NO MATTER WHAT
by Jeff Rivera
Original Book 1
Prologue
“Don’t be stupid, foo’.”
Dio shot a look towards his
homie, Spooky, who had his
jacket clenched in his fist. He
leaned back in the passenger
seat of the ’57 Chevy,
swallowing.
Thunder rumbled and rain
poured outside, making it
impossible to see out the
window. Storms scared Dio,
always did, but his mind was
set. He had to do this.
He pushed the door open
and looked at the cathedral in
front of him.
“Just keep the car runnin’,
ése,
” he told Spooky.
Spooky was a big guy,
tattoos up and down his arm.
He normally would have
stopped Dio easy, but
tonight, nothing would stop
him. Spooky, knowing this,
just shook his head at Dio as
he walked out of the car.
Lightning illuminated the
cathedral’s majestic towers,
shining off the stained glass
windows. Dio had spent
many a night imagining this
as the place where, one day,
he’d marry his lady, Jennifer.
He’d put everything into that
dream. Now, as he yanked the
heavy oak doors open, his
heart pounded like a
sub-woofer.
He stepped inside, trying to
keep his shoes from
squeaking on the old wood
floor. The cathedral smelled
like they never really cleaned
the place, just painted over it.
The room was jam-packed
with wedding guests listening
to a children’s choir sing, their
voices echoing through the
cathedral.
Dio, who had dressed in
the best suit he could find,
weaved in between the guests,
searching for a seat while
trying to keep under the
radar. He touched his chest,
making sure the gun was still
there. Yep, his .45 caliber felt
like a brick inside that jacket
pocket.
Where was she?
Jennifer had said she loved
him since they were thirteen.
They were both eighteen
now. She had taken care of
Dio and believed in him
when nobody else did. When
his mother had threatened to
send him away, she had taken
him in. When he had
nothing but Ramen noodles
to eat, she fed him. When
he’d gotten locked up in juvie
the first time, she’d been
there, too. She promised she’d
never leave him, not ever.
“
Estoy aqui para ti.
No
matter what —
siempre
,”
they’d promised. And to Dio,
a promise could never be
broken.
He’d spent the entire year
changing his life around just
for her so he could be the
man she said she’d always
wanted, so he could be the
daddy his daughter needed.
They were meant to be
together, and he was going to
make Jennifer understand
that. Even if it was the last
thing he did.
He sat down in a pew as
close to the front as he could
without being detected. He
wiped the sweat of his palms
on his slacks as he sat. His
breath was stifled and his
throat was dry.
Here he was, in the church,
about to… well. He just
hoped that one day his little
brother, Daniel would
understand. Maybe one day
he, too, would find a girl that
meant the world to him, a girl
he would kill for.
The music rose and all the
heads in the chapel turned.
Everyone gasped as Jennifer
made her way down the aisle.
She was breathtaking. It had
been months since Dio had
last seen her, and she looked
even better than he’d
remembered. Olive-colored
skin, full lips. She was the
type of girl that never needed
any makeup. In fact, she
hated wearing it. Her dark
brown hair was curled; glitter
sparkled in it. She looked like
an angel.
Her fiancé was a little older
than her, a nice-looking black
man who must have been
rich, Dio thought. The one
thing he could never give her.
Jennifer lit up as she gazed at
the other man, and Dio felt
his heart break.
How could she do this to
him? How could she throw
away everything they’d had
together?
Thunder rumbled outside
but Dio’s gaze never left
Jennifer, even as the priest
rambled on with the vows.
His nose stung with unshed
tears but he held them back.
As the couple began their
vows, his blood boiled.
“I, Jennifer Lalita
Sanchez…” she said.
Dio swallowed around the
lump in his throat. He
couldn’t believe his ears. His
Jennifer was actually
promising that punk her love.
Dio looked the other way,
fighting back tears. He had to
get a grip. Across the room,
the creepy statue of Jesus
glared back at him as if saying,
“Don’t do it.”
He couldn’t stand it
anymore. His heart pounded
as he reached for the .45
caliber in his pocket, his
cohete
. Rain pounded
against the stained-glass
windows and the roof.
He crossed himself, closed
his eyes, and prayed he was
about to do the right thing.
Chapter 1
One year earlier
“You got cotton for brains
or something? Move!” the
drill instructor shouted as the
group of guys stepped off the
prison bus, onto the hard
desert ground.
He moved nose-to-nose
with Dio. His breath smelled
like cigarettes and garlic.
Senior Jackson, they called
him, a black boar of a man,
sprayed spit with every
syllable he spoke.
Dio had a pounding
headache. Exhausted, hungry
and aching inside, he closed
his eyes and took a breath.
His heart felt like it had been
ripped out and stomped on.
It’d been over three weeks
since the accident. He didn’t
even know if Jennifer was
dead or alive.
The lunatic drill instructor
forced them to run five miles,
screaming in their faces every
step of the way.
Dio just wanted to be away
from this place, chilling with
his homies, smoking bud,
bumping the oldies. But more
than that, he wanted to be
with his lady. They called him
Playboy on the streets ‘cause
with his long hair and good
looks, all the ladies loved him,
but truth was, Dio only had
one girl in his heart: Jennifer.
She was by far the best
thing that had ever happened
to him. They’d met when
they were just thirteen at
Clark Middle School in Las
Vegas. And it was like they’d
known each other forever.
“You’re not too bright, are
you kid?” Dio remembered
his 7th grade language arts
teacher, Mr. O’Donnell
asking. He sank in his chair as
the class laughed in his face.
He only wanted to know
what a pioneer was. He didn’t
think it was such a stupid
question.
“Should we send you to
ESL?” O’Donnell asked.
The class roared with
laughter.
Dio cringed. It wasn’t like
he wasn’t trying. He just
couldn’t concentrate.
Everything on the chalkboard
looked like Chinese to him.
He needed help, but Mr.
O’Donnell made him feel like
scum every time he had a
question.
He had too many problems
at home to focus on
schoolwork, anyway. An
alcoholic mom, bruises from
her hand that he had to hide,
no food in the fridge, and a
little brother he was doing his
best to protect.
On top of that, Dio was
practically the only Mexican
in the class, except for the
skinny, nerdy little girl named
Jennifer that nobody paid any
attention to. Dio alone had to
put up with all the smack and
racist remarks.
The others didn’t know
what it was like being judged
just ’cause of the color of their
skin. Or being followed
around a store just ’cause
people automatically thought
they were going to steal stuff;
or having people lock their car
doors when they crossed the
street.
Ridiculous.
Sure, he had a temper
sometimes, but it wasn’t
always his fault. Truth was,
he wanted nothing more than
to bust these other kids’ heads
open for laughing at him, but
he needed to stay in school.
