The Plague of Popularity
I'm Not Lonely Anymore.
“You know what your problem is Travis—you’re jealous.”
Travis’ eyes widened as he took a step back.
“No matter what happens, no matter how much Frank changes, you’ll be the one who remains the same because you know nothing else. You don’t know what it’s like to have real friends because you know that no one trusts an asshole. No one wants to be friends with someone who’s going to constantly put them down; no one is really your friend. People will always be your friend out of fear of you. You can humiliate everyone else but at the end of the day you’ll remember every word you said to someone else because you know you feel the exact same way about yourself. So go ahead, break everyone else down because you know deep down, all you’re doing is letting everyone know what you think about yourself.”
Travis took a step forward, deciphering to swing or yell, but he just stood there.
“I’ve seen enough of what my peers are capable of and I’ve seen every clique, every group, whatever you want to call it, and they’re the same everywhere I’ve been. So play your game of superior life form all you want, because if anyone gives in to you after today they’re standing up for themselves, you’re not winning anymore.”
Travis threw a punch and hit Mikey square in the face. Dan tackled Travis to the ground and pinned him down. I rushed to Mikey’s side; astonished that he was the one to speak up for me—he really was my first real friend.
“What the hell was that for?!”
He smiled up at me, his cheek rapidly changing color as a small amount of blood trickled out of his nose.
“You could say thanks or something about being grateful for me.”
I pulled him up and hugged him.
“What do you say we get out of here, go get some breakfast, take the day off?”
“I’ve never skipped school before.”
I grinned.
“There’s a first for everything Mikey.”
=-=-=-=
Twelve waffles later between the two of us, Mikey and I had talked about our entire childhoods. We had established each and every one of our fears, our goals, our dreams and we planned that Friday night we were going to play our instruments together.
“My mom’s going to kill me you know, I hope you know that. I’ll put the blame down on you if she kills me.”
His mom brought back last night; I had to ask him something.
“Can I ask you something serious?”
He nodded.
“It’s about your mom; does, does she know your dad cheats on her?”
He nodded.
“She has her suspicions but because of Gee and I she sticks it out. She’s not in love with him anymore; Gee and I have told her that we don’t mind dad not being in the picture anymore. She’ll have to pick up another job, as well and me and Gee getting jobs to help keep the house—she said we wouldn’t ever be the ones to leave. Why do you ask?”
My mom and your dad get it on every time your mom’s out of the house—that’s why I ask. Could I come right out and say it—no.
“I just remembered you saying something about that once.”
“What about your parents—you find out what they’re hiding from you?”
I nodded.
“My granddad—who hates me—named me his sole beneficiary before he dies. Since my eighteenth birthday isn’t till October, my ma’s the one in charge of all of my funds. I’d never have to work a day in my life if I didn’t want to with the amount of money I’d be getting.”
“Why would they hide that from you?”
I sighed, remembering those hateful words mymother said to me before going to fuck Mikey’s dad senseless.
“Because my mother wants to own me; I’m her puppet and she’s figured out how to manipulate me, but I’ve stopped that. I’m sure I’m going to be homeless tonight—if not dead. “
Travis’ eyes widened as he took a step back.
“No matter what happens, no matter how much Frank changes, you’ll be the one who remains the same because you know nothing else. You don’t know what it’s like to have real friends because you know that no one trusts an asshole. No one wants to be friends with someone who’s going to constantly put them down; no one is really your friend. People will always be your friend out of fear of you. You can humiliate everyone else but at the end of the day you’ll remember every word you said to someone else because you know you feel the exact same way about yourself. So go ahead, break everyone else down because you know deep down, all you’re doing is letting everyone know what you think about yourself.”
Travis took a step forward, deciphering to swing or yell, but he just stood there.
“I’ve seen enough of what my peers are capable of and I’ve seen every clique, every group, whatever you want to call it, and they’re the same everywhere I’ve been. So play your game of superior life form all you want, because if anyone gives in to you after today they’re standing up for themselves, you’re not winning anymore.”
Travis threw a punch and hit Mikey square in the face. Dan tackled Travis to the ground and pinned him down. I rushed to Mikey’s side; astonished that he was the one to speak up for me—he really was my first real friend.
“What the hell was that for?!”
He smiled up at me, his cheek rapidly changing color as a small amount of blood trickled out of his nose.
“You could say thanks or something about being grateful for me.”
I pulled him up and hugged him.
“What do you say we get out of here, go get some breakfast, take the day off?”
“I’ve never skipped school before.”
I grinned.
“There’s a first for everything Mikey.”
=-=-=-=
Twelve waffles later between the two of us, Mikey and I had talked about our entire childhoods. We had established each and every one of our fears, our goals, our dreams and we planned that Friday night we were going to play our instruments together.
“My mom’s going to kill me you know, I hope you know that. I’ll put the blame down on you if she kills me.”
His mom brought back last night; I had to ask him something.
“Can I ask you something serious?”
He nodded.
“It’s about your mom; does, does she know your dad cheats on her?”
He nodded.
“She has her suspicions but because of Gee and I she sticks it out. She’s not in love with him anymore; Gee and I have told her that we don’t mind dad not being in the picture anymore. She’ll have to pick up another job, as well and me and Gee getting jobs to help keep the house—she said we wouldn’t ever be the ones to leave. Why do you ask?”
My mom and your dad get it on every time your mom’s out of the house—that’s why I ask. Could I come right out and say it—no.
“I just remembered you saying something about that once.”
“What about your parents—you find out what they’re hiding from you?”
I nodded.
“My granddad—who hates me—named me his sole beneficiary before he dies. Since my eighteenth birthday isn’t till October, my ma’s the one in charge of all of my funds. I’d never have to work a day in my life if I didn’t want to with the amount of money I’d be getting.”
“Why would they hide that from you?”
I sighed, remembering those hateful words mymother said to me before going to fuck Mikey’s dad senseless.
“Because my mother wants to own me; I’m her puppet and she’s figured out how to manipulate me, but I’ve stopped that. I’m sure I’m going to be homeless tonight—if not dead. “