Disclaimer: All characters expect Lisa Lane, Chad Kincaid, and Shayla Curry, belong to Saban Entertainment. I am not him nor am I affiliated with him. Please don't sue me. This is the third installment to my series. (Contains Spanish with English translation (it may not be right, just bare with me).)
"Someone from Rocky's past pops back into his life again. The question is will Rocky open his heart?"
A Hard Tough Life
by Cisero213
Angel Grove High School
Mr. Pastrini's World History
Mr. Pastrini: "That as you know it folks are the merry old wives and lineage of King Henry VIII."
Rocky: "Henry was pretty freaky wasn't he?"
Mr. Pastrini: "He certainly was Ricardo. Now I have an assignment for you guys."
Shayla: "You razzle and dazzle us with impressive talk and you hit us below the belt."
Mr. Pastrini: "Actually, it's not a hard assignment. I want you to research your own family tree. Use pictures, video tapes and/or computer graphics. I have books here that can help you with your genealogy."
A student in the back raises his hand.
Mr. Pastrini: "Yes, David."
David: "What if you're adopted?"
Mr. Pastrini: "Then do it on your adopted family. And if you have info on your real family, you can add them in too."
Bulk: "Great, now I can see where these dweebs get there dweebness from."
Skull: (laughing) "Dweebness, good one Bulk."
Kim: "Gee, I can't wait to see where you get obnoxious from."
Bulk: "Let's not forget your bubble headed quirks."
Mr. Pastrini: "All right you two. This assignment is due in two weeks."
Later that day at the Juice Bar.
Shayla: "This is gonna be fun. Hey, Tommy want to come with me to see my grandmother on the reservation?"
Tommy: "Yeah, that we'll be great, I can visit my Aunt Diane in Bakersfield. It's only fifteen minutes away."
Kim: "I can call my grandmother in Colorado. She had a chart made and it's traced our family all the way back to Scotland."
Jason: "That's nothing, when we had our family reunion several years ago, my Uncle Jack, did some research, and found out that my great-great-great-great-grandmother was the daughter of one of the Emperor of Japan's concubines."
Aisha: "So were talking to royalty."
Kat: "All I know is that my family was unlike the other Aussie's. My ancestors weren't convicts. They came to Australia as missionaries to help convert the aborigines to Christianity."
Tanya: (looking at Rocky) "Why are you so quiet Rocky?"
Rocky: (angrily) "I think this whole assignment is stupid."
Rocky gets up and leaves.
Tanya: "Gee, I get the feeling that he doesn't like the project."
Adam: "Can you blame him. After everything that has happened to him."
Shayla: "It must be hard to have your father walk out on you."
Aisha: "Especially the way he left."
Kat: "Hope's he's all right."
The streets of Angel Grove
Rocky walks down the street heading towards his home. He kicks a rock and at the same time, wipes a single tear drop from his eye.
Rocky: (out loud to himself) "I hate my life. Why does bad stuff happen to me."
He can remember that day so long ago.
~FLASHBACK~
Santa Fe, New Mexico 1986
Four young bright eyed Mexican children run into the Spanish styled house. The three older children run upstairs while the younger child runs to the kitchen. He sees his mother at the kitchen table, crying. With her make-up running down her face, she looks up to see her child.
Young Rocky: "Mama, tengo hambre." (Mama, I'm hungry)
Marcela DeSantos: "Ricardo Xavier-Juan DeSantos, juro, te comerá a muerte." (Ricardo Xavier-Juan DeSantos, I swear, you'll eat yourself to death)
Young Rocky: "Porqué está usted llora?"(Why are you crying?)"
Marcela DeSantos: "Hijo, quiero decirle algo."(Son, I want to tell you something.)
Young Rocky: "¿ Me Dice lo que? ¿ De dónde papá ? Quiero me papá. "(Tell me what? Where's daddy? I want my daddy.)
She looks into is wide doe brown eyes. She hates to break his heart.
Marcela DeSantos: "Está papá se va."(You're daddy is gone.)
Young Rocky: "¿ Está él en cielo?"(Is he in heaven?)
Marcela DeSantos: "Ninguno Ricardo, no está muerto. Papá no vive aquí ya."(No Ricardo, he's not dead. Daddy doesn't live here anymore.)
Young Rocky: "¿ Como Auntie Carmen y Tío Jose?" (Like Auntie Carmen and Uncle Jose?)
Marcela DeSantos: "En cierto modo sí." (In a way yes.)
Young Rocky: "¿ Está usted y Papá le hace un divorcio como a la mamá y papá de Miguel ?" (Are you and Daddy getting a divorce like Miguel's mommy and daddy?)