Free lunch was the only way
he could bring home enough
for his brother, Daniel, and
mom to eat.
“Are you listening?”
O’Donnell said. “Maybe we
ought to knock you back to
the 6th grade. Maybe the 4th
grade, for that matter.”
The kids busted out
laughing and O’Donnell
shook his head, rummaging
through his paperwork.
Dio squinted his eyes as fire
began burning in the pit of
his stomach. His nose flared.
Then Dio swore he saw
O’Donnell mouth the word,
“Mexicans.”
What happened next, he
didn’t quite remember. But
when he came to, Mr.
O’Donnell was on the floor,
holding a bloody nose. The
next thing he knew, Dio was
in the principal’s office being
screamed at.
“We do whatever we can to
accommodate you people in
our classes!” the principal
shouted.
Dio stared at the floor,
biting his nails.
This was it. He was going
to get kicked out of another
school again, and this time,
there were no more options.
He’d end up a dropout.
Without an education, he was
going to end up flipping
burgers for the rest of his life,
and he’d never get any of his
dreams accomplished. He’d
become the very thing people
assumed he would.
“It’s not his fault,” said a
squeaky voice. It was Jennifer,
pushing her glasses up her
nose as she stepped into the
principal’s office.
“Excuse me?” the principal
said.
“I wanted to punch Mr.
O’Donnell myself,” Jennifer
said.
Dio blinked and a smile
curved on his face. Little girl
had
cojones
. Even when the
principal began yelling at her,
she didn’t back down.
Instead, she fought back,
mouthing off and telling him
the school was going to be
sued for discrimination.
Before long, they were both
suspended. It was better than
being expelled. Dio had never
really had anyone stick up for
him before. Jennifer had
never spoken to him before.
In fact, he couldn’t remember
her ever saying anything to
anyone.
They sat outside the
Principal’s office for an hour,
while Mr. O’Donnell was
being shouted at for his
“inappropriate behavior.”
Dio gave Jennifer daps.
“
La Raza
,” he said, trying to
keep it cool.
She smiled.
From that day on, Dio and
Jennifer had become best
friends. They were
inseparable. Besides his boys,
she was the only real friend he
had. Like him, she had a hard
life, and when things got bad,
they’d hide in her treehouse
and eat Rolos chocolates.
She’d sing to him with the
most beautiful voice, and
they’d talk about their dreams
of making it out of the barrio.
But then they were
separated. Dio’s mother
kicked him out of the house
for sticking up for his little
brother when she went into
another one of her drunken
rages, and he was lost in the
foster care system until he was
seventeen, bounced from
home to home. He thought
he’d never see Jennifer again.
Then, just months ago,
they had been reunited. They
picked up where they left off,
only this time, they fell in
love.
Gone was the skinny nerdy
girl he remembered. Gone
were the glasses. No, Jennifer
was hot now. She’d filled out
in all the right places, started
wearing contacts, and was the
most beautiful girl he’d ever
seen in his life.
∞
Now, as the drill instructor
forced the prisoners to run
around the boot camp like
mules, it drove Dio l
oco not knowing if she was okay.
There had been an
accident, a really bad one, and
it was Dio’s fault. He didn’t
know if Jennifer was alive or
dead, his mind was going
crazy, and now he had this
insane man barking orders at
them like he was their daddy
or something. Dio could tell
nobody said, “No” to Senior
Jackson unless they wanted to
get their butt kicked.
“Halt!” the drill instructor
yelled.
Most of the trainees didn’t
have a clue what he meant
but they figured he must be
telling them to stop.
Thank God. Maybe now I
can rest,
Dio thought.
He felt like his stomach,
lungs and everything else
would come spewing out of
his mouth at any moment.
The only one who looked
more pitiful than him was
this skinny mulatto kid that
Jackson called Simon. He
wondered how the kid
managed to look at himself in
the mirror every day. Yeah, it
was that bad. Coke-bottle
glasses and more zits than Dio
had ever seen on one person.
“Stand up, trainee,” Jackson
told Dio, flipping through his
clipboard as Dio keeled over,
catching his breath.
“I can’t,” Dio said.
“I? Who is I? You’re…
Trainee Radigez. Get up,
now!”
“Hold up, a’ight? Jeez.” Dio
said. The words came out of
his mouth before he realized
the big mistake he’d just
made. Jackson came at him
like a semi.
“Who the hell do you think
you’re talking to, boy? What’s
the third general rule from
your manual?”
Dio was supposed to have
memorized some fifty-page
manual with all these
ridiculous rules. But that was
the last thing that was on his
mind.
“I don’t know,” Dio
responded, smacking his lips.
“You tell me.”
“You’re cruisin’ for a brusin’
aren’t you, Trainee? ‘Sir,
Trainee Radigez doesn’t
know, Senior Jackson, sir!’
That’s what you say!”
“Sir, Trainee Rodríguez
don’t know, Senior Jack-Up,
sir,” Dio answered back. He
could feel the stares of the
other trainees. He hated when
people stared at him.
“You a slow learner,
Radigez?” Jackson asked,
shoving his finger at Dio’s
head. “Think, Trainee, think!”
If he touches me one more
time…
“It’s Rodríguez, not
Radigez,” Dio spat back.
Jackson stepped even closer
to him. “You correcting me,
boy? You don’t eat, sleep, or
breathe unless I tell you to.
You hear?”
Dio smacked his lips.
“Whatever,” he mouthed.
Before Jackson could say
more, an ugly mutt came out
of nowhere and moved right
up to Jackson’s side. It
growled and barked. Jackson
smiled, patting it on the side.
The dog looked like someone
had run over it with a car
several times, put it through
the spin cycle in a washing
machine, then hit it with an
ugly stick.
“Cool it, squad. This is
Coffee and she don’t take no
smack from nobody. Now,
listen up. You got three levels
to get past in this camp and
half of you won’t make it past
the first. If there’s one thing I
can’t stand, it’s dummies.
And this squad is full of
them. Some more than
others,” he said, looking
directly at Dio. “And now,
I’m going to work the
dummy right out of you. Hit
dirt and give me fifty. Now!”
They dropped to give him
his push-ups. Dio couldn’t
believe it.
More? Couldn’t he
see they were exhausted?
“There is no fun here,”
Jackson continued, pacing
back and forth with Coffee
trailing behind. “If you’re not
working, you’re in school,
studying. And every night if
you’re not in your bunks
sleeping, you’re reading the
general rules or the
dictionary. The next time
you don’t know a word, look
it up. Do I make myself clear,
trainees?”
They stuttered, then said,
“Sir, yes sir!”
“Sound like a bunch of
losers. Are you a bunch of
losers, Trainee Grossaint?” he
stopped in front of a white
kid with ice-blue eyes and
chiseled features, diligently
doing push-ups as if he were
reading a book.
