Red Beetle - 2

We talk you know? We aren't just 2 horny teens.

Like i'd say: "Banana chips are both the fanciest form of snack and the absolute garbage form of snack. Like you could serve it in first class and people would be like 'ooh banana chips'. Or you serve the same thing in economy class and hear 'pfft fucking banana chips'."

And he'd say: "whaaaaaaaaa" keeping his mouth open just slightly longer than usually expected, and his face looks so stupid that I laugh. Because it's funny. and we are not burdened by the world yet. I don't have to worry about depression and anxiety attacks. He is not crunching numbers in a grey office. The world was wide open for us.

We pop the cold pizza in the back of Biton's red beetle. its a 1978 volkswagon beetle, a simple and beautiful machine which is the first car Biton ever had once he got a license, the first one I drove before getting a license, and the best ride I have ever been in. The red shiny color and the beetle roaring creak were intoxicating to a teenage ear.

It's 4am now and we have a car, cold pizza, a map with a circle around some place up north, some mix tapes with rap songs, techno and house beats, boy band songs, girl band songs and some popular rock songs.

We have to warm up the car in such an early hour. Biton pumps on the gas while parking, trying to wake the red queen. She eventually awakes and we put her into reverse. the reverse sound is awesome. the air is chilli with the windows open. I lift my left butt cheek towards Biton and fart. it makes a funny sound and we both laugh. Biton lifts his right butt cheek while holding the wheel and farts a much bigger one. we laugh even harder.

"Do you think her friends will put out?"

"They won't be able to resist The Biton." Biton says. "Girls love a bad boy".

Asher refers to himself as The Biton sometimes. You see, Biton is a Morroccan family name which has come to be known in popular culture as someone rough around the edges, borderline delinquent, a tough guy.

Biton is Asher Biton. and he likes to pretend he is some rough kid from the hood because that's his last name.

I think about what he said. Maybe they won't be able to resist The Biton. or maybe they will. But where does he get all this confidence from? I don't have such confidence in myself. nothing I can call myself. my last name is weak. it associates with nerds and wheat. not with cool stuff.

I wish I had such confidence. Dina must like how confident he is with himself. He plays basketball. tall. But he doesn't like her. he says she's boring. We label almost everyone as boring because they don't fit our narrow, hormone filled teenage mind. some girls are hot. some get mean nicknames. some get us making a mocking face of some quality or blemish or trait they have. Teenagers are mean little shits sometimes.

I think of Dina as we pull over at a gas stop.