My Boring, Shitty Life Ch. 03

Our MC is just starting out in life, but thus far, is unimpressed. He's still in high school and having trouble finding himself in a world where everyone around him feels like they have it all together. This leaves him confused more often than not, at the interactions and motivations involving other people. Things will heat up bit by bit along the way. All characters mentioned are over the age of eighteen. This is a work of fiction.

The next few days went by with a lot less action.

Bianca made faces at me in class that both made me laugh, and simultaneously melted my heart. Brett still carried her books for her, and they made out in the halls a bunch. She sort of pulled it back a bit if she saw me though.

Heather Sinclaire started bumping into me, literally and figuratively in the hallways. Her lips usually glistening with gloss as she smirked and joked with me.

Matt continued clowning around and wound up joining me for detention one day for it.

Other than that it was just school.

Friday night when I got home the sun was already setting. My Dad surprised me by asking me to "make myself scarce."

"Huh?" I asked.

He sighed. "Look Son. I need the house tonight. Don't you have somewhere you can be for a few hours?"

"Uh. Yeah. I guess." I answered. "But aren't I grounded?"

Idiot. Why did I even say that?

Dad surprised me further. "Not tonight. Alright? I'll let it slide, just go out for a bit. Ok?"

Don't fuck it up dude.

"Alright. I mean. I can go to Matt's I guess. What's the deal?"

Dad gave me a glaring look. "The deal is, I have a friend coming over, and we don't want to be interrupted. Capiche?"

I turned to the door without a second thought. "Later!" I yelled, walking out before he could change his mind.

It wasn't until I was halfway down the block that I realized I had nowhere to go. I called Matt, he had a date. I called Brett, and heard Bianca giggling in the background, so I hung up. I called Heather Sinclaire, Martine, and Roxanne. All were busy.

Feeling a little dejected, I figured I would walk around downtown and see what came up. I decided that I shouldn't feel sorry for myself, instead, I was a rebel without a cause. I wanted to reinvent myself. The night was young and so was I. I was a wanderer, a rambler, I could do anything I wanted. So my dumbass came up with a great idea.

The bells on the door announced my arrival, and I immediately wished they hadn't. Three huge bikers stared me down as a tattoo gun buzzed on. The artist took one look at me and laughed. "Daycare is next door kid. Beat it."

My first instinct was to jump on the offer, but that's also what I was up against. My whole life I had avoided trouble, and let the world run things. Tonight, I wanted to make out with a college chick, I wanted two girls cuddled up on either side of me, I wanted a pretty blonde kissing my neck and calling me Lancelot. So I stayed.

I started looking at the art on the walls, and fought the urge to look away when I made eye contact with the bikers. They were ignoring me mostly, but I got the feeling they were curious too.

Seeing a design I thought was cool, I spoke up. "How much for that one?"

The artist, who I was just noticing looked like a tatted up Santa as he lowered his glasses at me. "Members only kid. This isn't the shop for you."

I was dumb. "Is that legal? I've got the money."

One of the other bikers laughed and donned a high voice. "Is that legal?"

My face went red in embarrassment. "Right to refuse kid." Santa announced, brooking no arguments. "I refused. Like I said, members only."

Taking a shot, I asked, "Ok, make me a member. What's the process?"

The mocking biker guffawed. "Make him a member. The fuck you know kid?"

One of the other bikers put a hand out to stop him and then stood up and walked over to me. I fought the urge to back down, realizing how huge he was. "Ain't easy kid. Prospects can work years for the club and never move up."

"C'mon Rhett. You ain't serious." The mocking guy said.

He looked over his shoulder, "Did I ask you Pinky?"

Pinky crossed his arms and looked away, suddenly more interested in Santa scribbling on the other guys arm.

Rhett turned back to me. "You affiliated with anyone? Crew, sets, any little kiddie gangs?"

"No. Why?"

"Got a bike?"

"No."

"Got a record?"

"Record of what?"

Rhett smiled. "Look, this isn't the life for everyone kid."

I cut him off, somehow finding my balls and barking back. "Knock off the kid shit already. I'm eighteen. I can make up my own mind. I'm not some kid."

All the bikers laughed, minus Rhett. He stared me down, trying to sus me out. "Ten minutes ago you didn't even want in. You just wanted a tattoo, right?"

"Yeah. So."

"Then how am I to know this is what you want? How can I be sure that you're actually interested. There's another tattoo shop down the street. You could go there, get some ink, and feel badass for a bit. Isn't that what you're looking for?"

What he said made sense, what the hell WAS I doing? "I didn't know I wanted in ten minutes ago. Hell I didn't know this club or whatever even existed, but I came out tonight knowing I was looking for something. It just happened to slap me in the face when I came in."

Rhett looked at his fellow bikers before shrugging. "Alright KID, let's go out back and see if this is the life for you."