“Sir, no sir,” he responded.
“You sure about that,
Grossaint? ‘Cause it don’t
sound like it.”
Dio felt as if he was going
to cough up his lungs at any
moment. His body quivered
with each push-up. He still
had forty-five to go.
Jackson got in his face,
“That’s not even a girl
push-up.”
The mutt barked in Dio’s
face and the trainees
chuckled, which only burned
Dio up more. He loved dogs
but
they were about to find a
missing dog somewhere if she
kept it up
.
“Put some effort into it. My
dead grandma could do a
better job!” Jackson
announced.
“I’m … Trainee Rodríguez
is trying, sir,” Dio answered.
“Trying? You either do it or
you don’t. You are a pathetic
excuse for a boy.” Jackson
stuck his weathered boots
under Dio’s chin. “When
your chin hits these boots,
then that’s a push-up. Start
over. One … two…”
Now, it could have been
the dung smell of Jackson’s
boots; who knows? But when
it happened, Dio never felt
more embarrassed in his life.
His last meal and
everything else poured out of
his mouth in chunks right on
Jackson’s boots.
“What the …? Grossaint,
get over here,” Jackson yelled,
restraining Coffee from
licking his boots.
Grossaint hustled over to
his side. “Sir, yes, sir!”
“This look like puke to you,
Grossaint? Why is there puke
on my boots?”
“Sir, cause Trainee
Radigez-”
“No, no and no! There’s
puke on my boots ’cause you
haven’t cleaned it off yet. Do
it, now!”
Grossaint dropped to his
knees. “Sir, how-?”
“Use your shirt, dummy,”
Jackson answered. Grossaint
grimaced but scurried after
Jackson on his knees, cleaning
the vomit off as he
approached Dio.
Dio was beyond
embarrassed but kept his
tough facade as Jackson stood
nose-to-nose with him and
whispered, “How do you feel
now, Radigez?”
All that could be heard was
the trainees breathing and
Grossaint scrubbing Jackson’s
boots. Jackson’s dark eyes
peered right through Dio’s
soul, but he lifted his chin
defiantly.
“Sir, fine. Feeling fine now,
sir,” Dio answered.
“One way or another,
you’re going to learn. I will
win. I always do,” Jackson
said, cracking a smile. Then
he resumed his normal
top-of-his lungs voice. “And
since Trainee Radigez is
so
tired, you’re all going to run
for him. Five more miles!”
The other guys glared at
Dio. “Sir, yes sir!” they
answered.
“You just sit there and relax,
Radigez. Don’t worry,” he
said with a crafty smile,
“They’ll take care of
everything.”
Coffee barked in
agreement.
Chapter 2
Dio was beat by the time
they got into their large tent,
where they had nothing but
hard as rock bunks on the
cold desert ground. Dio had
slept on floors more
comfortable.
Nothing’s colder than
winter in Las Vegas; the type
that clings to your bones. It
was even colder for Dio right
now, since the drill
instructors had shaved off five
years of his long locks.
He wasn’t about to give
them the pleasure of seeing
how the haircut was tearing
him apart. The icy breeze
flowed over his bald head
with every step he took.
Everyone in the squad
avoided him and those that
did look his way only glared.
Whatever. He didn’t need
them. He didn’t need
anybody. Still, it was times
like these that he wished he
were laying next to Jennifer.
He thought about how they’d
be whispering and laughing
all night long, knowing if her
parents ever found out he had
snuck in, they’d have him
arrested. They had always
hated him, but Jennifer saw
past his long hair and tattoos.
She never laughed when he
said he wanted to get out of
the gang and make something
of himself.
They both had dreams and
they were the only ones that
47
could confide in each other
about them. He thought
they’d be together forever.
Grossaint’s ice-blue eyes
followed him as he tried to
pull back the paper-thin
sheets. He’d only been in
camp a few days and already
he’d made enemies. One of
Grossaint’s friends, Trainee
Franklin, they called him,
whispered something. Dio
imagined it couldn’t be a
good thing.
He wanted to teach them
some respect but he was too
tired. He tossed and turned,
switching the so-called pillow
over.
He wanted to be near
Jennifer so badly. She was the
only thing that kept him sane.
If he could just get to a
phone, just for five minutes.
He needed to hear her voice
again.
His mind trailed off, and he
was about to doze off when
the whimpering and sobbing
began.
“Shut up!” the trainees
yelled. It was Simon.
What was he crying about?
Dio wondered.
Simon went on like that all
night long and just as Dio was
about to sleep, Senior Jackson
was in his face screaming,
“Rise and shine, Radigez!”
Chapter 3
Dio felt stuck in a
never-ending gym hell. One
hundred push-ups, two
hundred sit-ups, two miles of
running, and whatever else
Jackson could think up every
morning. Then Jackson
demanded they clean the
walls, ceilings, floors, the
cracks and corners all with a
toothbrush.
With Coffee tracking dirt
in and out of the hall, leaving
“gifts” all over the place, it
didn’t make it any easier.
“I want to see myself in the
reflection,” Jackson said,
pointing to the floors.
Dio’s knees were raw from
scrubbing the floor, his neck
was throbbing, but all he
could think about was
Jennifer. Jackson was about to
step away when Dio mustered
up the courage to ask, “Um …
Sir, Trainee Rodríguez
requests permission to speak,
sir.”
“What?” Jackson spat.
“Sir, Trainee Rodríguez was
wondering if he could … use
the phone for a minute or
two, sir.”
Jackson laughed in his face.
“You are asking me for a
favor, Radigez?”
“Sir, Trainee Rodríguez’s
girlfriend is in the hospital,
sir.” His voice cracked with
emotion.
“No!” Jackson bellowed.
“You want phone privileges,
you gotta earn them.”
With that, Jackson kicked a
dirty pail over and splashed it
on the walls.
“Do it over. Mess up one
more time, Radigez, and I’ll
make you wish you were
never born.”
As Dio set to work again,
his nose stinging, Grossaint
crawled up next to him,
careful the junior drill
instructor didn’t spot him.
“He’s a jerk,” Grossaint said.
It was the first time he’d ever
said anything to Dio and he
didn’t know what to make of
it.
“We should be able to use
the phone anytime we want,”
he added.
“Yeah, it’s our right,” his
friend Franklin agreed.
Was Grossaint actually
trying to make friends?
Maybe he wasn’t as bad of a
guy as Dio had thought.
“
Simón
,” Dio whispered,
nodding in agreement.
Grossaint nodded toward
Jackson’s office. The door was
slightly open.
“Just use the phone quick.
We got your back,” Grossaint
eyed the junior officer,
stepping away. “Go now,
before he gets back.”
