Sweaters by Heaven Evette Creater (books to get back into reading txt) 📖

your artwork and stuff, it’s cool.” I complimented.

 

“Well, thanks……my art’s cool….I’m cool? You know what, I think you actually like me.” he said with a cocky smile.

 

“No, I think you’re a nice stalke though.” I replied. He laughed.

 

“Be it as it may, you like me.” he said with a smile. “I’m your friennnd. I’m your friennnd.” He started to tease. He got up and danced around repeating it over and over.

 

“No, you’re not my friend. I don’t like you.” I said trying not to smile. He kept on repeating it. “No, you’re a stalker. Stop it.” I kept saying.

 

“I’m your friend, you like me and you know it.” He said with a happy grin.

 

“Ok….I like you, but you ain't my friend.” I replied as I folded my arms and turned from him.

 

“That’s fine with me amigo, it’s still close.” He replied happily.

 

“Not even in Spanish.” I said.

 

“Damn.” He said defeated.

 

“Oooh you said damn.” I accused.

 

“So do you.” he said back. We both laughed.

 

“You sure I’m not your friend?” he asked.

 

“Positive.”

 

“Well, it’s getting late. I should take you home, your parents might be worried.” He said.

 

“That’s parent, and he ain't worried.” I corrected.

 

“The word is “isn’t” and I bet he is.” He giggled. “Come on let’s go.” he said.

 

I got my coat, book bag, the Chinese food, and drawing he let me have. He asked me where I lived after we got into his car.

 

“Where’s your mama?” he asked in his accent.

 

“I’m not sure…She left when I was five I think."

 

“Oh…my mama left me too when I was 7.” He said softly.

 

“Why?”

 

“Why’d yours leave you?” he asked.

 

“I don’t know."

 

“Exactly."

 

It was quiet for a minute.

 

“I’m sorry for your loss.” He said.

 

“It’s fine.” I replied softly. "I’m used to let downs."

 

He looked over at me but i kept looking straight ahead.

 

“We’re here.” I pointed out flatly.

 

“Want me to take you up?”

 

“Sure.” I said.

 

We went in the shabby old building and walked to the third floor.

 

“3A.” I said.

 

We walked till we reached my door. He knocked but Mrs. Jenkins came out of her door instead.

 

“Hey Sweaters, who this?” She asked curiously.

 

“Hello, I’m Mr. Rodriguez. I’m her teacher.” He said with a smile as he held his hand out for a handshake.

 

“Damn…..well um…Mr. Rodriguez…you sure is fine. Is there a Mrs. Rodriguez?” she asked laughing.

 

Oh God, this lady is tryin to flirt with my teacher. 

 

“Hi, Mrs. Jenkins.” I said putting strength on the word “Mrs.”

 

“Girl, my husband almost dead. Hey teach, I think I could use a lesson.” She said laughing and flirting.

 

Mr. Rodriguez started to smile nervously. Then Daniel opened the door.

 

“Who is you?” he asked rubbing his eyes and reaching for my hand. He sounded like he was sleep or maybe drunk.

 

“I’m Mr. Rodriguez…her teacher.” He said flatly.

 

“Aw….you brought her home?” he asked.

 

“Yes…” Mr. Rodriguez said.

 

“Aw, iight."

 

 “Come on Secret.” He said reaching for my arm.

 

“Wait…” Mr. Rodriguez said while grabbing me gently by the arm. “Good night. Go straight to bed, school tomorrow.” He smiled.

 

“Goodnight.” I smiled back.

 

After he left, Daniel took a plate of food out of the microwave and handed it to me.

 

“I ate already, thank you though.” I said.

 

He looked at me. “What you eat?”

 

“Pizza.”

 

 “Iight, drink this then. You need it.” He handed me a glass of juice. “Drink it.” He ordered.

 

I took a sip and nearly spit it out.

 

“It’s vitamin juice…..healthy for kids.” He said wobbling to the couch.

 

Since when did this asshole care about my health? After I drank the juice, I washed up and got ready for bed. I had a dream about Daniel. He took me to the park when it was dark, and left me there. When I got home, it was empty. I tried to call his name but no sound came out. I have some strange dreams.

 

Over the next few weeks, it was the same story. Ms. Devil made me eat breakfast. I didn’t argue, I just ate it. I didn’t want any more scars and scratches to lie about. Again Daniel said nothing. I walked past Golden China. The ambulances were gone but some police cars and some stand byers were there with yellow police and crime scene tape. It reminded me of that TV show, CSI. I walked past Mr. Mason’s shop and waved at him. I even felt sick again. Again, I was late, like I cared.

 

Again, Ms. Marie and Mr. Rodriguez would flirt. Even Erica had some shit to say. She was making fun of me because I had a new scratch on my face. I just wanted to know how everyone saw it. It wasn’t even that big! After school, I visited Mr. Rodriguez a couple more times. I couldn't go everyday but I went when I could. I decided to go by there today, it's Saturday and I have nothing planned.

 

“So you didn’t always live here?” I asked.

 

“Here in Illinois?” he asked.

 

“No, here in this country.”

 

“Oh, no I haven’t. Beautiful Mexico is where I lived, right in Cancun.” He answered.

 

“Oh, I always wanted to go to Mexico.” I replied.

 

“You should go one day then, beautiful country.”

 

“Did you know Cancun was once a jungle? I love that, the fact that you can take nothing, and make it into something.” He said smiling.

 

“Oh cool. Why’d you leave?” I asked. He froze again, like he did when I asked him about his baby.

 

“Um….let’s change the subject, please.” He smiled nervously.

 

“Ok. You have any friends?” I asked trying to change the mood.

 

“I have many, but only a few good friends.”

