Mini Mart

In a small apartment in Los Angeles California.

A boy, standing tall at 5'10. 17 years old with dirty blonde hair, shouted "Robby! You're just going to stay here with this whore and waste your life, that's fine with me!" The boy in question had slicked back brown hair and and angry look on his face as he shouted back angrily "Don't you fucking talk about her like that Brooks! She's our mom!"

Brooks looked at the woman and sneered "Yeah some mother you are. Every night you're out with a different scumbag. If it weren't for me and Robby having 'jobs' we would've starved to death!" he turned back to Robby and said "Just come with me. She can't even take care of herself! What can she possibly do to take care of us?"

Robby kept silent and just shook his head. The woman started crying loudly and Brooks sneered again as he said "Cut the crocodile tears Shannon. This is all your fault in the first place. Then again, I know you couldn't care less."

Brooks grabbed a duffle bag and clicked his tongue as he made his way to the door of the apartment. Robby said "Where are you going?!" Brooks opened the door and said "Away from this fucked up whore. I'm done being her caretaker." he took a step out the door and looked back at Robby and said "I suggest you ditch her before she latches onto another guy and leaves you for dead with nothing."

Robby grit his teeth and shouted "Get the fuck out! She's taken care of us by herself! I won't abandon her!" Brook chuckled and said "Suit yourself. Don't come crying to me when you have nothing. See you never, little brother." before walking out the door and slamming it shut.

Robby stared at the door and clenched his fists in rage before turning to the crying Shannon and saying "Mom, it's okay. I'm still here." Shannon wiped her eyes and smiled before going into her room and closing the door. Robby sighed and sat on his couch, looking outside the window.

Brooks left the building and walked along the sidewalk. He stopped in front of a bike rack and slung the duffle bag over his shoulder before unlocking a bike lock and stealing a bike. He dropped the bike lock on the ground and rode away, disappearing into the streets.

Brooks rode through the streets of Los Angeles and thought about his future. He stopped and looked to his right to see a mini Mart. He stopped and threw his bike to the side before swinging his duffle bag in front of him and getting a wad of cash from it. He stuffed it in his pocket before walking towards the mini mart and going inside.

Brooks saw a Hispanic kid and a man with dirty blonde hair talking with a Hispanic cashier. He ignored them and bought a few Slim-Jims before going to the counter and knocking on it as he said "Hey Amigo. A pack of Marlboro Reds." the Hispanic cashier looked at Brooks and grunted before throwing the Marlboro's at him.

Brooks caught it and threw a few bills at him while shaking the Slim-Jims. The cashier rang him up and Brooks heard a voice "Hey man, I was first here. I just want my pizza." Brooks turned to the man and squinted as he said "Hey man, do I know you?"

The man looked at Brooks and thought for a moment before saying "Who are you kid?" Brooks snorted and said "Who the fuck are you to ask me that? Creepy old man." the cashier handed him his change and Brooks took it saying "Thanks Pablo." the cashier said "It's Jose."

Brooks walked out saying "I don't care." the man watched Brooks go thinking to himself. The Hispanic boy paid for his Pepto Bismol and said "Gracias." The cashier said "De nada." The Hispanic boy smiled lightly and walked out.

The blonde man paid for his pizza, still thinking about Brooks, as he stepped out of the Mini Mart.

Brooks was leaning on the wall and smoking a cigarette when he saw the Hispanic kid walk out of the mart with a Pepto Bismol in his hands. The Hispanic kid walked on the patch of dirt in front of the mart and a group of kids surrounded him saying "Hey, you're the guy from school! What did you get?"

The man with the blonde hair walked out of the mart and sat on the curb, watching the scene as he ate his pizza. His eyes glanced at Brooks smoking as he kept thinking.

The Hispanic kid said "It's Pepto Bismol for my Grandma." the leader of the group, an asian kid, grabbed the Pepto Bismol and said "Oh you have Diarrhea? Maybe we should just call you Rhea from now on?" the other boys laughed and the Hispanic boy sighed as he said "Just give it back, man. Come on."

