by D. J. Manly
His little sister was hugging him now. His mother turned in his direction, but seemed to look right through him. “Llámeme si te necesitas algo,” she said, but she didn’t sound like she meant it. Guilt twisted in his gut. Even if he did need anything, he knew he wouldn’t call home. She stopped in front of the lawyer. “Thank you for all you’ve done,” she said. Then she tugged on Jesse’s arm. “We have to go. I took off two hours from the hotel today. I have to get back to work.”
Alex watched them walk away. His mother had worked her fingers to the bone to raise the three of them. His father had died a year after Jesse was born, crushed under some fallen debris on a construction site. Manny was going to be someone. He had such dreams. He was working and going to community college. He was going to take them out of the tenement life, buy a house somewhere. “One day, you won’t have to work,” he’d told their mother.
“You start Monday.” The lawyer broke into his reverie, glancing at the elevator.
Alex looked at him, startled. “What?”
“You have to keep reporting to the parole officer. Remember you have an appointment tomorrow afternoon. You’ll have all the details then. I believe you’ll stay right there at the school; it’s too far to travel every day. It’s out of the city so you won’t have a chance to meet up with any members of that gang.”
Alex glanced out the window. The lawyer kept rattling on.
“You know, you’re damn lucky, Villanueva.”
“I am?” He turned around now.
“You don’t get it, do you? You’re an adult now. At your age, the judge might have sent you up.”
“Why, because Juniper is a white ass rich school, and I’m just a poor Spic?”
“Precisely,” he said with a nod. “Good luck. You’re going to need it with that attitude.”
That white lawyer could talk about attitude. He didn’t have to live it. Even though he was born in this country, somehow he knew he’d always be just a Spic … or a speck, as his friends like to joke … insignificant.
* * * *
His friend Jose was waiting for him outside the courthouse. Alex took a breath when he saw him. The air was heavy, the pollution seeming heavier today in the heat. He tore the tie away from his throat and opened the buttons of his white cotton shirt. Jose had stuck with him through all of this, in spite of the way Alex had treated him, practically ignoring him when he began hanging out with Slade. Jose would never know how grateful he was for his friendship; however, he’d never be as grateful as Jose wanted him to be. “Hey,” he said, coming down the steps now to greet him.
“How did it go?” Jose looked worried.
Alex smiled. He threw an arm around his plump shoulders and gave him a squeeze. “Thank God for meds.”
“Come on, Alex,” he said, pushing him away, “don’t fuck around. I assume it isn’t jail ’cause you’re not in cuffs. What did the judge say?”
“Chill, my friend. It’s okay. Community service. I got to see the parole officer about it.”
“Community service?” Jose echoed, scrambling after him down the street.
“At Jupiter.” It finally sunk in when he said it.
“Jupiter?”
Alex stopped and looked at him. “Stop echoing me, man.” He laughed a little. “What’s with you?”
“Did your lawyer tell ’em what was happening with you when you trashed that place? Did he say…?”
“He did, and I suspect that’s why my ass is not in the joint. But look, they don’t care about all that stuff. I did the crime. I have to do the time. It’s not so bad. At least I’ll get out of this city.”
“How long?” Jose had fallen into step beside him.
“Ten months.”
“That’s long. When you have to leave?”
“Monday.”
“Come stay with me. Don’t stay in that boarding house place anymore.”
Alex glanced at him. “I … I’ll see you on the weekend, okay? I got stuff to do. I have to see my PO and my shrink. Let’s do something Saturday.”
Jose nodded. “Okay. You get to come home on the weekends or what?”
“I don’t know. I’ll tell you when I do.”
