Status: brand new and re-edited!
Vicious Traditions
three.
Matt and his four friends made their way inside the Sanders house after hitting the beach. The temperature had to be about 98 or so, and the sun was lovingly leaving a tan on their twenty year old, tattooed bodies. Walking through the living room, about to go up the stairs, Matt was stopped by his father, the Irish Boss.
“Matthew; perfect! I was just looking for you and your friends. Boys, please sit.”
Matt, Zacky, Brian, Jimmy, and Johnny sat scattered throughout the three couches of the living room, while Mr. and Mrs. Sanders stood side by side. Matt looked at his parents, and held his hands out, a signal to tell them whatever they needed to.
“Boys, you know that being the Boss of nearly half of a state has its benefits, but then, there are down sides. See, you boys’ parents and other family members have been the best help anyone could ask for. However, I have some big news that is going to affect not only my family, but everyone in the Sanders family, if you get my meaning.”
The boys, including Matthew, nodded, still eager to hear the news that his father deemed so important.
“The down side, as I mentioned, of being a Boss would include enemies and always having to watch your back, and the backs of others. However, I have come into very important information that just might end that altogether. You see, the Romano family of No. Cal. have contacted me with an offering.”
Matt’s fists immediately clenched at the dreaded last name that made his blood boil. The Romano’s took his uncle away, and a number of his father’s best soldiers. His friends were just as mad, hearing an earful from their parents every time there was a meeting about the economy when the Romano’s were involved.
“The offering is a part of their Italian tradition that we obviously know nothing about. His first daughter, Nina, is to be married in a few month and we have been invited as a peace offering. He has welcomed our family with open arms and trust me, I have done many background checks on all of his men, so I have accepted the invite on behalf of the entire family.”
Matt and the boys stood up automatically, Matt’s face turning red.
“Dad! What are you talking about?!”
Gary Sanders looked at his wife, and ran a hand across his forehead. Zacky, Brian, Jimmy, and Johnny stood next to their best friend, the shock apparent on all five faces. All of their parents were aware of the situation already, making them feel even angrier.
“Matthew, we cannot feud with them anymore. They have taken your uncle, remember?”
“Yes, Dad, I do! This is exactly why I want nothing to do with them!”
His father walked towards him, resting his hand on his son’s tattooed shoulder.
“Matthew. What I mean is that they can do it again and again until we back down, which I am not willing to do; you know that, right?”
Matt only nodded, waiting for his father to go on.
“Okay, then. We have been invited to their home in No. Cal. on Thursday, which only you, your mother and I, immediate members of the clan, including your four friends here and their parents.”
Matt looked at his friends as his father motioned to them. He looked back at his father, and scratched the back of his neck. His father backed up a bit, his hands going to his sides.
“Dad, I just…I really don’t like that idea. They are a bunch of stupid grease monkeys who have no concept of anything.”
Mr. Sanders’ face went serious as he approached his son again, grabbing his face by his chin.
“Listen, Matthew. I understand your fury towards them; trust me, I do. At a time in my life, I felt the exact same way as you do right now. However, you will show them no disrespect or disobedience, do you hear me? I want respect, manners, and peace towards them, which is exactly what your mother and I are going to show.”
Matt took his face out of his father’s grip, and walked past his parents, his friends following, giving his father an understanding nod, not wanting to come across as disrespecting the Boss. The boys piled into Matt’s room, seeing him pacing, his knuckles turning white from how hard he was forming them.
“Matt, man. Come on; it can’t be that bad.”
Matt shook his head from Jimmy’s statement, and sat on his bed. The boys sat down in the various seats, waiting for their friend to speak up.
“Guys, come on. They are fucking animals! I do not want to even breathe the same air as them!”
The boys nodded in understanding, but Brian spoke up.
“We don’t either, man, but we don’t have a choice. It’s going to happen, whether we like it or not, and that’s the shitty reality.”
