Chapter 1: The Night the Streetlight Went Dark

The Night the Streetlight Went Dark

“Aaron!”

The voice sounded distant yet somehow managed to punctuate the dream he was having. He did not wake up; only stirred. The voice, now imploratory, came again with a new command. It had the distinct terseness only his mother possessed – suddenly recollection tumbled down his sleepy brain and he sat alert on the bed. The room is neatly arranged save for the bed and two pairs of shoes that are open lipped in anticipation of usage. Threads of crimson flowed through the window blind, creating an interesting pattern on an AC-DC poster on the wall behind him. Everything else was folded properly and tucked away nicely.

“How long will you keep Hailey waiting?” His mother’s thin voice grew into a wall-breaking giant whenever she needed his attention.

“Oh! Shit.” He mumbled. Blinked a few times and shot down a response that he would be done in seven minutes flat. He heard Hailey’s laugh come from downstairs. The warmth caused by her laughter clouded the complaint and unbelief hurled by his mother. Of course, the woman knew him so well – but for Hailey, he would make it in seven.

Fifteen minutes later they were out the door and on their way to school.

Still laughing with her eyes closed, Hailey said, “You need to stop making Mrs. Jeremy shout early in the morning.” Her voice is soft with a hint of rasp. Some people found this annoying, but that was one of the things he liked about her. He watched her hair bounce as they walked to the bus stop; while taking particular notice of the hair clip she had on today. The color is especially nice, he thought. The way it matched her blue eyes and the clear skies above made him blush. She had a thing for ornaments and almost wears a different color each day. Most days, it was as if his entire world revolved around this girl he had known for close to half his life. He cannot remember when she became part of his life or his routine, but her importance cannot be denied and should seem obvious to whoever was paying attention. Right now he was mildly irritated by her laughter – but it wasn’t enough to make him wish she was silent. That was impossible.

“It isn’t my fault,” he replied. “I slept quite late. The math assignment wasn’t making much sense and I needed to understand it. Any luck on your end?” He did not need to ask. Hailey excelled at math and science. They were opposites in that regard. He loved the social sciences and lived for history and books. Although sometimes the temptation to believe he was stupid came at him, he held on to the belief that they complimented each other so there really was no reason to believe what he felt. It was a whack and spineless philosophy, but hey, it worked.

“Did that immediately I got home. Why did you not call me to help?”

“Because it’s embarrassing.” It wasn’t. Aaron couldn’t stand being next to her without the desire to hold her hands, hug her or even kiss her. Self-control wasn’t being fair to him these days. Coupled with his uncertainty about her feelings towards him. He felt she saw him more as a brother than a potential boyfriend.

“Embarrassing because I’m a girl? Dude!” He did not think his response through and now he knew she would start a lecture on feminism and he would have to grab at straws in order to defend his neutral stand while trying to not annoy her. It does not end well for both of them when one gets upset. And she usually misconstrues his intentions and fashioned weapons out of his good gestures. He took a deep breath – summoning all of his long-suffering prowess to the fore. It was too early for this again.

From across the street came a shout, “Wait up!” They both recognized the voice as Jason’s and Aaron was glad for the timing.

Saved by the voice. As they turned in the direction of the voice, two people are waving back at them. Everyone from school knew that wherever Jason was there you would find Dianne. The two were practically inseparable; except where sleeping arrangements were thrown into the mix. So it was a no-brainer for the two to start going out and become intimate.

“It looked like you guys were rearing to go at each other,” Jason jokingly asked. Aaron made a quick sign and he realized his mistake. Tactfully, he tried to change the topic.

Too late.

“What do you think about asking girls for help, Jason?” Hailey asked in a faux-modest tone. Jason's eyes went from Aaron to Hailey's face then back to Dianne. He knew this was a trap and anything he said can and will be used against him in the court of Hailey. The court of Hailey was familiar to everyone at school. She was cutthroat and precise, cutting down her opponents in swift, broad strokes of academic alchemy. And he would be found guilty by a jury of her choosing, of course. The girl never lets go once her teeth sank into a thing. Whenever she was debating on a matter, he always pictured her as a rabid dog. And now, because of his big mouth, he was smack in the middle of a hearing. He shook like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Let's go on, Dianne. This is clearly a family issue." He tried to move her along before any objections sprang up, but Aaron beat him to the punch and was leading Dianne away. How he loathed the guy. Why would he leave him with Hailey? This was his problem. He, on the other hand, had no dog in this fight.

“Will you stop using Dianne like she’s some Shield of David.”

“But she is the salvation our soul needs,” replied Aaron.