The asian kid said "Yeah no problem Rhea. Here you go." as he opened the bottle and poured it over the Hispanic kid's head. Brooks watched with interest as he smoked. A homeless woman said "Hey you! Give me a cigarette and I'll give you a good time."

Brooks looked at her and said coldly "Fuck off." the homeless lady glared at him and kept quiet. Brooks looked back at the group as they pushed the Hispanic kid into a car. The blonde man stood up and said "Hey man, watch the car."

The asian kid and his group said "You have a problem, old man?" The blonde haired man said "Yeah, that's my car." the asian kid chuckled and said "What are you gonna do about it." The Hispanic kid watched silently and Brooks laughed as he exhaled a mouthful of smoke.

The asian kid looked over and said "You think something is funny, scumbag?" Brooks smirked and pointed at himself as he said "Surely you're not talking about me." the asian kid sneered and said "What if I am?"

Brooks laughed and got off the wall as he said "Because if you are, I don't mind kicking the shit out of you." Brooks stopped in front of the asian kid, they were roughly the same height but Brooks was a little bigger.

Brooks chuckled and said "What's it gonna be, Chink." the asian boy smirked and swung his fist.

Brooks blocked his arm and headbutted the asian kid in the face before kicking him in the knee and punching him in the stomach. The asian kid fell to the ground, holding his stomach. Brooks kicked him in the face and looked at the rest of the group as he exhaled a mouthful of smoke and said "You want some too, marshmallow man?"

The fat kid yelled and charged at Brooks, who stepped to the side and stuck his foot out, tripping the fat kid as he said "Disgusting." the other two in the group charged at him and Brooks dodged to the right as he threw a punch at the kid's face.

The blonde haired man watched Brooks in silence and the Hispanic kid said "Watch out!" Brooks turned around in time to get kicked in the gut. He let out air and grabbed onto the kid's leg before slamming his elbow on the kid's thigh.

The kid went down like a sack of potatoes and the fat kid got up and tackled Brooks from behind, bringing him down to the ground. Brooks grabbed the fat kid's hair and pulled his head in front of a kick, letting him take it before getting up and kicking the kid who kicked him in the arm.

As soon as Brooks' foot landed on the ground he swung his other leg out and spun, hitting his heel into the kid's chin and sending him spinning to the ground. Brooks tackled the last kid and started punching him in the face repeatedly.

The blonde haired man and the Hispanic kid ran over and grabbed Brooks off him when they heard sirens in the distance. Brooks shook them off and said "What do you want?" The Hispanic kid said "The police, man. You gotta go!" Brooks looked out and clicked his tongue as he said "Wouldn't be the first time."

The blonde haired man suddenly said "Brooks?" Brooks lit a cigarette and froze, he looked over at the blonde haired guy and said "Who are you." the blonde man opened his mouth but the police cars appeared and Policemen got out.

The blonde haired man looked over and said "It was me." as he walked forward. Brooks was stunned and said "Hey, old timer. What are yo-" the blonde haired man said "Shut up, kid. Go home." Brooks kept silent and watched the police take the man away.

Brooks exhaled a mouthful of smoke as he locked eyes with the man in the back seat of the police car. The car rolled away and Brooks left the mini mart, walking towards his bike. The Hispanic kid chased after him and said "Hey man, Thanks!" Brooks gave the kid a look and said "Yeah, no problem. The old man was about to move anyway."

The kid said "I'm Miguel Diaz, what's your name?" Brooks exhaled and said "Brooks Lawrence. What do you want." Miguel said "Lawrence? Like the handyman at my apartment?" Brooks narrowed his eyes and said "What handyman?" Miguel said "I live not far from here. I need to get Pepto Bismol for my grandma. If you want we can talk over there, I'm in a bit of a hurry."

Brooks nodded and said "I got nothing better to do anyway. Hurry up." Miguel smiled and went back to buy the Pepto Bismol before coming back and leading Brooks to the apartment complex. Brooks left his bike next to the door and Miguel walked into the apartment saying "Follow me."

