When Happily Ever After Fails

The smog hanging in the air made it thick and rank. To Ricky, the air had never tasted better. Even if the fumes were deemed unhealthy for human consumption, he was positive that there was nothing that could be better for him. The bittersweet tang of pollution lingered on his tongue and forced him to smile in a way that he thought he had long since forgotten how to

"Los Angeles?"

Ricky turned his head to see Tucker stepping off of the train with severe confusion showing all across his features. It took everything in his power to not flash his trademark grin; but he had a much better idea forming in his mind.

"What are you talking about? This is New York," he replied with a blank look on his face. The corners of his mouth begged him to allow them to turn up in a playful smirk, but he held back in favor of a glimpse of the eye-bulging expression that Tucker was now sporting.

Tucker looked around for a few moments, trying to find a reason why the city could not possibly be be New York. Glistening sunlight reflected off of every surface imaginable and Tucker shielded his eyes from the blinding brightness. They were at the train station off to the East of the city, meaning that they were no where near the beach. No wavering palm trees would be helping him to win his argument.

"Wait! Maybe this little note on our tickets that says to transfer in LA means that we're supposed to get on that train over there that says one way to New York," Finally. Ricky dared to glance at Tucker and allow the corners of his mouth to twitch up so that it looked like he was poorly attempting to conceal a a mocking smile full of feigned innocence. "Just maybe,"

Returning the grin, Tucker punched Ricky's arm lightly in a friendly gesture. With ever increasing uncertainty, Ricky shoved Tucker back gently. He had often seen boys treat each other in such a manner at school, but never had he taken part in such rough housing. His friends and himself had always taken on a more serious demeanor, so he wasn't sure whether or not he was doing it correctly. Fake fighting for fun had never made much sense to him considering how often he was in real fights for purposes other than entertainment.

"You're actually a pretty decent guy, Ricky. I'm sorry for the way I've treated you in the past... It really wasn't right. I just didn't want to go back to how things were when I lived in New York..."

"What do you mean?"

"The kids at my old school had a contest going to see who could kick me in the balls the most by the end of the school year..."

"You're shitting me, right?"

"I am doing no such thing."

Ricky watched Tucker for what seemed like ages to see any tell that he was lying. There were no little flickers of amusement dancing in his eyes and his face was blank with memories that were miles away. Somehow, Ricky couldn't manage to help himself. It started as a low rumble, but quickly grew to a rich, booming laughter. Bewildered, Tucker only stared in a hurt and confused daze. Shortly after he realized what he had just said, he saw the humor in the situation.

The boys were still chuckling as they boarded the train and flashed their tickets at the conductor. Scenes flew by at an alarming rate. Sky blues and a medley of forest greens blurred together until it all seemed to form a mosaic of colour. Every once in a while, little bright flashes of colour flashed on the screen and made him dizzy. Cities and towns passed in a whirl of gray and Ricky was surprised at how even one solid shade could make his head spin when seen at the right speed.

It was in one of those moments halfway between sleep and consciousness when the full weight of the situation hit him square in the chest. They had no clue whatsoever what to do when they got there. As far as he could see, they had no plans for when they got there; only an address scribbled down in haste eight years before by his sister as she was being kicked out of the house.

Ricky could hear his mother screaming at his sister from the landing above the stairs; they were standing in the porch. He flinched at every word she said. As far as he knew, the only thing that had been keeping his parents together had been their mutual dislike of his sister. what would happen when she was gone?

"I'll give you to the count of ten to get the fuck out of my house!" His mother screeched.

"Let me say goodbye to Ricky, then!"

"I don't want you contaminating him!"

The screaming carried on for another several minutes before he couldn't take it anymore. Within a few minutes, Ricky was heading down the stairs at top speed, bawling his eyes out. When he got to the bottom of the stairs, his sister, Marissa, caught him as he tripped over the last step.

"You got to learn to walk, buddy," she said through a tearful smile. She checked over her shoulder and saw that their mother had left them to say their goodbyes. "Make me a promise, okay? If anything, anything at all, ever gets too bad, go to this address."

She handed him a scrap piece of paper that had obviously been pulled out of a notebook, Within a few seconds, she had left the house, and their life. She promised she was right, but both of them knew that she never would.

Ricky sighed at the memory and decided that this wasn't the moment to panic. His sister was many things, but he knew that she only ever had his best interest at heart. When he couldn't keep his mind whirring any longer, he finally succumbed to sleep and let his eyes rest.