Old Memories (Character: Lionel Roberts)

Lionel reminisces about the past when he and his archenemy were once the best of companions.

Chapter II: Old Memories

April 25, 2005 Brent and I were in the fourth grade. As I remember, we used to be quite good friends. Both of us were sitting on the swings blabbering about Spongebob Squarepants and Invader Zim and then this girl just randomly comes up and laughs at Brent, "You're with the Brit boy!" I really didn't know what was wrong with her; I thought of her to be quite mental. "What's wrong with Brits?" Brent shouted as he swung higher and higher on the swing. The girl’s response was quite, some would say, retarded, "They have stupid voices” "Well you're stupid!" Brent retaliated. I was happy I had a good friend that stood up for me, but that wasn't going to last very long. Ten minutes before recess was over a game of truth or dare began, and Brent and I played. The dares were childish as they're supposed to be at age ten, but it came to eventually be the turn of the Brit hating b***h; her name is Lisa Bales. She proposed a startling dare to me. She wanted me to kiss Brent. I mean at the time I didn't care; we were kids, so kissed him on the cheek, as simple as that, but as time went on kids started to pick on both of us about the whole thing.

One day, when I was walking to the swings to wait for Brent, he never showed. So he didn't show big deal, right? Days went on and there was still no Brent. I would have rejected thought of him ignoring me if it was false, but indeed he was ignoring me. He came to school and even attended class but completely disregarded my presence. About two days later I finally had the gall to confront him about the whole “ignoring me” matter. My heart beating fast and me completely nervous, I walked over toward him standing in the playground sandbox. "Brent, why haven't you been talking to me?" He just remained silent. He just completely ignored me and for what!? I couldn’t have possibly done anything for him to ignore me, nor did I ever. I attempted more at gathering his attention, "Brent, Brent, Brent!" Each time I said his name I was getting more frustrated to the point of where I was completely fed up "What!?" He shouted at me. In response I questioned, "Why have you been ignoring me?” “I don’t know, because we-” Instantly when he began to explain himself I knew it was because we kissed. It wasn’t even actually a kiss; it was more like a peck. "Kissed?" I finished Brent’s statement without any doubt. He was completely overreacting about the situation, but I do wish it never happened. We could possibly still be friends now but that’s life. "It was just a peck on the cheek and I had to do it, Lisa dared me" I exclaimed in despair. "But," That was the last thing Brent ever said to me as my friend. “But” is all I remember Brent saying that day before an older boy showed up in the playground. He looked about nine or ten and he turned out to be Brent’s older brother, God forbid his father make more children. "My bro doesn’t talk to fruitcakes” Brent’s brother yelled at him and then smacked Brent in the back of the head. "Kick his a*s Brent!" That’s specifically what his brother yelled into the air. "What” I retorted. Damn all this American violence. Looking at Brent, I began to think on whether or not he would actually fight me, his friend. That question was soon answered by his fist slamming into my face. Not to mention I was extremely scrawny back then; at least scrawnier than I am now, so he was able to pin me to the ground in no time. His fists repeatedly pounded against my face. You would think it were a UFC match, with everyone looking on with such fury and anticipation in their eyes. They were complete savages feeding off of my painful cries and cheering Brent on. Pumping with rage I screamed "Ah!" Thanks to the biological chemical adrenaline I was able to knock Brent off of me. I began wasting no time offering Brent a face pummeling. "Oh my God stop you two!" Our teacher, Mrs. McDonald, screamed at the top of her lungs. Startled by her yelling I looked up. Before I knew it Brent knocked me off of him and I fell back hitting my head on a rock, which in turn made me black out. From that day on, the only thing Brent and I have is a strong resentment towards each other.