Free Sixty Days by Zoe Glez Page A

out of the place and not the four morons. I go looking for Mario and find him near the door waiting for us. Mickey and Chino are a mess. Mickey has a cut on the lip from where he was punched the first time and a swollen cheek from the second blow. Chino got lucky, making it out with only a cut on his eyebrow. A cut that seems to be bleeding a lot. We get my coat and head out of the club.
    “What the hell was that all about?” Mickey screams at Kevin as we head to the car.
    “Shut up, Vega! I don’t wanna talk about that shit,” my brother yells back, barely able to stand because he’s in so much pain.
    “The hell you are! I just got my ass kicked in there and your sister almost got hit, too. All because of you. How can you be such an irresponsible idiot?” Mickey seems pretty steamed, especially since Kevin doesn’t seem to realize how fucked up the whole situation was.
    “What? Laylah, are you ok?” Kevin asks. Just like that, my brother is back.
    “I’m fine, I’m fine. I ’m just worried about you. Thankfully, Mickey stopped it from becoming worse,” I say smiling to both of them.
    “God! You’re an idiot. Are you going to talk or what, Torres?” Mickey asks my brother as he tries to calm down.
    “I was talking to th is really hot chick. That was her boyfriend…or ex-boyfriend, I don’t know. He’s apparently either extremely jealous or extremely…” He shakes his head, as if getting rid of a bad image. “I don’t know, man. It all just happened so quick. Let’s just leave it at that, okay?” he says as he lets out a huge breath of air.
    “I have a question, ” Mary says with her ‘I know it all’ face. “Why didn’t you defend yourself? Why let them beat you? I’ve seen you in other fights, you could of have taken them all, Kevin,” she accuses.
    “I don’t want to talk about it!” Kevin snaps, continuing to walk alone toward the car.
     
     
    I find myself driving us back home in Mickey’s Tahoe. As soon as we got to the vehicle he claimed he didn’t feel well and handed me the keys. Everyone looked confused by the exchange. He shook them off, telling them that he had a major headache and he knew I hadn’t been drinking. Really, I’m the only one who he trusts with his second love. He worked hard for it, so it’s understandable.
    It’s one in the morning by the time we get home and I park the car in front of my Jeep, like usual. We all pile out of the car and head into the main house. Considering past experiences, it’s safe to say that it was quite a short night. Normally whenever Mickey and I go out to a night club we don’t get home until three in the morning, or later. But, considering everything that happened today, it’s completely understandable.
    Luckily, everyone is asleep by now and we are safe from all the questions that would’ve come once they saw Kev and Mickey’s beaten up faces. Plus, the reprimands that would surely come after the constant questions. Along with some words of worry. It’s an emotional roller-coaster with this crazy family. But, through time you get used to it and learn that they do it because they care, because they love us.
    The boys eventually head off to bed, beat from the events of the day. Literally. Chino was pretty drunk, my brother not so much, and Mario, well, let’s just say his bed time had already passed. Mary also decided it’s time for bed and leaves along with Mario through the recently opened backyard, heading to the respective house they are staying in. As for me, I decide to go to the kitchen and get some water. My nerves are still a little shot, so I’m hoping a quick breather will calm them. Just as I’m about to leave the kitchen, Mickey comes in.
    “You look awful, ” I say to him.
    “ I feel awful,” he whines. If you ask him, he would deny it, but he definitely whined.
    “Here…let me help you.” I head over to the sink looking for the first aid kit. Finally finding it in the cabinets above, I wet a