“Yeah, we’ve got your
back,” Franklin said.
Grossaint and Franklin
were right. If he was going to
do it, now was the time. Even
if he got caught, they’d only
make him do more push-ups
or something. Jennifer was
worth the risk.
Dio slipped inside the
office and Grossaint gave him
a reassuring nod.
He grabbed the phone and
yanked it under the desk with
him. Heart pounding, he
called 4-1-1 and then the
hospital connected him to
Jennifer’s room.
He just needed to know, to
hear her voice. She was his
soul mate; the only one he
had really left in the world. If
anything ever happened to
her, Dio would never forgive
himself.
“Hello,” Jennifer’s voice was
dry and weak.
He was like a little kid
again, talking faster than his
mind could keep up with.
“Baby, you all right? I’m in
this camp. This prison boot
camp and they don’t let me
do nothing but I’ve been
praying every night. You
okay? I miss you so bad.”
She didn’t answer right
away, which only made him
more worried.
“Got shot,” she said.
“I know baby, but stay
strong. Okay?”
“Dio,” whatever she had to
say was painful, “You know I
care for you, don’t you? I
mean, we’ll always have a
connection but …”
“But what?”
She sounded like she was
holding back the tears. “I can’t
live like this anymore, Dio.
Mi familia
is right. I’ve got to
do better. You and me, it’s
over.”
It felt like a truck had
landed on his chest. He
struggled for breath for a
moment. Then he said,
“Baby, we’re soul mates.
Don’t do me like this.”
There was a silence on the
phone for what seemed like
forever.
“Baby?” Dio said.
“Try to understand,” she
responded.
Click.
Dio rocked back on his
heels. For the first time in his
life, he didn’t have a friend in
the world. No one.
He was alone.
His nose pinched and he
could feel the tears starting to
well up, but he wasn’t about
to punk out. Instead he
punched a wall. He must be
dreaming. Jennifer would
never just drop him like a…
Suddenly Coffee was there,
barking in his face.
“What are you doing in my
office?” Jackson shouted,
grabbing him by the collar
and pulling him down the
hall so fast he didn’t know
what hit him.
He looked back at
Grossaint and Franklin. They
were both smirking.
Chapter 4
Dio had never been in an
adult prison before, let alone
in what they called the “hole.”
It was solitary confinement,
as dark as night, and for
someone who still had
nightmares about being
locked in a toy box by his
mother, it was horrible. Dio
remembered that day clearly.
He had been just thirteen.
“You stupid, stupid, stupid
boy,” his mom had said. He
looked away, but she had him
cornered against the wall. He
could smell the tequila on her
breath.
“You’re trying to break up
this family, aren’t you?”
“No,” Dio said.
She slapped him across the
face sharply. “Liar.”
He bit his lip. She was mad
at him because one of the
teachers had seen one of the
bruises she gave him, and the
burn scar she’d made on him
from the iron.
“What did you tell that
teacher? Tell me!” she
screamed at the top of her
lungs.
“Nothing.”
She grabbed him by the
chin and shoved his face back
against the wall. “I don’t let
little liars in my house, Dio.
You want to be on the street
again tonight? Huh? Let
those bums you hang out
with take care of you. See if
they want you. ‘Cause I sure
don’t.”
Dio’s nose flared. “Good,
’cause I don’t want you,
either. You’re a horrible
mother.”
Her hand came across his
face so fast, he didn’t know
what hit him. She didn’t let
up, over and over and over
again, until he was on the
floor in a fetal position.
That was the night she
made him sleep in the toy box
again. It was either that or
she’d do something awful to
his little brother.
Dio only hoped Daniel
wasn’t going through the
same thing now, without him
there to protect the little boy.
The worst part was that here,
Dio had little to think of
besides Jennifer’s rejection.
His pride said forget about
her; that he didn’t need her
anymore, but the truth was,
he didn’t want anybody else.
Living without Jennifer was
like living without a piece of
his soul.
Grossaint was definitely
going to get it, one way or
another. After all, as Spooky
always said, “They hit you,
you gotta hit ‘em worse.”
Chapter 5
“What now?!” Louise, the
boot camp’s cook, cried as
Dio came in. Then she looked
at him and sighed. “Another
trainee to babysit.”
She looked like trailer trash,
as far as Dio was concerned,
with her stringy, badly
permed hair, no makeup, a
pruned-up, wrinkled face,
and hardly any front teeth.
Dio winced away from her as
she led him to a mountain of
dishes bigger than he’d ever
seen before.
“Well, get at it,” she said.
Dio sighed. The last thing
he wanted to do was this kind
of work. He’d hated seeing his
mom come home exhausted
after working as a janitor and
dishwasher, Daniel crying
because he was so hungry. It
was hardly a wonder his
mother would rather be in a
drunken stupor most of the
time.
That’s what led Dio to
“alternative means of
income.” What was the big
deal about selling a little
dope, if it was going to keep
his mom from one more job
and his brother from going
hungry? At least that was
how he used to justify it. In
reality, it was the last thing he
wanted to do.
He wiped the steam off his
sweaty brow and noticed
Simon, the zit-faced kid from
earlier, holding a broom, and
gawking at him with his
mouth wide open.
“Whatchew want, foo’?”
Dio asked, “Yeah, just keep
sweepin’.”
Simon shuffled away and
Dio shook his head.
It took him forever but he
finally finished that mountain
of dishes, wiped the sweat off
his brow, and sighed with
relief. At least now he could
rest.
“Did I say you could take a
break?” Louise asked, startling
him as she came up from
behind with an even bigger
load of dishes for him. Then
other trainees from the squad
brought in load after load. It
was going to be a long day.
Chapter 6
Dio was more than
exhausted after all that work,
but then Grossaint entered
the tent. Dio’s hands itched
to break his nose.
Days in the hole. All that
kitchen work. Getting his
phone privileges revoked
forever so he’d never be able
to call Jennifer? It was all
Grossaint’s fault and he was
going to make him pay for it.
“I’ma mess you up, homie,”
Dio threatened, moving
toward him.
Grossaint cracked a smile;
his cronies surrounded Dio.
“Stupid wetback,”
Grossaint snarled, looking at
Franklin as they moved in on
Dio.
Dio was ready to take them
on when a high-pitched voice
cried, “Leave him alone!’
Everyone looked around
for the source of the sound,
then snickered when they saw
Simon. He trembled like a
little boy who knew he had a
whipping coming.
“Don’t bother him,” he
squeaked.
Dio was shocked. This
scrawny little thing was
coming to his defense? What
was he going to do, slap them
to death?
“Shut up, Simon,”
Grossaint replied.
His boys laughed.
