Divergent Parody: Avirgent (10 page)

 He stood back in center of the lobby as we looked through the pamphlet. On the front it said, “Overworked, Underpaid: Become a member of Dystopian Chicago's Working class today!”

 He opened the pamphlet up and said, his arms shaking, and sweat dripping down in beads, “Okay...so, on page one we have landscaping. Heh...” He shook and his voice shivered, as if something really bothered him. “That's a uh...an honest job. Right?”

Al chuckled. “Yeah, if you're an immigrant named Juan. Listen, I ain't doing someone else's garden!” He threw the pamphlet to the floor as Hailey and Lisa laughed in glee.

“Hey, I'm Mexican, and even I thought that was a good one,” said Lisa

Christine was indifferent and I didn't get the joke yet again. Maybe she was right. I needed to get out more.

 Al pointed an authoritative finger at TB4. “Look, I don't know what's come over you all of a sudden, but apparently that little quickie you got back there didn't work its magic. Listen, I don't give a shit what's wrong with you, or what you're going through. No one, and I mean no one...tells me to just give up and leave. Back home we took our beatings like men, even if we knew the other guy was gonna kick our ass. We stood up, took our beating and still lived to see the next day. Now I don't know about the rest of these fine ladies here, but me? If we fight, I may lose, but I'll sure as Hell make sure he doesn't walk again.”

 TB4 gulped and said, “That's stupid. It's that idiotic self entitled sense of bravado that's the very reason I left downtown. You'd rather die with your pride than live. Idiot!”

 Al chuckled. “Well you know what I say to that?” He pointed at his crotch, puckering his lips.  “Coose, coose.”

 TB4 ran toward Al and threw a fist. Al blocked and kicked him square in the gut, making TB4 collapse onto the floor.

 We then looked on in horror as Al kicked in TB4's stomach again and again as if he were a little kid. TB4 wailed for help like a baby, but we didn't give it to him. I was too scared to get in Al's way.

“Aaaah! Please stop! Stop! Aaaaagh!”

Al kicked him hard once more, calling him a sucker of something and cracked his knuckles. “Piece of shit! All those hours in the gym, in the mirror, they did
nothing
. You're just another sucker from the streets! Nothing special! If anyone should go home, it's you!”

TB4 looked up at him like a captured slave, his eyes wet with red rings around them. TB4 staggered up from his feet, wincing, holding his sides together and walked slowly out of the lobby and to his room...wherever that was. I heard him moan as he did so.

 Al looked me in the eyes, and opened his arms wide. “Ready for a real man yet?”

I said, “Who? I don't see one here.”

Christine let out a “Ooooh. She got you that time.”

 Al nodded. “Yeah, whatever. She'll get over it. Everyone's in shock when something too good to be true stops being so.”

I walked past him and turned a left where TB4 went. I saw his feet drag into the room, and took to a run.

 I was in front of TB4's front door just as he dragged himself in, scraping and clawing for his bed. His room had four white walls, with nothing but a desk, and a bed.

 He put himself up, and laid down. Once he noticed me, he groaned.

“What do
you
want?”

I stood there, my hands on the door handle like a scared little girl that wants to go into the room to tend to a monster I'm somehow attracted to.

“
You.
Ever since I laid eyes on you, I couldn't turn away. You're like, the most beautiful thing ever. Everyone's talking about weird stuff like consumption, and life, and organizations taking over the world and-”

“What the Hell are you going on about?”

I cleared my throat. “Nothing. Just, I love you TB4. I love you, I love you.”

 He sighed. “Shut the Hell up Mika. You don't know what love is. Love is giving up everything for someone. Why didn't you help me? Why didn't you stop Al?” He sat up, and threw his shoes on the floor. He then crawled back to the bedpost and leaned against it. He winced and rubbed his ribs.

 I closed the door and began tearing up. “He wold have beaten me up too! I saw that rabid look in his eyes! He's no worse than Limp. He's just a rabid mafia dog! Now that I have you here, nothing can stop me from loving you Tiberius Balor Four!”

I ran over to TB4 and tripped over his shoes, bouncing my head against the sleek floor.

 “You should be more careful. You're a-ha,ha-dunce!” He roared in laughter like some madman, and coughed loudly.