A few minutes later, they went their separate ways. Jose hopped the bus. He had a small apartment downtown, close to the garage where he worked. Alex walked the rest of the way to the boarding house. He lay down on the bed in his room and closed his eyes. He hadn’t slept much last night. He hadn’t slept much in months. You stay away from those guys … they’re trouble … criminals … the principal called … where were you … Alex … you’re messing up man, you’re messing up … Manny … Manny … wake up, Manny … oh God … oh God…
He woke up like he usually did, soaked in sweat and shaking all over. The sun had gone down, and the heat had lifted. He reached for the bottle of pills on his nightstand and popped one into his mouth. It was okay. Everything would be okay now. He closed his eyes again and tried to sleep.
* * * *
“Why the Jupiter?”
It was a good question. “I … I don’t know.”
“Did you know you’d end up there when you started off that night?”
Alex looked at his parole officer as if he could help him find the answer, then the words came out of his mouth without any conscious effort. “We used to joke about that place.”
“Who is ‘we’?” Jason Carter reeled back in his padded chair.
“Manny and I. When he was young”—he swallowed—“he liked to sing. He used to dream that he’d go to Jupiter, become a big star.”
“Is that why you chose Jupiter then?”
“Maybe.” He sighed. “It was there, and I felt this rage … I wanted to break something … I … the shrink already asked me what it represented to me … we all know what that is.”
“Privilege. White society.”
He shrugged.
“You don’t really hate white people.”
“I don’t hate anyone. I hated waking up in the morning in that dump, with garbage all around me and watching my mother work herself into the ground … and I see those people … ah … you won’t understand.”
“You have to change your attitude, Alex.”
“I’m trying.”
Jason Carter opened a file on his desk. “I’m not saying all is fair out there but wallowing won’t do you any good. You need to make your own way. Do you understand your sentence?”
“I have to return to the scene of the crime, to make amends.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“How am I supposed to feel? I’m resigned to it. No choice. I want out of this city. At least I’ll get to breathe some good air.”
“You’ll be under the supervision of a Mark Delaney. He’s the director of janitorial services. There’s a room for you there at Jupiter in the staff quarters. You’ll be given your board, and a small amount of money for necessities, provided by the state. I have some money for you today. Your bus fare is included this month.”
He nodded. “Do I get to come back, or am I supposed to stay there on the weekends too?”
“The state will pay your fare home for Christmas, but as for—”
Alex put up a hand. “I doubt I’ll be missed at Christmas.”
Jason nodded. “How’s the depression?”
“Doc wants to decrease the medication. I don’t feel ready.”
“I’ve set up an account at a pharmacy in Jupiter so that you can get your prescription filled.” He handed him an envelope. “Your money, bus ticket, and papers for your medication are in there. Don’t lose it.”
Alex took it with a nod. Jupiter was also the name of the small town connected with the school.
“Any questions?”
He shook his head and stood up.
“Delaney will report to me once a week. Any problems and…”
“There won’t be any problems,” Alex said.
* * * *
The bus trip took a little over
two hours. Alex got off on the main street of Jupiter, and looked around him in disbelief. Although he had been at the school, he’d never been in the town itself. He put down his bag and looked around him … a grocery store, post office, pharmacy, town hall, and a host of other little businesses peppered the street. Directly in front of him was the Jupiter Eatery, which also served as the bus terminal. When he turned around, his gaze immediately riveted to the Jupiter Advanced School of Knowledge for the Creatively Gifted, or JAS, as many people called it. It stood up on a small hill surrounded by green.
Alex checked his watch. It was after ten o’clock. He was already late. He picked up his bag and headed up the road in the direction of the school.
* * * *
“What’s your name?” The security guard at the gate eyed him critically.
“Alexjandro Martinez Villanueva.”
“Are you on the list of new students?”
“No. I’m the guy who trashed the place,” he said, meeting his eyes. “I’m here to meet with a Mister, ah…”
“Delaney. Wait here, and I’ll tell him you’re here.”
A few minutes later, a man came walking down the road. He was in his fifties with a balding head and sharp blue eyes. “Mr. Alexjandro Martinez Villanueva? Open the gate up, Frederick.” He motioned his hand at the guard. “Come on in.”
