Prologue
“HEADS!” Cherub said as a Basketball was hurling towards Safar’s head.
“What?” Safar said as his head turned to face the oncoming ball.
“Now that was funny” Cherub said back in the locker room.
“Shut up, no it wasn’t.” Safar said as he playfully shoves Cherub into a locker.
Cherub and Safar had grown up together in The Bronx. They were in the same class ever since the 5th grade and now even in Middle School they had many of the same classes together, including of course Gym. Still laughing and “play fighting” they begin to change from their shorts into their normal clothes for their next class.
“Finally man spring break starts tomorrow.” said Safar.
“Break for you maybe I have to get to L.A.” replied Cherub.
“Oh…yea. How’s the rest of the family taking everything?”
“Their taking it alright, my dad talked to the family over there on the phone. Their preparing everything for the funeral now we’ll be over there by tomorrow night. Monday will be the day of the wake.”
“I see…damn man she was just at your place in December. Feels kind of weird knowing that she’s gone now.”
“I don’t know how to talk to everyone over there…my dad told me their taking it well but that could just be an act over the phone you know. When we get there I know it’ll be completely different, I’m kind of scared of that though, I haven’t got a clue about what to say to them.”
The two had finished changing and were walking out of the locker room with grim looks on their faces. It was strange that neither of these two were cracking a joke or up to some type of mischief.
The following day Cherub said goodbye to Safar and boarded a plane to Los Angeles, California. He spent the week with his relatives grieving, and comforting them and then returned home safely. At least that’s what Safar wished had happened.
Chapter 1-First Day of School
"Wow first day of junior year." Safar said as he walked to school.
As he walked towards the entrance of the school he noticed his friend Shawon in the courtyard texing someone.
"Yo Shawon" he yells.
"Your late" Shawon replies.
"Not my fault the bus was late and school hasn't even started yet."
"Get on an earlier bus then I've been here for like 20 minutes waiting for you and everyone else. Your the only one who showed up so far."
"Calm down man they'll be here soon."
Safar sat down next to Shawon as they waited for the arrival of their friends. A few minutes later a school bus unloaded a number of students, including three of their friends Alvi, Rose, and Luma. Soon afterwards Luma's boyfriend Astume shows up with Michelle and Tina.
“You guys take forever to get here.” Shawon said as the group begin chatting about their summers with the exception of Safar who keeps to himself and contributes very little to the conversations.
"Hey the bell just rang" Rose pointed out. "We should go inside and get our schedules."
The group begins walking in as Safar and Shawon fall behind.
"Hey are you ok?" Shawon asks.
"Yea why wouldn I be?" replies Safar.
"Well you seem a little out of it. Like your mind is in a completely different place."
"Well I feel fine man nothings wrong."
"You sure?"
"Yea look lets go pick up our schedules I'll meet you back here in a little while."
"Alright"
As safar walked away he reached into his pocket and took out a necklace shaped like a distorted star. Engraved on the back of the star was the name Cherub.
"I miss you bro..." he said aloud. He puts the necklace on and and feels Cherubs cold name against his chest. Safar picks up his schedule and walks back to compare with Shawon.
"Wait we only have last period free together two days a week." Complained Shawon.
"The administartion loves screwing us over doen't it?" Says Safar.
"Yea they do...damn we always had a couple of classes together since freshmen year and now this crap."
The two sat down bummed out by their schedules.
"I guess we make the best of it now. Can't do much else" Said Safar.
They both got up and went to their respective classes. The day dragged on with everyone happy about being with their friends again but bored out of their mind by their teachers.
Finally last period started, Safar and Shawon met up in the courtyard outside their school.
"How was day one of hell?" asked Safar.
"Painful" replied Shawon.
Rose spotted the two friends chatting and decided to come by and join the conversation.
"Hey guys" she said as she approached them.
"Can you believe were juniors now?"
"Well I can't I still feel like 8th grade wasn't too long ago..." Safar replied.
"Is that what's bothering you?" Shawon asked.
"Wait what's bothering you? Are you ok?." Rose chimed in.
"Really I'm fine I’m just having a bad case of nostalgia that's all." Replied Safar.
"For once could you just not hide it and tell us what's wrong." Shawon shouted.
"Look there's nothing to tell ok I’m just a little bummed out everyone gets like this every once in a while its nothing out of the ordinary.” Safar Yelled.
“Calm down ok your making a scene,” said Rose with a very worried look on her face.
“Were just worried about you ok there’s no need to yell…Whatever is Lunas coming after school today?” Shawon asks.
“Yea she is I’ll probably spend the afternoon with her before I go home.” Safar replies.
“Look I know I’m not in the best mood alright but really I’m ok there is nothing wrong with me at all so you guys don’t have to worry. Sometimes I just think about Cherub a lot and it just makes me a little sad.”
“Well anyone would be sad in that situation but its good to talk about it with your friends or family…” said Rose.
“Yea that’s all were trying to get you to do so you don’t explode later from thinking about all of this crap.” Shawon added.
“Yea thanks I appreciate all of that but I’m fine really…” Safar replied holding back one tear drop he did not want the other two to see.
Shawon tired of trying says “Alright even though I think your lying and just not wanting to tell us what’s really going I’ll lay off.”
“Thank you I guess…” Safar replied.
“Were always here though if you need to talk.” Rose adds.
“Yea I know.”
Safar hung his head low for a while, he didn’t know why he couldn’t talk to them about it. He didn’t want them to worry but the more he didn’t talk about the situation the more it did worry them.
He kept thinking in his mind “Cherub died in 8th grade that was 3 years ago. Why does it still feel like it wasn’t that long ago…Why the hell does it still hurt?”
Rose and Shawon exchanged worried looks, they knew why Safar was bummed out but they didn’t know how to help. An awkward silence passed by for the three, none of them knew what to say next. Finally the bell rang and as it did Lunas was spotted walking towards the school.
“Hey there she is.” Rose said.
It seemed like Safar had been cured of his mild depression, he walked over to her and gave her a hug and kiss.
“Hey how school.” she asked
“Tolerable I guess.” Safar replied.
Shawon and Rose walked over and also gave Lunas a hug.
“Hey I haven’t seen you guys in a while.” Lunas said to them.
“Yea the summer has been busy for all of us.” replied Rose.
“I’d rather be going through my busy summer then coming here.” Shawon said.
“Well that’s too bad were all stuck here now aren’t we?” Safar chimed in.
“Shut up” Shawon said as he gave Safar a dirty glare.
“Guys stop are you really gonna start a fight over school starting?” Lunas said.
“Well their smallish brains aren’t capable of much so they wouldn’t do much damage to each other let them fight.” Rose commented.
Safar responded to this by mumbling a few derogatory terms under his breath.
“Excuse me” Rose said with a raised eyebrow.
“Nothing…nothing at all.” Safar replied with a smile.
"Stop being mean." Said Lunas.
"Its alright he does this all the time anyway Shawon we should meet up with everyone else, you two have fun."
"Yea have fun just done tell me about what you do...creepy people." Shawon added.
"Shut up" Safar said laughing.
As Shawon and Rose left Safar and Lunas begin walking around and talking.
"You ok you don't seem like yourself..?" Lunas asked out of nowhere.
"You too huh. I'm ok not in the best mood but yea im fine."
"Is it because tomorrow is supposed to be cherubs birthday..."
"Oh that? I completely forgot."
"Stop that..."
"Well we'd be celebrating his birthday if some bastard hadn't decided to fire some bullets in his stomach."
At this point safar began to tremble. He fought hard to keep his tears back an once again succeded. "Safar...