Marcela DeSantos: "Sí, hijo" (Yes, son)
Rocky hugs his mother and begins to cry.
~PRESENT~
Rocky could never forget that day, no matter how hard he tried. Ever since then he hated his father and his father's family. As Rocky turned the corner to the street he lived on, he noticed an unfamiliar car in the driveway of his home.
Rocky: "I wonder who that is?"
Rocky arrives at his house. He searches his pocket and finds his keys. He unlocks the door and walks in.
Rocky: (closing the door behind him) "Mom, I'm home."
Rocky's older sister Pilar meets him at the door.
Pilar: "Hey Ricky Ratt."
Rocky: (kissing her on the cheek) "Hey Pillsbury, what are you doing here?"
Pilar: "Mom called me."
Rocky: "¿Porqué ?" (Why?)
Pilar: "Come see for yourself"
Rocky follows his sister into the den. He finds his mother on the couch. His older brothers are sitting on the floor.
Marcela DeSantos: "Ricardo, ven aquí!" (Ricardo, come here!)
Rocky: "What's the mat...."
As soon as Rocky steps into the den, a man with salt and pepper streaked hair stands up. Rocky studies the features of this man. He immediately recognizes him. 'After all these years' Rocky thinks to himself.
Man: (with his arm extended) "Hijo!" (Son)
Rocky: "What the hell are you doing here?"
Marcela: "Ricardo!!"
Jaime DeSantos: "It's all right, I deserve that."
Rocky: "You damn right you deserve that. After 11 years you decide to come back."
Jaime: "I now I haven't been there for you son but,"
Rocky: "Don't you dare call me son. I AM NOT YOUR SON AND YOU ARE NOT MY FATHER!!!!!!!!"
Jorge: (getting up and walking to his brother) "Rock, let's take a walk."
Rocky: "Let go of me. How can you all sit here and let him back into your lives after what he did to us?"
Roberto: "Rock, please listen to what he has to say."
Rocky: "As long as he is in this house, I won't."
Marcela: "Ricardo!!"
Rocky runs upstairs. He grabs a bag and throws clothes into it. His sister walk into his room.
Pilar: "Rocky don't walk out like this?"
Rocky: "Why not Pilar, he did the same to us."
Pilar: "I know he did but.."
Rocky: "But nothing, I'm gone."
Rocky takes his bag and leaves. He slams the door and runs down the street.
Rocky: "Where am I gonna stay now."
Billy's house 7p.m.
Billy is in the kitchen cleaning the dinner dishes. As he puts the last dish into the rack, the doorbell rings. Billy dries his hands with a paper towel and heads to the door.
Billy: "I got it dad."
Billy opens the door to find Rocky there. He notices the overstuffed gym bags in Rocky's hand.
Billy: "What are you doing here?"
Rocky: "It's long story. Can I crash here for the night?"
Billy: "Sure, come on in."
Rocky steps into the house. Billy takes Rocky's bags. Billy's dad comes down the stairs.
David Cranston: "Will, who was at the door."
Billy: "It's Rocky, dad."
David: (extending his hand) "Salutations Ricardo."
Rocky: (also extending his hand) "Hello Mr. Cranston."
Billy: "Is it all right if Rocky stays the night?"
David: "I don't see any problems with that. I have to go Will."
Billy: "Any problems."
David: "Yes, we got new information on a case and we have search through more papers."
Billy: "Good night then."
David: "Good night Will. Good night Ricardo."
Rocky: "Good night Mr. Cranston."
David Cranston grabs his suitcase and his keys and heads out the door.
Rocky: "Will?"
Billy: "It's short for William."
Rocky: "I know that but it's funny."
Billy: "Why are you here?"
Rocky: "My father is back."
Billy: "What?"
Rocky tells Billy the whole story. As they prepare for bed, Rocky begins to cry.
Rocky: "I just don't know what to do. Something tells me that God has given us a break but then I wonder if it's all true. When will I wake up from this dream? Is he being true to us or is it all another heartbreak? I always felt it was my fault that he left."
Billy: "I not gonna say I know what you feel but you can't feel guilty about something that happened between your parents. Maybe they worked everything out and are ready to start over again."
Rocky: "I just hate the way it's tearing me up inside."
Billy: "Maybe you should sleep on it."
The two friends lay down. Without Billy's knowledge, Rocky silently cries himself to sleep.
The next day.
Rocky and Billy are eating breakfast when they here the car horn beep.
Billy: "That's Shayla."
Rocky: "You think that she will mind an extra passenger?"
Billy: "Tommy, Jason and Adam are on a field trip and Kim just got her car back from the shop. I don't see why."