Alex walked cautiously through the gate. Delaney grasped his hand. “Welcome to JAS. How old are you?”
“Twenty-one.”
He nodded. “Well, come on then, Alex … or do you prefer…?”
“Alex will do fine.”
“Call me Mark. Come on, I’ll show you where you can store your stuff.”
* * * *
We’ll be the Villanueva Brothers … Martinez … Alex … Martinez … oh … we’ll be rich … rich and famous … Manny … Manny…?
Alex blinked his eyes open. It was past seven o’clock. Mark would be here soon. He threw his legs over the side of the bed. The room was nice. The bathroom was down the hall. And right now, he was the only one sleeping in the staff quarters. The other workers wouldn’t arrive until the following week.
In the shower, he rested his forehead on the tile and tried not to dwell on the irony. His brother had dreamed of being a student here. They were going to start a band, be famous … the famous Martinez Brothers … or Villanueva … didn’t matter. They debated that no end. It was only when they grew older and realized that there was no money to go to Jupiter School that all talk of it came to an end. Manny opted for computer science courses at the local college, and waited tables in the day. He’d worked his way up from busboy to waiter finally, and he was making good tips. He’d gotten A’s in his college courses, and he took everyone out for pizza that weekend.
Alex wiped the water off his face and turned off the shower. Slade had been a mistake, the biggest mistake of his life. There’d been nothing attractive about him. He was just a hood with attitude, and in the end, he hadn’t even gotten a decent kiss, although he’d been on his knees enough. He was tired of being on his knees. He’d never get on his knees for any guy again. He would pay his debt, and get the hell out of Los Angeles, and try to live with what he’d done.
He dried off, pulled on a pair of jeans and an old T-shirt. Mark had been very clear yesterday. His job for the next two weeks would mostly be outside. They needed to whip the grounds into shape before the students came back in two weeks. That meant the grass needed to be mowed, weeds trimmed, and flowers tended to. The buildings had been cleaned for the summer already, but Mark said they needed some touch-ups before the students came back. “It gets dusty,” he explained. In September, more janitorial staff would arrive. Until then, they were on their own.
Alex prepared his breakfast in the small kitchen—toast with jam, and instant coffee—then he walked outside to meet Mark, who was driving up the road. “You’re punctual,” he shouted as he jumped out of his truck. “I thought I was going to have to shake you awake.”
“I don’t sleep much,” he said.
Mark Delaney slapped him on the back. “Come on, I didn’t get a chance to show you where the supplies are. Remind me to give you a key. We keep it locked. Don’t want students going in there ripping off stuff.”
“Why would they?”
“They play pranks. University students, you know … initiation and stuff. You’ll see. The first week they’re here, it’s registration … no classes, so it’s party time in the dorms.”
They worked hard outside planting flowers until lunchtime. Mark showed Alex how to drive the lawn mower. They ate together back in the small kitchen. Mark brought food from home, rich stew and homemade bread. “Try some of the wife’s pound cake,” he told Alex.
“Oh God, Mark. I’m stuffed. You’re trying to kill me.”
“Got to eat. You burn the calories in this job. You’re skinny enough.”
Alex laughed. He’d never thought of himself as skinny. He was five-eleven, one hundred and seventy pounds, slim but well muscled. Older people always thought he was skinny. He took a piece of the cake. It was delicious. “Your wife is a good cook,” he said. They drank some murky coffee then returned to work.
The week passed quickly. Alex found he didn’t have time to dwell on anything, and that was good. He took fewer pills and slept soundly but he still dreamed of Manny … and that Friday night, he dreamed of Slade. It was so real, as if Slade was in the same room with him. He handed Alex a knife, and said, “Kill your brother. Go ahead. Kill him. You killed your brother, Alex.”
He was glad it was the weekend and Mark wasn’t coming. He didn’t sleep all night. He finally fell back to sleep around noon, and was awakened by Mark at two. “Get up, kid. You’re coming for supper.”
