A Week Later... at Jackson Park.

Ravi waits for Aurion at a picnic table. The surrounding park is yellow and full of bare trees, the ground covered in crispy leaves. Across the road, a little skater's bowl. Trails sprawl in all directions, some sidewalk and some just flattened tar, promising passage through all of Goldpeak County. On a bike, Ravi could clear the whole neighborhood in a half hour, diagonally. From her home to the park, a three minute walk.

Finally, a truck slows to a stop, and lets Aurion out. His mom, blonde as foretold, waves 'hi' to Ravi and drives away. Aurion looks out of breath already, but he marches over to sit down.

Aurion
(Panting.) Hah... oh, wow.

Ravi
Did you have to pedal, or what?

Aurion
No, I just... I just woke up. I have sleep apnea. One sec.

Aurion takes off his yellow backpack and grabs a water bottle. Normally Ravi's the one in darker colors, but today, Aurion's in all-black dress clothes, and Ravi's in a yellow t-shirt and jeans. Both of them realize how cold it is, so Aurion dons his usual yellow jacket, while Ravi puts on her old grey sweater.

Ravi
So, are you done trying to get a kiss out of me?

Aurion
(Hesitating.) I... uh. Well, I learned something recently.

Ravi
(Grinning.) And what's what?

Aurion
That sometimes, people see what they want to, instead of who you are. I saw you as a femboy sex toy, or a tomboy girlfriend, or a chick with a d-

Ravi
Stop.

Aurion
(Sincerely.) ...and I didn't let you be my friend.

Ravi
Wow, that's a lot of reflection in one week. Is that why I haven't seen you since last time?

Aurion
Nah, I was planning a heist. It went off, too.

Ravi
(Squinting.) ...

Aurion
That's the story I'm gonna tell you today, to show you what a good one sounds like.

Ravi
And he's humble, too.

Aurion
Always. It all began one week ago, on that very day you and I last spoke...

...but to introduce our major players, we'll need to go a little further back than that.

First, there was Lawke. He looks innocent, but while you're looking away, he's already got your wallet. He's Portuguese, or something. I'm telling you that cause diversity matters. He's a little on the skinny side, kinda looks like a beakless toucan. His hetero life mate, Murphy, he's a hard-jawed First Nations kid, hick as heck, the dumb muscle. Like an owl, he's always watching his back. The two of them are always goofin' off, crackin jokes, causin' trouble. They're inseparable. But they always say "no homo" when things get too close. We all know they're gay, but don't tell them that. Sometimes they kiss as a 'joke', you didn't hear that from me. Murphy likes to put his hand in Lawke's back pocket and-

[Ravi
WE GET IT.]

Aight, just sayin'. There's something up with those two.

Anyway, then there was Yuna. If the boys were birds, she was like if cats were mermaids. Pale skin, long black hair, rockin' curves. She wasn't just friendly and enthusiastic, she was sexy, and she knew it. But she could trust those boys, because she knows they're more interested in each other. Can't trust older men, though. One time Coach Fadel brought mini-donuts to class, she had a special technique to get two of 'em: squeeze her arms in, pop out the chest, tilt down the chin, and look up with puppy dog eyes. Worked a little too well, Coach is a real creep. He started making her beg like that every time, now all the girls have to follow suit, and no mini-donuts for the guys. Sucks, cause I love those.

[Ravi
Yeah, I've seen that. They've got egg in them so I can't eat them either way, but when I get there, he really looks at me like he thinks I'm gonna demean myself for a fucking pastry. Dude's like, what, fifty? Disgusting.]

Like I said, he's a creep. But Yuna learned how to work that and get out untouched and clean, like when she ran the summer car hand-wash in a tight white t-shirt and cutoff jeans. Damn. Needless to say, she was the charmer of the group. Also, there was Aarav.

[Ravi
...and?]

I don't really like Aarav.

[Ravi
Why, cause of the wheelchair?]

Nah, cause he's smug. I don't like smug. He's a genius, for sure though. Knows how to lie, and drain a room of sympathy. He's got everyone's heart-strings all wrapped up in his little spokes. He's also into computers, or something. I dunno.

