CARLOS & KATRINA

A Novel by Charles Adrian Trevino
Copyright 2006, 2018

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Chapter 3

Waffle Shimmerman gunned his new red sports sedan down Main Street, smoking a cigarette and blasting his latest song out of the car's powerful speakers. Mike Sakack, his friend and number one dope dealer, sat in the passenger seat slapping his hands on his thighs to the incessant beat of the loud drums, bass and churning rhythm guitars. It was a crowded day in downtown Westview, with people milling about everywhere on the wide, sun–drenched sidewalks. Mike was feeling good, as he always did whenever he got a chance to cruise around town and be seen with Waffle, whose fame was growing rapidly day by day as his albums climbed the charts. As they passed a group of pre–teenagers standing around outside a record store, Mike leaned out the window. "Awful Waffle!" he shouted, letting out a devilishly high–pitched laugh as they sped past, prompting squeals of excitement from the young girls as they recognized the dark–haired young man at the wheel.

Mike sneered as he watched the girls waving after them. "Ha ha! Look at 'em cum! In a few more years, maybe…"

Waffle's face remained impassive behind his expensive sunglasses. He had become used to the screams of juvenile adulation that greeted him wherever he went nowadays, ever since his last album had won numerous Creemy awards, the highest honor that could be awarded to a recording artist.

It didn't matter to Waffle that the Creemy's were traditionally bestowed only upon the most commercial and groveling rock stars that accordingly ruled the charts, nor that he had won these awards only through the influence and Usher contacts of his father, the revered and internationally renowned folk–rock singer and songwriter Magic Shimmerman. All he cared about was the fame that had suddenly skyrocketed him out from under the shadow of his patriarch, and the money that had allowed him even greater power to use against his despised enemies... especially a certain as yet unknown-to-the-world rival that had been giving him nightmares for years.

Sakack had resumed drumming his thighs to the beat of the music. "I like this rhythm track, Waffle! You about ready to put the words to it?"

Waffle blew out a cloud of smoke. "Yep. I've got them all arranged and ready to lay down. Just need a few more days."

"What's it gonna be about?" asked Mike.

"Oh, just some poor little loser from the wrong side of the tracks who comes to Hightown, and gets his ass kicked by the big boys," replied Waffle, grinning mischieviously as he accelerated boldly around a slower car.

Mike erupted in raucous laughter. "Sounds like another hit! Do you think our little friend Carlos will like it?"

"Oh yeah. Especially when it goes straight to number one in every fucking town in the country! Ha ha!"

"Well, maybe this one will finally set him straight… teach him who not to mess with in this town." Sakack paused, then looked at Waffle. "That is, if he ever stops listening to his oldies long enough to actually hear it!"

"That moron will never learn not to fuck with Ushers. He's just too stupid to take the hint. Aw, who cares about that jerk anyway? You never see him with any babes, do you? Fuck the loser." Waffle jerked his head in contempt.

"Maybe he screws his surfer buddies when they go on their little camping trips up the coast," Mike said, sneering.

"Nah… he doesn't have any more surfer buddies, after the slag job Jacob's done on him! Besides, that would make his boyfriend David jealous. Then they'd have to break up the band! Ha ha ha…"

Mike's face turned serious. "David Slasher was talking shit about you yesterday at The Spot… again. He was saying that without your dad, you'd be unknown…"

"Oh yeah? He's nothing. Thinks he's some famous rock star because he's got pictures of himself with Nicky Jagwire. They're just a couple of fags blowing smoke up each other's assholes if you ask me."

"Jagwire's coming to town next week. Think he'll sell out in 12 hours again? You don't want his new album to eclipse yours. Maybe you should delay the release until…"

"Who cares? He doesn't scare me!" Waffle suddenly floored it, swinging his Beamer into the oncoming lane to pass a line of cars in his way. "If he screws with me, my dad'll write another song about him! And nobody wants Magic Shimmerman getting the whole world on their ass, ha ha!" As Waffle swerved back into the right lane he spotted a familiar figure waiting on the corner ahead of him. He slowed down and headed for the curb.

"Hey, there's Rosenberg. Get in the back, Sakack."

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