From the prompt: "Universal failure..."
"Mia Famiglia"
Jade wasn't entirely sure whay he still went to school even though his parents were too wasted to know if he was even alive or not. It never really occurred to him to drop out of school because his many acquaintances still attended, and he'd get into trouble if the cops fouind him wandering around town in the middle of the day. Noel was the closest thing he had to a friend, an Italian boy his own age who'd taught him all he knew about picking locks and pockets. Noel didn't go to school, for he barely spoke any English, so it was up to Jade to learn to speak Italian.
Jade slid out the window, wrinkling his nose at the scent of burning marijuana. His parents would be mellow when he returned, at least.
Between the two of them, Noel and Jade picked about two hundred pockets a night. It wasn't hard, just roaming through the casino crowd, maybe hitting a few kiddie booths to make it look good. Jade collected junk-pictures, receipts, ticket-stubs and maybe a few 'little foil packets' that he'd never use. He stashed them in the shoebox under his bed, pawing through them as an escape while his parents toked. Some people had bits of poetry or songs written on napkins. Noel usually pilfered loose change, using it to win stuffed toys for his various little sisters.
Jade and Noel sat on the sidewalk in front of the school, Jade reading snatches of poetry while Noel played with the newest stuffed animal.
"What's your family like?" Jade asked. "Che è simile a famiglia?"
Noel shrugged, making the bear dance along the curve of his knee. "È piacevole. Vivo con i miei genitori e mie tre piccole sorelle, il mio Marco de Zio." It's nice. I live with my parents and three little sisters and my Uncle Marco.
Jade nodded, staring into the darkness. "Oh. Cià à piacevole." That's nice.
"Perché lei chiede? Lei non ha mai prima." Noel glanced at him. Why do you ask? You never have before.
Silence fell between them. Noel finally broke it. "Che della suo famiglia?" What about your family? "Dirme di esso." Tell me about it.
Jade snorted. "La mia famiglia? Che c'è dire? Sono un solo bambino, i miei genitori me ignorano." My family? What's to tell? I'm an only child, my parents ignore me...
Noel changed the subject. "Siamo entrambi tredici adesso. Dove saremo, suppone, cinque anii de adesso?" We're both thirteen. Where will we be, suppose, five years from now?
Somehow, Jade knew the answer to that question. "Sarò di scuola. Vado unire l'escrito." I'll be out of school. I'm going to join the army. "Che di lei?" What about you?
Noel shrugged. "Semplice." Simple. "Vado ritornare a Palermo ed unisa affari di famiglia." I'm gonna go back to Palermo and join the family business. He stood up and stretched. "Vado a casa, andare di dare questo a mia sorella. Vederlo domani, l'amico." Well, I'm gonna go home, gonna give this - he hefted the bear - to my sister. See you tomorrow, buddy!
Jade waved half-heartedly. "Buona notte, arrive derci." Good night, good-bye.
"No! Me ha lasciare va! Ho de diritti! Lei non può fare questo a me!" Noel struggled hard, leasing out with his leg as the officer shoved him into the back of a squad car.
"Shut up or speak English," the cop growled, to which Noel flijpped his chin.
"What's he saying?" the other cop grumbled.
Jade tugged his bandanna down over his curls. "He said: 'No, let me go, I have rights - you can't do this to me.'"
The cop squinted down it him, casino lights playing strange colours across his face. "What, you speak Italian?"
"We're friends. He doesn't speak English," Jade answered tiredly. "His mama's gonna be devastated."
The cop grabbed him by the ear. "So's yours."
Jade stood on the doorstep with his head down while the officer rang the doorbell. It was three 3:30 AM. It would've taken an idiot to not notice the stench of pot when his mother pulled open the door. The officer gaped at her when she giggled.
Jade said simply, "She's stoned."
He sat on the bench at the police station, head down, listening as his parents rapidly lost they mellow buzz, arguing with the desk sergeant and demanding to be uncuffed. He shook his head and sighed. This was his life.
"You okay, kid?" the arresting officer asked.
Jade let out a bitter laugh. "They're always like this. At least they haven't started in on Sonny and Cher yet."
Too late. "I got you, babe!"
Jade bowed his head. His life was a cosmic joke.
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© Agent Duo 2004