 

“Oh.”

 

 “How about you, where are your friends?” he asked looking at me.

 

I was sitting on one of his tables swinging my legs and he was painting.

 

“My friend is dead and my other friend is my enemy now.” I answered.

 

“Why you and Erica not friends anymore?” he asked.

 

“She got jealous of me and Carlos. She thought I liked him better because we hung out more. She started to slowly become a bitch and---.” He cut me off.

 

“Hey…” he scolded.

 

“Sorry. But anyways, her dad came back from the army and they had a lot of money and she just thought she was just too good for us. She had nice clothes and toys. Then one day she stopped talking to us, and when she did it was nothing nice. Then Gabrielle and Tasha became her new friends…or minions….whatever you prefer.” I explained.

 

“We all had been friends since we were smaller. All I know is that I had one friend left, and now he’s gone.” I finished.

 

“What happened to him…?” he asked.

 

“His mom shot him in his head and chest while he was taking a nap in his room.” I answered. He stopped painting and turned to look at me.

 

“W...Why would she do such a thing?” he asked in shock.

 

“Why do people do a lot of things?” I answered. He looked at me like he wanted to know more. “She said the voices in her head told her to do it. She was a junkie.” I said.

 

“That’s terrible...” he said in disbelief.

 

“No it’s not, I'ts a good thing.” I said.

 

“….Why?”

 

“He was being abused, by her and all her boyfriends. He told me I was his only friend. And I believed him, because he was my only friend. But he’s dead, and that’s good because now he doesn’t have to be hurt anymore. He’s safe now.” I finished before looking down.

 

Mr. Rodriguez just looked at me before he looked down too.

 

“He was supposed to meet me at the secret place that day…” I said.

 

“What secret place?” he asked.

 

“In the woods, there’s this spot out there with a tree, it has an old car next to it. We made it like our own clubhouse. I stopped goin when he died. I don’t even remember where it is anymore I think.”

 

It was quiet for a minute. “I know where that is…” he finally said.

 

“You do?” I asked surprised.

 

“Yes, I took my dogs for a walk one day in the woods and they ran off and I followed them. They lead me right to that car. It was a yellow, old fashion car. Like a beetle or something.” He said.

 

“Yea I remember!” I said excitedly.

 

“I could take you there. Do you want to go?” he asked smiling.

 

“When?” I asked.

 

“How about now?” he replied.

 

“Ok!” I said smiling.

 

“Alright let’s go.” He said cheerfully.

 

The drive to the woods wasn’t that long. It was really a forest preserve and a lot of people walk or ride their bikes on the track. Mr. Rodriguez parked his car in the lot. When we got out and started walking, I asked him about his dogs.

 

“What kind of dogs do you have?”

 

“I have a Female Golden retriever, named Dorada and a Male Maltese-poodle named Mixto.”

 

“Cute, What do they mean?" I asked.

 

"In English,  Dorada means golden and mixto means mix."

 

"But I thought it was pronounced Dorado, not dorada." i explained.

 

“Oh, it's because she’s a girl.” He said. “Sometimes in Spanish, if you’re a female you change the o at the end of the word to an “a”. Like Chico, this means boy and Chica which means girl.” He explained.

 

“Oh.”

 

“How do you know Spanish?” he asked.

 

“My mom spoke it sometimes. She said she learned from someone else. She didn't speak it a lot, she only knew some words and short sentences.” I explained.

 

“Oh, she wasn't fluent you mean.” He said.

 

“Yea, that word.”

 

As we walked the track I kept trying to look for things that would help spark my memory in helping find the tree. I couldn’t find a thing. Luckily, Mr. Rodriguez remembered and we took a shortcut off the trail.

 

We arrived at the tree with the car. I stopped and just looked at it. Carlos died about 3 years ago. I haven’t been here in a while. I wanted to get a good look at it. I walked up to the car and touched it. It was cool and rusty. I opened the door and a squirrel jumped out and scampered away. Mr. Rodriguez started to laugh.

 

“Not funny!” I said embarrassed a little. I started to get in.

 

“Um…I don’t think that’s safe.” He warned.

 

“It’s safe.” I reassured as I tried to climb inside.

 

“Yea, but you haven’t been here in a long time….it may not be safe anymore.” He said.

 

I didn’t try to get in anymore, instead I stepped on the door and climbed on top the car and got in the tree. The way Carlos always did it. I was always scared to do it. I used to always just swing on the swing we made and play in the car. The swing! I jumped down and started to walk towards the swing.

 

“Don’t you dare!” He warned walking over to me a bit. “It looks like it’ll fall to pieces.”

 

“Oh, you’re such a baby.” I teased. As I headed towards the swing again.

 

“Secret, I mean it. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” He warned.

 

I sighed heavily and backed away from the swing. I walked back over the car and opened its trunk. Our snacks and toys we hid in there were still there. Well kinda, looks like the squirrels got to most of it.

 

“What’s that?” he asked. I started to laugh.

 

“That’s the peanut butter and jelly sandwich Daniel made for me.”

 

The bread was green and the peanut butter and jelly was oily in its sandwich bag.

 

“Gross…” he said laughing.

 

My favorite doll Daniel had given me was in there. It was brand new when he gave it to me. Still looked brand new, just needed to be wiped down. Carlos’ favorite teddy bear, Randy, was there. I took it and held it close. The wind started to blow.

 

“Can we leave now?” I asked.

 

“Sure, you taking those with you?” he said referring to the doll and teddy bear.

 

“Yea.”

 

“Alright, let’s go. And make sure you clean those things.” He said softly.

 

On the walk back I thanked him. It was nice to visit and I was grateful for it.

 

“No problem sweetie.” He smiled.