Matt nodded in agreement, and stood up from his bed. He reached into his cabinet, pulling out a twelve pack of Budweiser, passing it around. The boys cheered to the hell fire that was known as Thursday, and drank.
“Matthew; perfect! I was just looking for you and your friends. Boys, please sit.”
Matt, Zacky, Brian, Jimmy, and Johnny sat scattered throughout the three couches of the living room, while Mr. and Mrs. Sanders stood side by side. Matt looked at his parents, and held his hands out, a signal to tell them whatever they needed to.
“Boys, you know that being the Boss of nearly half of a state has its benefits, but then, there are down sides. See, you boys’ parents and other family members have been the best help anyone could ask for. However, I have some big news that is going to affect not only my family, but everyone in the Sanders family, if you get my meaning.”
The boys, including Matthew, nodded, still eager to hear the news that his father deemed so important.
“The down side, as I mentioned, of being a Boss would include enemies and always having to watch your back, and the backs of others. However, I have come into very important information that just might end that altogether. You see, the Romano family of No. Cal. have contacted me with an offering.”
Matt’s fists immediately clenched at the dreaded last name that made his blood boil. The Romano’s took his uncle away, and a number of his father’s best soldiers. His friends were just as mad, hearing an earful from their parents every time there was a meeting about the economy when the Romano’s were involved.
“The offering is a part of their Italian tradition that we obviously know nothing about. His first daughter, Nina, is to be married in a few month and we have been invited as a peace offering. He has welcomed our family with open arms and trust me, I have done many background checks on all of his men, so I have accepted the invite on behalf of the entire family.”
Matt and the boys stood up automatically, Matt’s face turning red.
“Dad! What are you talking about?!”
Gary Sanders looked at his wife, and ran a hand across his forehead. Zacky, Brian, Jimmy, and Johnny stood next to their best friend, the shock apparent on all five faces. All of their parents were aware of the situation already, making them feel even angrier.
“Matthew, we cannot feud with them anymore. They have taken your uncle, remember?”
“Yes, Dad, I do! This is exactly why I want nothing to do with them!”
His father walked towards him, resting his hand on his son’s tattooed shoulder.
“Matthew. What I mean is that they can do it again and again until we back down, which I am not willing to do; you know that, right?”
Matt only nodded, waiting for his father to go on.
“Okay, then. We have been invited to their home in No. Cal. on Thursday, which only you, your mother and I, immediate members of the clan, including your four friends here and their parents.”
Matt looked at his friends as his father motioned to them. He looked back at his father, and scratched the back of his neck. His father backed up a bit, his hands going to his sides.
“Dad, I just…I really don’t like that idea. They are a bunch of stupid grease monkeys who have no concept of anything.”
Mr. Sanders’ face went serious as he approached his son again, grabbing his face by his chin.
“Listen, Matthew. I understand your fury towards them; trust me, I do. At a time in my life, I felt the exact same way as you do right now. However, you will show them no disrespect or disobedience, do you hear me? I want respect, manners, and peace towards them, which is exactly what your mother and I are going to show.”
Matt took his face out of his father’s grip, and walked past his parents, his friends following, giving his father an understanding nod, not wanting to come across as disrespecting the Boss. The boys piled into Matt’s room, seeing him pacing, his knuckles turning white from how hard he was forming them.
“Matt, man. Come on; it can’t be that bad.”
Matt shook his head from Jimmy’s statement, and sat on his bed. The boys sat down in the various seats, waiting for their friend to speak up.
“Guys, come on. They are fucking animals! I do not want to even breathe the same air as them!”
The boys nodded in understanding, but Brian spoke up.
“We don’t either, man, but we don’t have a choice. It’s going to happen, whether we like it or not, and that’s the shitty reality.”
Matt nodded in agreement, and stood up from his bed. He reached into his cabinet, pulling out a twelve pack of Budweiser, passing it around. The boys cheered to the hell fire that was known as Thursday, and drank.