[Ravi
You spent longer talking about how hot Yuna is than Lawke and Murphy put together, and now you have like two things to say about Aarav? He's Amira's little brother, right? Is he like, the planner of the group?]

You could say that. He did come up with the plans, though they all have equal say. Also, I know what people like, alright? Hot ladies. Cool guys. Not cripples.

[Ravi
Disabled people wanna see themselves in a story, dude.]

So? I wanna be SUCCESSFUL.

[Ravi
Disabled people have money, too.]

That is a fair and logical point, my friend. So be it. Let us promote acceptance of those in all walks and wheels of life, for the betterment of our understanding of human-kind!

[Ravi
(Rolling her eyes.) Yeah, let's go with that.]

Regardless, now you know the crew, call themselves the Oman Toads. No idea why, honestly. Maybe Lawke named it? He could be the leader, after me of course. Whatever. They're the Oman Toads.

Now, here's what went down. Everyone knows Harley and Lanzo were the rich kid power-couple. Lanzo, the fine-muscled trust-fund baby with dark skin and cute, shaggy hair. Harley, the blonde beauty with the diamond-like frosty gaze.

One day, something changed. Harley dumped Lanzo, and for, I kid you not... Hubert. Her own little brother, just as blonde and two grades below her. Nerdy, square as a block, and clueless.

[Ravi
Oh, yeah. I heard some of this. He-]

I appreciate that you're familiar with the material, but I believe it's my turn to tell the story. So, was it all a play to make Lanzo jealous? Maybe. But it worked, cause Lanzo had just given Harley a gold promise ring. Only problem was, he'd given her the wrong one by accident. It was his mom's wedding ring, and Harley wasn't giving it back. Said it was her "breaking-up present".

What to do? Well, Lanzo comes to me. He starts firing off projectile insults, but I calm him down. He offers me five-hundred buckeroos to get this ring back, by any means necessary. That's a lot of money, but it's no simple task. Wherever Harley goes, everybody looks. Not the way they look at Yuna, like "I want her, I hope she wants me back", but like, "I'll never be good enough, I hope I haven't upset her by breathing too loud, or at all". A regal presence. Luckily, I knew just the crew.

I went to see Aarav, in Coach Fadel's class. That's when I heard Garland, talking to Lawke.

Garland
I'm warning you now, man. She's using you.

Hubert
You're just jealous cause she let me touch her boob.

Garland
Just the one? And no kiss?

Hubert
She says she's waiting for high school.

Garland
Look buddy, I've been down this road... it doesn't go where you think.

Hubert
(Dismissive.) Screw you. I've never seen anyone more beautiful in my life! I don't care if we're family, she's the one I'll always love the most.

Coach Fadel was there, listening. Last I heard, Coach had a tryst, left his wedding ring at his lover's place and was scrambling for a replacement before his wife found out. Turns out, "I lost it" wasn't good enough for Mrs. Fadel. So when Hubert said:

Hubert
(Bragging.) She even gave me a gold ring, said we're getting engaged as soon as we graduate. Our parents don't know a thing.

Coach Fadel's little gears started turning behind that hooked nose and scowl of his.

[Ravi
Lots of people have hooked noses.]

Still, something distinct about his frown. He was bald too, so like... way to break the mold, man. Creepy bald gym teacher with freakishly dark eyebrows? Did they run out of wigs at the factory or something?

[Ravi
(Making a burning noise.) Tssssss.]

He deserves the burn. Man liked to make 'jokes' about his coworkers, and the students, but that face and his inconsiderate tone always turn them sour. He embarrassed people, put them on the spot. Some say that bitter grimace came from drinking six cups of black coffee a day, maybe his mean sense of humor, too. Point is, he wanted that ring, So he takes his fresh hot cup, untouched, and he decides to break a student-teacher boundary.

Coach Fadel
(Passing Hubert the coffee.) Hey, Hube. I hear you got a lady friend. Thank god, I thought you were queer. She pretty?