“You shut up,” Simon
answered. Then he shrank
back like a turtle in his shell.
Grossaint was about to do
something when Franklin
yelled, “Officer on deck!”
Everyone scurried to their
bunks as Jackson marched
inside.
Jackson seemed to sense
something was off and
immediately went to what he
thought had to be the source
of the trouble. “Radigez,
what’s going on here?”
“Sir, nothing sir,” Dio
answered.
Jackson stared him up and
down, then asked Simon,
swift as a sword, “That true?”
Simon swallowed hard.
“Uh—”
“Sir, you got a phone call,” a
junior officer called.
Saved by the bell.
Everyone held their breath
until he exited.
Dio knew he had to chill
for now. Grossaint’s revenge
would have to come another
night.
He lay in bed, thinking
about what Simon had done.
There was a courage about
him Dio liked, one that his
best homies back home had.
He decided then to sit up
and write Jennifer a letter. If
he couldn’t use the phone,
hopefully he could get
through to her that way.
He grabbed a pen and
paper from the box in front
of his bunk.
Dear Jennifer,
Every day I wake up in
the middle of the night and
mi corazon me duele, ’cause
I know everything that
happened to you is my
fault. Please, don’t let what
other
foos
people say make
you not want to be with
me. If I could do it all over
again, I would, but I can’t.
You gotta understand
what I’ve been going
through, too. Nobody
would tell me if you was
alive or dead or nothing.
When I heard your voice
on the phone I a
lmost cried
about broke down. I’ve
been dying inside every
night thinking about you.
Don’t give up on me.
You’re the only one I got
besides mi hermanito.
When I get out things are
going to be so much better.
You’ll see. Just give me
another chance, I’ll prove it
to you. Estoy aqui para ti.
No matter what siempre.
Remember?
Playboy
Chapter 7
The whole next day
Jackson had them digging
ditches. Why? Because he said
it built indefatigability.
“Do you know what
indefatigability is, Radigez?”
he asked.
“Um … muscles?” Dio
answered.
“So, we got jokes, do we?
No, no, and no!” Jackson
responded. “Indefatigability is
being seemingly incapable of
being fatigued. You build
stamina; you don’t get so
tired.”
Well, whoop-dee-doo!
Who cares?
Dio thought.
An older squad of guys
wearing all white passed by.
They were in the last level,
ready to graduate.
“What are you looking at?”
Jackson asked, “Half you guys
won’t even make it past this
level.”
Dio just wanted to get out
of camp. With any luck, he
would get a legitimate job
doing something that would
make Jennifer proud to be
with him. He still hadn’t
heard back from her, even
though it’d been weeks, but
he just knew that if he could
make it out of boot camp and
get his life together, he could
win her back.
Dio wiped his brow. It was
winter in the desert, but
during the day it was just as
hot as any other time of the
year.
He looked over his
shoulder to see Simon
struggling beside him.
“Hey,” Dio called, careful
nobody else could hear.
“We’re not supposed to be
talking,” Simon whispered in
his high-pitched, nasally
voice.
Dio smacked his lips. “That
foo’s not going to do nothing
to me he ain’t done already.”
Simon’s eyes lit up a bit.
“I appreciate you sticking
up for me last night. It was
coo’,” Dio said. “It was stupid,
but it was coo’.”
A smile spread across
Simon’s face, “Thanks!”
“Shh,” Dio cautioned. “So,
what are you? Black, Iraqi or
what?”
“My dad’s black and my
mom’s Hispanic.”
“For real? That almost
makes us brothers.”
“It does?” Simon asked with
a smile.
“
Simón.
Us brownskins
gotta stick together,
sabes
?
La
Raza
, dawg. That’s why you
gotta help me get back at
Grossaint somehow. Hey,
whatchew in here for,
anyway?”
Dio thought he was too
skinny to be in a gang, too
prude to hotwire a car. Simon
withdrew. Whatever he’d
done, he was too ashamed to
talk about it.
“Come on, foo’. You can
tell me. I got in here for
possession of a firearm.
Wrong place, wrong time.
Foos tried to blast me in a
drive-by but got my girl
instead. It’s a’ight. I’ma get
out and me and her gonna get
back together like nobody’s
business.
Órale
.”
“
Órale
? I don’t speak
Spanish,” Simon said.
Dio shook his head. “
Órale.
Simón
. You know. That’s like
saying, ‘That’s live. That’s
money.’”
Simon still looked
confused.
“You know, ‘That’s cool,
dude.’”
The lightbulb came on in
his head and Simon smiled
and nodded his head like a
bobblehead doll.
“
Órale. Simón
,” he
repeated.
Chapter 8
Jackson always had some
new brainiac idea, and since it
was Grossaint’s birthday,
everyone had to make him a
gift. Dio thought he’d give
him a birthday gift to
remember for a long time.
For some strange reason,
Jackson’s dog Coffee had
taken a liking to Grossaint.
No matter how many times
he pushed her away,
threatened her, or pulled her
by the tail, she was completely
in love with him.
So that day, Dio
approached Grossaint as he
ripped his gifts open. He
glared at Dio handed his gift
to him and opened the
package as if it were a bomb.
Seeing nothing more than a
homemade card, he crumpled
it in his hand, tossed it aside,
and continued opening the
other presents.
“Chow time!” a junior
officer yelled.
Everyone got up, put their
shoes on, and headed out.
When Grossaint did the
same, however, his shoes
squelched. He sat back down
and pulled them off to find a
funky smell and gush in his
shoes, one of Coffee’s “gifts.”
“What the—” Grossaint
exclaimed.
Dio and Simon walked by
him, trying not to laugh.
Then Simon blew it by
saying, “Happy birthday.”
Dio nudged him. “Stupid.
Keep it on the down-low.”
Grossaint’s teeth gritted, his
face beet red with anger. Dio
knew he was in for it,
something big this time. It
was no longer fun and games.
It was war.
Chapter 9
Dio couldn’t open
Jennifer’s letter quick enough.
He was supposed to be
cleaning out the grease traps
in the kitchen but instead
stole a few minutes to read.
Dear Dio,
It took me a long time to
write this letter because the
medicine they put me on
makes me sick to my
stomach. You say you’re
sorry, you say you care for
me pero no te creo. I think
you’re selfish
all you think
about is yourself.
You don’t know what it’s
like to constantly have to
defend you to all my
friends. It’s too much for
me. They say the bullet
almost hit mi corazon. I
should have been dead but
an angel
someone’s
watching over me and I can
only think it’s like a second
chance, and I’ve got to do
things right this time.
I want to believe this
time it will be different,
that you will change but
everything you’d said you’d
do, you haven’t done. You
said you’d quit banging,
that you’d quit selling, that
you’d
buy me a real
engagement ring
go back to
school but I don’t see any
of that. When I see you in
a tie and shirt and you’ve
got a real job, then I’ll
believe you.
