If Zacky Was a Drug, Would You Be Above the Influence?

School had become the place I had wanted it to be. Today Physics went as it normally does with me doing the majority of the work and Jimmy putting his expertise in with his much feared crayons. Matt sat there and called himself our “inspiration”. This was fine with me because they made that class go by so much quicker than before.

Right now we sat at one of the large tables in the court yard during lunch. It was Matt, Jimmy, Zacky, Brian, and I. We all purchased trays of food, but we still always fought over the pieces of cake, which was in full swing when Johnny and Valerie showed up.

Johnny lugged a few large text books and dropped them on the table.

“Hey, babe!” Matt exclaimed jumping up with strawberry icing all over his face from his victory of cake today. Valerie smiled up at him and began thumbing the icing off of him.

“Geez, Val, it’s been some time since you’ve been back at the table,” Brian told her as he made room for Johnny to sit beside him.

“Yes, I see. We’ve even had a new addition.” Valerie agreed sitting next to Matt.

“Yeah, this is our new darling Julitta Aversa who moved next to Zacky.” Jimmy said halfway introducing us.

“Well, hi there. I’m Valerie.” She smiled at me as Matt rubbed the rest of the icing on his check off on Johnny.

“Hey, woman!” Matt said as Johnny pushed him back. “You missed some.”

“Well, when did we resort to being a redneck when I lack in your satisfaction?” She said and handed him a napkin.

“Well,” Matt began. “You’ve been gone so long in that library I have forgotten the ways.”

“Seriously, Val. Where’s your beard?” Zacky began. “You’ve been in there with Johnny working on that paper for sometime.”

“Yeah, all cooped up like a chicken. Maybe you should have feathers instead of a beard.” Jimmy countered.

“Hey, Johnny, where’s your beard, man?” Brian pointed out and we all started laughing.

“Yeah, well, senior projects are no joke, and next semester when you guys have English then I’ll get to see you become hermits in the library.” Valerie said with Johnny agreeing with grave nodding of his head.

“Me? Never!” Matt swore. “I don’t even know where the library is.”

“Sure you do,” Brian told him.

“Yeah, I’ve seen you carry Val’s books there for her.” Zacky agreed. “Well, at least I hope it was you..”

“Hey guys! Before we start a riot, let me point something out.” Jimmy began.

“What’s that, Jimmy?” I asked him. We all expected something wacky that can only come from Jimmy, but we were all surprised.

“Homecoming is soon.” He said and pointed at a poster on the side of one of the school buildings.

“Sure is, Jimbo.” Brian agreed. “Do you know of a fair lady to ask to that dance?”

“Wait,” Johnny started. “Homecoming? Guys, that is so not our thing.”

“Yeah it is our senior year though. We might as well go and experience it.” Zacky said, surprising more of us.

“It can’t be so bad. Maybe we should actually go to the dance instead of all of the after parties this time.” Brian nodded and picked at a salad he had failed to touch when he first got it.

“A dance?!” Johnny cried. “Dressing up and all of that?”

“Geez, Johnny,” I snorted. “Its just homecoming. You don’t get too primpy and dressed up for that.”

“But we do get pimpy.” Jimmy stated and waggled his eyebrows at the guys.

“Oh yeah,” Brian and Zacky agreed and slapped hands.

“Except for me of course,” Matt said with his hand in Valerie’s.

“Yeah, I’m the pimp,” Val said agreeably and kissed Matt’s cheek.

“Oh alright.” Johnny said giving in. “I guess I’ll get all pimpy with you guys.”

“Oh lord,” Valerie said rolling her eyes.

“Shut the state down, the guys are getting their pimpy on.” I laughed then Valerie and I shared a look.

“We shall leave no virgins unpenetrated!” Jimmy shouted. Everyone got quiet.

Brian then shoved Johnny. “Run, Johnny, run!”

Valerie caught up with me after lunch when I was on my way to my next class.

“Hey Julitta, Zacky told me that you were looking for a job.” She said falling in step next to me.

“Yeah, I am.” I told her.

