Kendall

Since I arrived in California two months ago, a lot has changed. I got a job at a bar on the south side of town. Additionally, I have made two friends-the twins. Ashley and Missy are their names. Missy is a college student who also works at the neighborhood preschool, and Ashley works as a bartender like me.

I have enrolled at UCLA to pursue an art degree. I love art. I adore drawing and painting. When Craig began abusing me and I was in the foster care system, it was always my way out. I am working on the class project right now, which is due at the end of the marking period. It makes up half of my grade. The theme serves as your haven, and I must admit that I do not have one. I never really felt loved or safe, not even as a child. That must be the outcome of having a mother who is addicted to drugs.

While brainstorming ideas for this project, I sit in the corner of my class and am told that class is dismissed by the professor. I begin packing for my upcoming and final lecture of the day. In the unlikely event that art fails to secure me an excellent job, I am also pursuing English as a backup plan. I am currently on my way to that class. English literature is an excellent course. I love reading all these amazing novels. We are currently reading Romeo and Juliet, of course, and today we are expected to discuss our thoughts and feelings regarding the play. Many people will be offended by my opinion because it is foolish. What the fuck, they end up killing themselves. Come on, really, there is no such thing as a love so intense that you would commit suicide for them. It is pointless, foolish, and juvenile.

"Good afternoon, class. We will begin discussing the play that I gave you to read today." Professor Goodwin says to us. I pull out my notes on the play that I wrote down. I will not say anything I normally do not, but I have it ready just in case. The teachers never notice you if you sit so far back, which is a benefit. The door opens and three men enter as Professor Goodwin begins to speak. Although I have seen them in here before, I have never given them much notice. "How kind of you three to be here with us today. I expect that you have done your reading assignment," she says to the guys.

"Yes, ma'am, we did do our reading as you asked," was one of the responses. His tone is arrogant. He has blue eyes and blonde hair. He has a decently built medium frame. He is cute. However, I have never been a huge fan of blondes. The other two men have brown eyes and brown hair. Both are so well built that their muscles are visible through their shirts. They are all well-tanned. I am staring at them when Goodwin tells them to sit down and starts discussing the direction of this debate.

I am staring off into space when she calls on me. "Ms. Wyatt, how did you interpret Romeo and Juliet?" She asks me, and I was dreading this; I did not like speaking in front of the class. "Well, I did not think it was worth reading or even writing." I say honestly. People in the class are gasping, and the females in the class appear to have just been informed that I killed their puppies.

"How could you say that? A forbidden love between enemies is the subject of this timeless love tale. One of the girls says. That makes me laugh, but before I say anything, I clear my throat. "Are you aware that they both commit suicide at the play's conclusion? So, if they are only going to commit suicide, what good was it to go through all that trouble to be together? It is foolish." When I say that, everyone stops talking and gives me an alien look.

"The reason was that neither of them wanted to live without the other." One of the guys that walked in late says.

"Once more, it is meaningless and unreal; a love that is so intense that it drives one to commit suicide does not exist. Humans are self-centered beings who only consider themselves. We cannot physically love that hard. It is not possible." I say, turning away and shaking my head.

"Who hurt you?" Someone else asks, and I was offended by that question. "That is not relevant to the discussion, Arlo. That is off topic." When Mrs. Goodwin says this, he simply shrugs his shoulders as if he had not spoken.

"Thank you, Ms. Wyatt. I want you to stay after class so we can continue our conversation about this topic." As Mrs. Goodwin speaks to me, I hear a few of the other student's chuckle. I simply shake my head, turn back to the notebook, and listen to some of the other students discuss their opinions about the play.

Everyone quickly gathers and leaves the classroom when the lesson is over. The man named Arlo, however, is about to leave when Mrs. Goodwin stops him. Please wait a minute, Mr. Perez. He also shakes his head and gruffly returns to the classroom. I walk over to where Mrs. Goodwin is standing behind the desk. I say softly, "You wanted to talk to me." Yes, Ms. Wyatt, even though your opinions are respected. They had strayed from the subject. You were supposed to read it and discover why this play is so highly regarded and what made it such a remarkable accomplishment," she says. I stare at her in disbelief. She goes on, "I want you to read it again over the weekend, and I will be expecting a report on why it is such a huge success on Tuesday. I roll my eyes and leave the room when she asks, "Do you understand?"

Arlo

I try not to snicker as I stand there listening to my aunt talk to the girl. This girl has an attitude problem, but I love it. She has a lot of shyness, but she also has a lot of fire. "Now that that has done, your young man was very rude to her, and that is not ok. You do not know her situation, so that was uncalled for." My aunt says as she scolds me.

I give her the look of someone who has grown a third head. "What did I do? I was just participating in the debate with the other students. What was the issue with that?" Confused as hell, I ask her. She sighs as she looks at me. "Arlo, this girl was a state ward and has never had a family. She received a scholarship to attend this institution. Since she has never experienced love before, kindly refrain from treating her in such a harsh and impolite manner again." My aunt says.

I walk out of the room to go home after shaking my head. After I got home and started to walk, I heard moans. "OMG, yes, Elias, harder!" I hear a random woman yelling. As I enter the living room, I witness my cousin slamming into a classmate from behind. "Really, do you have to do that where everyone sits?" I say grossed out and then head to the gym.

I went to the radio and switched it on, and after hearing a random rock song, I began lifting weights. My father enters the gym and turns it off while I am working out. "Today is training day at the warehouse, son. I need you to accompany me so that you can assist in training the recruits." He speaks. "In five minutes, I will be ready. Also, you might want to have one of the housekeepers clean the furniture in the sitting room; your nephew had a bitch bent over the couch when I got home." I chuckle after observing my father's response. "Christ, when your mother finds out about this, she is going to skin him alive." He laughs as he walks out of the gym.

My mother raised my cousin after his parents were killed during a deal gone wrong. When he moved in with us, he was nine years old. My mother has always taught us to respect women's bodies and to understand the concept of consent. Yes, I play, but I understand that when someone says no, they mean it. I also respect women, and I do not take kindly to rape and abuse. My father's men know that we do not harm women and children. We may be ruthless and kill our enemies, but we do not harm their wives and kids.

I make sure my gym bag is prepared with my clothes and shoes before leaving to get ready to head to the warehouse. I pick it up and go downstairs to the door to meet my father and cousin. I hear my mother shouting at my cousin as I make my way downstairs. "What in the world have I said to you guys about misusing women? What did I say about having sex with a random whore in my home? not to mention on my furniture in the family room." She slaps him over the head and yells. I begin to laugh so hard that I clutch my stomach. "It was not like that, Aunt Rosie. I swear I am sorry it will not happen again," says Elias. which makes my dad laugh even harder. "Ok, amore, he got the point. Can we please leave since we are running late?" my dad asks. My mother gives him a look and shakes her head. She adds, "Elias, you have kitchen duty and dog duty for a month," which makes me laugh even harder. He gives me a shady look and says, "Yes, ma'am," and then we leave.