I wait a few blocks away from the Gonzalez's house. They're tipping Nick for a job well done at getting their son Gerardo to behave. Everyone in our neighborhood loves Nick not just because he's a great babysitter but because he's "not like the other teenagers" which is true. It's hard to find someone like Nick anywhere else. Someone who loves to listen to your problems and finding out ways on how to fix them in just three seconds, someone who's not ashamed of saying. "Yes I loved Barbie when I was a kid, so what?"
I'm lucky to be his best friend, even though he can be annoying at times with his perpetual dry jokes and sudden outburst in a song like he was in high school musical or glee. He literally thought that was how high school would be like when we first started it. Boy was he disappointed.
Kids and animals also love him, he's a living Disney prince. Literally.
Mr. and Mrs. Gonzalez are laughing at one of Nick's dry jokes. I've got to say the Gonzalez's look stunning tonight. Like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. But one wrong move and they'll wake that little devil up from his sleep. That guy hates me for reasons I don't understand.
Nick had always said it was an accident but I don't believe it. There was a time I left early from my workplace at Cheesy Cheesus. I know, a weird name for a pizza place. Nick had forced me to babysit Gerardo with him. I hesitated because Greta my crush is Gerardo's older sister. You'd think the Gonzalez's would tell their first child to look after Gerardo while they were gone but they don't they prefer Nick instead. Nick dare not ask why they can't tell Greta to look after him, at least he was getting paid.
Anyway back to that embarrassing story.
When I finally agreed to help Nick babysit that devil I went to his house. The boy jumped on Nick enthusiastic and energetic. Then he turned to me.
"Who's this?" The little rat asked looking at me as if I had already ruined his night.
"This is my best friend Alex. He can be your friend too if he acts like a child for once." Nick emphasized on the last part like I should act like a five-year-old for the night and he was serious.
The boy ignored me and pulled Nick into the living room to help him select toys for "the great battle." There were loads of action figures and stuffed animals on the floor. Winnie the pooh did not look like a fighter but Gerardo had the power to do anything he wanted so he did it. Poor Kermit the frog.
As soon as I sat down on the couch. Greta walked downstairs and she was on the phone. She only wanted to get some juice and God was she hot. She wore a pink tank top and black skinny jeans with sneakers. She looked like she was going somewhere. She turned to me. And I just blurted it out like the idiot I was.
"Hey!" She looked at me and smiled.
"Hey." She replies back and then continues to talk to the person at the other end of the line she's still standing there looking at us. Nick nudged my hand and I knew why.
"She's so hot," I muttered which made Nick giggle and I guess the evil devil heard me that was why he got up from the floor came closer to me, and puked all over me. The last thing he ate was cereal and a banana. I turned over to Greta who was grimacing.
"You know what, I wanted to stay home and have fun with my bro but I'll be at the party." She said too that person walking out of the house. She hadn't talked to me or looked at me since then. Like I forced Gerardo to puke on me in the first place. I think he just made that happen. How can you control when you puke or not? There was something weird about that kid but Nick doesn't want to listen to me.
He's too blinded by Gerardo's chubby cheeks and the adorable way he counts in Spanish to see he's actually a monster. That's why I stayed far away from the Gonzalez's household.
1. So Greta won't see me.
2. Gerardo won't kill me
Finally, Nick is done talking to those weird people.
"Goodnight Alex!" The Gonzalez's yell ecstatically waving at me.
"Goodnight!" I slightly wave and I put on a fake smile. Those people smile a lot. If you ask me, Greta is the only down-to-earth person in that family.
They all moved to Chicago in September last year and Greta became popular the minute she walked into Westlake high. I thought she was hot the minute she walked down the hall. Watching her I could have sworn she walked in slow motion and wind was blowing her hair.
Jesus, I'm such a dork.
The Gonzalez's get into their homes and they shut the door behind them now it's just me and my best friend. Finally, we can go home.
"That smile was so fake even I could see it," Nick says.