“Well, I work up at the mall in a bookstore and we let a couple of people go so my boss is looking for replacements. I’m in pretty good there and I’m pretty sure I can get you set up if you really want it.” She said.

I looked at her. “Thank you! That would be so great. I’ve been looking for a job, but most of them want people out of school.”

Valerie waved her hand in dismissal. “Nah, that’s fine. In the mall the high school students keep up most of the production, so service never really starts until schools out anyway.”

“Thanks, Valerie.” I told her again.

She laughed. “It’s no problem. If you work well then you’ll be helping me out the most. Also, I work today so after school you should stop by there and I can get you to talk to the boss.”

“Cool, I’ll definitely be there.”

Valerie smiled and we departed.

I was just so ecstatic that I finally had a job, or a fighting chance to get one. My Madre would never show it, but she was getting tired of me asking her for money. Then on top of that with the guys being over almost everyday was a bit much. Then she would never show that she didn’t love Zacky, Matt, Johnny, Jimmy, and Brian like her own sons. I was almost skipping to my next class.

I walked up to my car with Zacky and Brian beside me.

“So, guys,” I started. “I might have a job so I’m gunna head over there now,”

“It’s back to lap seats again.” Zacky said.

“Dude, I was so starting to appreciate the feeling of personal space.” Brian said and looked at me with mock hurt.

“Don’t be sad, Brian.” Jimmy said galloping beside him. “My lap is always a warm spot for you.”

I laughed.

“Thanks, dude. Means a lot.” Brian said and jumped into Matt’s Tahoe.

The lap seats was a big exasperation, Matt’s vehicle was way bigger than my mustang and no one would have to sit an anyone’s lap. Well, unless they wanted to, of course, and that was a big possibility.

“Good luck Jules.” Zacky said smiling at me.

“Thanks Zacky.” Zacky was the only one that called me Jules. It sounded funny, but it was special to me coming from him. Then, to my surprise, he hugged me. His embrace was tight and the aroma of Zacky Baker filled my nostrils. He smelled unique, there was the cigarette that he just smoked and hit shampoo, but then there was a smell that was so intimately him. My head swam and if it wasn’t for his strong hug, my knees would have buckled. Zacky had that kind of effect on me. What was even sadder was that I was almost certain that he didn’t have that same feeling for me.

Yeah, I know it sucks.

They departed and I waved out the window of my car and drove off. The mall wasn’t so far from the school. And by the time I got to the bookstore, Val was already there with a black apron on.

“Hey Julitta!” she greeted me. “So I told the boss about you and he’s pretty psyched.”

“Really, so that’s good?” I asked uncertainly.

“Yeah that’s good! He’s kind of picky and I told you I have it in good at this place.” She smiled at me, proud of herself.

Her boss turned out to be a till thin man in his forties. Mr. Thompson was nice, but he was a bit OCD about the store. Other than that he was cool and had a lot of dry humor. Then by the end of our tiny interview where Valerie was present, he was my boss too.

I worked with Val until the end of her shift as part of my training. Turns out working in a bookstore was pretty quiet. Who knew. There was also a coffee shop in the middle of the store and we employees got free coffee on breaks. I wasn’t big on coffee, but rumor had it that they made the best blue berry muffins and I was very much into those.

When Val’s shift ended the next girl came in to take her place. “She’s Bethany from school.” Val said as she went to get her coffee. Bethany was a girl a bit on the tall side that made her seem slim and graceful. She had pixie short blonde hair and wore a lot of make up, but it didn’t look bad on her. “She used to be good friends with me and the guys, but she got into a different crowd and I only talk to her at work now.”

“Oh,” I said. “She’s pretty.”

Val snorted and rolled her eyes. “She’s a total boyfriend stealer, so watch out.”

My eyebrows rose. “Did she try to steal Matt?”

“Yeah, tried.” Val nodded. “But Matt says he’s not into blondes. Unless I was blonde, that is.”

We both smiled at that. “He’s a sweet guy.” I told her.

“Yeah, he is isn’t he?”

With that we walked out of the mall together and departed. I was still happy about the job, but that girl Bethany did make me uneasy.