Comics and toys.

Saturday morning began for Billy by waking up early, as he had acting classes scheduled after lunch. Before that, he had a theater company workshop on classical improvisation and a painting to finish.

Billy took a refreshing cold shower and prepared to head home to work on a mural for the toy store. His creative ideas tended to lean towards the extravagantly unique. Saturdays were one of the busiest days at the mall, with families, young people, couples, and children heading out to watch a movie, enjoy a delicious meal at a recommended restaurant, or visit the mall.

The early morning was illuminated by a clear blue sky, and the cold was palpable, an unusual occurrence in California. He hopped on the bus to the cinema. After all, the toy store was right across from the cinema. Buying the storefront had been costly, and the repair expenses added up to a substantial sum. However, for now, property taxes are more economical than paying regular rent.

He spotted the large store in the distance. A second floor might be a possibility in the future, but for now, one floor is more than enough. The large canvas mural was destined to become one of his artworks. What better way to give it a unique look? He bought spray paint cans, various tempera, brushes, and paintbrushes.

He arrived almost at the same time as Mr. Murphy. In a surprise encounter, they greeted each other.

-How's everything going, Mr. Murphy? - Billy asked hesitantly, not knowing the man's full name.

-You're the boss's son, the little sir, - the man said amiably, sporting round glasses that only an older person would wear.

-You can call me Billy, - he replied.

-A pleasure, Billy. You can call me Rallan Murphy, or just Murphy. My little daughter calls me Mary, but that's just for her, - Mr. Murphy explained calmly and slowly, leaving an impression that very few people had managed to create.

-Well, I'm going to start working on the mural, - Billy said.

-All the materials are in the storage room. Come, I'll help you bring them to the back, - Mr. Murphy offered.

For the artwork, Billy began with some sketches on the blank, untouched wall. He marked off long lines with short ones, and an image stuck in his mind: Sakuragi slamming the ball into the hoop. It's one of his favorite drawings. He planned to create a different kind of sharpness, exposing an abstract type with scattered designs.

He drew a basketball player against a hazy backdrop, a fierce mix of tempera and graffiti that resulted in an impressive outcome. The player executed a powerful slam dunk, a ball in his hand, all blurred in a black circle. This image worked well. In the remaining space on the wall, he decided to add an image of Yuyu Hakusho.

However, in the end, he opted to extend the Slam Dunk logo, placing the Nike brand beside it. Other characters were slightly faded in black and white, offering a good contrast with the image he intended to create. Unfortunately, he ran out of wall space for further improvisation. He finished by filling the remaining areas with orange, red, and black. In the lower corner, he added the name "NBA" in small, clear, geometric, and symmetric details.

The entire image looked like an impressionist canvas of Slam Dunk, with comic images in black and white and a few detailed touches. It was almost like a dynamic page cut at the corners. He began sealing the wall with a special transparent resin to prevent damage, applying two well-placed layers.

-It's fantastic, -Murphy said with amazement.

-Well, I worked all morning to achieve something resembling a large painting, - Billy responded.

-Well, this has gone much further than I imagined. It's truly a great painting. I had no idea things could be done this way. I thought it would be simpler. I'm speechless, young Carson, - Rallan continued.

Rallan Murphy's story is one of many struggles. He has navigated a challenging path as an African-American man, born fifty years ago. Everything he's achieved has been through hard work, as he had little money for education. His determination to provide a better life for his four children has led him through many difficulties. By chance, working as an assistant in a supermarket, he met a fellow countryman who taught him crucial lessons about store management and achieving promotions. He pursued a math course in college, and his hands-on experience as a store manager has led to significant advancements.

He never asked for vacations, he never rested in the battle between giving up and persisting. But...

A great opportunity arrived, a high position in a toy store. The job from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM is long, but the pay is very good. With that pay, his eldest son can go to college. He has been working happily, even his direct boss recommended some books to perform better. He can only thank God for giving him this opportunity, even though the job is nearly a 2-hour bus ride away or 1.5 hours by car. It's everything he could ask for. He wants to be with good people.

-Thank you, Mr. Murphy. But I have to go, I have a theater class to attend. Let Anne know that the corporate gift for employees' children is our company's comics, the main franchise omnibus. If your son likes them, he can ask for more. You're entitled to a copy, - Billy said.

-Of course, son. I'll call Miss Anne and I'll also mention that the mural is almost finished. Is there anything else? - Mr. Murphy asked.