Garland
Seventh graders don't drink coff-

Coach Fadel
(Snapping his fingers at Garland.) Hey, wrong classroom, whitey. Scram.

Garland left. Hubert took the coffee, and that's when his troubles began. He sipped, his eyes went wild. A scrawny teen ain't meant for that much caffeine.

Hubert
Thanks, Coach Fadel.

Coach Fadel
Please, call me Hassan. Now that lady of yours... feel free to bring her around, alright? And if she needs a safe place to keep some things, like her phone, or I dunno, jewelry, you let her know my desk has a lock on it, alright? Snug as a bug in a rug. No question. Lockers, they can be, uh... well, broken into.

Hubert
I never thought of that. Thanks Hassan, I'll let her know!

Coach Fadel
You do that, champ.

Coach Fadel stared at Hubert's face.

Coach Fadel
Boy, those teeth. She's always got you if she needs to check a diamond, huh?

Hubert
(Deflated.) Uh... yeah, I guess so.

Well, I'd heard enough. The goal: get Harley to trust Coach Fadel, then crack his desk. Easy peasy. Coach Fadel looks at me, says:

Coach Fadel
Did someone put a cheese wheel on a brown midget? I'm kidding. Get outta here.

Aurion
Sir, I'm here to assist my friend Aarav.

Coach Fadel
Who?

Aarav
Me, sir.

Aarav had been sitting there the whole time... the only other person in the room. Unnoticed, as usual, like a piece of rolling furniture.

Coach Fadel
OH, roamin' Aarav. Tokyo Drift. Got it. Carry on, I gotta use the can.

He left, so me and Wheels got talking.

Aarav
I actually thought that was funny, "Tokyo Drift". I'm gonna use that one.

Aurion
I thought you were Arabian.

Aarav
"Abu Dhabi Drift," then?

Aurion
Never mind. Look, I got a job for you and the other Oman Toads. A hundred dollars each. Coach Fadel wants Harley's ring in his desk, I want that to happen so y'all can steal it for me, and I can bring it to its rightful owner. Don't care how you do it, just make it happen and they money's yours.

Aarav
This is about Hubert and Harley, isn't it?

Aurion
Maybe. You come up with a plan, and we're in business.

Aarav
Step one: you stop standing in front of my wheelchair when I'm in the hallways, just to mess with me.

Aurion
Only three days a week. Do we have a deal?

Aarav

(Sighing.)

Yeah, whatever.

And so we shook on it. Aarav called up his buds, and together they considered their options at the next lunch recess. I sat back, to listen, make sure I got the right crew. They drew diagrams, did reconnaissance, asked around, chased leads, all the good stuff. Really getting those ears to the ground, even mapping out supervisor routes and times. Real professional. Eventually, they decided the only way it would work was through the Journalism class, taught in Coach Fadel's room.

[Ravi
Oh hey, I'm in that class. Why didn't I see you guys do any of this?]

Cause we work DISCRETE. It was the only course he taught to Grades Seven, Eight, and Nine at the same time. He had to, just to fill ten seats. One of those seats was Aarav's, so that was our 'in'. He told the crew:

Aarav
We gotta get Harley and Hubert in the same place at the same time, so I'm gonna do an article on them. If I snap her pic, she'll want the ring on.

Lawke
How do you know?

Aarav
Because she'll want to look her best, and she'll want Lanzo to see it.

Murphy
What about us?

Aarav
We only need one of us in the room with the key. Everyone else will be running distractions, so I can make the grab.

Yuna
Why you? It's not like you can run if you get caught.

Aarav
Because NOBODY suspects the kid in the wheelchair.

Aurion
Are all the disabled kids as sneaky as you?

Aarav
I don't think so? The other kids at my last school were a lot more innocent. Is that a problem?

Aurion
Nah, I think y'all make the perfect crew. When can I expect results?

Yuna
The day of the Fall Dance. Everyone's gonna be there.

Murphy
Oh, not that again. It's so boring, they make us stand around in the gym and dance "politely" to "safe" music. It's like... barely moving to soft polka. And it's MANDATORY!

Lawke
That's exactly why it's the best time to strike.