18 Days

“CJ!!” I exclaimed laughing as I pulled him into the air laughing. He barked in laughter as we walked through the almost vacant mall. I smiled. and threw him up into the air some how managing to maneuver him on my shoulders. Passing very few people with bags in our hands as he held on tightly to what was left of my exposed shoulders.

“Mom, we gonna go to drum lesson’s after?” CJ squealed excitedly.

“Yeah little man.” I smiled as I saw a mall cop walk up to us.

“Excuse me miss he can’t be on your shoulders.” A mall cops seethed. I looked at him and sighed setting CJ onto his feet as the mal cop disappeared.

“Why can’t I be on your shoulders?” CJ asked sadly.

“I don’t know bud.” I said as I took him into Hot Topic. I smiled as he picked out, Iron maiden, Transplants, Dropkick Murphy’s, Misfits, and of course Rancid band tee’s. I smiled as we each got clothes. He grabbed a pair of black skinny’s looking at them carefully.

“Want to get them?” I asked.

“Yeah.” He nodded with a smile and we began looking for a smaller size for him. I looked at him and the jeans.

“Try those on first, you might not like them.” I said softly, looking at him curiously. He nodded and we tried on all of our clothes. Making sure they fit. I smiled as I waited for him to come out with the skinny jeans. He walked out with them on and just walked for a bit.

“I love them!!” He almost shrieked he ran back into the dressing room. I smiled laughing at how hyper of a kid he was.

“You want to get some more?” I asked pulling him up by his hands.

“Yeah.” He said excitedly.

“Alright bud.” I smiled seeing how happy he was getting a pair of jeans he loved.

“I want to wear them.” He said looking at the jeans as the clerk was about to put them into the bag. I saw the clerk smile.

“Go put them on then.” He said handing them to CJ who was in awe at the clerk. He ran into the dressing room quickly, not having to worry about anyone being in there as we were the only ones in the store.

“Thank you so much.” I laughed.

“No problem.” The clerk laughed.

“Hey guys just shout if you need any help.” The clerk said ringing up the rest of the total as a group walked in.

If only I could keep CJ this happy, always

“Alright that’s going to be two hundred and seventy one dollars and forty three cents.” The clerk said with a laugh. I smiled and pulled out my wallet from my pocket. I gave him two hundreds and two fifties the clerk laughed and gave me my change.

I smiled grabbing our bags.

“Thanks.” I smiled again.

“No problem.” He smiled at me brightly. “Ever thought about getting a lip ring?’ He blurted out. I looked at him and laughed.

“I thought about it but then I decided not too.” I laughed.

“Why not it would look good.” He said. “Angel bites would look almost natural.” He said.

“Yeah, I had angel bites for a little while back, I think the holes still might be open.” I shrugged.

“Ever thought about putting them back in?” He asked.

“Yeah, I loved them.” I smiled.

“You should definitely put them back in though, they’d look sick.” He smiled.

“Thanks, You got me thinkin’ about it now! I’ll probably go buy rings!” I laughed the clerk soon following me in laughter.

“Well there in the case.” He laughed.

“I’m going to go look!” I smiled brightly walking over to the case waiting CJ to come back out of the dressing room.

Purple rings, black rings, silver rings, white rings, Blue bars, silver bars with colorful screws.

I looked at the piercings as some one came up next to me and began looking at the piercings on the adjacent side.

“Dude, matt what are you doing?” I heard a voice ask. I brushed it off.

“Looking for Jesus dip shit.” I heard that rougher, deep voice retort making me freeze in my spot.

“You can’t find Jesus if he’s running from you!” I heard that higher pitched sarcastic voice retort as foot steps thudded towards us.

Act natural, don’t pay attention to them. Just get the silver ones like I want.

I breathed in shakily looking through the glass.

“Hey.” I said towards the clerk. He looked over and smiled bringing his keys out.

“Find some?” He asked.

“Yeah.”’ I smiled pointing to the plain silver and then the plain purple ones.

“Alright.” He handed them to me with a big grin on his face, I smiled softly trying to return the gesture. I heard their conversation carry on like there was nothing in the world.

“Fuck you man!” I heard Zacky say loudly. I then felt a sudden force being shoved into my side. I lost my footing making me stumble and trip over my feet.

“Oh shit!” I felt two thin arms wrap around my waist quickly, stopping me from making contact with the cool dark colored floor.

“Are you okay?” I heard that same awkward voice say, the same awkward voice I’ve been missing since I’ve departed.