29.

  “That’s the last of it,” Constantine said as gave Johnny the final box of clothing he would take to his dorm at college, “Are you sure you have enough to afford your dorm, if you can’t, you just come back here, you understand?”

  “Don’t worry dad, I have enough. I’ve been saving. I’ve tried to be responsible with my money, just like you taught me,” Johnny smiled.

  “I’m proud of you, you’re a fine young man,” Constantine extended his hand to his son.

  Johnny took his Father’s hand and gave it a firm, hard shake as the two men smiled at each other.

  Abbatha gave Johnny a big motherly hug, “Oh I’m so proud of you too Johnny, have fun,” she looked at her son, “Just not too much fun,” she said smiling.

  “Thanks, mom,” Johnny said, giving her another hug.

  “Try to stay out of trouble bro,” Tabby said, rolling her eyes.

  “Come here Baby Sis,” Johnny said as he hugged his little sister, patting her back, “You try to stay out of trouble too okay, stay away from the cheerleaders,” he said.

  “I know right, that Tiffany, what a mess,” she said.

  “Johnny, there’s someone else here to see you,” his mother said, grinning and biting her lip.

  Johnny looked up and saw Gretchen walking up to him, “Gretchen,” Johnny said, lighting up.

  “Hey, Johnny,” she smiled.

  “Don’t tell me. You’re dropping out of M.I.T. and coming to UCLA with me?” Johnny joked.

  “What, oh hell no,” she laughed, “I just, I just wanted to say goodbye,” she took his hand, “One more time before we see each other again,” she smiled.

  Abbatha grabbed Constantine and Tabby’s shoulders and pulled them away so the two could have some alone time.

  “I’m going to miss you, Johnny Vincent,”

  “I’ll miss you too, maybe we can meet up again around brake, could be fun?” he said.

  “Yeah, that sounds nice, I can’t wait to hear about what crazy adventures you’re probably going to get yourself into,”

  “After everything that’s happened, I’d like to say my crazy adventure days are over, but…”

  “But a guy like you can’t stay out of trouble, can he?” Gretchen asked, holding Johnny’s other hand.

  “I guess I can’t, we’ll see. What did Mr. Bergman always say? This is America. There’s always an opportunity somewhere, just no more illegal stuff,” Johnny said, “From now on I’m going to stick to things that are legal, legal enough at least.”

  Gretchen reached up and caressed Johnny’s face, “I’ll never forget you,” she moved up and gave him a soft kiss on the lips, “Johnny Vincent,” the two shared a smile, Johnny leaned in and kissed her again, “Give all the Jennifer’s at M.I.T. a run for their money, okay?” Johnny ran his hand through Gretchen’s hair.

  “And you do the same for all those guys on wall street,” she said.

  “Will do, I bet someday you’ll see me in the papers, hopefully not for, you know,” Johnny looked away.

  “I probably will, but not before I see you again, fall break, is it a deal, right?” she asked.

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  “Yeah, it’s a deal,” Johnny said.

  “Well, I got to go, my plane leaves in a few hours, I’m packed, but my parents are crazy about punctuality,” she said.

  “It rubs off. You were always the first one at Mr. Bergman’s class, have you ever been late for a class?” Johnny asked.

  “Oh no, never, I got a certificate for it from school at the end of the year,” she looked up at Johnny and smiled, “After all, I am a good girl,” she winked.

  “Yeah, I should probably be going too,” Johnny said, “I’ll see you later, Gretchen.”

  “I’ll see you later too, Johnny Vincent,” the two shared another kiss and another goodbye before she got in her car. Johnny leaned against the over-stuffed, bungee-tied trunk of his Mustang as he watched her civic drive off down the street and out of his neighborhood. He took a deep breath and turned to his family. He gave them one last wave before getting in his car and revving up that solid American made engine.

  He pulled out of his driveway and made his way down the street. He clicked his radio on, and Don McClean’s American pie was starting up as he pulled out of the neighborhood. Once he was out of sight of his parents, he pulled a pack of Pyramids out of his glove compartment and lit one up. He took a long, satisfying drag off it as he made his way to the highway.

  Johnny kept in touch with some of his friends, not all of them, no more than one usually did after they finished high school. Danny and Johnny would still hang out when there was a chance. Once Danny turned eighteen in September, he got his Medical Marijuana card from a really cool doctor, of course after the election two months later recreational weed was legalized in California.

  Eddy went to art school for a year then dropped out when he got a cushy job at Google designing their daily home page logos. Kenny ended up going to culinary school, specializing in pastries. The last Johnny heard of him was about he was on his way to France to study at the Cordon Blue. Tiffany’s family gave her an intervention after prom. She got better. She went to rehab, and now she’s a born-again Christian working for a clinic helping other addicts. Wally grew his hair out, got a chest tattoo, a six-pack, and teaches courses to struggling single guys about how to pick up women. Tristan got a job with the big brother program while he got his associates degree in accounting. He’s studying to be a CPA now and even got married to one of his little brother’s moms. Zack and Amy ended up becoming interns at channel seven when they were in college. They would eventually go on to become the co-anchors of the eleven o'clock news. They had so much fun keeping up that ratings-grabbing tradition of the two head anchors having a steamy and passionate affair with each other. Zack being openly gay only added to the mystique of it.

  Brian went to Stanford on a full baseball scholarship. He graduated with a degree in communications and played double-A for two years before he tore his rotator cuff trying to move a friend’s couch. He works as the assistant manager at a Berry-em frozen yogurt franchise his old teammate Darren bought after high school. Hector was arrested for participating in a drive-by shooting. He was the driver, the shooter got away, but he didn’t. He’s serving ten to fifteen in San Quentin.

  Two years later, Tabby was crowned Reagan High’s Prom Queen. She had an interesting career path after high school that Johnny didn’t like to think about.

  Mr. Bergman was eventually able to get a lawyer. A really good lawyer. Not only was he able to get his name off his ex-wife’s son’s birth certificate and halt all child support payments, get back pay for the support he already paid, he was also able to get his alimony cut in half. He ended up writing his ex-wife a modest check to get her just to go away forever. Despite his harrowing experience with that institution, he did get married again. He got engaged to Ms. Raymond of all people.

  Johnny had a few businesses 101 classes with Rob at UCLA. Rob was able to realize his potential finally and made it to the first-string quarterback on the football team and was eventually drafted to the Los Angeles Rams, where he went right back to bench warming, he still pulled in over three hundred thousand a year, so he didn’t complain. Tracy went into modeling and used the money she made to start her own fashion line. Her company was later sold to Petit Velo for over a million dollars. Lewis went into politics, working as a staffer for a state senator who would go on to become Los Angeles’s first Republican mayor since the turn of the century. A republican having a staffer with Lewis’s orientation gave the Mayoral candidate a lot of credit, and Lewis eventually got a cushy job as the Mayor’s chief of staff.

  Gretchen graduated from M.I.T. as her class’s valedictorian. She’s pursuing her doctorate in mathematics now. She and Johnny met a few times freshman year. They still try to keep in touch, difficult as that is living across the country from each other. They could never forget each other, but their lives just went in different directions.

  Johnny got off the highway and navigated through the city to the UCLA campus. He pulled into the student parking lot by his future Dorm. He got out of his car and looked over the campus. He took a deep breath and knew that his adventures, the good and the bad, were just beginning.

  Johnny Vincent will return in...

  Everything's Fake