Status: it'll get there
Who Are You Now?
Chapter Two
I pulled up the hood on my jacket as I walked faster, checking the street signs to make sure I was going along the right path.
My first day of 12th grade at Central High was officially over, and besides the occasional screw up by me it went pretty well.
I didn't see Jaime and Tony (the boy with the braid, who's name I found out from the constant chatter going on about them throughout the school) for the rest of the day. Where they went - I didn't know. I was just glad they weren't there to beat me up after helping out Kellin.
Speaking of which, I didn't see him that often either. We passed in the halls, but we didn't say anything to each other. He didn't even glance in my direction, which I guess I should've been grateful for if it meant that I wasn't going to be associated with him.
That sounded pretty harsh, I know, but I have enough to deal with and I didn't really need bullies making it any worse.
I walked up the steps to my apartment building and opened up the door, going along until I reached my door. I unlocked it and stepped inside, dropping my keys and my school bag down on the small table next to it and closing it.
"Mike?" I called out, going to my brother's door and opening it.
He was laying down on his bed, his eyes closed as he immersed himself in a deep slumber.
I sighed in relief; it had been a few days since he's last slept, and I was grateful that he finally felt well enough to do it.
Mike is my younger brother, and we both shared this apartment, though it was more of mine than his.
I didn't want to disturb him, so I went to leave, but he must've heard the door creaking shut because he called out for me. "Vic?"
I walked inside and closed the door behind me, then went and sat on the edge of his bed.
He tried to sit up, but I made him lie back down; I could see he was getting better from that cold he had, but he still didn't look that good.
Instead, he just propped himself up on an elbow and looked at me.
I knew the question he was going to ask, so I just shook my head before the words even escaped his mouth.
He sighed and looked out the window to the right of him. "Will we ever hear from them again?"
I didn't answer, because truthfully, I didn't know. It was like this every day; I'd come home from school, and he'd ask me if I had heard anything from our parents.
They hadn't even bothered to get in touch with us since that day they just packed up everything and left in the middle of the night, leaving us behind in an empty house with no money to survive off of. That was about 4 months ago.
I could've called the police, but Mike begged me not to. He didn't want to get put in a foster home, and truthfully, I didn't either.
So instead, I decided to move out of the house and buy an apartment for us with the little money that I managed to scrape up working since we couldn't afford to live in the house and pay for all the bills.
I could drop out of school and work full time since i'm 18, but since I don't have a clue where our parents are I decided it would be better to stay and have an education.
It would be easier in the long run if I just finished high school, and i've only got a few months to go.
Mike, on the other hand, dropped out and refused to go back. I blamed my parents for that; he was always their favorite and so when they left, he didn't know what to do. No matter how much I urged him to, he just didn't want to, so I let him be. Whenever he was ready to go back, he'd go back, I told myself. I just hoped I was right.
Mike pushed his hair back and turned over, closing his eyes. "I'm going to bed." he said.
"Alright, I won't be back until around 10. There's some food in the fridge if you get hungry." I replied, standing up.
He nodded and curled up in his blanket, so I took that as my cue to leave. I headed over to the door and flicked his light off, and it occurred to me that this is the second time he's fallen asleep. He must really be feeling better, then. I made a mental note to not pick up any medicine from the pharmacy today.
-
I worked at a convenience store a few blocks away from the apartment, and I got paid a relatively decent amount. It was enough to get Mike and I by, and that was enough to me.
Thats where I was now - working.
I had been working for a few hours now, and it was almost closing time. This place didn't usually have that many customers, which made it all the more easier for me since I really didn't have that much to do besides tend to the register and restock the shelves.
I was at the register right now, playing with the tips of my hair absentmindedly when someone walked in.
I flicked my gaze up and immediately recognized him to be the black-haired boy from earlier, Kellin. He looked better - all the blood was wiped away and the swelling went down significantly - but you could still tell that he'd been in a fight lately.
He shopped around the aisles for a while and I didn't think he knew I was there; that is, until he came up to the registers to check out.
When he took notice of me, he smiled and set his stuff down. "Hey," he said. "Vic, right?"
I nodded and proceeded to ring up his items, trying to keep my gaze down. Why, of all places, did he have to come here?!
If it were any other circumstances, we probably would've been friends, but I wasn't ready to become the target of ridicule for hanging out with him.
"Fancy seeing you here. Hey, do you think I could get a discount on these tings for being friends with the cashier?" He laughed and brushed his hair back.
Friends? He considers us friends already?! I barely even know him and we're already friends?!
I laughed along and put his things in a bag. "Uh, friends?"
He nodded and smiled. "Friends. You're, like, the only person who's ever helped me after a beating from Jaime and Tony. Not even my best friend helps. It's understandable, though. I mean, helping me is basically signing your own death certificate. I don't get why they hate me so much, but they do." He shrugged.
So I guess I was right. I'm as good as dead now.
"What's the deal with those two?" I asked.
"They're what you'd call 'Assholes.' They think they own the school, they beat up anyone who blocks their path, etcetera. You're new, aren't you?"I nodded and he smirked. "You've got a lot to learn about how that school is run, Vic. I'd be happy to teach you the ropes. Do you want me to?"
Did he really just admit to me that he's basically the most hated person in school and then ask if I wanted him to show me the ropes of that place? No. I'd much rather learn by myself than be marked more dead that I already was.
I shook my head and handed him the bag while he paid. "I think i'll pass."He just shrugged again before turning around. "Suit yourself. See you at school, Vic. Oh, and make sure not to cross paths with Tony and Jaime. I heard they've got it out for you already."