I got up slowly rubbing my head, and took off my shoes. I crawled on the bed to embrace his arms, but he waved his hands away.

 “No. Get away, I'm obviously bad for you.”

“But I want you”

“Why? What have I honestly done to make you love me aside from being hot?”

That got me. I looked up to my mind, scoping for whatever answer I could find in that empty space and I found it. I put my finger to my mouth again and said, “Um, well, you have a hot British accent.”

“True. But what else?”

“I like your theme music.”

“I do have nice theme music. Anything else?”

“Ummm. No! I just love the way you look! You look so good to me baby!”

He shrugged and coughed. “Cool. Hey listen, when I was in the tattoo shop I-”

“I know.”

He smirked, chuckled and said, “It didn't feel that good. Want to make it feel better for me?”

I nodded. “Yes! Oh yes! Please!”

He nodded his head and rubbed his ribs again. “Yeah, yeah.” He reached into his desk that I didn't describe before(but trust me, it was there) and he took out a condom, and ripped it open like a wild animal.

 He groped my butt and pet my hair, as if I were some dog.

He stared into my eyes like I were some prized deer, and he a hunter. Like I an alien and he a space-hunter from Earth in the year five-thousand.

 His breath was hot with sensuality and duality-I learned a new word, despite not knowing what it means-and sent chills like thunder down my spine and into my gaping wet-okay, I'll stop there.

 “You know, men these days say they love women with big butts and breasts. Me? I'm more of a...
thin
type. I love thin women, I love thin butts, and small breasts.”

“But I thought you were in love with Juniper?”

He paused for a couple of seconds and then said, “I was...joking. Nevermind that.”

He started nibbling my ear, with wet smacking sounds.

“But you seemed pretty serious about her. I saw those puppy dog-”

 “Just banter Mika,” he said, a bit muffled in between nibbling my ear.

“Oh, okay.”

“This is the part where you turn over and let me take you from the rear.”

I hesitated, thinking that I never did it that way before. “Are you sure it's safe? It's not going to hurt?”

He pet my hair some more. “Oh, no it won't. It shall feel better than the normal way I assure.”

I nodded and said, “Okay, um, what are you so on edge about by the way?”

He sucked his teeth, clearly impatient. “Are you honestly going to keep asking me all of these questions? Do you want me or not?”

“Yes. Sorry for asking too many questions, heh.”

He grinned. “Nothing's wrong with asking questions, but ask too many...ask just the wrong question, well that can topside your world. Come on then. Let's get started.”

 ---

We both came together.

Oh, I mean...we both came out of the room together once we finished and he was texting on his cellphone. I had all my clothes on and felt my body shake all over. The sensations he sent me were good vibrations, but they made me frail and limp with a step.

“Are you okay?” He said, rubbing my chin.

“Yeah,” I said lightly.

“Okay.” He walked back in his room, put the phone to his ear and closed the door shut, as if I were never there. I composed myself and walked slowly back to the dorm, with shame weighing in my heart.

 ---

“Told you, he's a dog,” said Christine, turning over in bed, wearing her monkey patterned pajamas.

I was in the top bunk bed across from her, and I felt like her and I were floating in the clouds above everyone else. Well, there were few people left. Limp hadn't made it back yet and all the talking there was in the room was Al flirting with Lisa, and Hailey nibbling on a carrot.

 “I don't know Christine. He seemed concerned. Maybe he just has work to do.”

“Or another girl to do.”

I sighed, and looked down at Al. I was so pissed at him for beating up TB4, but something told me it was for a good reason. Maybe he was trying to protect me from a douche. But it couldn't be so. TB4 is too good looking to be a bad guy.

 Christine shook her head. “That look you have in your eyes...it's the drapes you're seeing being pulled apart further and further. I'm glad it only took you one day.”

“One day for what?”

She sucked her teeth. “Fine stay in-denial, but Al knows his stuff. I trust him.”

She snapped her fingers. “By the way, did he say anything about him?”

“No. I didn't ask.”

 “Weird. He looked like a complete bitch. Maybe he's going to do something and he didn't want to tell you.”

 I smirked. “What guy would think of Al when he sees me? Heh, heh. I'm a sex God, be jealous.”

Christine rolled her eyes, and I heard Al say, “Yo, skinny legs, I heard ya!”

