And I'm Paralyzed

Monday

Mikey:

I hated school. Not like most kids hate school, where they deal with it because they get to see their friends. Oh, no, I hate school with a passion. Sure, I do have friends I miss and see at school, but I would see them outside of school, anyway. That, and, I hate school. I hate the people (other than my group of ass-kicking friends) I hate the teachers (all of them) and most of all, I hate the bullies (they don't count as people, more like ape-things...)

But, Monday is here, and true to it's vow to Garfield to ruin his life, I am the fat (not) orange cat in my comic book of a life. Here we are again, Monday, playing a deadly game where one of us prevails and the other embarrasses themselves. Guess who usually loses? That's right, me.

So, when my alarm clock starts blaring Anthrax, my eyes lift groggily, and it takes every bit of willpower I posses to get myself up and into the shower. Our water gets cold fast, so one minute I'm in a happy world of bubbles and unicorns, the next I'm yelping as my little world turns into one where I am frozen in a glacier.

So begins my morning. I evacuate the shower, put on my clothes, deodorant, and brush my teeth, leaving my hair un-straightened because it's Monday and I just don't care. I stumble down the stairs, into the kitchen, stopping dead in front of the one thing that makes my morning fantastic: a full coffee pot.

I pour myself a glass, draining it quickly (burning my tongue in the process. I told you it's Monday.) and turning to the couch where my older brother was sitting, eyes half-lidded and a lazy smile on his face as he watched cartoons. I snuck up behind him and placed my hands over his eyes. He jumped slightly, causing me to giggle, causing him to shout, “Mikey!”

Usually, he left early so he didn't have to see me, but I guess he waited for me. I leaned down and asked him if my suspicions were correct. Gerard scoffed.

“Me? Pfft, no. Why would I bother waiting for you? As if... pshhh...” but he didn't meet my eyes. I jumped onto the couch from behind it and hugged him tightly. I knew he didn't like needless physical contact with me, and he tried to squirm away from me, but I growled, “Hug back.”

Sighing in defeat, he put his arms around me and rested his cheek on my head. It felt nice to hug him again. I made a small, contented humming noise in my throat, causing Gerard to chuckle.

“Did you just purr?” he asked, “I swear, you get more like a kitten every day...”

I nuzzled his neck and growled playfully.

“Not now, Mikey. I really don't want to walk to school with a boner.”

~

Sixth hour is our last period of the day, and I was slumped in my desk, drifting in and out of conciseness as my AP History teacher droned on about the late eighties.

I didn't realize it. I should have. The two guys behind me were jocks. They were whispering, and I could hear my name being uttered, but in my half asleep state, I really didn't care. So as the last bell rung, Everyone surged to escape the prison they call school. I attempted to be one of them, getting as far away from here in as little time as possible, but I felt two meaty hands grab my arms and a gravely junior's voice say, “You're the other Way kid, right?”

I shook my head no. Denying these things was the best way to avoid getting the shit beaten out of you. The junior on my right, a dirty blonde with smoker's breath and bad ache, I think his name is Travis, said, Don't ask him, Derek, he'll just deny it. Stupid fuck. We both know he's that fag's little brother. Come on, lets bring him to the bathroom.”

My eyes widened, but not really out of surprise. Well, I was surprised. Most of the jocks were totally brain dead. Looks like Travis isn't quite there yet. Derek, the one on my left, looked slightly confused.

“Won't the other Way kid get mad if we beat up his-”

Travis cut him off, “Do you honestly think that faggot emo boy has any chance against us? Well, we'll just teach his brother a lesson that should keep that kid from being such a creep.”

Travis and Derek steered me around to the closest bathroom, which also happens to be the one no one uses, and threw me on the dirty tile floor, closing the door and locking it. Travis and Derek exchanged a few words before Travis strode over and kicked me in the gut, hard. I curled into a ball, trying to protect my vital organs.

Derek came then, yanking me up by my hair and holding into my while Travis punched every part of me he could reached. I whimpered. Travis laughed and punched me mouth, sending me sprawling across the floor. I was kicked several more times before Travis stepped on my face. Blood spurted from my nose, and I could have sworn it was broken. They laughed at my bleeding body, I could here them dumping the contents of my backpack in a toilet, before unlocking the door and leaving.

“Have fun, Way. Make sure your brother gets our message.”

~

I called Ray to pick me up and drop me at home. It had taken a full ten minutes to persuade him I didn't need to go to the hospital, but when he finally did drop me at home, he told me Gerard wasn't there because he had gone out to look for me. As soon as my thoughts found Gerard, I knew I couldn't let him know this had happened. I begged Ray not to spill, he promised, and rushed inside to clean myself up.

~

Gerard:

When I got back home, I could hear the water running. So Ray was right when he told me Mikey was home now. I was pissed because he had scared me, but by the time I got to the top of the stairs, the water stopped. I heard the door connecting Mikey's room and the bathroom open and close, followed by soft sniffling. Was he crying?

I knocked on his door and called his name. His response was muffled, and his voice sounded strange. I wondered if he was alright.

“Who- Gee? Is that y-you?” he mumbled, not opening the door.

I reach for the handle, attempting to twist it, but it's locked. “Mikey, are you okay?”

“Not really... I-I uh, I'm sick. Leave me alone.”

I felt rather offended, “Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?”

“No... go away.”

Sighing, I turned away from the door and headed back to the basement. Mikey didn't usually get like this. Was he mad at me? Was he finally realizing I shouldn't be in his life? I hoped I would know before he shoved me away completely.