-No, Mr. Murphy, that's all. Maybe I'll come to visit the store someday, - Billy replied, nodding. His white shirt had a bit of paint, but luckily his pants were in perfect condition.

-Oh, and before I go, would you like something for lunch? I'm going to Burger King, - Billy asked.

-I have a bit of work, son, but next time I'll ask my wife to prepare something for the both of us. Oh, you should know she's one of the best cooks around. You'll love it, - Mr. Murphy said.

-That sounds great. Goodbye, Mr. Murphy, - Billy said.

Leaving the store with renewed energy, painting is something he finds astonishing.

He crossed the street to grab a bite at the Burger King across the way, and there he found the cheerleading squad from his school. More coincidences, one after another. Alice, Abby, Selene, and Jessica. For a group of teenagers, it's difficult to hold onto things. Even for him, with years of experience, it's unsustainable to go on for more than a few days. Alice raised her hand, signaling for him to come over.

-We saw you painting the mural across the street. We walked past you, but you ignored us. You were focused. I even stopped for a bit just to watch you,- Alice said.

For the past two months, Billy had been interacting with the cheerleading squad, spending a lot of his time with the group of girls. Almost all of his classes were intertwined with some of the girls from the circle. It could be said that the queens of the group were Alice and Jessica.

-Sorry, I was concentrating, - Billy replied.

-Sit down here. Jessica and Abby just arrived. We're going to grab a bite and then check out the clothing stores around the corner, - Selene said.

-Sure, let me order something. What would you like? - Billy asked.

-Get four smoothies. We didn't have enough money for them. I'll have the traditional one, - Alice said.

"The blueberry one for me wouldn't be bad, - Abby chimed in as she munched on her fries.

-Traditional for me, - Jessica replied.

-Lemon for me, Billy, - Selene added, causing all four girls to laugh.

Teenagers and their craziness.

Billy ordered two Whopper burgers, upsized fries, onion rings, two cheeseburgers with bacon, and four smoothies.

-Alright, ladies, here you go, four smoothies just as you ordered, - Billy said as he sat down.

-My knight! - Selene exclaimed.

-It's the Carson charm that Claudia fell for, - Alice added.

The girls burst into laughter once again.

-This is the first time we've seen you here. We usually hang out, watch a movie, go shopping, or chill in the food court across the street. Claudia used to join us too, - Selene said, moving a bit closer to Billy.

-Ah, I was working on the mural. My dad's opening a toy store in a few days. And well, I suggested to my dad that I paint the toy store. Who better than you when you need things done right, - Billy explained.

-I see. Your dad bought a toy store, - Alice commented.

-How did you know? - Billy exclaimed, surprised.

-Well, it's not a secret that your dad is into business, - Alice replied.

-I wouldn't put it in those terms, - Billy retorted.

-Oh, but you are! Don't try to deny it. I've got some information on you, mister, - Alice teased.

-Someone's been keeping an eye on me. Alice, stop stalking me. I don't want trouble with the school crowd, - Billy said.

-We know about it because Claudia promoted her boyfriend's new burger joint. We tried them over the summer, they're delicious, - Alice said.

-Guilty, miss, - Billy replied, realizing he had forgotten that little detail.

-That's better, - Alice said with a smile.

-So, they say you're on the basketball team, - Selene asked, changing the subject.

-Not at all, I'm just doing the practice sessions to fulfill my physical education credits, - Billy explained.

-I think you're done, - Alice added.

-True, I've got to go, girls, - Billy said.

The girls had ordered some fries and a small burger for themselves. Nothing too big compared to the supersized combos that Billy was chowing down on.

-Have you done the chemistry homework? - Selene asked Alice.

-Not at all, I hope Francis can help me. I'll call him tomorrow, I'm sure he'll end up doing the whole assignment himself, - Alice said, laughing as she sipped her milkshake.

-Can I come tomorrow? - Jessica chimed in.

-Sure, everyone's welcome. Francis is a total sweetheart, - Alice said.

Billy felt a bit out of place. Francis was indeed a great guy, always willing to help everyone.

-Do you want us to share the assignment with you too? - Selene asked Billy.

-Ah, I already did it, but thanks anyway, - Billy replied.

-I'm telling you, Selene, Mr. Carson here is a busy man. He's only having lunch with us by chance, - Abby said, revealing that she was one of Claudia's closest friends and knew about Billy's schedules on the surface.

Billy chuckled at Abby's comment. It seemed like his connection to Claudia was more widespread than he initially thought.

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here is the next chapter, in my Patreon I have the story up to chapter 101, I hope you enjoy it and have a happy week.