Tyson My Tiger (Age 15 Madness)

Junior year was to begin in my third highschool. This time in Orange County, California (<--New $$$... as compared to Manhattan <-- Old $$$ if you get my flow). I had my own apartment like my freshman year in San Francisco, but with no caretaker. Just roommates. The expression on all my teenage acquaintances and friends denoted a sense of admiration or jealousy. But what they didn't understand was how painful it was for me to be taken out time after time of my life.

In the midst of the ending summer heat and mental chaos I was in, I had to get away from it all. At least for a few hours. Though most of my things have been moved to OC home, I still had my bedroom in my father's house in Los Angeles where they are settled where I sat in between white-washed walls.

A Little Story...

Nocturnal Wonderland held in San Bernardino, CA: massive, festival ground with around 7 indoor venues. My second rave on the same grounds; the first being EDC held a few months ago.

It was 10 pm when we arrived and the night was still... very young. Most of you may notice this, but live music is so much different from even the best soundsystem playing at home. My friends are close, but as with a lot of good and close friends of mine, our interest lies miles apart. These friends I will talk more about later. It so happens, as it does in these events, that we drift apart being a large group anyways. And also, it so happens that you often see people you see on the streets, hotspots around the city during other times in the year.

So as I drifted across the masses often feeling a hand around my ass or shoulder. It was Ok since it was all P.L.U.R. (peace, love unity and respect). And as I squeezed passed a group of people, a guy grabs my shoulder, takes my hand and leaves a pill inside it. "Hey, try this." I popped it without looking at it or thinking, downing some 3 dollar water as I walked on. Curious what was going to happen, a bit with regret and fear (you obviously shouldn't ever do this), I browsed around cellphone in hand.

Against the edge of the grass, I saw the guy volunteering at my highschool orientation, which I attended a week ago. He was taking ID photos and this was how I remembered him because he said that my smile was nice.

"I saw you at the highschool orientation," I said.
"Yeah, I remember you. Sigourney yeah?"
"Didn't think people from that highschool would come here."
"Haha, cus everyone in X highschool (one of the most prestiguous highschools in Cali) are all like nice and goody? Nah, there's the lot of us."
"Why are you sitting here alone?"
"Waiting for this hot girl in a red bikini to come back. She said she had to use the bathroom told me to wait for her here."
"...Right."
"You rolling?"
"Not sure... Are you?"
"Yeah. haha."
"Can't tell at all."
"That's a good thing. I don't think she's coming back. Where are your friends? I want to meet them."

We moved hand-in-hand amongst the crowd until I found 3 from my group watching the fire tossing on stage on festive ground. David Kim (his name) disappeared for a moment and came back and we dragged ourselves to another group.

"This is a new girl going to our school."
"Oh cool, where you coming from?" Said another Korean guy who had been giving a lightshow to someone else on the ground.
"From NYC."
"Tight, you're going to hate it here. But we'll be around. I'm Sam. And this is Tyson," he said pointing to the guy on the ground. "Did you drop?"
Another guy situated me on the ground next to Tyson and using his glowstick, scanned my eyes.
"Dude, look at her eyes. She's rolling."
This guy took my hand and led me to another section with seats and rails and carried me across the rail where the rest of their group sat.
"I'm Mahed," he said. "Do you not like any of us here?"
"No, you guys are cool," I said.
The guy sitting on the other side me had eyes that were rolling into the back of his head.
"Ey, you having a good time?"
"Not sure yet."
Sam adhered,"What pill did you drop? You look pretty fucked up."
"I don't know, I didn't look at it."
"Haha! What? You know you're not suppose to do that. Anyways, you can trust us. We have the real stuff."
"I want to try the real stuff," I said.
"Man you should've found us earlier. I'll see what I can do."
Sam went and talked to some people sitting in the corner, kept looking back, a bit agitated and came back. A small yellowish pill was in the palm and he handed it to me stealthily.
"Take this."
I took it.
"We'll take care of you," said Sam.
"I'll take care of you," said Tyson.
"Ok, its past 12 and we have another 4 hours. We have to decide what to do," said Sam as the four of us crouched in a square. He looked at me, " Do you want to go to the dancefloor?"
"No, I'm tired."
"You won't be in a while."
"You thirsty?" Tyson asked me.
"Yeah." Was out of water.
"Lets go get water." He took my hand and we slid from the grass to the nearest booth.
He talked to basically every person who brushed against us. Where you from? Oh, cool. I'm from the OC. You rolling? I am. Got a cigarette? Thanks, have a good night.

We got a few lightshows before the ecstasy even hit me and we talked. Tyson was from New Jersey and moved to the OC in the beginning of highschool. He was half Japanese and half Malaysian. His father was always away in Japan and he lived alone with his mother. His older brothers went to the top UCs.

As we walked, supporting each other's weight, I spotted my ride; a close friend of mine at the time. That was the moment the E took hold of me and I staggered with a smile as I reached for him. Fell ontop of him.

"Sig, what the fuck did you take?" Ardy asked.

I tried to answer him, but said something unintelligable instead. Then the lights blinked and suddenly was out and I fell over. I saw other acquaintances as I fell, which caused a stream of rumors for me later on ("She fell on her face at Noc") In that second, I prayed to God and said I wasn't ready to die. Next thing I knew was that I had been pulled against the closest wall where a girl going to my new highschool fed me water. Water which tasted so heavenly and I sucked hard at the bottle that she pulled away from me. You know, so I wouldn't drown myself. She petted me and said I was going to be fine. Sam came into vision though it was blurred, but I could clearly see his blinking lights. Green, white and red. He was smiling and he told me to think happy thoughts. I told myself to think happy thoughts. And I thought of EDC. The previous rave with carnival rides.

Tyson laid next to me. Ardy on the other side. I smoothed my head on Ardy's shoulder and said told him he was the only real friend I ever had in my life. I told him that I loved him with all my heart. It was true then. I told him that we were going to stay friends for the rest of our lives. I asked him if he agreed. And he said he did.

My body felt like a numb vegetable. I couldn't move on my own, but I smoothed my entire body on any surface available. I kicked against the grass and I rubbed against the wall and I messaged Ardy's hand and shoulder.

I turned to Tyson and thanked him for taking care of me as Sam gave the both of us a lightshow which I didn't see because my eyes rolled into the back of my head. I told Tyson that I felt very lonely and I was afraid that I was going to be lonely for the rest of my life. Tyson said he understood because he felt the same way when he moved from NJ. Tyson said that we found each other and it was meant to be. He said he won't let me feel lonely for a day in my life again. I had told him I don't want this synthetic happiness all the time. We planned to work out together, to kick it together, to eat and sleep together. He was going to quit smoking weed.