“I came with her, so this accusation does not affect me. How did this all start anyway? Both of you are either on the cusp of one argument or another. Are you sure you were not married in a past life?”

“No!” they both retorted. Jason smiled.

“We were talking about the math assignment,” Hailey started. “He went through this narration and then I asked if he needed help. We all know how much he sucks at numbers.” The duo nodded in agreement. It was no secret. The whole school knew it. “Well, I asked why he didn’t call me up considering everything wasn’t making sense to him. I can swear he has dyslexia, but I digress. He said it was embarrassing.”

“Embarrassing?” Dianne’s voice was high pitched and sweet. She had the kind of voice a lot of sopranos would kill for; it rang in the ear and head, pulling you into a world of love and longing. Whenever she spoke, ears perked up and attention grew long legs. Unfortunately, she had zero singing talent.

“That was the word he used. We have known each other for as long as I can remember, and he says it is embarrassing for me to help him with the numbers. Is there a misogynist growing within you?” Aaron averted his gaze and played with a bottle top on the ground. He wanted to tell her the reason he could not stay with her for long was because of the liquid heat that flowed up and down the smooth stones of his spine. Or the deep-seated longing he was plagued by whenever he looked at her lips. A bolt of desire ran through him as he thought of it.

Instead of saying all those things, he announced, “We are going to be late for Stew’s class if we don’t hurry up.”

“You are just running away from this conversation. We both know this won’t be the end of it.”

“Be that as it may, we cannot be late for that class. We have a lot running on that and you know how the man gets.”

“We won’t lose our foothold on the scholarship, Aaron. Ease up.”

He shrugged as they got on the bus.

Stupid Aaron, does he not know how much I enjoy spending time with him. Maybe he doesn’t like me. Those were Hailey’s thoughts as the bus made for the school sitting on a large field some blocks away.

* * *

The final bell rang and indistinct chatter drowned out the announcement by the English teacher. He shook his head and walked out of class like a defeated foe who would never understand the lack of enthusiasm this generation had towards education.

“Hey, Aaron! You still up for karaoke?”

“Of course I am.” He looked to Hailey for confirmation. Their eyes met and she nodded.

“Okay, Good! That makes eight people in total. 4 had to cancel due to curfew.”

“Eight? Are you planning on flooding the place, Chad?”

“Yes! We haven’t done anything fun in a while. Most of us have been stressing over grades and scholarships–and college. But that is all far in the future. We should enjoy now.”

“Oh! Captain. My captain,” yelled Jason. Chad stood on a desk and pumped his fist in the air.

“Today, we sing our lungs out. Today we would live like tomorrow is a dream. Today is the only time we have – tomorrow does not exist. My comrades, it would be a battle of the sexes. I have rehearsed.”

“So have I,” said a blonde haired male.

“Right on mate!” continued Chad. “After long hours of mirror singing and victory dance practice, the day has finally arrived. Today, we will show these girls that we sing better than the castrati!” Chad belonged to the drama society and had an above average interest in singing. Almost everything he did possessed a heavy dose of dramatics and gesticulation. He was a perfectionist by design and was obsessed with winning. "I hope everyone has made a curated song list. Excuses will not be entertained. Anything that would make you perform poorly is your fault. My good men, it is time. Let us go." The three males joined Chad's ululations as they filed and headed for the door. Although he joined the screams and excitement, Aaron's mind was not fixed on singing. It was engrossed in the plan unraveling in his head. A plan that had taken meticulous planning and long rehearsals. He felt it rise within him and fill his core with energy and courage. His mind replayed every part of it, even the anticipated response and contingency plans. Hailey would not know what hit her – he hoped.

The girls did not say a word during the length of the pep talk: they didn’t need to. They had won the karaoke championship for two years straight now and had little fear when it came to these pseudo-men. Man-boys as Charity liked to call them. The competition had more participants in the past but the other members had changed schools due to various reasons. And although it affected the energy for a while, things finally settled as the four girls got their grooves back. The boys wouldn’t know what hit them.

Hailey’s mind wasn’t completely occupied with the thought of singing; part of it still swam the ocean dug up by Aaron’s use of the word embarrassing. She wondered what made him use the word. Was he ashamed of her? It wasn’t like she smelled, why should he? Maybe he saw her as a nagging sister and nothing more. Was there a chance for them to be more? The thought of her portrait hanging on his friend zone wall frightened the light out of her. The thought broke her heart into tiny pieces. Hailey had other boys vying for her attention – but only Aaron’s mattered. Why then was the insensitive dot not taking notice of her existence?