He kissed Lisa on the cheek and ruffled Hailey's hair. “Hey, so what happened?”

I notched a brow. “What do you think?”

 “I think a tree's happy it got watered tonight, but the gardener's pissed they can't suck anymore sap from it.”

Christine guffawed. “The Hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Not even I know, but I was just trying to say that a man's happy and a girl's disappointed. TB4 got what he wanted, but our little tumbleweed here didn't. How did that walk of shame feel kid?”

“The what?”

 “The walk of shame. It's when a girl screws a guy she knows she shouldn't be screwing and once she walks home after the deed is done, she feels this sense of dread take over her body.” He twirls his finger against his head. “That's when little Jiminy Cricket, top-hat and all says in his posh voice, 'Why I do believe you shouldn't have done that.'” He puts his hand down, and expresses himself with his hands. “That's when denial sets in and you keep telling Jiminy that you wanted it, but he's telling the truth. After, there's Anger and acceptance. Right now, you're in stage one, denial. It's like your a...racism.”

 I sat up. “I'm not racist! I get along with Christine. I like her, and it's only been one day!”

 “That doesn't matter,” Christine said in a stern voice. “Although, I think racism is the wrong word here. Prejudice is a better term to use. You pre-judge way too much. I've only known you for ten hours, and in that ten hours all you've shown me is a girl who prejudges and lives life in vain.”

 I pouted. “Well if that's true about me, then all I've seen from you is a pessimist who thinks the entire world is some conspiracy against her!”

“I'm not a pessimist, I'm a realist honey.”

“You should tone it down just a bit,” said Al. “Otherwise, I got no problem with you sista.”

Christine gulped and said, “Okay, okay. Got it Al. But as for you, Mika why do you think I keep doing what I do, and say what I say?”

 “Because you're on your period?”

Al snorted.

 Christine sneered. “Okay I get it, you're pissed. So let me spell it out for you, I see the world beyond the curtain. I see and hear what you can't because
you
continue to allow the wool to be draped over your eyes. Take in Al's words. Drink  them like fine wine, cause this man's smart. He seems like an idiot gangster from the hood, but he speaks true shit. If you can't see what we're saying, you're a tumbleweed forever.”

 “But I thought we were all tumbleweeds just rolling by...or whatever it is you said.”

She nodded. “Yeah, but I also said we can turn that around. Let's try to find meaning in this shall we? TB4 is not a progression, he a regression.” She sighed. “I'm bored of sounding like a broken record. Just get it before it's too late.”

 With that, Christine turned around and covered the sheets over her body. Within a couple of seconds she was fast asleep. Funny, cause she wasn't showing any signs.

 Al frowned, and climbed up to my bed. He whispered.  “Damn. Guess I'll have to do it alone. You remember the plan?”

“What plan?” I whispered back.

“Popping a vein in our big guy. That's what.”

“You're still on that?” I say, frustrated.

“Of course.”

“What happened to never backing down and fighting when you know you're getting your ass kicked?”

 He shrugged. “That's when I have no choice. Here, we got a choice. Take out the lion before he can kill the sheep is what I say. Limp's not respected. Fuck him. When he comes back...” He smacked his hands together. “Whacked! As Joey Two-Tone would say. Heh, heh.”

 Joey Two-Tone. The mysterious mobster being talked about at every direction I went. I would probably meet him tomorrow, but how am I going to leave the Tricker compound without them knowing?

“Yeah, whacked,” I smile back at him.

He says, “So did TB4 say anything about me?”

“No. He seemed concerned about something else.”

 He nodded. “Yeah, I was surprised I felled him so easy. I expected at least some fight, but it was like I was Mike Tyson, and he Little Mac.”

“Who and who?”

He smacked his head. “Right, you got no clue...well, most of the time.”

He shrugged. “Someone his stature, with the fighting experience he has...
something
had to be bothering him. What? I don't know or care. All I care about it getting Limpy.”

He nodded and jumped off my bed.

 “You know, when I win this thing, I'll make sure to get you and the rest of the crew here
something
with Joey Two-Tone.”

“What if I win?”

 He chuckled. “You're not going to win. The only foregone conclusion for you is losing. You'll lose here, but I guarantee you'll win at life Mika.”