"Damned are those who have not repented! Damned are the ones who have not seen the light of God!" The same lunatic stood on the corner of Beach Street and 42 Avenue yelling the same things he had been for the past few weeks. Crazies like this sprung up everywhere in this dismal town for a few days at a time, clad in every costume from a preacher to a cannibal clown, but the cops were always on them like flies on a rotting turkey and tossed them into the asylum at the other end of civilization. I never blamed these guys. This damn place was so boring, I would gladly dress up as some sort of deranged stripper and shout at the passerby on the street.
"Oh God, not another one of these guys." My friend Kyle and I were walking to the local coffee shop after school. It's no Starbucks but it has free Wi-fi.
"What do you mean? I commend these people, they're interesting."
"Interesting and insane. Charlie, do you see that guy? It's the middle of January and he's in a purple leotard and black leggings!"
"He's gotta be freezing..."
"Well, those aren't two push pins on his chest."
"Ew. Why do guys even have nipples?"
"Because if the female who bears his children dies, he can take up her place and learn to lactate in order feed his children." Kyle pushed open the door and held it open for me. Never very tactful but always the gentleman.
"Logical, but total bullshit."
"Oh," he put his hand over his heart and stumbled backwards, "your words are sharper than Arthur's blade! You got me!" I giggled at his acting and proceeded to order a hot latte with extra whipped cream. Kyle ordered a hot chocolate and joined me in the farthest back corner in the shop, where no one could bother us.
"Dude, you're such a kid! Still ordering hot chocolate at 17?" Kyle eyed my mug with a smirk, "Oh, like you're doing any better Miss Extra Whipped Cream." He blew across the top of his mug to cool down steaming liquid inside of it. Had his lips always looked that delicate?
"Charlene Xiaoping!"
"Oh fuck." I slid farther down in my cushy chair and covered my eyes. I'd know that shrill voice anywhere. Kyle's body tensed as soon as he smelled her god awful perfume. It was Stephanie Matherson, the only person that I outwardly showed my hatred for. She translated my last name and found out that it literally means "small bottle", and now she thinks she knows everything about the Chinese culture. She was also the only one that ever used my full name other than my parents.
"Oh God, not another one of these guys." My friend Kyle and I were walking to the local coffee shop after school. It's no Starbucks but it has free Wi-fi.
"What do you mean? I commend these people, they're interesting."
"Interesting and insane. Charlie, do you see that guy? It's the middle of January and he's in a purple leotard and black leggings!"
"He's gotta be freezing..."
"Well, those aren't two push pins on his chest."
"Ew. Why do guys even have nipples?"
"Because if the female who bears his children dies, he can take up her place and learn to lactate in order feed his children." Kyle pushed open the door and held it open for me. Never very tactful but always the gentleman.
"Logical, but total bullshit."
"Oh," he put his hand over his heart and stumbled backwards, "your words are sharper than Arthur's blade! You got me!" I giggled at his acting and proceeded to order a hot latte with extra whipped cream. Kyle ordered a hot chocolate and joined me in the farthest back corner in the shop, where no one could bother us.
"Dude, you're such a kid! Still ordering hot chocolate at 17?" Kyle eyed my mug with a smirk, "Oh, like you're doing any better Miss Extra Whipped Cream." He blew across the top of his mug to cool down steaming liquid inside of it. Had his lips always looked that delicate?
"Charlene Xiaoping!"
"Oh fuck." I slid farther down in my cushy chair and covered my eyes. I'd know that shrill voice anywhere. Kyle's body tensed as soon as he smelled her god awful perfume. It was Stephanie Matherson, the only person that I outwardly showed my hatred for. She translated my last name and found out that it literally means "small bottle", and now she thinks she knows everything about the Chinese culture. She was also the only one that ever used my full name other than my parents.