He exited the store and once again left me standing there, wondering what the hell i've gotten myself into with this kid.
My first day of 12th grade at Central High was officially over, and besides the occasional screw up by me it went pretty well.
I didn't see Jaime and Tony (the boy with the braid, who's name I found out from the constant chatter going on about them throughout the school) for the rest of the day. Where they went - I didn't know. I was just glad they weren't there to beat me up after helping out Kellin.
Speaking of which, I didn't see him that often either. We passed in the halls, but we didn't say anything to each other. He didn't even glance in my direction, which I guess I should've been grateful for if it meant that I wasn't going to be associated with him.
That sounded pretty harsh, I know, but I have enough to deal with and I didn't really need bullies making it any worse.
I walked up the steps to my apartment building and opened up the door, going along until I reached my door. I unlocked it and stepped inside, dropping my keys and my school bag down on the small table next to it and closing it.
"Mike?" I called out, going to my brother's door and opening it.
He was laying down on his bed, his eyes closed as he immersed himself in a deep slumber.
I sighed in relief; it had been a few days since he's last slept, and I was grateful that he finally felt well enough to do it.
Mike is my younger brother, and we both shared this apartment, though it was more of mine than his.
I didn't want to disturb him, so I went to leave, but he must've heard the door creaking shut because he called out for me. "Vic?"
I walked inside and closed the door behind me, then went and sat on the edge of his bed.
He tried to sit up, but I made him lie back down; I could see he was getting better from that cold he had, but he still didn't look that good.
Instead, he just propped himself up on an elbow and looked at me.
I knew the question he was going to ask, so I just shook my head before the words even escaped his mouth.
He sighed and looked out the window to the right of him. "Will we ever hear from them again?"
I didn't answer, because truthfully, I didn't know. It was like this every day; I'd come home from school, and he'd ask me if I had heard anything from our parents.
They hadn't even bothered to get in touch with us since that day they just packed up everything and left in the middle of the night, leaving us behind in an empty house with no money to survive off of. That was about 4 months ago.
I could've called the police, but Mike begged me not to. He didn't want to get put in a foster home, and truthfully, I didn't either.
So instead, I decided to move out of the house and buy an apartment for us with the little money that I managed to scrape up working since we couldn't afford to live in the house and pay for all the bills.
I could drop out of school and work full time since i'm 18, but since I don't have a clue where our parents are I decided it would be better to stay and have an education.
It would be easier in the long run if I just finished high school, and i've only got a few months to go.
Mike, on the other hand, dropped out and refused to go back. I blamed my parents for that; he was always their favorite and so when they left, he didn't know what to do. No matter how much I urged him to, he just didn't want to, so I let him be. Whenever he was ready to go back, he'd go back, I told myself. I just hoped I was right.
Mike pushed his hair back and turned over, closing his eyes. "I'm going to bed." he said.
"Alright, I won't be back until around 10. There's some food in the fridge if you get hungry." I replied, standing up.
He nodded and curled up in his blanket, so I took that as my cue to leave. I headed over to the door and flicked his light off, and it occurred to me that this is the second time he's fallen asleep. He must really be feeling better, then. I made a mental note to not pick up any medicine from the pharmacy today.
-
I worked at a convenience store a few blocks away from the apartment, and I got paid a relatively decent amount. It was enough to get Mike and I by, and that was enough to me.
Thats where I was now - working.
I had been working for a few hours now, and it was almost closing time. This place didn't usually have that many customers, which made it all the more easier for me since I really didn't have that much to do besides tend to the register and restock the shelves.
I was at the register right now, playing with the tips of my hair absentmindedly when someone walked in.
I flicked my gaze up and immediately recognized him to be the black-haired boy from earlier, Kellin. He looked better - all the blood was wiped away and the swelling went down significantly - but you could still tell that he'd been in a fight lately.
He shopped around the aisles for a while and I didn't think he knew I was there; that is, until he came up to the registers to check out.
When he took notice of me, he smiled and set his stuff down. "Hey," he said. "Vic, right?"
I nodded and proceeded to ring up his items, trying to keep my gaze down. Why, of all places, did he have to come here?!
If it were any other circumstances, we probably would've been friends, but I wasn't ready to become the target of ridicule for hanging out with him.
"Fancy seeing you here. Hey, do you think I could get a discount on these tings for being friends with the cashier?" He laughed and brushed his hair back.
Friends? He considers us friends already?! I barely even know him and we're already friends?!
I laughed along and put his things in a bag. "Uh, friends?"
He nodded and smiled. "Friends. You're, like, the only person who's ever helped me after a beating from Jaime and Tony. Not even my best friend helps. It's understandable, though. I mean, helping me is basically signing your own death certificate. I don't get why they hate me so much, but they do." He shrugged.
So I guess I was right. I'm as good as dead now.
"What's the deal with those two?" I asked.
"They're what you'd call 'Assholes.' They think they own the school, they beat up anyone who blocks their path, etcetera. You're new, aren't you?"I nodded and he smirked. "You've got a lot to learn about how that school is run, Vic. I'd be happy to teach you the ropes. Do you want me to?"
Did he really just admit to me that he's basically the most hated person in school and then ask if I wanted him to show me the ropes of that place? No. I'd much rather learn by myself than be marked more dead that I already was.
I shook my head and handed him the bag while he paid. "I think i'll pass."He just shrugged again before turning around. "Suit yourself. See you at school, Vic. Oh, and make sure not to cross paths with Tony and Jaime. I heard they've got it out for you already."
He exited the store and once again left me standing there, wondering what the hell i've gotten myself into with this kid.
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hERE U GUYS GO ILY