America Page #2

let you out early.

- America, are you okay?

- Yeah, I'm fine.

- Should I go...

- No! Just leave me alone, okay? I'm fine!

Are you mad at me?

No, I'm not mad at you, okay?

Just leave me alone, all right?

I'm fine. Go back to sleep.

I'm fine. Leave me alone.

We've got books, and

there's some good books,

and there's books

here for everyone.

So I want everybody to come

on up and take your pick.

Come on! Come on

up! Take your pick.

Okay, now, some of the books were

donated, but some of them are mine.

So, respect, please.

Lemony Snicket's A Series

of Unfortunate Events

You should like that, Marshall.

That one's pretty dark.

Okay, now just remember that you have

to give a little report on the book

that you choose to the

class. So choose wisely.

- This one's got pictures.

- That's good!

That's a good one for you.

Now here is a popular book.

It's called The

Catcher in the Rye

- I read it.

- Did you like it?

It's a good book.

You should read it.

- So what's going on?

- How long do I have to stay here?

Depends. How long is long? A

week? A month? A year? What?

- Long is whenever they feel like deciding.

- And who is "they"?

Everybody. The state,

you. Long is long.

How long?

Long is long.

1-3-1-3-1-4-6

9-8-5-3

- How long?

- Just a couple of days.

Then you'll be back here

and start kindergarten.

Hey, kindergarten! You're a

big boy. Can you believe it?

An unsupervised visit,

that's what I can't believe.

Now, you know how

to call us, right?

Only zero first for collect.

Do I have to go?

Honey, your mama

wants to see you.

- You're my mama. You adopted me, right?

- Well, not yet. I'm trying.

We have to wait till

the judge says so.

- I don't wanna go.

- Honey, she's your mama,

and she wants to see you.

Just remember the numbers.

You need me or your Uncle

Reggie, and we'll come for you.

All right. Now, you be bad and your

mama gonna send you back here quick.

- All right?

- Do not listen to Reggie.

America America

America, look at me.

Whatever you don't deal with now,

you're gonna have to deal with it later.

- I don't care.

- Well, you should care.

You're 17 years old. When you

turn 18, you age out of the system.

- You know what that means?

- No.

It means no more services

for you, the state's done.

They raised you, out!

You're on the street, alone.

You know what happens to those

kids? Jail or homelessness.

That's not a life for you.

Or you could get your GED.

If you get your GED, you know what, the

state will pay for you to go to college.

It's your choice.

- Can I go now?

- Yes, you can go.

But you know what? At some

point, America, it's up to you.

It's up to you.

You think about it, okay?

What's that

supposed to be, Liza?

- Well...

- It's a whale.

- Shut up, Shoelaces.

- What did you say?

I said, "Shut up, Shoelaces!"

Shoelaces here, he tried to

hang hisself with shoelaces.

I mean, how stupid is that? I

bet you like arts and crafts...

Guys!

Stop! Stop! Stop!

Stop!

Both of you need to stop!

You're gonna get in trouble!

- You asked for it, Shoelaces.

- His name isn't Shoelaces!

- Is that true?

- What?

- You tried to kill yourself?

- So what if I did?

I don't like people who are gonna die,

okay? People that try to kill themselves.

Had nothing to do with

you. Why are you so mad?

- Because.

- Because why?

I have my reasons, okay?

Just promise me that you'll

never try to take your life again!

- Promise me!

- Okay, okay.

- Say it!

- Okay, I promise, fine.

Hey, you two Grab a

broom This place is filthy

- What's up with the shoelaces?

- Nothing.

What is that? Where

did you get that?

No lighters allowed,

America. Sorry.

America! America! America!

Somebody help me! America,

no! Somebody help me!

You got that?

- Meat or pasta?

- America, move up.

- Fish, who is that guy?

- He's mean, that guy.

- Meat or pasta?

- Pasta.

I've never seen

him here before.

He went but he comes back.

I think his name's Brooklyn.

- He's mean, that guy.

- Yeah, I know. You said that.

These are your brothers This

is Brooklyn, and that's Lyle

Look, I'm jacked. I'm wired,

and I've been up for, like, two,

three days, I don't even know how long.

No. No, see, I had to do something

really, really important, okay?

I had to... I had to make a

run, all right? But I'm done now.

I'll be there in five

minutes, okay? Wait for me!

No. No, look, you

can wait for me, okay?

Please. Please, okay? Please

wait for me, all right? Okay.

- Mama!

- No, let me get in the door first, OK? OK.

All right, yeah, I'll be

there in five minutes. Okay.

All right, now. Now, America,

these are your brothers.

All right, this is

Brooklyn, and that's Lyle.

And... And they're gonna watch you

for me. You're gonna watch him, right?

Okay.

Right, now listen, baby,

I gotta go on an errand.

- But I'll be right back, okay.

- Mama!

No, no, no, no! Stay there, and

don't open the door for nobody. Okay?

I'll be back. I'll be back.

- What you got there?

- Candy.

Give them to me!

- Mama!

- No, no, no, no! Stay there,

and don't open the

door for nobody Okay?

Brooklyn, Brooklyn.

Meat or pasta?

Brooklyn...

- Which one? We ain't got all day.

- Meat.

Man, you cover for me, man?

Hey. Dwayne, you see

America? Yeah? Thank you.

Yo.

Yeah. You missed your session.

Yeah, okay. How do you

get to go in the kitchen?

- What?

- How do you get to work in the kitchen?

- How do you get to serve food?

- Why do you wanna know?

- Just tell me.

- You earn it.

It's reserved for the residents

in the drug treatment program.

- Why do you wanna know?

- It's not important.

It's important to

me. I'd like to know.

Look, why don't you just

leave me alone, okay?

What do you bother me for? Go

home, take care of your own kids.

- You think I have kids?

- I don't know. Maybe you don't have kids.

Maybe it's just you. Maybe

that's why you're here.

You know how to play cards?

Solitaire, gin, poker, anything?

This is a ace, stupid

Now we got a war going

Two of spades beats

everything, including aces.

- Do you know aces?

- I don't know.

This is a ace, stupid.

Now we got a war going.

- War.

- War.

All right. Cut the deck.

- You know the rules?

- I don't know your rules.

Everybody's got their

own rules for war.

Two of spades beats

everything, including aces.

Got it.

Do you want to know my rules?

I don't do sessions

in the game room.

You have to show up to my

office, every day, on time.

We don't have to stay

there. We could take a walk.

We could go somewhere else.

But you must show up, America.

- You understand?

- Yeah, okay.

Okay?

Okay.

Okay.

War!

I get it.

I don't know.

- Hey, you just fall back.

- Look at him, he's scared.

Shaking like

the lunch Jell-O.

Hey, Fish! Maybe you'll

fall and hit your head

and blood will just

be gushing everywhere.

Come on, guys!

- Come on, you can do it.

- I don't want to get hurt.

Fish, you can do it.

I know you can do it.

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