"Well, maybe it's because you know I don't like them."
"Hmm, I wonder why, is it because you think Mr. and Mrs. Gonzalez are zombies and Gerardo is a demon and Greta is an angel. Yeah, how does that even work?" He does have a point, saying that is like saying two lions had given birth to a donkey and a gorilla but there's a possibility that Greta could be adopted. "You really should lay low on the comic books."
"Don't you ever say that to me." I say pointing a finger at Nick.
"Whatever." He says bringing my finger down.
While walking a black cat stops in front of us. Ugh, I hate cats but Nick loves them it's only a matter of time until...
"Aww, such a pretty kitty." He moves towards it and I expect it to run but it doesn't. I forgot animals love Nick. He picks the cat up and began to pet it.
"Please don't tell me you're taking it home you have two cats already."
"Why? Cause you think having another one will be a catastrophe, get it." He began to laugh at his joke and I roll my eyes trying to suppress a laugh.
"Oh my God!" Nick yelled flinging the cat.
"What happened?" I ask confused because Nick has never flung an animal before even if he had the opportunity to carry a horse he would never fling it the way he just did to that cat. I even feel bad for it.
"Nothing let's go home." He says walking ahead of me.
"Are you sure?" I ask following him and I look at the cat and I swear to God the cat is smiling at me right now showing me its teeth. I stop then I use my hands to wipe my eyes when I open them the cat is gone. Gosh, I need some sleep.
We're at our apartment. Nick and I live next to each other on the fourth floor. We've lived close to each other since we were five. He lives with his thirty-year-old uncle and I live with Julie, my adoptive mom. I never knew my parents. All I know was when I was a baby I was found in a car crash and I was still alive but my parents weren't. Julie decided to take me in because she had fallen in love with me and she wanted me to have a great life. And that I have, because without her I'd probably be in an Orphanage or an abusive foster home and I wouldn't have met Nick.
Nick never knew his dad, it was always him his mom, and uncle, his mom was everything I loved how we'd have Thanksgiving dinner together and open gifts together on Christmas but unfortunately, she died of breast cancer when Nick and I were eleven. I never really saw Nick cry but for months he was always sobbing and we barely hung out.
"Give him some time Al." My mom said and as a kid, I just wanted to play with my friend but my mom educated me on grief. She told me that even parents bury their kids which is the worse thing a parent can do.
I decided to give him his space. All of a sudden there was a knock on the door and when I opened it he was the one smiling and he was his happy self again. I hug him not because I missed him but because he needed it.
"Hello, Dolly," Nick said to the forty-something blonde woman who sat outside her house God knows why.
"Hey kids how many times do I have to tell you to stop walking alone at night, you shouldn't do that."
"You shouldn't drink all the time," Nick said.
"I quit."
"No, you didn't!" Nick and I say in unison. Then she giggled.
"You two know me so well."
"Goodnight Dolly," Nick said giggling a little.
"Goodnight kids."
We're on our floor and we both move to the door. We don't live in a Mansion but us living next to each other makes us feel wealthier than the next Mark Zuckerberg.
"Goodnight asshole." Nick
"Goodnight idiot." We got in and then I meet my mom in her nursing uniform sleeping on the couch probably watching those reality shows and God the worse is keeping up with the Kardashians. I hate that show and Nick hates it as well. He says he doesn't believe in fake people. He used to love it though it was back then when they didn't allow the media to control them but oh well all good things must come to an end.
I quietly put her pink blanket on her body and I turn off the tv then I peck her on her forehead. She moves but doesn't open her eyes. She must have had a long day. She's a nurse after all. I quietly turn off the lights and I head for my room I need to rest before I see birds helping us wash the dishes. I hope that cat was just in my head cause I'm not a huge fan of Chester the cat from Alice in wonderland. That cat gave me the creeps when I was a kid. But as always Nick loved it he even wished he had a cat like that. Typical Nick. But then what will I do without him though?