Mark’s wife was nice. They had a great supper, and then Mark drove him back to the school. It finally struck Alex how nice Mark was being to him in spite of who he was and what he’d done. He paused before he got out of the truck. “You know…” he said, looking at him, “I really appreciate everything and I…”
“No sweat,” Mark said.
“You know, you never asked me about why I…?”
“Look kid, you made a mistake … that’s all. I can see you’re a good guy. Making mistakes is never a problem ’cause we all do that. It’s just the repeating of them that gets a little sticky.”
Alex nodded slowly.
“Don’t be late Monday morning. We got a lot of work to do. I need you.”
“Thanks, Mark.”
Chapter Two
That morning it seemed that everyone was descending on Jupiter. The staff as well as the students began to arrive, and it was stressful. Mark gave him a slew of orders, and he found himself running around all day. Alex met all these new people he’d be working with, and suddenly the staff quarters where he slept was bustling with activity. “Staff meeting tomorrow morning at ten,” Mark told him that day before he left. “Don’t worry, it will be less hectic tomorrow.”
That evening, Alex took a walk around the grounds. There were three buildings designated as dorms. One was for students, one for teaching staff, and the other for the domestic and janitorial workers. Many people, including the teaching staff, lived on the campus due to the isolation of the school. By nine o’clock, the campus was quiet, except for the student dorm, which consisted of a multitude of small apartments and rooms. There, the lights were on, and music screamed out of the windows. Right beside the student dorm, just around the corner, was the student pub/café. There was a terrace, and Alex noticed that it was filled with people. He kept his distance. He turned around, prepared to go back to his living quarters when he met three young men coming up the path. The one on the left captured his attention, causing him to pause and look back at him as he passed … possibly because he was so tall … or more likely, because he was so beautiful.
None of them looked at him. Of course, they wouldn’t, not with Jupiter Maintenance written across his shirt. He stood there, his gaze following them
as two of them headed to the café, but the third, the one who caused him to stop and stare, turned in the other direction and walked to the student housing. Long black hair, sharp features, almond-shaped brown eyes … tall … body lithe, graceful, a dancer perhaps.
Alex shook himself and walked on. He smiled. It was the first time in a long time he’d bothered looking at any guy more than once. “I’m still alive,” he whispered aloud.
“I hope so,” someone said with a laugh. “I don’t care to bump into any undead things out here.”
Alex looked up in surprise to see a young guy standing there, wearing a T-shirt matching his own.
“Hi, I’m Antonio. Didn’t mean to freak you.”
“Not freaked.” He shook his head. “Hi.”
“Hey. You’re new.” He pointed to his T-shirt.”
“Yes. You too?”
“No. I worked here last year. You arrive today?”
“No. I was here helping Mark for the last few weeks and…”
“Oh,” he said.
“You heard?”
“Rumors. No problem,” Antonio began. “I…”
“I went through a bad time,” Alex said. “I’m paying for it. You don’t have to worry. I’m not dangerous.”
“I was hoping you might be.” He grinned, then winked at him. “Call me Tony.”
Tony was good-looking enough, but Alex had no intention of complicating things here.
As if reading his mind, Tony said, “I’m not looking for romance, but sometimes it gets a little cold up here at night, you know?”
“Ah…”
“If I misread you … it’s just that I saw the way you were looking at Jacob.”
“Jacob?”
“Jacob Williams. Gorgeous, great ass … long black hair. You just passed him.”
“Oh.” He wasn’t quite sure what to say.
“I figured you were into guys. No worries. Everyone looks at Jacob that way.”
“Where’s he from?” He shouldn’t be asking. He shouldn’t care.
“LA. Graduate student, last year. And yes, he’s into guys … I’m sure of it, but he’s all business, destined to be a star. Sings, dances, acts, plays piano. With those looks and that body … well … anyway”—Tony lowered his voice—“if you want a closer look, ask Mark if you can clean up in the fitness center early in the morning. He works out then.”