Falls Street (10) “He’s gone,” Ray said. “I don’t think we should bring it up. It’s better for him that way.” “Yeah,” Crash said. “Why?” I asked. “Let’s not get into it,” Ray said. “You know what they think he did to those little boys he was watching. The less we talk about it, the sooner everyone will forget about it.” “Do you think it’s true?” I asked. “We’re not talking about this,” Ray said. “It doesn’t matter what we think. We’re just kids in all this. We can’t do anything one way or another.” “All right,” I said. “I’m sorry I brought it up.” “It’s okay,” he said. “You’re punching out Tommy Compagna gave people something else to talk about at least.” “Yeah,” Crash said. “A lucky shot, dude. If he’d have saw you coming, he would have ripped you a new ass hole.” “Probably,” I said. “But, I don’t fight fair, if I fight at all.” “Good,” Ray said. “Because everyone knows he’s looking for you. Renee told us yesterday that he was down on Green St. asking the skanks if they’d seen you around.” “Yeah,” I said. “He’s been going to gym, waiting for you,” he said. “And Randy Ruth’s calling you a little bitch for hiding out. I don’t blame you, though.” “I’m not hiding out,” I said. “Yeah,” Crash said. “What have you been doing? Playing videogames, watching porno movie? Come on, man. People are talking about you.” “And they talk to you, too?” I asked. “Yeah,” Ray said. “All the time.” “Who?” I asked. “Well, that’s what we wanted to tell you,” Ray said. “You see we were at the ball park and…” “I don’t want to hear the story,” I said. “Just tell me the specifics. I’ve got a headache.” “Okay,” Ray said. “Guess who comes up to talk to us?” “I don’t know,” I said. “The beer and peanuts guy?” “Your girl,” he said. “And she wanted to know where you were and what you were doing.” “What’d you say?” I asked. “Relax man,” Ray said. “I’ve got you covered. I said you didn’t feel like going out, and she said, ‘too bad’…. She actually said it was too bad you weren’t there. Do you know what this means?” “Yeah,” I said. “She heard about Tommy, do you think?” “Who hasn’t?” Crash said. “The point is that you have a shot here man,” Ray said. “Yeah,” I said. “I don’t think so.” “So you have to come to the ballpark tomorrow night,” he said. “She won’t be there,” I said. “She’s having a party.” “Yeah,” Crash said. “I heard about that. I know some people going to that.” “Well, you know people there,” Ray said. “You could get us in, right?” “Us?” I asked. “What’s this ‘us’ shit?” “Well, you could go it alone if that’s your style,” Ray said. “But, I just thought you’d want the back up ‘cause of Tommy. He’s got a lot of friends and…. Shit maybe you ought to stay home.” “I didn’t say I was going,” I said. “Good,” he said. “It’s funny,” I said. “But people talk to me about you, too. Why do they still do that?” “Really?” Ray asked. “Who? What’d they say?” “Just Connie Stults,” I said. “She told me to bring you to the party.” “You bastard!” Ray said. “You’re already invited to the party? And she said to invite me?” “Yeah,” I said. “You’re not kidding?” Ray said. “Connie Stults just walked up to you and invited you to a party?” “Jesus,” Crash laughed. “It must have been all that sweet talking he did at the ball game.” “What’d she say about me?” Ray asked. “She said you’re funny,” I told him. “Funny how?” he asked. “Funny stupid? Funny cool? How funny?” “I don’t know,” I said. “You’re just funny, I guess.” “I am?” he asked himself out loud. “He looks funny,” Crash said. “Shit,” he said. “We’re going to this party, now. You realize this.” “I’m grounded,” I said. I couldn’t help laughing though. “Oh, get real,” Ray said. “Tell your mother some bullshit story, you’re good at that, right?” “I suppose so,” I said. “I’m still not sure I want to go to this thing.” “Look,” Ray said. “Sarah Highroad wants to get to know you… You, whose been pining over her for weeks. There’s a party at her place. Her parents aren’t home. This is the kind of thing you’ve been jerking off to for months. Just get some clean clothes together and go. This opportunity comes once in a lifetimes man.” “I guess,” I said. “How are we going to do this?” Ray asked. “We’ve got to have some kind of plan, here. We can’t go into this thing cold. We’ve got to have some kind of in.” “That’s no problem,” Crash said. “You’ve got me. Just stick real close, and I’ll take care of it. I’ve got it under control.” That was his subtle way of saying he was bringing weed. That would do it, too. We’d show up with Crash, and we’d be at the center of a cluster of people for sure.
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