The Plague of Popularity
Feelings I Couldn't Show.
Mikey. I smiled at him.
“Hey kiddo. Sorry about just up and leaving like that. Ma called wanted to talk to me about this afternoon.”
I felt eyes on me, not just Travis’ and Dan’s.
“It’s cool, could you take me with you when you visit your dad today? I want to get something at the comic store.”
I smiled and finally looked at Travis and Dan who were looking at me like I broke some unspoken rule. I noticed others giving me the same look.
“Sure Mikes, meet me at the car at the end of the day.”
“Thanks Frankie!”
He grinned before walking off to where he needed to be.
“What the hell was that?”
“What was what?”
“That kid’s the freaks kid brother.”
“You made friends with your lover’s sibling? How cute Franklin.”
They sniggered at me; so much for counting on them.
=-=-=
Travis and Dan mocked me all day, asking if their butt’s looked big in their pants, did their backpack’s match their outfits; I was glad I didn’t have my art class with them. They didn’t want art, they took gym instead. They even teased me for taking art—calling me a sissy boy. I laughed it off with them, forcing myself to think they were laughing with me, notat me.
“Mr. Iero, what is that?”
I glanced down at my ‘still-life’ realizing it resembled a bunch of scribbles instead of the potted flowers we were supposed to be drawing.
“My still-life; I’m crap for art Mr. Kirk.”
He smiled and moved on; a few tables down I heard him praise a student’s work.
“Mr. Way, this is spectacular. Where’s your still-life though?”
I hadn’t noticed he was in my class. Mr. Kirk was holding up a black book—the same black book that was on his desk in his room. They talked in hushed whispers and I noticed he glanced at me as he strode off to another student. I finally looked at Gerard who was looking right back at me. I pleaded with my eyes for him to forgive me but he just merely looked away.
The bell sounded, I didn’t hurry to pack my things, taking my time. I heard my name and glanced out into the hall—Dan and Travis had come to get me—odd. They usually just wait till we’re outside. I felt a presence behind me and turned to see Gerard just standing there—as if he were waiting for me, but not at the same time.
I heard chuckles as I glanced towards the doorway to find Travis and Dan had entered the classroom. I sighed as I leant down to pick up my bag and pack my pencil away. I glanced back at my desk, my paper was gone, I looked around and saw Gerard walking to the back of the room.
“Wow Frankie, it’s like you own him or something.”
“Hey kiddo. Sorry about just up and leaving like that. Ma called wanted to talk to me about this afternoon.”
I felt eyes on me, not just Travis’ and Dan’s.
“It’s cool, could you take me with you when you visit your dad today? I want to get something at the comic store.”
I smiled and finally looked at Travis and Dan who were looking at me like I broke some unspoken rule. I noticed others giving me the same look.
“Sure Mikes, meet me at the car at the end of the day.”
“Thanks Frankie!”
He grinned before walking off to where he needed to be.
“What the hell was that?”
“What was what?”
“That kid’s the freaks kid brother.”
“You made friends with your lover’s sibling? How cute Franklin.”
They sniggered at me; so much for counting on them.
=-=-=
Travis and Dan mocked me all day, asking if their butt’s looked big in their pants, did their backpack’s match their outfits; I was glad I didn’t have my art class with them. They didn’t want art, they took gym instead. They even teased me for taking art—calling me a sissy boy. I laughed it off with them, forcing myself to think they were laughing with me, notat me.
“Mr. Iero, what is that?”
I glanced down at my ‘still-life’ realizing it resembled a bunch of scribbles instead of the potted flowers we were supposed to be drawing.
“My still-life; I’m crap for art Mr. Kirk.”
He smiled and moved on; a few tables down I heard him praise a student’s work.
“Mr. Way, this is spectacular. Where’s your still-life though?”
I hadn’t noticed he was in my class. Mr. Kirk was holding up a black book—the same black book that was on his desk in his room. They talked in hushed whispers and I noticed he glanced at me as he strode off to another student. I finally looked at Gerard who was looking right back at me. I pleaded with my eyes for him to forgive me but he just merely looked away.
The bell sounded, I didn’t hurry to pack my things, taking my time. I heard my name and glanced out into the hall—Dan and Travis had come to get me—odd. They usually just wait till we’re outside. I felt a presence behind me and turned to see Gerard just standing there—as if he were waiting for me, but not at the same time.
I heard chuckles as I glanced towards the doorway to find Travis and Dan had entered the classroom. I sighed as I leant down to pick up my bag and pack my pencil away. I glanced back at my desk, my paper was gone, I looked around and saw Gerard walking to the back of the room.
“Wow Frankie, it’s like you own him or something.”