing had happened .
" Yuree , how was school ? " Mom asked me pulling the free chair kept by the corner just for her . She cracked open a bottle of beer and gulped a big swallow.
" It was okay mom . Nothing special happened ." I said sourly , she knew I didn't like talking when she was drinking .She put the bottle down then folded her arms .
She gave me her attention .
" So nothing interesting ? " she asked softly and I looked to side .
" Something interesting ! " she said smiling triumphantly .
" No ... nothing ." I lied .
She shook her head , " I know you're lying . "
" How ? " I asked dubiously and she chuckled .
" It's simple , you always look away when lying . When you get married it will be obvious when you say ' I do ' whether you mean it or not . If you look in your partners eyes then you'll mean it ."
" That's not fair . I should be able to lie sometimes ." I said .
" No , lying is bad ... atleast if you lie to your mother . Now stop trying to change the topic . What happened at school ? "
I hated it when she was so smart . No surprise I got my intelligence from her .
" Ummm ...I " , I didn't get to finish my sentence . Richard waved his hand to get mom's attention . This earned him a glare from Gus who wanted to focus on the game , a smile from Rodrigo who saw his cards as he waved them about and a shake of the head from Brad because he showed Rodrigo his cards .
" Yes , Rich ? " Mom said " Do you need more beer ? "
" No , I just want to tell you things your son has been up to ." He said smiling wickedly . Both me and Gus looked at him with fear . Me , because I didn't want mom knowing about all the attention I was getting from the boys , she might think I wasn't paying enough attention in my studies or that I was becoming promiscuous . I think Gus was worried about the cigarette thing , I was too but I could just blame it on him for not stopping me .
" Okay , Tell me ." Mom said looking at him .
Richard smiled and then he picked up a card , he flipped it over . " Your son is like this . " he said brandishing the card .
Mom frowned at the card . I looked at it with an odd mixture confusion and apprehension .
" The queen of hearts ? " she asked confused .
" Yeah , He's got alot of hearts ... hopefully he won't break too many ." He laughed loudly at what he said , again he made the worst jokes .
" What do you mean ? I don't understand ...wait , is Yuree a ...a toyboy ? " Mom asked with a look of fear . Toyboy was a term mom used for those type of boys who are happy to date anyone who comes by . Not because they're lonely but because they want to see how far they can play with their partner . After awhile they drop their partners or ( more often ) their partners drop them , the way you would a toy . One day your together and the next you act like total strangers . It was a temporary type of prostitution for my mother and her greatest fear since I told her I liked men . Which was when I was six , she has never forgotten to warn me about it since then .
" No ...He's just really popular . I think because he is like his Mama ." Rodrigo said smiling admiringly .
" Like me how ? " She asked him and he opened his mouth but Brad was quicker . Turning in his seat to face Mom , he said in a flat voice ," Yuree is fuckable , so it seems ."
I gaped at the language . I wasn't alone , mom's jaw had dropped and her eyes were wide .
" Smooth Brad , really smooth ." Gus said sarcastically folding his arms and glaring at Brad , who just shrugged . It was the truth wasn't it ?
Was it really the truth ?
" Yuree ? " Mom had found her voice , I blinked away some leftover shock before talking .
" Yes mom . "
She looked at me slowly with a frown , her eyes scanning me . Then after a moment she breathed a deep breath and picked up the beer bottle from the floor . She took another huge swig from it and placed it down .
" He's right . Your just as me at your age . " She said simply . I was stunned ! Was my own mother saying I was ... fuckable ?
I couldn't believe it .
" Well it's no surprise . " She continued looking sour ," You have some of your Father's features but most of you looks like me . And if I am right , then Brad over there is not the first person to tell you your attractive , is he ? "
I thought about Terry , " Your hot " he had said . So , apparently I was. If mom agreed .
" But don't be a toyboy . Okay ? " Mom said quickly ," Don't waste that beauty of yours . I didn't and neither should you ."
" I know mom ." I said awkwardly . It felt strange talking about this with the Gus group right next to us .
" Okay . But Yuree just promise me you'll wait for that special someone to come . I waited and got your father , you'll be lucky too."
" I know ...Can I go to my room now ? I have alot of homework ."
I said , I needed escape ! This was beyond awkward !
" Okay . " She said and I turned to FINALLY leave but she called me back .
" Yuree ? " and I begrudgingly turned back .
" Yes mom ?"
" How is the bee ? "