Brooks looked inside and followed Miguel. As of right now he had nowhere to go, so he didn't see anything wrong with taking a look.

Miguel said "Mom, I'm back!" a beautiful tan skinned woman walked out from the kitchen and said "Miguel, what happened?" Miguel told her what happened at the Mini Mart and introduced Brooks "This is Brooks! We're friends."

Brooks gave Miguel a weird look and Miguel coughed and gave him a look, Brooks looked at the woman and smiled as he said "Yeah, my name is Brooks. Nice to meet you." the woman smiled and said "I'm Carmen, nice to meet one of Miguel's friends. Would you like to stay for dinner?"

Brooks looked at Miguel and said "I don't know.. I don't think it's very appropriate..." Carmen shook her head and said "It's not a problem. It's my pleasure." Brooks sighed and said "Then thanks." Carmen smiled and said in Spanish to Miguel "Go clean up and get ready for dinner." Miguel nodded and said "Brooks, come with me."

Brooks sighed again and gloomily walked behind Miguel, following him into the house.

Miguel left him in his room and went to shower before coming back and saying "Do you go to school near here?" Brooks leaned on the wall and said "I don't go to school, kid. Just tell me about the handyman." Miguel got dressed and said "His name is-" suddenly Carmen's voice rang "Miguel! Come and eat!"

Miguel said "We'll talk later." Brooks scratched his neck in frustration and followed him to the dinner table. Brooks sat down and looked at the food in front of him, comparing it to his old house. No more water and cereal! Brooks ate like a hungry ghost, earning looks from the other three.

Brooks finished and said "Thank you very much, Ms. Diaz." Carmen smiled and said "No problem.. So where are you from, Brooks?" Brooks said "Reseda." Carmen said "That's not too far. Do you need a ride home or..?"

Brooks shook his head and said "It's not an issue. Thank you Ms. Diaz." Carmen smiled and said nothing. Brooks looked at Miguel and said "Can you tell me now?" Miguel said "All I know is that his last name is Lawrence, like you. Also he knows Karate. I want him to be my teacher but he denied me."

Carmen coughed and glared at Miguel, who just smiled. Miguel's grandma just laughed and shook her head. Brooks frowned and said "You don't know his first name?" Miguel shook his head and Brooks instead asked "Where does he live?" Miguel said "Number 2. Across the way." as he pointed to the door with a 2 on it.

Brooks nodded and looked at the door before getting up and saying with a smile "Thank you Ms Diaz. It was very good." Carmen smiled and said "Anytime Brooks." Brooks smiled and nodded before leaving. Miguel said "Ah wait! Where are you going?" Brooks said "Camping out, outside his door. He has to come back sometime right?"

Miguel had a weird look and said "Why don't you just come back tomorrow?" Brooks opened the door and walked out saying "I don't have a home to sleep at." before closing the door, leaving Miguel and his family speechless.

Brooks grabbed 'his' bike and walked over to the door with a '2' on it. He left the bike to the side and sat down, leaning his back on the door as he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

A few minutes later

Brooks woke up hearing his name. He opened his eyes to see Miguel, he rubbed his eyes and said "What." Miguel said "Hey, so my mom said you can sleep at my house for the night." Brooks groaned and said "I'm fine here, man." Miguel said "Just come and sleep in a house, you're literally sleeping on concrete here."

Brooks sighed and got up before saying "Alright, will you leave me alone if I come with you?" Miguel grinned and said "Sure!" Brooks mumbled "I have a feeling you're lying to me." Miguel just grinned and stayed silent. Brooks sighed and followed him to his house.

Carmen looked up and said "Hey Brooks! You can sleep in Miguel's room." Brooks smiled and said "Hey it's been a long time! Thanks Ms Diaz." Carmen chuckled and said "No problem." Brooks smiled and went to Miguel's room before seeing a 'Spiderman' sleeping bag.

Brooks looked at Miguel, who shrugged and said "I like it." Brooks sighed and got inside the sleeping bag before quickly falling asleep.