Jennifer
The letter tore Dio apart.
Part of him was just glad she’d
written back, but he wanted
so badly for her to forgive
him. He knew what had
happened was serious, that
his past had caught up to
both of them. And not that
he was totally surprised by
her reaction, but to hear her
say things like that just hurt.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake!”
Louise yelled from the other
room. Dio shook his head
and got up to go back to
work. Then, he thought he
heard a sniffle.
Frowning, he wiped his
hands and followed the
sound. Louise was standing in
the pantry, her back turned
and arms folded. Dio cleared
his throat.
“You all right?”
“Mind your own business
and get back to work,” she
snapped.
“Whatever,” Dio said,
turning to leave. Discomfort
prickled over his skin. He
hated to see a woman cry.
Then he thought of
something. He left for a
moment, heading outside to a
nearby flowerbed, and then
returned to the pantry.
Approaching Louise with
caution as she sobbed, Dio set
a violet down beside her. As
he turned to leave, her voice
stopped him.
“Hey, get over here,” she
said.
“Yeah?” he answered,
turning around.
“You trying to be sweet to
me or something? Whatchew
want?” she asked, wiping her
eyes.
“I don’t want nothing,” he
said, smacking his lips.
She grunted. “Well, you
ain’t gonna get nothing out of
it.”
“Whatever,” he said. It was
probably just as hard for her
to say, “Thank you” as it
would be for him.
“I’m not trying to get up in
your business or nothing,” he
said, “but what’s the matter,
anyway?”
“Don’t get married, that’s
what’s the matter,” she said.
“Ah, relationships. I know
how that goes,” he said,
leaning against a counter.
“What do you know about
relationships?” she said,
turning and putting her
hands on her hips.
He bit his thumbnail and
said, “Got female problems,
that’s what.”
“What kind of female
problems?”
“My girl’s mad at me right
now.” He shrugged.
“She got a reason?”
Dio grunted. “I just want it
to be like it used to.”
Louise started putting
things away again, her tears
apparently gone. “Well,
relationships fade,” she said.
“Not me and Jennifer,” he
said, standing up straighter.
“We’re soul mates. We’re just
going through a bit of a
rough patch.”
Dio took the letter out of
his pocket. “I know I’m not
supposed to bring nothing to
work but… she said it right
here, in this letter. She don’t
want nothing to do with me.
She don’t know how much I
love her. You’re not gonna
narc on me, are you?”
“Just read the darn letter,”
she grunted.
As Dio read it to her, she
listened carefully. When he
had finished, she laughed and
went back to putting the cans
in their spots. “Well, sounds
like she still wants you to me.”
“For real?” he asked, his
eyebrows raising.
“Listen to what she’s
saying!”
When Dio frowned, Louise
made an impatient noise,
“Give me that,” she said,
snatching the letter from him.
She began reading: “‘When I
see you in a tie and shirt and
you’ve got a real job…’ She
wants you, but you gotta get
it together. Isn’t that what
she’s saying here?”
“For real?” he repeated, his
eyes lighting up. “You think
I’ve got a chance?”
“‘For real’? Of course ‘for
real.’ You’re talking to a
woman here.” She laughed
again. Then she turned
serious, her eyes soft. “Listen,
if you really love her, don’t let
her get away. Write her back.
You still got a chance.”
“What should I say?” he
asked, stepping towards
Louise with his fists clenched
anxiously.
“You’ll know,” Louise
answered. “You love her, after
all.”
Chapter 10
Dio thought long and hard
about everything Louise had
said as he sat on his bunk that
night, drawing a picture of
Jennifer. Jennifer had always
encouraged him to draw and
she knew it was the one thing
he was passionate about. It
allowed him to escape
whatever he was going
through at school or with his
mom.
Now, as he traced the last
details of his vision of
Jennifer, he was lost in her,
lost in what could be.
No matter how ticked off
he felt sometimes about her
trying to break up with him,
he couldn’t help himself. He
was in love with her. And
though he’d never tell Spooky
or any of his boys back home,
it was the truth. She was the
only one for him. He wanted
her and he was willing to fight
for her.
He knew he couldn’t
procrastinate forever, drawing
the same lines over and over
again, so finally he decided to
get to writing.
Dear Jennifer,
Sometimes the things I
mean in my head don’t
exactly come out the way
they’re supposed to. You
know if I was there right
now, I’d be lying next to
you,
hugging
holding you.
I’d be stroking your pelo,
kissing you, making you
feel good. You know that’s
all I think about here, being
with you. It’s the only thing
that gets me through d
ay
each day. My heart pounds
every time they pass out the
mail ’cause I’m hoping I’ll
get something from you.
That’s what you do to
me, baby. You make my
heart pound. I know you’re
going to pull through in
the hospital and when I get
out things are going to be
better
much better
. You’ll
see.
Oh! I almost forgot.
Don’t know if you’re
feeling up to it or if the
doctors will let you, but
visitor’s day is coming up
next Friday at 6pm. Think
you can come?
Playboy
“Whatcha doing?” Simon
asked then.
“You messin’ my vibe,
man,” Dio snapped.
Simon backed away like he
had just been slapped across
the face, which only made
Dio feel bad.
“I’m just writing my lady,”
Dio grunted, repositioning
himself on his bunk.
“Can I see?” Simon asked,
peering over Dio’s shoulder.
“Man, don’t you got no girl
of your own? Jeez.”
“No,” Simon answered,
staring at the dirt floor.
“Homie, you gotta learn to
strut. You can’t slump around
all the time. How you expect
to get no respect?”
“Yeah, listen to him. He’ll
teach you a thing or two,”
Grossaint called out, making
everyone laugh.
“Foo,’” Dio said, “I ain’t in
the mood for you.”
Dio started for him but
Coffee got up and started
growling. Grossaint smiled at
the dog. “Good girl.”
Simon tugged at Dio. “It’s
not worth it. They’ll just send
you back to the hole. Think
about your girl.”
Dio hated to admit it but
Simon was right.
“You think you’re so smart
but you’re in camp just like
the rest of us,” Dio said to
Grossaint as he backed away.
“At least I’m going
somewhere when I get out.
You’ll just be stuck in the
ghetto,” Grossaint responded.
Dio smacked his lips. “Foo’,
soon as I get out, I’ma be an
artist with my own car design
shop.”
Grossaint snorted. “You’re
dreaming.”
“Yeah?” Dio challenged. “At
least I’m not going back to the
trailer park with my Ma and
Pa and girlfriend. I mean,
sister.”
The squad busted out
laughing, which took Dio by
surprise.