The two boys leave the house and head towards the car.
Shayla: "Rockman, what are you doing here?"
Rocky: "I spent the night."
Shayla: "Hop in we're late."
Billy and Rocky climbs into the Suburban. The car pulls out of the driveway and goes down the street. Rocky recants his story to Shayla.
Shayla: "I don't believe it. What are you gonna do about it. I know that you were upset about the assignment for history, but now this."
Rocky: "I don't know?"
Billy: "You know Rocky, sooner or later that you are gonna have to face him."
Rocky: "I wish it wasn't now."
They teens arrive at school. At the same time, Aisha, Kat, Tanya and Kim get out of Kim's Honda. Aisha runs to Shayla's jeep.
Aisha: "Shayla, do you know what happened to..Rocky!!"
Rocky: "Hey sweetie."
Aisha: "I've been calling your home and no one answered."
The couple walks off.
Kat: (giggling) "I see you have your mom's car."
Shayla: "Now is not the time, Katherine."
Kat: "What's wrong?"
Billy: "Rocky's father is back."
Tanya: "Are you serious."
Shayla: "Than a heart attack."
Kim: "Wow. I understand how he feels, you know. Torn between your loyalty for one of your parents."
Billy: "Just by talking to him last night, it's more than that. I think he just don't want to be left alone again."
Inside the school building.
Aisha: "What are you gonna do about your father now?"
Rocky: "I don't know Aisha. I just don't want to deal with it now."
Aisha: "Just remember one thing."
Rocky: "What's that?"
Aisha: "No matter what, you're apart of him just like he's apart of you."
Later the day at Ernie's Juice Bar.
Tommy: "Man, I know it must be hard on Rocky. What if my real parents came out of the blue and popped up into my life you know."
Jason: (noticing Rocky walking towards the table) "Here he comes now."
The friends stop their conversion. Rocky sits at the table. Everyone stares at him.
Rocky: "Why are you looking at me like that."
Adam: "Do you want to talk about it."
Rocky: "I don't want to talk about my father all right."
Shayla: "Rocky, I think that you should talk to him."
Rocky: "Why? He wasn't there for me."
Kat: "Because he is here now. One day, he'll be gone and you will always have this empty feeling inside you wishing that you would have acted on that second chance."
Rocky looks at his friends. He knows that they are right.
Rocky: "I'll do it."
That night.
Rocky is standing in front of his home. He slowly opens the door.
Rocky: "Mom, I home."
The DeSantos family walks from the den into the foyer area. With teary red eyes, Marcela DeSantos hugs him.
Marcela DeSantos: "Hijo." (Son)
Rocky: "Lo siento." (I'm sorry)
Jaime DeSantos: "I think that Ricardo and I should be alone."
The family leaves. Rocky and father are alone.
Jaime: "¿Tienes preguntas?" (Do you have any questions?)
Rocky: "Why did you leave us? Why did you leave me?"
Jaime: "Ricardo, your mother and I were just kids when we got married. I still had a lot of growing up to do. The reason I left was because I hadn't finished yet. I didn't want to take my responsibilties like a man."
Rocky: "You never told me goodbye."
Jaime: "I now, but know I'm back and I promise that I will never leave you or your mother again."
Rocky and his father hug.
Jaime: "I love you son."
Rocky: "Me tambien." (I do too.)
Two weeks later.
Rocky: "And then dad told me that my 7xgreat grandfather was a soldier for Santa Anna during the war between Texas and Mexico."
Kat: "That's really awesome, Rocky"
Rocky: "Thanks guys. You were right, all I needed to was to get my frustration out. What time is it?"
Shayla: "4 o'clock."
Rocky: "I got to go help my dad."
Rocky gets up and leaves. He arrives home. With enthusisam, he opens the door and closes it.
Rocky: "DAD!!!!"
Pilar: "Rocky, I got some bad news."
Rocky: "What is it?"
Pilar: "Dad left again."
Rocky: "What?"
Roberto: (coming from the kitchen) "He told mom he was going to the store and he left a note saying he wasn't coming back."
Jorge: "That's not the worse part."
Rocky: "What do you mean?"
Jorge: "Mom is pregnant."
Rocky: "He walks out on us without a goodbye. Shows up and tells us he's sorry and leaves again. What is mom gonna do?"
Pilar: "Don't know. She's keeping the baby."
Rocky leave the room and finds his mother. He transformed back to his childhood so many years ago. He runs to her and hugs her.
Rocky: "Estoy aquí mama." (I'm here, mama)
Marcela DeSantos: "Unlike your father, you always are."
THE END
