In Laymon's Terms

“What do you want?” she said, looking frantically around for Danny, the newest love of her life.

“Are we gonna go?”

“In a second, I want to see if...” There was nothing left to say. Her latest crush walked out the back door of St. John’s, eyes darting, looking for someone. Monica ran into the middle of the street, pretending to be looking for someone else, but hoping he would look in her direction. Then he did.

She smiled. He smiled back and started walking over. She threw her hair over her shoulder, grabbing a strand to play with while she looked over at him seductively. He got closer. She could feel herself sweating under her button-down shirt.

Oh my God, she thought.

Her brother was cracking up.

Cindy looked on in horror.

Danny’s smile widened and he walked right past Monica, to the girl behind her. Their tongues were out even before their faces met and then it was over.

Steven was hysterical laughing. Monica, mortified, headed for her brother to kick the shit out of him.

Whap!

She cracked him across the skull. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he glanced quickly at Cindy to make sure she didn’t see. He sucked it up, but Cindy didn’t care anyway. She walked quickly over to Monica and put an arm around her shoulder. They walked away whispering. Steven followed a few feet behind.

“It’s okay. He’s a jerk anyway.”

“You have to say that cause you’re my best friend.”

“I know.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“He is still a jerk.”

Cindy never had these problems, Monica thought. She was perfect and she never even looked for a boyfriend. Every guy flocked to her and she could pick and choose. You didn’t need a boyfriend when every guy on earth wanted you.

“What are you doing tonight?” Monica asked.

“Nothing. Why, you need company?”

“It can’t hurt.”

“Sure.”

“Hey, I have an idea,” the unwanted voice from three feet back said. He had been listening. He felt bad for his sister, but he would never let her know that. Besides, he really did have an idea. This would get me in with Cindy for sure, he thought.

“Hey guys, I said I have an idea.”

“What do you want, Steve?”

“There’s a really cool story I heard and mom would never let me go by myself.” Well, that sounded stupid.

“What the hell are you talking about Steve?”

“Be nice to him, Mon. He’s a kid.”

Oh great, he thought.

Cindy slowed, putting an arm around Steven and ruffling his hair.

I’ll take what I can get, thank you very much, he thought, a small smile finding his lips.

“There’s this cool house at the end of Corban Place, where Bill told me a guy killed his wife and kids and then cracked himself in the head with a hammer.”

“That’s not true and you know it,” said Monica.

“Is too. Bill said when the cops found them, the family was all cut up in pieces and the dog was eating the guy. He said the cops couldn’t even go in right away cause it smelled so bad.”

“Shut up. I am not in the mood.”

“Let him talk,” said Cindy.

“Yeah, let me talk,” Steven said through a huge smile, and worked his way closer into Cindy’s armpit so that his cheek was touching her breast.

“I think we should go there. Mom gets all weird when I go out at night, but if we go together, she won’t say anything.”

“I think we should do it.”

“Easy for you to say. You would do anyone...I mean anything.” Monica smiled.

“Ha, ha.” Cindy punched her in the arm.

Cindy’s perfect, thought Monica. She is adventurous and beautiful and popular and it’s fucking annoying. I wish I were more like her.

“Let’s go. I’m serious. It’ll be fun.”

“What? A dirty house where a psycho killed his family? Yeah, right.”

“Yeah! Right!”

“Are you serious?”

“Come on, Mon. Can we?” said Steven.

“Whatever. Fine. We have to find something to tell Mom, though.” Hey, maybe if I were a little more like Cindy, I would be happier with myself. I’ll do it.

Cindy lived three blocks down so they said their goodbyes at the corner. Two guys were right behind them as they walked away. Steven looked casually over his shoulder to make sure they weren’t following. They weren’t wearing uniforms, but they were wearing their colors. He wondered if they heard.

“You serious, man? We gonna go down there?”

“What are you, some kind of bitch? Did you see that pussy with the short skirt?”

“So?”

“We go to the house. We wait ’til it’s dark. We beat the shit out the kid and then we gots two fine young pussies to ourselves.”

“You got yourself a point, motherfucker. You got yourself a point.”