Tonight, she would just tell him how she felt and damn the consequences. Her decision was made during the long talk; most of it she had tuned out for the sake of her sanity but one thing struck a chord and sustained then rose to a crescendo.

Didn’t Chad say they should live today like tomorrow didn’t exist? She had never heard him give an apt advice as he just did. Maybe there was something in the air and she had inhaled too fast. Surely living without regard for the next sunrise involved drinking the fear that keeps one from inaction while spewing forth courage. She felt stupid when it came to emotional relations; numbers were safe. They were predictable. This caged organ beating like an Indian drum wasn’t so predictable. It betrays, lies, feints a move and expects the body to keep in step. She watched Aaron and the boys as they exited the class. His perfect white teeth teasing her. The vein on his forehead pulsating with every laugh he let out. She had kept this secret for too long but tonight she would step to the plate and tell him how she felt. Maybe he would be like a stone as she pours the stream of her emotions. Maybe he would be like a plate and take it all in. A little corner of her heart claimed he felt the same way and offered snippets of events that lent itself to this claim. She wished it were so.

* * *

Maxon’s 16th bowl was usually half filled most days, today was different. Everything was flat-tire slow and the people present could be counted on one hand. Considering the establishment had no bowling alley made the name awkward and confusing, especially for out-of-towners in search of a place to chill. Stories of that nature were an inside joke around the bowl. The building itself was still evolving but boasted of two sections for now; a move by Maxon to diversify the family’s business by adopting Keiretsu. How he became obsessed with Japanese business models is anyone’s guess. Both sides of the business thrived well despite negative predictions and this further fed fertilizer to his ambition. Getting to the karaoke side of the business required a passage through the bar.

The students were regulars and did not go through the mandatory identification check at the entrance. Mylo the big black bouncer as everyone called him, waved them in. Jason tried to high five him as always. Mylo grunted back in his usual manner. There were rumors that Jason’s mother and Mylo were an item. No one could confirm or deny the rumor and Jason seemed untouched by the unsolicited journalism. Unlike most teenagers, alcohol held little fascination for the group. They only came to Maxon for the music. The music was enough. More than enough.

They passed through a side door behind heavy curtains that led to a long hallway with doors on each side. There were 12 rooms in total and each had a state-of-the-art sound system. It was the major thing that stood out in the otherwise outdated business. Room no 4 was their favorite and lucky enough it was available. Chad rushed in before anyone else and dropped into one of the plush leather couches in the room. There is a table between the couch and a large screen at the end of the room. A disco ball hung lazily over the room, shooting blue and red lights between breaks. Everyone settled in and deliberations began. Jason laid out the rules:

1. Points would be awarded based on technique, emotion, and interpretation.

2. No excuses and redo’s

3. Losers would become slaves for the next two weeks

4. And a tie would be decided by a duet

“Any questions?” he asked after he was done.

“None whatsoever!” responded the blonde male. “What are we going to do for refreshments and sustenance?”

“You are always about food, Ezekiel.”

“I have to eat for both for us, hon.”

“Ezekiel and Daisy need the room guys,” Jason quipped. They both blushed and nodded.

“Shall we get this show on the road?” Chad asked no one in particular. “Aaron is in charge of refreshment. I hope that settles your question, Ezekiel?”

“Yes, it does. One more question though. Are we to expect refreshment before or after we sing?”

"Before or after? Votes?" Hands went up and the majority voted for before. Jason suggested for a before and after treatment. They all agreed and collections began. Aaron took their orders mentally at first, before writing it down on a sheet of brown paper. Hailey stiffened as he was about to leave the room.

“Can I come with?”

“Sure! Why not?” He appeared cool outside but chaos was raging within. This is the moment of truth, he told himself. Sink or swim. Will the plan work? Chad spoke up immediately they left the room.

“When is he going to ask her out?”

No one answered. None of them had an answer. But they all wished it would be soon. It seemed like everyone knew and saw the back and forth exchange of emotions except for the two involved. Even Ezekiel who came to the school last year was aware of the subliminal but strong force emanating from the two – it was too obvious an evidence to miss. The room came under the cloud of pity for a moment.

“Shall we get down to warm up as we wait then?”

“There is no need to go through all this motion,” Daisy reeled out. “The girls will win this tournament and you Neanderthals will become our slaves.”

Her laugh was ominous.