“I gotta girl at home,”
Grossaint said, pulling
himself up. “And at least she
ain’t some dumb street rat like
yours.”
“Oooh,” the guys groaned
as one, looking on eagerly.
“Yeah? Least she ain’t as
dumb as your mama. Your
mama so dumb, if she spoke
her mind, she’d be
speechless.”
The guys busted out
laughing.
“Your mama so dumb,”
Dio continued. “Wait … she
had you.”
Everyone roared in
laughter. Dio had a whole
bunch of “Yo’ Mama” jokes
lined up for Grossaint but he
could see he’d struck a chord
in him. So he didn’t bother to
push it anymore, not today.
Chapter 11
Dio stayed up the whole
night before that Friday’s
Visitor’s Day, thinking about
seeing Jennifer again. He
hadn’t gotten a letter back
from her yet, but he knew
Jennifer. She’d get mad at
things, but she got over them.
He figured she’d definitely
show up one way or another.
But the next day in the
visitor’s room, he waited until
no other trainees were left
except him and Simon.
“Where’s your girl, Dio?”
Simon finally asked.
“She’ll be here. You’ll see…”
Dio answered, not wanting to
look at him. “Where’s your
mom and dad?”
Simon shrugged.
“They just missing out,”
Dio said.
Simon sniffled. “Yeah.”
“Who needs them? They
don’t show up, you don’t
want them to show up,” Dio
added.
Simon’s eyes watered.
“Yeah. I gotta go to the
bathroom.”
Simon trailed off to ask
Jackson to use the head.
Poor kid
, Dio thought.
What parent wouldn’t want a
kid like that?
As the hour progressed, the
other trainees’ guests came
and went. Even Grossaint had
a guest, some big guy that
looked like he could have
been his brother.
Finally, there were no
guests left and Dio was left
completely embarrassed. The
squad gave him a
“you-didn’t-get-anybody-to-vi
sit-you?” look while they lined
up, waiting for Jackson to
give them permission to go.
He kept his chin up, looking
straight ahead, but his pride
was crumbling.
Jackson came up to him
and spoke in a low tone.
“Where’s this lady friend of
yours you were talking
about?”
Dio frowned, clenching his
fists.
Chapter 12
It had been three weeks
since he had heard from
Jennifer. Was she trying to
forget him? It wasn’t like her
to do something like this.
Yeah, maybe he’d messed up
real bad but she had to know
he’d do anything for her.
He felt like he was just
going through the motions at
boot camp. Why even try that
hard? What good was life
without Jennifer?
Nothing was more
obnoxious than those
obstacle courses Jackson made
them do. They were supposed
to be making some
improvement each time, but
Dio didn’t get the whole
point.
To be honest, he barely
tried. He just needed to stay
under the radar long enough
to graduate from camp in a
few months and get out.
“Chow time,” Jackson
announced to the exhausted
trainees.
Excitement spread among
them as they lined up for
food. It was about time, as far
as Dio was concerned. He
was starving to death and
couldn’t wait to eat.
“Go ahead, everyone!
Except you, Radigez.”
Dio froze.
Now what?
“Sir?” Dio said, staying put
where he was.
“Get over here. What do
you think you’re doing today?
My dead grandmother could
do a better job.”
“Sir, Trainee Rodríguez is
just doing what you told him,
sir.”
“No, no, and no! Need I
remind you, if I don’t see any
improvement, your sentence
will be extended.”
Dio sighed, muttering
something under his breath.
Jackson charged into his
face. “What’d you say? What’s
the tenth general rule?”
“Sir, all trainees must do
their very best, but Trainee
Rodríguez was doing his best,
sir.”
“Your best? That was your
best? You want to ever see
that girl of yours again or
what?”
“Sir, ‘course I … Trainee
Rodríguez does, sir.”
“Hit dirt and give me one
hundred.”
“Sir?”
There was no way it was
physically possible. He was
exhausted from everything
Jackson had made them do
before.
“Hit dirt and give me two
hundred, then,” Jackson
challenged.
Dio was furious but began
pounding out the push-ups
before Jackson added more.
He kept Dio at it: sit-ups,
squats, anything he could
think of until every vein in
Dio’s neck was strained.
“You keep talking about
this girl you want to see,”
Jackson said, pacing back and
forth as Dio kept going. “You
think she wants some street
bum that can’t get a job, in
and out of jail, some quitter?”
“Sir, no sir,” he answered,
barely able to catch his breath.
“Give me a hundred more
push-ups.”
“Sir, I … sir, Trainee
Rodríguez can’t, sir. I’m sorry
but it’s impossible.”
“Impossible? Can’t? Them
words ain’t words in my
camp, only assiduity. What’s
assiduity, Trainee?”
“Sir … Trainee Rodríguez
doesn’t know, sir,” he
answered. His arms were
shaking and his body aching,
and he certainly wasn’t in the
mood for vocabulary lessons.
“Look it up sometime.
You’re going to need it.”
Then Jackson snorted. “Fine.
Go and quit. See if your girl
wants some quitter. Yeah,
that’s going to happen.”
He shook his head and
walked away.
He watched him go and
something struck inside.
Another person giving up on
him, another person not
believing in him. That man
didn’t know half of what he
was capable of, Dio thought.
He was going to show him.
Nobody called him a
quitter.
Dio got down on the
ground and cranked out those
push-ups.
Jackson raised an eyebrow
as Dio hopped up and stood
at attention, catching his
breath. “Sir, Trainee
Rodríguez is finished, sir.”
Jackson could hardly hide
his smile.
“All right. You get on
inside. And you better wash
up before you eat. Nothing’s
worse than smelling sweaty
nasty funk.”
After that, Jackson was so
proud, though he’d never
admit it, that he even
arranged for Dio to get an
extra Spam burger.
Chapter 13
Dio’s bunk had never felt
so good as that night. He was
so tired, he couldn’t even
think.
But a warm smile spread
over his face as he realized
what he had done. He’d
actually succeeded at
something.
He knew Jennifer would
have been proud. She always
said he had so much
potential. Somehow, in his
own weird way, he felt he was
one step closer to becoming
somebody. He didn’t know
who or what yet, but
someone better, someone
stronger.
From that point on, every
night before he said his
prayers and went to bed, he
read the dictionary, learning
new words so he could keep
up with Jackson.
“Rise and shine, Radigez!”
Jackson yelled in Dio’s face
the next morning. His body
felt like an old truck that
needed to be warmed up. But
he managed to get up, a new
fire pushing through him.
He wasn’t a quitter anymore.
Chapter 14
Dio had been so busy at
camp, trying to improve, that
he was surprised when
Jennifer’s letter came two
weeks later. Before he could
even open it, Simon was at his
side.
Dio tried to hide his smile.
