Sunset Hill B1C01

SUNSET HILL
Book One: Junior Year
Chapter 01: The Junior Jeopardized

My name is Justin Huxeford. It’s been 15 years and 10 months since I was born - A boy in a decent family of loving parents and an older brother. Until I was 13, I was a very good kid and I regret that sometimes. I was not very outgoing and that is the reason I had a few best friends until they all gave up on me. So like every other high school kid, I finally decided that it was time to change myself only to discover that it wasn't working very well, but still there were some things growing in me that would be my worst nightmare.

This evening my parents caught me escaping to the airport where I was supposed to pick a flight to Hollywood and it cost me most of what I had saved. Not only my biggest plans were ruined but I am also grounded for two weeks; not that it matters. In last 15 and half years, I lost three best friends and then one close friend every year. I lost my brother and I lost myself. They say if someone keeps living a lie it becomes their life. I had been living as a loner for last two years, and I could assume that I was never supposed to be a loner. My life felt nothing more than a joke to me; or maybe it was a cosmic test but I was sick of it. My misery had to come to an end since there was nothing I could lose any more. Whatever I had done this night was not my fault; it was what everybody had caused.

 I opened the front zipper of my bag and pulled out a fake ID that stated ‘Justin Huxeford lives in the state of North Carolina’, it was finally the time to drown my sorrow.

I opened my room’s door and peeked downstairs through the balustrade, my parents weren't there. I decided to go from the front door otherwise my choice would have been my window, it sounds new to think that since I would never do that and also because I open and close doors like a burglar and nobody finds out. I used my usual skills and went through the front door unnoticed. When I got outside I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do next, but I pulled myself around and knocked off the nervousness of doing something new.

 I went to Josie’s – a bar and a nice eating place nearby. I stepped in and went straight to the counter and sat on the stylish bar stool. A pretty female bartender came to me and asked “what would you like to have?” I ordered, “Beer.” And put my id on the counter with a bit of hesitation. She looked at the id and thought it was real; the damn thing works like a charm. She picked a Pilsner Glass from the shelf at the back then drew the handle of the engine to fill the glass slowly and put it on the counter. I couldn't help myself look at both sideways to be careful because that’s how I was. I took a sip with a bit of hesitation and rotated a bit to my left and saw ‘Wyatt Arkwright’, the second big Jock of the basketball team; first big would be Kevin and his last name frightens everybody. Wyatt was sitting two stools away from me, drinking Beer as well but his glass was almost empty. He looked at me and put his glass down on the counter.

“Do I know you?” He said in a low tone with his eyes awkwardly staring, he was probably drunk.

“I don’t think so but it seems that the High School Poser Boy decided to break the rules today.” I mocked.

“You’re that guy from the library, aren't you?” He pointed his finger toward me.

“Apparently, yes.” I replied and looked down at the counter.

“So I’m not the only one breaking the rules.”

“I have a lot of sorrows to drown today, what do you have to be sad about?” I quickly took two sips of the beer.

“That’s what freaking everybody says not realizing that I’m a real person too.” He said angrily.

“Well, I guess that’s the picture you've shown, so what do you expect.”

“It’s not my fault, it’s my damn parents and you know what they don’t ever care. Even if my father knew I was here, he’d still be sitting in his office staring at his assistant and wouldn't care.”

“Neither does mine.” I paused for a moment and then continued in a disappointed way “Life sucks!”

“Why are you here? I haven’t seen you here before.”

“My parents caught me escaping to Hollywood so now that my dream is dying I’m trying to live through the sorrows.”

“Hollywood? Are you kidding me?” He was shocked.

“I get it, you don’t believe me.”

“Of course I don’t.”

“Don’t believe it, it’s not like it matters anymore. Why are you drinking?” I continued drinking my beer.

“Mostly I just drink for fun but today I had a big fight with Laura.”

“You have a new girl every week.”

“That was a month ago, it’s different since then.”

“You know you don’t really seem that emotional type of guy, that’s usually me.”

“Dude, we’re all emotional, most of us just don’t show it so often. And time to time everybody has a breakdown.” He drank the last of his beer and continued, “I think that’s pretty much it for me today.”

