Status: starting
The Guy I Used to Know
Conformity
I always saw him around in the halls. My eyes couldn't look away from the injustice that is high school. Where everyone is disgusting as they are disgusted by themselves for being part of a conformity group. Everyone except Kennedy Michaels, or better known as Fat Ken.
I've known Ken since 4th grade when he moved from Ohio to beautiful California. When he walked into class, everyone couldn't help but snigger at the fat boy in his farming clothes. He had on a ratty backpack, a flannel and some ripped up pairs of jeans. His stomach bulged and his face was red like a tomato. His ashy blonde hair was everywhere and seemed uncontrollable. Everything about him was different from rich suburban California style and because of that he became the joke of the school. But as time went by his grades spoke for themselves. He became the smartest guy in school, being ranked number 1 from elementary to middle school to high school. Because of who he was and how people are, he's either called Fat Ken or Nerdy Michaels. One time in sophomore year, I had English with him and the teacher blatantly called him Fat Ken. Everyone in class erupted in laughter. I sat behind him so I couldn't see his facial expression but I saw that the back of his neck was red like a tomato. I ended up laughing too, I'm such a conformity. I felt bad about it, I kind of know Ken. I know him a bit now than before because two days ago, he just moved into the house next to mine with his family and very loud dog.
I walked the hallways by myself. I hated walking by myself, it made me feel a bit lonely and isolated. I don't understand my need for someone to escort me but it's a need. It's not like I'm ugly or weird, I just feel a bit insecure with the wandering eyes that have nothing better to do but look at me walk by myself to class. I know very damn well that people could care less since they're so busy caring about themselves but still, that insecurity of walking down the hallways is always a thing to me. On my way I saw Fat Ken just walking like me but to the opposite direction. He was still growing, height and weight wise. He's a big guy and I'm surprised that the football team didn't recruit him. I heard sniggers and laughter when I walked by him. I closed my eyes for a couple seconds, it wasn't fair. I know Fat Ken, and I've seen him around enough to know that he doesn't deserve it but what can I do about it? My voice doesn't matter, Erika Copper's voice is too small and quiet to be recognized. Even if my heart feels a burning passion, my voice can not even exhale the fire.
I walked into class and sat down. I smiled at the people around me. By now, all the seniors know each other and such. We were all connected as friends in a way. People knew me and I knew them, that is how it is here at Remmington High School. Did I mention that we're a private high school. Everyone here has gone to school with each other since daycare. I sat next to Rebecca Thompson, daughter of Mayor Thompson. Rebecca is a beautiful mixed race girl who has everyone wrapped around her fingers. Her tan skin along with her dirty blonde hair and hazel colored eyes has all the guys at Remmington in love with her. Rebecca is also my friend, my best friend.
"Hey, we should do something this weekend." Rebecca said.
"Maybe. My dad said he had something planned for the family." I replied to her as I grabbed out my Physics text book.
"Oh! Can I come too?" She asks with a high pitch at the end of her question. She always does this when she asks anyone for anything. It's like she knows she'll get it but she feels bad about it kind of thing, we had a conversation about it.
"Yea. It'd be fun with you there." I said with a smile.
"Cool." She laughed lightly. Then Mr. Cartwright walked in with his suitcase. It made me laugh sometimes of why a young twenty five years old teacher like Mr. Cartwright would be such a hipster and bring in a raggedy suitcase when our old English teacher Mr. Phelps wears a Jansport backpack as his carrier.
"He's such a try-hard." Rebecca whispered to me. I laughed as quietly as I could. This was why we were friends.
My car was playing with me. It stopped in the middle of the streets. Middle of the empty streets of my neighborhood, thank God. I put it on neutral and tried pushing it to the side. This is very stressful. I took out my phone and started calling my father. He didn't pick up. Now I was screwed. I don't know how to handle this situation. This has never happened before and I just started driving 5 months ago. I can't called Rebecca, she had field hockey practice. My brother is landing this week from Seattle and my aunt just took a plane to New York this morning. God, I'm so screwed. I started looking up tow-trucks but I had to pay 200 in cash. And being a 17 year old girl, I don't bring around cash. I saw on the side of the curb. My house was still about 2 miles from where I was. I lived in a very big neighborhood. I saw a car driving my way and it looked familiar. I stood up and tried stopping it with a wave or something but it drove by. I groaned in frustration looking at it drive off. I bit my lip and rolled my eyes, so much for thinking Fat Ken was an okay person. He just drove by in his truck without a glance back at me, his neighbor who is suffering from car problems. I went and sat down at my curb. I felt a little cold so I went back in my car and just waited for my dad to call back. He always does. I stared at my phone to see that it was already 4 o'clock. Rebecca isn't done until 5 or 6. I looked back up from my phone to see the same truck driving my way. It was Fat Ken. He parked on the opposite side of my car. He got out of his truck and the truck moved slightly. He went to the trunk and pulled out a tool box and then he started my way.
"You saw me." I said.
"Yea, but I don't think I could've done anything without the right tools." He said as he shook his tool box.
