Defect.

I jolt awake and look at the clock. It read 5:30 am .

I usually wake up at around this hour every day. I grunt and start to get ready for the day. I took a quick shower, made my bed, brushed my teeth, and put on some skinny jeans.

Then I combed my hair repeatedly- it’ll stay wavy no matter what I do, or how many times I run a brush through it- all while looking for a decent shirt to wear.

Wait, this is high school. Who cares?

I settled on a white t-shirt that was old, but did a great job at hiding my chest. I don’t want to attract any more attention than I already am. I put on a grey cardigan, grab my bag and walked downstairs into the kitchen. I drank a cup of OJ, snatched a granola bar and made my way out.

No-one had even woken up yet.

I checked the clock before leaving, it was 6:18 am.

I had time to spare so I went to the park. It was empty, no duh. So I sat down on the swings and ate my granola bar peacefully. This is my daily morning routine. Yep, everyday without fail.

I was enjoying myself when a guy sat in the swing next to me. He didn’t say anything he just sat there and ate some type of bread. For some reason I liked his silence. I could tell he didn’t belong to the Pavone’s so I wanted to talk to him. But he probably knew Tristan and his rules.

“Hey.” He said first.

“Hi” I said. A boy, a real boy is talking to me. Yes, not insulting, but simply chatting, a nice Hello. Wow. A boy is actually acknowledging me. I want this conversation to keep going. I then quickly added, “ I’m Venus.”

“I like your glasses.”

I don’t think that anyone, besides my uncle, had ever complimented me before. Maybe Robin did once, but I don’t remember. I turned to face him, completely surprised.

He was smiling!

He had on skinny jeans and a red plaid shirt. He was also very skinny. Not to mention that I envied his amazing hair. It was an orange-ish color, and he had bangs while the rest of his hair was shorter than it.

“I love your hair” I said, he smiled again.

“Thanks. I’m Brayden.”

“I think I love your name more than your hair” I blurted out. Smooth one Venus.

“Oh, really?” he asked with a shy laugh. He began to take a bit of his bread.

“Yes. But I am going to call you Brady”

Well that’s totally not a random thing to say.

He began choking on his bread, “I thought you loved my name!”

“Yes, well… knowing me I was going to butcher your name sooner or later, and call you Brandon or something.” I said smiling. I couldn’t help but smile. Yes, a genuine smile.

“That’s like a slap to the face!” He joked after noticing my smile.

“I know. It’s to save embarrassment for later on.” I said.

“Man.” He took the last bite of his bread, “that’s tough. Being called a girl’s name,” I opened my mouth to say something but he continued, “it’s like you already know me!” he laughed.

I didn’t understand. Most boys would be ashamed to be called a girl’s name. Unless…they don’t mind unless they’re gay.

“Oh.” I said realizing it, “you’re?”

He smirked and nodded, “but keep it hush hush, ok Venus? I’m new here and I don’t want people to … know yet.”

I agreed with him. People in this town are vicious.

“I’m surprised I told you at all.” he admitted.

“Me too.” I said and we both laughed.

“Tell you what” I turned to him and he continued talking, “if you can jump off the swing and land further than me. I’ll bring you breakfast every day.”

I stared at him not really convinced, or wanting to play a game. He noticed my indecisiveness and said, “AND, I’ll let you call me Brady in public as well.”

I shouldn’t do this.

“Deal!” I agreed.

But my mouth betrayed me.

Whatever I was going to call him Brady anyways, if I ever saw him again.

“Fantastic! Ok, whoever lands near that picnic table over there is the automatic winner. Ok?” He looked at me.

“Alright.”

“Ready?” I nodded, “GO!” he shouted in a war cry.

I began to move my legs back and forth, rapidly gaining momentum. I was quickly going higher and higher but Brayden was even higher than me. Then I amazed myself by shouting, “No fair! You’re lighter!”

He only stuck his tongue out at me, in a way that said ‘too bad!’

I was about to say something when he suddenly jumped. It’s like he flew in the air before he landed on the floor with a roll. Then he stood up and bowed at me. I couldn’t help but give a small giggle because he was nowhere near the picnic table.

“Your turn Venus! It’s now or-” I jumped off not letting him finish his sentence until I was completely in the air, “-never!”

I closed my eyes and prayed that I was lighter so that I could go even further than him, and the picnic table. I honestly felt like a bird. I had never felt so free before.

I felt liberated. It felt great!

Until my leg hit something hard with a sickening crack. I opened my eyes too late. I felt myself fall forward, then my entire front side was wrapped in coldness. I blinked a few times. Until I was able to make out Brayden running towards me, upside down.

Wait, the grounds above me and the sky below me.

“I said near the picnic table! Not on it!” I heard Brayden shouting as he picked me up and sat me down on the table.

My leg had hit the edge of the table on my descent, so that sent my entire body to land on the flat surface of the table. My head hanging off the end.

“Are you okay?” Brayden frantically asked looking me in the eyes.

“I won- Brady.”

I sounded crazy.

He looked relieved, “God. You’re crazy. No wait, wait,” he pretended to think a moment, “you have a concussion.” he said reaching his conclusion.

I scoffed, “My head didn’t hit the floor.” But my ankle was throbbing painfully.

“Then girl, you are crazy.”

I laughed, something I hadn’t done since my Uncles funeral. “no-one at my school would believe that”

He laughed too, “well why not? I could-”

“Wait!” I shouted cutting him off, “what time is it?”

My question threw him off but he checked his watch, “it's 7:20.”

“Shoot! I need to get to school” I said getting up and running to get my bag. My ankle really hurt but I sucked it up and kept walking.

“Hold up! Let me drive you at least!”

I stopped and turned to look at him, “its better if you’re not seen with me,” I said seriously.

Tristan and his pack would bully him to death. I’m so lucky that Robins tough enough to handle herself.

His face fell and then I understood what I had just said.

“Fine. I see how it is.” He said stomping away.

“Wait!” I shouted and ran after him, “That’s not it! Please wait!” For some reason I didn’t want things to end this way. I wanted to be on good terms with him. I wanted to be friends.

He quickly turned around, nearly crashing into me. He looked sad and very pissed off.

“People at my school hate me,” he rolled his eyes, “and there’s his guy, him and his friends bother me.. I don’t want them to give you a hard time too. That’s it. I swear.” I never had to explain myself before. I’ve never gotten the chance to.

He nodded and seemed to calm down. After I assured him that was the real reason why. We exchanged numbers and agreed to meet again tomorrow, same place same time.

Then I walked to school, well run is more like it.

**

“You? You talked to a total stranger?” Robin asked me baffled as she bit into her sandwich.

It was lunch and I was explaining everything that happened that morning to her. Leaving out the fact that Brady’s homosexual of course.

I nodded and took a bite of my pizza.

She laughed loudly, “Wow! And really? You’re calling him Brady?” she asked.

I nodded again.

She threw her hands up into the air, “incredible!” she shouted, earning us some glares from the other students around us.

“You know he’s gonna attend this school eventually. It’s the only one for two towns. The next high school is 2 hours away and full of the bimbos and rejects from this school”

I cringed when she said “rejects” because that’s me. I’m one of those.

Robins only a human, so she doesn’t know.

“Yes. I just hope he’ll still want to be my friend when he finds out how Tristan is.” I said whispering his name.

Robin rolled her eyes, “Ah, yes. The bastard.” She drank from her water, “why does he hate you so much?”

I shrugged, “I don’t know.”

I really don’t.