I drank another quarter of my glass when Wyatt stood up and pull out the car keys from his jeans’ left pocket.

“Do you need a ride home?” Wyatt asked quickly.

“Lucky me; huh? I have never heard of you doing favors.”

“I just assumed you can’t go home on your own if you keep yourself busy for a while, and I get what the parental fury is like and you don’t want it.”

“Yeah, I know but I've had more parental fury today than ever. It doesn't really make a difference.” I drank the entire glass in a big sip then wiped the mouth with my wrist and signaled the bartender to get a refill.

Later that night I can’t remember how I got home probably because I was too drunk to remember but I can recall that I had a terrible pain in my legs which I speculate to be because of spending all the left out money on drinking and then walking the entire distance which wasn't very long.

I got a bit conscious when I was walking in the neighborhood just near my house and all I could think of in my mind was that nobody is there for me and I’m all alone and even my parents don’t want me to succeed. As I arrived at my house I saw a navy blue Ford Mustang Convertible parked outside my house, on the street. Maybe its Uncle Ryan back from his work, I thought, but I quickly realized that life is never so convenient. I rubbed my hand against the car’s trunk, which was shining from the reflection of the street light above, looking at it with surprise; I finally decided to go inside the house.

I grabbed the keys and slipped it into door frame thinking it was the lock under the door knob which must have made some noise. Suddenly the door opened itself and much to my surprise I saw someone familiar but I couldn't exactly decipher who it was looking at me, stunned. My eyes closed as it all went black and I passed out.

I woke up in my bed the next morning, wearing pants which I hate while sleeping or at least I do now for a few years. I had drooled on my left cheek; with my eyes burning from the sunlight radiating from the window and a terrible stomach ache, I must have puked all the way from the bar. I had experienced hangover for the first time. I was feeling worn-out as if I had carried half a ton on my back and then a sudden glimpse at my room door caught my eye. It was Wes – my older brother leaned from the back against the door frame. His charming Caucasian face with blue eyes, perfect 6’1’’height and well-built body made me as jealous of him as always. I was very angry and shocked that he’s back.

 I quickly got up and sprawled against the headboard with surprise and cried “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I missed my little brother, so I came to see you.” Wes said as he entered the room.

“Wow, what a surprise then.” I said sarcastically and continued “took you long enough.”

“Yeah, about that…” Wes seemed embarrassed.

“So why did you come back after four years? Were you expelled from college just before graduation or a girl dumped you or worse? On second thought let me pick; it's worse; why else would you come here, right?” I further mocked him which made him look humiliated for a moment.

“No, I just missed you and I did graduate and no it’s not worse nor it is a girl.” Wes recovered his charm.

“Seriously Wes, have you ever genuinely missed anybody? And I know you’re just going to run again in a week or two and Bam! Nobody’s even going to know when that happened.”

“Look I’m sorry, I want to make it up to you. Can you give me a chance?” His soft voiced apology made me feel bad about my bitterness. For a moment I looked down and widened my closed lips and then shook my head, “No. A sorry doesn't change what you did.”

Wes turned around and went out of my room. I could see the look on his face, the look he has when he wants something so badly. The surprising thing is that Wes never lets himself look weak or desperate in front of anybody and this is something I admire about him so much. This look on his face had me convinced that he regrets his decision from back when he left. But it didn't matter to me as much as it should have because I was furious at him for he did to me; four years ago.

Wes went downstairs and told my mom, “I’ll be back later; I've got something to attend to.” He went straight; outside the house and looked up towards the sun and had a flashback of a few words that Samantha said to him.

Samantha is a 40 year old psychic and Wes is very close with her. Wes went to see her the day of his graduation and she told him to make things right with me. She said to him, “you need to go home; your brother needs you right now, and if he doesn't change his ways now, something terrible will happen to him.”

“I can’t go back, it’s been four years since I left, I haven’t even talked to him since then and he probably doesn't want to see me either, considering how I left.” Wes said seriously.

“Look, I care about you, you've been very generous to me and I also care about your brother, you two are like the sons I never had, so listen to me and do what I am telling you to do. This is the right thing for both of you right now.”