Lasting Impressions. John Schlarbaum
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becoming hard to control. He rolled onto his side, pulling his knees to his chest.
"I can make all their dreams come true," he said to the empty room. "Without me, they'll achieve nothing."
Dale concentrated on how exactly he'd help these three teenagers. Almost asleep, his eyes flashed open revealing a devilish look - the kind that children have nightmares about.
Several seconds later, Dale's eyes closed, but from deep within him, a growling voice wished those in need of his help to sleep tight.
"See you in the morning, my new friends. Tomorrow will be full of surprises. I promise you that."
CHAPTER EIGHT
After disposing of Frank, Edward and Mark returned to Mark's house to drink. With his parents away on vacation, they wouldn't be disturbed.
"You sure gave it to Frank," Mark said. "He's such a dickhead. Of all the role models to choose from in this world he picks Jeremy Atkins. What a loser!"
"Especially when he could better his miserable life by choosing me," Edward laughed. "Actually, can we not talk about Jeremy, unless it's to plot his demise?"
"What demise?"
Edward ambled to the fridge and grabbed two beers. "The demise we're going to plot tonight," he said, placing a bottle in front of Mark.
"Is this about what happened this afternoon?"
"Do you know why I punched Frank in the gut?" Edward asked, changing topics.
"No."
"It was because of his blind devotion to Jeremy, who would have continued to ignore him if he didn't need Frank's help to boost his calculus marks. I was knocking some wisdom into him." Edward's fingers tightened around the neck of his beer bottle. "What about you? Where do you stand? Are you with me or not?"
Sink or swim, Mark thought. Do or die. The time for a life changing decision was upon him. "I'm in."
"I figured," Edward said, "because you're like me - striving to be something bigger in this one horse town, but being led by the nose by Jeremy Atkins. He thinks he's the best thing this place has to offer. We know differently."
"And this has zilch to do with you finding Jeremy and your ex-girlfriend making out?" Mark asked.
"Maybe a little," Edward replied with a sly smile.
During movie night a few months earlier, Edward had offered to go on a snack run. Once outside, he decided to look back through the living room window, thinking of knocking on it to scare his best friend and his new girlfriend, Sharona. Instead, he got the shock of his life when he saw them kissing on the couch he'd recently vacated.
Back in the house a few moments later, he found the two separated with Jeremy back on the loveseat.
"Did you forget your wallet?" Jeremy had asked casually. "I can give you a few bucks if you need it."
"I think I have some money in my purse too," Sharona chipped in.
Edward had stared daggers at them. "I think it's best if you leave now and go to the store together. That's if you can make it there without jamming your tongues down each other's throats some more."
The final line produced the expected angry responses until Edward pointed to the window and the jig was up. In rapid succession, Sharona claimed Jeremy had forced himself on her, while he stuck with a story of testing her relationship loyalty, and that she'd failed miserably!
Edward had no idea who to believe, nor did he really care. He'd only been dating Sharona a short time and wasn't sure how serious he was about her yet. As for Jeremy . . . he always seemed to be on the prowl, no matter if he and Susan were together. After Sharona left in tears, Jeremy was close behind, still trying to justify his actions, but also asking Edward not to tell Susan what had happened. "She wouldn't understand, even though we're currently on a break."
"Whatever, Jeremy," Edward replied as he slammed the door closed behind him. "Susan deserves better," he said to the empty hallway. "Way better."
The tension between Edward and Jeremy lasted a few weeks until the idea that they were fighting because of a cheating girlfriend felt stupid. Edward still didn't know why Sharona would have done such a thing, but was glad she was gone regardless.
He didn't believe Jeremy's story for a minute, but Edward played along like all was forgotten and forgiven. As he had excised Sharona from his life, Edward would take similar steps to break away from Jeremy, however, it would be done on his terms.
The Mark & Edward Show ended unceremoniously with both passed out, exhausted and drunk from plotting Jeremy's downfall. With Mark aboard, Edward figured each side in their gang had two strong-willed individuals to do battle, which seemed only fair.
***
Frank awoke sore and angry. His stomach felt as if he'd stepped in front of a cannon, instead of Edward's fist. The scene in the parking lot had played on an endless loop in his dreams, infuriating him more.
After breakfast he decided the best way to get back at Edward and Mark was to tell Jeremy what they'd said behind his back. Luck is on my side, he told himself, as he saw Jeremy walking by on the sidewalk, sporting dark sunglasses. As Jeremy drew closer, Frank could tell he was in pretty rough shape.
"Hey, Jeremy, tough night?" Frank asked. "With your parents away, you and Susan must have had a great time all alone."
"It was explosive to say the least," Jeremy shot back. "Please leave Susan's name out of any further conversation."
"Alrighty then."
"In fact," Jeremy said, "if you could not talk at all for a while, that would be great."
"Uh, sure," Frank replied.
Having walked in silence for a few minutes, it was Jeremy who spoke first.
"Frank, if you ever get a girlfriend make sure it's just for a night," Jeremy advised, as he sat to rest on the steps of a nearby church. "If you stay any longer, they'll start to expect certain things . . . and even if you don't want the same things, it doesn't matter. You'll end up giving in to them in the end. They're leeches when it comes down to it. Only good for one thing."
"Sex?"
"No - making your life miserable."
Again silence fell upon them, as Jeremy relived the previous night's escapades and Frank cursed that there'd be no way to tell Jeremy his news - not in his present state of mind.
"Look, Jeremy," Frank began, "it was a lover's quarrel, right? You've fought before. It's not like she dumped you for another guy."
"What do you know about another guy?" Jeremy exploded, grabbing Frank's shirt and pushing him onto the concrete steps. "Tell me what you know!"
"I don't know anything! I swear!"
"You're lying! Who is it? Huh? Tell me who it is or I'll smash your head into these steps!" Jeremy's sunglasses fell to the ground.
Looking at Jeremy's twisted face, for the first time Frank saw Jeremy's swollen, bloodshot eyes. It was truly the face of a psychopath ready to dismember anyone standing in his way of discovering the truth. Frank got to his feet and made a move to run but Jeremy tackled him to the ground.
"Jeremy! I don't know anything!"
"You're lying!" Jeremy pulled Frank's shocked face up to his own and glared into his watery eyes. "Tell . . . me . . . who . . . it . . . is!" Jeremy demanded. "You've got five seconds before you physically become part of this church property."
"Jeremy, get a hold of yourself," Frank begged, certain his pathetic life was nearing an end. "I don't know what you're talking about."
The words slowly began to sink in and Jeremy released his grip from Frank's shirt. When free, Frank stood unsteadily and moved several steps away.
With his head in his hands, Jeremy sat shaking on the steps.