Suburbia

I furiously pace outside Rory’s classroom, my feet burning up within my shoes as if I’m stepping on coals. Through the small strip of glass set in the door I can just see the top of Rory’s head behind a large ginger afro belonging to the boy in front of him.

I wring my hands and twist my fingers around and around as people stare at me manically pacing. Finally Rory’s class is dismissed by the teacher and everyone begins to scrape back their chairs. My fingertips tap erratically against my palms, my hands shaking uncontrollably against my will as all of the students in the class file past me, a few appearing unnerved by my sudden close proximity, until Rory is eventually flushed out, the last one to leave the classroom.

I immediately grab his arm, “Rory.”

Rory’s hair is limp and hanging in clumps around his face and his whole body droops in exhaustion but he doesn’t have any new bruises or welts. “Are you okay?” I ask

“Yeah I’m fine.” Rory shrugs my hand of his shoulder and starts to walk past me but I hold my arm out, barring his way.

“What are you doing with him, Rory? What is he telling you? I can help you, just trust me okay?”

“I’m not telling you anything, I can handle myself, I don’t need your help.” Rory growls back at me.

“Rory please, I know Jackson, he is not the kind of person you want to be hanging around with, whatever he’s offering you.” I plead

“Just get off me, Leland, why can’t you just think for one second that maybe someone wants to hang out with me, that maybe I’ve managed to shake off the Matthews reputation and actually get some fucking friends unlike the rest of my family!” Rory’s nostrils flare and he glares up at me as the student population bustles past us.

“Look, I know you’re angry at me, Rory, and I get that we’ve not been close lately, but I’m trying, I’m really trying and I care about you Rory, so will you just please listen to me, he is using you to get to me! Whatever bullshit initiation process you think you’re going through to get in with him, it’s all crap!”

“Don’t you get it! He understands me! He doesn’t see me as the psychos brother! He realises that Im better than you! I don’t have to live in your shadow anymore Leland, I’m going to be so much better than you ever were, no matter who my brother is.” Rory is spitting with rage and he looks me in the eye as he deals his killer blow, “Jackson’s right, you’re just a pathetic psycho tag along whose strings have been cut. Now get the fuck away from me before I give you another reason to kill yourself.”

Rory barges past me down the corridor and I’m left to stare at his retreating form knowing no more than I did five minutes previously.

I turn and slam my fists into the lockers in frustration. Behind me, a small girl screams.