I guess I should've been surprised that he was considering letting me join, but I played it off like I belonged either way. Chest struck out, I made my way through the back while the others followed.

Out back was a walled off parking lot, with a building at the back and Harleys lined up in front of it. Rhett whistled loudly and people seemed to gather round, literally answering to his beck and call.

I turned to him as they made a horseshoe around us. He addressed the group. "Alright y'all. You ready for this? Kid here thinks he wants to prospect. What do we think?"

I heard a few laughs as every held their fists out in front of them.

Rhett looked around. "Vote!" He announced.

As one, I saw each of the bikers hold a thumb out, either up or down. Mostly down.

I looked at Rhett and he just shrugged. "Votes how we do things. Some are senior members only, prospects are a whoever's around kind of vote. Better say something if you want to change their minds."

Public speaking was never my thing, and being the center of attention had my heart pounding. Hard. I gave it a shot though. "Uh. Hi. My name is Riley. Um. I'm not sure what to say."

I watched as some of the ups turned down. "Uh. Right. Um. I guess. I want to join you guys. Um." More down.

I heard one of the guys shout. "Go home kid!" Everyone laughed.

"Hey fuck you guy. I'm not a kid." I wasn't even sure where that came from. A few of the thumbs switched upwards.

A woman, dressed in a pretty sun dress called out, "make him suck your dick Rhett!"

My eyes widened at the concept. I looked up at Rhett. "I'm not doing that."

Rhett didn't miss a beat, "you're not? Even without all my friends helping, I'm pretty sure I could MAKE you."

My teeth were clenched as I suddenly felt the pressure of the situation. "No! Fuck no! You can try but I'm not doing any gay shit. Aren't you guys supposed to be all macho and shit? How does that shit hold?"

One of the closest bikers leaned in and put a hand on my shoulder. "A holes a hole in the dark pretty boy."

I stared Rhett down but addressed the guy, "if you don't take your hand off of me, I'm going to hurt you. Bad."

Rhett smiled. "Let's see it then Kid. I THINK THE CROWD COULD USE A SHOW!" He yelled, backing up a few steps.

The group cheered as the biker stepped in front of me. Holy shit! Was this real? He looked twice my age. That and a bit bigger than me too.

He egged me on, greasy hair plastered on his head like a used mop. "C'mon kid. Show me what you've got." He patted his cheek. "Right here."

He stepped back as I squared off with him. I don't know how, but suddenly I felt calm. Very calm. I'd never been in a fight before, but suddenly it was like he was the only thing that mattered. I think he noticed too.

He didn't miss a beat, and wound up for a punch. I was steady, and saw it coming from a mile away. But I didn't move. His fist crushed into my face and sent me sprawling onto the concrete.

My world rocked, and Rhett came over and pulled me to my feet. "Might want to dodge or something kid." He said, sounding as though he had been hurt too.

He dusted me off and I tried to will the tears not to fall. No luck. "Never been hit like that before." I whispered.

Rhett laughed. "Yeah well the aim is to hurt the other guy. Not just stand there and take it."

I ignored the guy holding his fists in the air and pacing around like he'd already won. "That was kind of the point Rhett."

Rhett's eyebrows raised as he deciphered my meaning. I turned towards the biker mid celebration. "Hey fuckstick! Is that all you got?"

The crowed roared and the guy damn near sprinted at me. He cocked back again, and this time I DID move. I stepped to the side and let his momentum take him past me, sticking my foot out in the process. This time it was him lying on the concrete.

He rolled over and growled before lunging up to his feet and squaring off again. "Ok cupcake. Right here." He said, patting his cheek again.

I smiled and struck forward as hard and fast as I could. He didn't see it coming. Hell, I didn't see it coming. One second he's spouting off at the mouth, and the next he's gasping for breath and clutching his throat.

I followed it before he could recover, kicking at his knee and forcing him onto it. My next shot hit him square on the temple and he fell to the ground, momentum taking me with him. I grabbed onto his shirt and it was like something took over me. I hit him with everything I had. Over and over my fist made contact with his face.

Rhett pulled me off of him and I fought with Rhett too, trying to get back to my fight. Two of the others had to hold me back and pull me away. "You've got some rage there kid." Rhett stated casually.

I glared at him. "I'm not a kid. And I'm not gay. Fuck you. And fuck all this. I'm out."

The guys holding me didn't budge. Rhett looked out towards the crowd, ignoring the writhing biker in the circle. "VOTE!" He called out.

I watched as damn near everyone held up a thumb. Even the guy on the ground had the wherewithal to hold one up. Rhett turned to me. "Be an awful waste to give up now kid. You're in."

My dad looked gloomy as I walked in the door. I figured his date hadn't gone very well, most don't. He's kind of hard to deal with sometimes. I didn't ask though. I went up to my room and took my shirt and bandage off. As I looked at the ink embedded in my flesh, I couldn't help but feel like my life, my boring shitty life, was finally getting started.