White Frog Page #2

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I call.

I'm out.

Come to papa.

Damn!

You're broke, man.

Ready to go home?

Wait, wait, wait.

We can't do this.

I mean, what were we thinking, guys?

Just...

Here, just take it all back.

Hey, hey, hey, look...

Charity ultimately

disempowers the recipient...

this guy.

Okay, fine.

First lesson's on us, okay?

No.

Thanks, but...

I'll be back next Friday...

And win it back.

I need some money.

For what?

Is this for the scholarship

in Chaz's name?

You don't need to get

involved with that.

Have you discussed

with Dr. King?

You seem better.

I think the peer counseling

on Friday nights is working.

Is Randy there?

He was a bad influence

on Chaz.

You should have friends

your own age.

Let's invite kids from church

for your birthday.

What's going on?

Hey.

Come get a piece.

Do you want a piece?

No, thank you.

You guys? Cake?

No, thanks.

I'll set it right here.

Help yourself.

Oh, good, Luke.

You picked the game?

That's good.

Nick!

Nick, what are you doing?

B.B.

Whew.

Come on.

Okay.

I'll leave you alone.

You come out, okay?

Yeah, I won't bother you.

You just...

Come right out.

You guys want more juice?

No, thank you.

Hey, Nick.

Can we turn the TV on?

Yeah, that's a great idea.

Did you see that?

Where's Nick?

He's under the table.

Nick, come on,

mind your manners.

This is no time

for Isaac Newton.

You can be better.

Come on, Bemod.

Bemod, just like Chaz used to do.

- "...on the seashore... '

- Irene.

"...and then finding

a smoother pebble '

Mr. Young, can we go home now?

Your parents are gonna

pick you up at 6:00.

"...whilst the great ocean..."

Nick, come on!

Did that really just happen?

Don't you dare...

I'm no pushover like your parents.

Are you still getting anxiety attacks?

No...

Except when...

No.

Finish the thought.

Sometimes...

I forget what he sounded like.

My mother died,

and I can still hear her.

"Ohh!" you so smart!

"Why you don't become doctor?

"Oh, shrink not doctor.

"Shrink just somebody you pay

so they pretend to like you.

"Yeah, you gonna be doctor,

then marry doctor,

"then have baby,

someday gonna be doctor.

Or mommy gonna die!"

Was it your fault that...

that she died?

Oh, who knows?

Maybe that's why

she's still on my case.

Dead people,

they come and go

like they own you.

Sometimes I feel like

taking a restraining

order out against her.

"Ohh, so messy!

"Oh, you gotta clean sometime!

"You know, every day

just a little bit.

"Little bit by little bit.

"Then one day...

Oh! Surprise!

All clean!"

I love you, B.B.

Good night.

Make room for me, Nick.

I'm coming in.

What are you gonna do,

police the kid?

Mm-mm. No way, man.

That's more your speed,

Mr. Ayn Rand.

Have you even read

The Fountainhead?

I figure I get

two cards for free...

So I ain't paying

until I see a pair.

What's so funny?

That's what you do.

No, I don't.

But seriously, how come

you've never played before?

I couldn't afford to lose.

And now?

I still got some of

the money Chaz paid me.

Nick looks like he's having fun.

But if you guys don't let me win,

my dad will beat the sh*t out of me,

and then I'll have to beat

the sh*t out of you.

Ooh!

Pick it up, tab on a date.

Never wanna be

comin' off cheapskate...

Checkmate, I am the queen.

Game of chess

So you won't beat me.

Sometimes he gonna pretend.

That he gonna be rich...

- Two and a half.

- What?

- Really?

- No way.

That's 201.

He's bluffing.

Maybe he caught

the flush on the river.

Why don't you pay up

and find out?

Nah, forget it.

Kid's got the perfect

poker face.

What'd you have?

Sevens? Really?

I put down my King for that?

Well played.

Bluffing is intense.

This kid's like a whiz.

How do you know that?

I memorized all the odds.

Nick, don't tell everyone

what you're thinking.

That's stupid.

Play the man,

not the cards.

Well, tell me about Chaz.

Your brother was

always jealous of me.

No, go ahead, laugh.

Laugh, guys.

Because seriously, I really do

feel like Chaz felt smothered.

Sometimes I even think that he wishes

he was born into a different family.

Are you joking?

I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking.

Chaz said that Friday nights

were video game nights.

Why would he lie to me?

Maybe he didn't want

to corrupt you,

lose your respect.

If he always won,

where did his money go?

Nick, where...

Wait up, dude!

- All right. See you guys later.

- Later.

Am I the only one

who thinks this kid

is an absolute weirdo?

He's got Asperger Syndrome.

Like Rain Man.

No, no, more like Monk.

Chaz thought the kid

could be - more normal.

He was working with him,

doing bemod.

What the hell is bemod?

B- e-m-o-d.

Short for behavior modification.

Encourages him to open up,

discourages him from shuttling down.

Nick, what are you doing?

I looked everywhere.

Where would you hide your stuff?

School locker.

My dad cleaned it out.

Well, remember that time

when he screwed up

and he had to do

community service?

He never stopped going,

even though he didn't

have to anymore.

Maybe he has a locker there.

Do you know where that place is?

Randy would.

He's driven him there.

I'll call him.

And she said.

'What a son of a gun.

He loved to lie.

And lie...

This is the place.

Happy now? Let's go.

No. I want to know what

happened to Chaz's money.

All right, so go.

I got things to do.

What?

If you go,

how am I gonna get home?

Randy?

It's so good

to see you here.

I haven't set eyes

on you since...

This is Miss Lee.

She was Chaz's drama teacher.

Freshman year.

And this is Nick... Young.

Nick, I've heard...

heard so much about you.

Well, welcome to the Firehouse.

You know, your brother

suggested the name.

Before that, I called it the

Diversity Connection Center.

Lame, huh?

Why are you wearing that hat?

You've never dreamed

of being a flying nun?

Miss Lee, I'm out of glue.

I like the trucks.

Nice touch.

You didn't like the feathers?

They kept making me sneeze.

We've got our

big show coming up.

This doesn't look like

a real community center place.

Well, you know about

the library incident, right?

Chaz was gambling online.

It was either suspension

or 50 hours community service.

Even after he finished his service,

Chaz kept coming back here.

Did you take his money?

What he donated.

How much money

did you take?

He gave over $20,000.

He just kept giving

and giving.

Said that he had to.

It was his dream.

I'm glad you made it here

by yourself.

Why don't you stick around?

I'll show you...

No, no, I'm... I'm sorry.

Nick's...

Nick's gotta get home.

Chaz called the community

service place the Firehouse.

How do you know that?

Randy took me there.

If you want to do

community service,

I'll talk to the pastor,

but I don't think you should be

doing everything your brother did.

Tell me what it means.

Nick.

The beach.

Honey, I don't think

you have to...

When you were little boys,

we would take you

to the beach on Sundays.

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