"Look Ken, I don't think you should fix it or anything. I just need a ride home and since you live right next to me, I just wanted to ask for a ride." I said nicely. I needed a ride home.
"I can fix it. It's just a flat tire Erika." Ken said cooly. I blinked.
"But you don't have another tire, I don't have another tire." I said.
"Erika, it's under your car." He said patiently.
"There's a tire... Under my car?" I said and then went to take a look. Right there under my prius there was a tire hanging on the bottom back. I felt a bit stupid for not knowing that. I turned to Ken.
"Oh... But it's too much trouble Ken. It's fine. I can ask my dad to help me later at home." I said.
"Erika. It's fine. I kind of want to see if I really got an A in the car mechanics class I took over the summer." He said and got started on my car. I just stood there and looked uncomfortably. This felt so awkward, Fat Ken was my knight in shining armor. I just stood there looking as if I knew what he was doing but it was as if I was watching sci-fi, I didn't know what the hell was going on.
He stood up and dusted off his pants. 20 minutes has gone by and now he was wheeling my flat tire to the back of his truck. He was sweating all over. To be honest Fat Ken doesn't look that fat. He doesn't have a bulging stomach like in 4th grade anymore. It was slimming down. His arms and legs were extremely long. His face has a shape now and his hair is okay. It was senior year, a lot of time has passed and we've all grown up.
"Thanks Ken. You didn't have to do it you know?" I said to him.
"I fixed it." He said with a smile.
"It's more of you "changed it"." I said with a smile. He laughed. His laugh was pretty cute, it was manly in a way. I realized how good and nice his voice was, it was a manly tone.
"Whatever. I'll see you Erika." He said and went to his truck and drove off. He didn't even wave or smile as he drove by. I did.
I drove home safely. I went in the house and closed the door. I walked my way into the kitchen and filled a glass with water from the sink. I drank it at the sink as I looked out the window there. I saw Ken. I coughed up the water and it went out my nose. This is really awkward. He was washing dishes or something and his eyes made contact with mine. He started laughing uncontrollably. Even with water dripping from my nose and me coughing profusely, I couldn't help but admire his smile and laughter even if I couldn't hear his laughter I still remembered it from minutes ago. I have never seen Ken laugh before. Maybe because of the lack of classes together or when I see him he's getting put down in a way. But his smile and laughter looked good. His teeth were straight and bright. His lips were pink and soft looking. His bright blue eyes shown brightly too. He looked, hot. I walked away from the window and went for the paper towels and started wiping myself. This is so weird. What am I even doing? Am I checking out Ken? Fat Ken? I sat there with the paper towel still on my face. I was stagnant. I felt a little shocked.
That was the first moment I started thinking so much more of Ken.
I've known Ken since 4th grade when he moved from Ohio to beautiful California. When he walked into class, everyone couldn't help but snigger at the fat boy in his farming clothes. He had on a ratty backpack, a flannel and some ripped up pairs of jeans. His stomach bulged and his face was red like a tomato. His ashy blonde hair was everywhere and seemed uncontrollable. Everything about him was different from rich suburban California style and because of that he became the joke of the school. But as time went by his grades spoke for themselves. He became the smartest guy in school, being ranked number 1 from elementary to middle school to high school. Because of who he was and how people are, he's either called Fat Ken or Nerdy Michaels. One time in sophomore year, I had English with him and the teacher blatantly called him Fat Ken. Everyone in class erupted in laughter. I sat behind him so I couldn't see his facial expression but I saw that the back of his neck was red like a tomato. I ended up laughing too, I'm such a conformity. I felt bad about it, I kind of know Ken. I know him a bit now than before because two days ago, he just moved into the house next to mine with his family and very loud dog.
I walked the hallways by myself. I hated walking by myself, it made me feel a bit lonely and isolated. I don't understand my need for someone to escort me but it's a need. It's not like I'm ugly or weird, I just feel a bit insecure with the wandering eyes that have nothing better to do but look at me walk by myself to class. I know very damn well that people could care less since they're so busy caring about themselves but still, that insecurity of walking down the hallways is always a thing to me. On my way I saw Fat Ken just walking like me but to the opposite direction. He was still growing, height and weight wise. He's a big guy and I'm surprised that the football team didn't recruit him. I heard sniggers and laughter when I walked by him. I closed my eyes for a couple seconds, it wasn't fair. I know Fat Ken, and I've seen him around enough to know that he doesn't deserve it but what can I do about it? My voice doesn't matter, Erika Copper's voice is too small and quiet to be recognized. Even if my heart feels a burning passion, my voice can not even exhale the fire.
I walked into class and sat down. I smiled at the people around me. By now, all the seniors know each other and such. We were all connected as friends in a way. People knew me and I knew them, that is how it is here at Remmington High School. Did I mention that we're a private high school. Everyone here has gone to school with each other since daycare. I sat next to Rebecca Thompson, daughter of Mayor Thompson. Rebecca is a beautiful mixed race girl who has everyone wrapped around her fingers. Her tan skin along with her dirty blonde hair and hazel colored eyes has all the guys at Remmington in love with her. Rebecca is also my friend, my best friend.
