“Alright what is the answer to number 15 guys,” says Mr. Downy, “hello? Anyone? Come on guys number 15.”

I look around. Everyone is either talking to their friends or staring at the clock waiting for school to end and spring break starting. The teachers in my school can't handle us so half of them just gave up. I guess you can tell but Downy was one of ‘em. He was a strange guy. A little white fella with one of the of the biggest bald spots you wouldn’t think could ever exist. That thing was the size of a freaking planet.

“Come on guys anyone?” he was begging. The poor guy. You should’ve seen his face. Except you can’t so haha. I raise my hand.

“Yes Ronald,” his face shines brighter than a sun rising at dawn. That guy’s gotta work on his smile though and brush his teeth more. Imagine a 5-year old’s drawing of a face smiling with teeth. Yeah, that bad.

“Is it 36?”

“YESSS, good job Ron!! Is it ok if I call you Ron?” he nervously laughed.

“Yes that’s fine Mr. Downy,” I smiled a little.

“Great! Yes, so umm, number 15 is thirty-six and…”

“BRRRIIINNGG.”

“Oh, that’s the bell, BUT DON’T FORGET THE HOMEWO-,” everyone was already out of the classroom but me. I walk up to his desk.

“Got it Downy.” I shake his hand.

“Have a good spring break Ron.” When I walked out the door I could feel these eyes staring at my neck and back. He wasn’t a racist or anything.

“Yo Damian, Sup Jenna, Bryce my guy wassup bro?” I walk through the hallways high fiving people and strolling my way through the halls. Hey, what can I say? Ya boy was pretty popular at Mayville High School. I got around. People like me and I like them. It’s just how it is.

Ahhh. The nice sunlight. Spring break baby. I’m gonna play so much video games. Gonna be lit.

I put on my earbuds and listen to my music as I do every day after school. Get my skateboard and head out. Yeah yeah, I am a skater boy. All my friends are. It’s like you know how every single friend group has got their thing. Like, the jocs have their sports, the goths have their belts and chokers, we’ve got are skateboards. Actually, it’s how me and my best bros met. Eli and Matt were already friends and I saw them at the skate park and I asked them to skate with me. One thing led to another, we’re 17 and gonna be friends for the rest of our lives.

So here I am trying to skate my way home when someone comes up behind me and scares the f out of me.

“Guess who?” he asks.

“You’re so annoying Eli!!!”

“GGGHHHHHAAA,” he laughs, “you should’ve seen ya face.”

“F you.”

“Relax bro it was just a joke.”

“Don’t do that again and I’m not joking ok?”

“Why are you being like this?” he has this confused look on his big face. Eli was Puerto Rican and he smelled so good for some reason. That’s not weird ok? It’s not like I go up to him and smell him. You could be 20 feet away and you’d still smell his flower, fruit, whatever it was cologne.  We do our little handshake and then he turns around and heads home.

“Yo Eli?”

“Yeah,” he screams.”

“You free tomorrow?”

“Yeah, probably why? You wanna do something?”

“Yeah wanna hang out?”

“Sure,” he gets a little excited. Puts on his little grin.

“Ok text me later.”

I finally get to my block. Brooksite Street. It was so peaceful and nice hear. It was quieter than a mouse. Like, listen. Oh shit, I forgot you can’t hear things. Ugh, why are you so annoying. Anyways, what was I talking about again? Oh yeah, Brooksite street, I lived in this little cozy blue house with these big windows on the second floor. Now that I think about it our house was the only that was like actually different than the others. It was a very white neighborhood. We were like the only black family in a 5 block radius. Every block was white.

“Hey, mom I’m home!” I screamed. I listened for her voice. I couldn’t hear anything.

“Mom?” I slowly walked up the stairs for her, walked into her room. What the hell? Where was she?  I just stood there, staring at her bed thinking. Suddenly someone put their hands on my shoulders.

“Hey baby,” they whispered. I quickly jumped to look who it was.

“Mom seriously?”

“Hahaha, did I scare ya?”

“No!”

“Sure,” she laughed.

“That’s not funny.”

“Whatever you say, baby, got any plans for today?”

“Nope but I might go to Elijah’s house tomorrow or something.”

“Oh,” she sighed.”

“Is that good?”

“I don’t know about Elijah, I get a weird feeling from him. That kid is messed up.”

“He is not.”

“Whatever you say, Ronny.”

I ignored her and just walked downstairs to play video games. It helps me deal with stress. Maybe not the best way to deal with things, but it does the job. After playing video games, I got a text from Eli.

FRIDAY 4:27 p.m. from Eli

YO BRO U WANNA JUST COME SLEEPOVER TONIGHT?

I told him that, that would be cool and asked mom and she said yes. I packed my bag and headed over to his house.

On the walk there, again I put in my earbuds and listened to my music. I was at 37th st near John’s Deli when this nice white lady dropped her bags.

“Oh here let me help you,” I said.

“Ah thank you so much, I’m Elisa.”

“Hi I’m Ronald, here is your groceries, your bag, and here is your purse.”

“Again thank you.”

“Well have a nice night Elis-”

“HEY!” someone screamed. Elisa and I looked around for who it was.

“HEY, YOU!” It was a police officer sprinting towards us. He looked at the lady.

“What did he do to you?” What was he talking about, I didn’t do anything.

“Do? I didn’t do anything to her.” What was happening?”

“Was I talking to you kid? Huh?” he pushed me against a wall. “You only talk when I let you talk! Got it big shot?” he turned around to the lady, “what did he do?” Then she started running. WHY THE HELL WAS SHE RUNNING? SHE CAN JUST TELL HIM WHAT HAPPENED!

“I swear I didn’t do anything to her.” People started to gather around and watched, but they didn’t do anything.

“Then what was that huh!?”

“Excuse me?” He hit me hard on the side of my face and I fell to the ground. The world was spinning. I laid there on the ground crying. I wasn’t doing anything but the officer kept beating the life out of me. I stopped moving and then he finally stopped beating me. I closed my eyes and when I woke up mom was sitting on the chair beside me crying in the hospital.

“Mom?” I said quietly.

“Oh baby baby,” she sobbed, “I’m so happy your alive. What happened baby?” she said as holding my head in her hands.

“I don’t really remember.”

“What did you say before that cop hit you?”

“I think I said excuse me.”

I stayed in the hospital for about another 2 weeks doing tests and stuff. Then on a Saturday morning when me and mom where in the room, the doctor came.

“Good morning Ms. Johnson.”

“Hello, Dr. Fader.”

“So I have some results here for Ronald.” Mom took my hand, “would you like to hear them?”

“Yes please doctor.”

“Good news or bad news first?”

“Bad news I interrupted.” I was so scared.

“Ok then. You have received some permanent damage in your abdomen.”

“PERMANENT DAMAGE!!” mom screamed.

“So what’s the good news?”

“You’re allowed to leave today?” he smiled.

“Did the officer get in trouble?”

“Yes, he has gotten a one week suspension.”

“THAT’S IT?” mom screamed again.

“Will I be able to skateboard again?”

“You will probably not be able to skateboard again. I am very sorry Ronald and Ms. Johnson.”

Later that day I was sitting on the couch watching the tv, watching to see if I was on the news. Then all of a sudden I started crying. I GOT IN TROUBLE AND GOT PERMANENT DAMAGE FOR HELPING SOMEONE PICK UP THEIR BAGS. I’LL NEVER BE ABLE TO SKATEBOARD AGAIN AND IT’S ALL BECAUSE OF THAT COP. NOT TO MENTION HE WAS BARELY EVEN PUNISHED. Why does it have to be like this?