* * * * *

The weather had become chilly. Puffs of transparent clouds came out of their mouth whenever they spoke. It was a good thing they had brought their jackets. The weather forecast had been about the change for a while now but nothing seemed to have changed. Maybe this sudden shift of seasons was a sign that the heavens recognized the battle about to start in the building behind them. The lights turned green and both of them made a short dash for the convenience store on the other side. Hailey pulled her jacket closer and folded her arms to keep it secure. She declined his offer to go inside. It took him 10 minutes to get everything and he apologized immediately he stepped out.

“Can we walk awhile before we get back to the competition?” She wrapped the last word in air quotes and Aaron laughed at her sarcasm.

“Were you not psyched about it? You could have fooled anyone. Sure fooled me.”

“You are easy to fool!” He pretended to be hurt by her comment and she tried to apologize for her insensitivity.

“Who is easy to fool now?!”

“You are such a wuss! I don’t know why I bother trying to hold serious conversations with you.”

“Me too!” She stared at the buildings in front of them and muttered something.

“We can go through that block and double back in say,” he pulled out his phone and made quick calculations. “We would be back in the heat of it in around six minutes give or take.”

“Ok.”

They walked on in silence. Then spoke up simultaneously.

“You go first,” Aaron said.

“I am excited about the competition, but my mind is just preoccupied with stuff.”

“What stuff?” She raised her head slightly to look at him. Although he was taller than she was, gauging the moment was her reason for searching for his eyes. Everything hinged on the right moment. She decided I wasn’t. Not yet.

“I am sorry about what I said in the morning.”

“What did you say?” He knew she wanted him to say it. Hailey never let go of an issue without putting the person involved through a wringer. He did not mind at all. If he was to get this thing down pat then being vulnerable was key. He had read that from a relationship periodical or a psychology book somewhere.

“For saying it was embarrassing. I did not mean it the way it came out.” He stopped under a street light. The light flickered a bit and the insects increased their frenzy. “Look. I really, really, really like you.”

Hailey’s breathing became shallow, then stopped for a while.

“It has been hard for me to keep my cool whenever we are together. It sometimes feels like a war inside of me. I cannot get you out of my head, Hailey.” He moved closer to her and placed his hands on her soft shoulders. "I was afraid. What if you turn me down and our relationship takes a nose dive? You are the only friend I have." She tried to speak but the words caught in her throat.

“But today I realized something when Chad spoke; I can choose to stay afraid or move forward. I am tired of the rollercoaster sponsored by what if. It is agonizing. All I want to do is pull you close and stay like that. Would you go out with m–?”

“Yes!”

“I know I don’t look like much but – wait. What?!”

“I said yes, silly.” Aaron blinked a few times then swallowed hard.

“Is this a dream?”

“I was asking myself the same thing while you spoke. It is embarrassing to say but in the spirit of putting our cards on the table, I will say it. I decided to tell how much I felt about you too. I was tired of all the emotional turmoil I was going through.”

They both broke out in laughter.

“How silly of us!” Aaron screamed before clamping down his mouth with both hands. “I am sorry,” he said in a whisper.

“That isn’t nearly enough compensation. I was practically throwing myself at you! You blind cow. How does a boy not notice a hottie in front of him?”

“I’m a late bloomer I guess.”

She pouted. “You are supposed to be apologizing.”

He pulled her into an embrace, rubbing his chin on her hair. Aaron had dreamt of this day; of the fragrance emanating from her hair, the texture of her hair beneath his chin. He did not think it would happen under a street light in an almost deserted part of town. Hailey closed her eyes and listened to the racket his heart was making. Her best friend was now her boyfriend! She had heard that this was the best type of relationship to be in. Thoughts of how to transition to the next step of their relationship started to surface but she drowned everything out with thoughts of now. She felt lighter than air and freer than a white bird. Nothing mattered but this moment. Everything would be different now – they could snuggle all they wanted, do things together without hitting invisible boundaries.

A white van slowly pulled in behind them. The driver stopped outside the light cast by the street lamp. Two forms came out from the back. They were dressed in black and had ski masks on. Aaron and Hailey were engrossed in the moment so much that they did not notice what was happening. The men rushed at them and placed rags over the lovers' noses. Their bodies went limp and the men dragged them back to the waiting van. The driver started the engines and drove off immediately the cargo was loaded. Under the light was the scattered good from the convenience store; eight bottles of mountain dew, eight packs of Pringles, some gum, and two water bottles. A pink phone was partially outside the light. It vibrated and came to life. The caller ID read as Dianne. It ended and repeated the cycle six times. Then it burped and a text message displayed:

Where are you?

Chad has made us warm up for almost an age!

Btw.

Don’t tell me he asked you out!

But there was no one to respond. No one had seen what happened. No one had called the police. The singing would have to go on without two participants.