"Hey, we should do something this weekend." Rebecca said.
"Maybe. My dad said he had something planned for the family." I replied to her as I grabbed out my Physics text book.
"Oh! Can I come too?" She asks with a high pitch at the end of her question. She always does this when she asks anyone for anything. It's like she knows she'll get it but she feels bad about it kind of thing, we had a conversation about it.
"Yea. It'd be fun with you there." I said with a smile.
"Cool." She laughed lightly. Then Mr. Cartwright walked in with his suitcase. It made me laugh sometimes of why a young twenty five years old teacher like Mr. Cartwright would be such a hipster and bring in a raggedy suitcase when our old English teacher Mr. Phelps wears a Jansport backpack as his carrier.
"He's such a try-hard." Rebecca whispered to me. I laughed as quietly as I could. This was why we were friends.
My car was playing with me. It stopped in the middle of the streets. Middle of the empty streets of my neighborhood, thank God. I put it on neutral and tried pushing it to the side. This is very stressful. I took out my phone and started calling my father. He didn't pick up. Now I was screwed. I don't know how to handle this situation. This has never happened before and I just started driving 5 months ago. I can't called Rebecca, she had field hockey practice. My brother is landing this week from Seattle and my aunt just took a plane to New York this morning. God, I'm so screwed. I started looking up tow-trucks but I had to pay 200 in cash. And being a 17 year old girl, I don't bring around cash. I saw on the side of the curb. My house was still about 2 miles from where I was. I lived in a very big neighborhood. I saw a car driving my way and it looked familiar. I stood up and tried stopping it with a wave or something but it drove by. I groaned in frustration looking at it drive off. I bit my lip and rolled my eyes, so much for thinking Fat Ken was an okay person. He just drove by in his truck without a glance back at me, his neighbor who is suffering from car problems. I went and sat down at my curb. I felt a little cold so I went back in my car and just waited for my dad to call back. He always does. I stared at my phone to see that it was already 4 o'clock. Rebecca isn't done until 5 or 6. I looked back up from my phone to see the same truck driving my way. It was Fat Ken. He parked on the opposite side of my car. He got out of his truck and the truck moved slightly. He went to the trunk and pulled out a tool box and then he started my way.
"You saw me." I said.
"Yea, but I don't think I could've done anything without the right tools." He said as he shook his tool box.
"Look Ken, I don't think you should fix it or anything. I just need a ride home and since you live right next to me, I just wanted to ask for a ride." I said nicely. I needed a ride home.
"I can fix it. It's just a flat tire Erika." Ken said cooly. I blinked.
"But you don't have another tire, I don't have another tire." I said.
"Erika, it's under your car." He said patiently.
"There's a tire... Under my car?" I said and then went to take a look. Right there under my prius there was a tire hanging on the bottom back. I felt a bit stupid for not knowing that. I turned to Ken.
"Oh... But it's too much trouble Ken. It's fine. I can ask my dad to help me later at home." I said.
"Erika. It's fine. I kind of want to see if I really got an A in the car mechanics class I took over the summer." He said and got started on my car. I just stood there and looked uncomfortably. This felt so awkward, Fat Ken was my knight in shining armor. I just stood there looking as if I knew what he was doing but it was as if I was watching sci-fi, I didn't know what the hell was going on.
He stood up and dusted off his pants. 20 minutes has gone by and now he was wheeling my flat tire to the back of his truck. He was sweating all over. To be honest Fat Ken doesn't look that fat. He doesn't have a bulging stomach like in 4th grade anymore. It was slimming down. His arms and legs were extremely long. His face has a shape now and his hair is okay. It was senior year, a lot of time has passed and we've all grown up.
"Thanks Ken. You didn't have to do it you know?" I said to him.
"I fixed it." He said with a smile.
"It's more of you "changed it"." I said with a smile. He laughed. His laugh was pretty cute, it was manly in a way. I realized how good and nice his voice was, it was a manly tone.
"Whatever. I'll see you Erika." He said and went to his truck and drove off. He didn't even wave or smile as he drove by. I did.
I drove home safely. I went in the house and closed the door. I walked my way into the kitchen and filled a glass with water from the sink. I drank it at the sink as I looked out the window there. I saw Ken. I coughed up the water and it went out my nose. This is really awkward. He was washing dishes or something and his eyes made contact with mine. He started laughing uncontrollably. Even with water dripping from my nose and me coughing profusely, I couldn't help but admire his smile and laughter even if I couldn't hear his laughter I still remembered it from minutes ago. I have never seen Ken laugh before. Maybe because of the lack of classes together or when I see him he's getting put down in a way. But his smile and laughter looked good. His teeth were straight and bright. His lips were pink and soft looking. His bright blue eyes shown brightly too. He looked, hot. I walked away from the window and went for the paper towels and started wiping myself. This is so weird. What am I even doing? Am I checking out Ken? Fat Ken? I sat there with the paper towel still on my face. I was stagnant. I felt a little shocked.
That was the first moment I started thinking so much more of Ken.