“Just hold up,
ése.
”
He tore the letter open,
crossed himself and said a
little prayer. Then he began
reading aloud to Simon.
Dear Dio,
The picture you drew of
me was really sweet. You’re
so talented. Sorry I didn’t
make it to your visitor’s
day. I had to go back into
the hospital for internal
bleeding. It’s
a trip
funny,
this whole thing has
brought mi familia together
again. They want me to
come home, Dio. Can you
believe it?
I almost cried
when my mom said that.
You know your padres
care, sabes? But sometimes
you just need to hear it
from them.
“I know how that goes,”
Simon added.
Dio blinked and then
noticed everyone in the squad
was perched at the edge of
their seats, listening. He felt
completely exposed but kept
reading anyway.
I’m kind of worried because
I don’t want no problems
like we had before. I don’t
want all the gritos. Maybe
things will change. I hope
so cause I don’t
want to run
away again
have no other
place to go. I told you my
big dreams, Dio. I believe
in them still, I do. It’s just I
get tired of depending on
other people. I want to go
to school again. I want to
be somebody. I never told
my mom what I did out
there to survive when I ran
away. It’d break their heart.
“What’d she do?” Simon
asked.
Dio’s heart jumped to his
throat.
“Yeah,” Grossaint said,
winking at Dio, “what
did
she
do?”
Everybody busted out
laughing. Dio was about to
pound Grossaint when
Jackson entered.
Dio didn’t want to think
about what Jennifer told him
she’d had to do to survive. He
never judged her and she
never judged him and he
guessed that was why they
could tell each other
everything. Nobody else
seemed to understand what it
was like, going through the
things they did. That was
why it felt so good to have
someone like her in his life
that knew the whole story.
“Everyone, let’s go!” Jackson
said.
Now where are we going?
he wondered as Jackson led
them to a big, wooden,
trailer-like building, a hooch.
Was it another surprise
exercise routine? Were they in
trouble? Had Grossaint
finally told on him about the
whole birthday surprise he’d
left in his shoes a while back?
It was pitch-dark inside but
as Jackson flicked the light on,
Dio could see it was
jam-packed with bunks. A
smile spread across Dio’s face
as he realized what was
happening.
They had just moved up to
the next level in the squad. As
they opened the boxes with
their striped clothes, the
squad could hardly contain
their excitement.
Dio was one step closer to
graduating, and one step
closer to Jennifer.
Chapter 15
“Of course, she wrote back.
I told you I knew what I was
talking about,” Louise said,
wiping her brow.
Dio was practically
hopping with excitement.
“I started writing her back.
Wanna hear it?”
“Go ahead. But hurry up.
You’ve got work to do,” she
said, smiling slightly as she
stirred the pot of soup.
“Yes, ma’am,” Dio said.
Then he cleared his throat.
Dear Jennifer,
Today I had to help the
squad out.
“Wait—Wait—Wait! Is
that how you’re going to start
out the letter?” Louise asked.
“Well, yeah. Why not?” he
said, raising his eyebrow
“Hmm,” she said, adding
more salt to her soup.
“What’s wrong with it?”
She put the wooden spoon
down, “Well, you’re talking
about
yourself
, Dio. What
about how she’s feeling? A
woman wants to know you
care, that you’re making her
feel number one. You wanna
win this girl back for good,
you gotta put her first and
that starts with that letter.”
Dio thought for a while.
She was right. He guessed
sometimes he came across
kind of selfish. So, after a few
minutes of thinking, he read
Louise what he’d written.
Hey Baby,
Thanks for the
compliments. Glad you’re
feeling better. Hope things
get much better with your
parents. Wish I could say
the same for my moms.
She’s a b-
You’re lucky. I
believe in your dreams too,
mija. I know it. You’re
going to be big and I’m
gonna buy all your rolas.
You and me gonna be
together again real soon.
First thing I get out I’ma
get us a place together. I got
it all planned out. They say
I’ll be able to get my GED
by the time I graduate boot
camp. Been studying day
and night, even reading the
dictionary like nobody’s
business.
It’s boring but
Can you believe it? Ain’t
that a trip? And to think
the teachers in school used
to say I’d never graduate.
Anyway, miss you mucho.
Te amo.
Playboy
Louise nodded, but her
mind was elsewhere. “What
do you mean the teachers
used to say you’d never
graduate? They told you you
were stupid or something?”
“Pretty much,” Dio
answered, scrunching his
mouth.
“What did your mom say?”
she said, putting her hands on
her hips.
His mind flashed back to all
the drunken abuse from his
mother and he just shrugged.
She’d called him much more
than “stupid.”
“Jennifer was the only one
back then that would say
anything good,” he replied. “I
was thirteen and I was going
to commit suicide. For real.”
“At thirteen?”
He looked away from her,
biting his lips. Truth was, he
wasn’t joking. It really had
been that bad. If it hadn’t
been for Jennifer and the fact
that Daniel needed him, he
didn’t know where he’d be.
“Let’s talk about something
else. ‘Kay?” he said.
“Can I just ask you one
thing about that, Dio?
Where’s your mom now?”
“Who cares? Probably
rehab again.”
“Drugs?”
“Booze. Just hope
mi
hermanito’s
okay. I don’t
want him getting in no foster
care like I had to.”
Louise shook her head.
“Yep,” Dio smiled. “Me and
my brother’s all tight. One
day, me and Jennifer gonna
get enough money together
to take care of him and her
little sister, too.”
“Sounds like a great girl,
Jennifer. Dio, do me a favor;
you get her back, hold on to
her and never let her go. You
hear?” She put her hand on
his shoulder, looking right
into his eyes.
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied,
biting the inside of his cheek.
Chapter 16
“Get a move on!” Jackson
roared as the squad ran in the
scorching desert sun.
Dio had never run faster in
his life. He was dripping with
sweat and the desert sucked
his throat dry, but it felt
good.
He and Grossaint were
head-to-head at the last wall
in the obstacle course, then
up the thick rope, one hand
over the other, until Dio
touched the top and slid
down just as Grossaint was
halfway up.
Dio even gave him a wink
on the way down and raced to
the finish line. Jackson clicked
his stopwatch. “9:03.”
The squad cheered Dio.
Jackson cleared his throat.
“All right. Don’t get too
excited. Not bad, Radigez.
Not bad.”
Grossaint raced up to
Jackson.
“9:47,” he called, checking
his stopwatch.
“Sir, Trainee Grossaint
requests permission to speak,
sir,” he asked Jackson.
“Go ahead,” Jackson
grunted.
“Sir, Trainee Radigez didn’t
touch the top of the rope all
the way. He’s supposed to—”
“Trainee, what’s the ninth
general rule?”
“Um … Sir, trainees m