Give 'Em Hell, Kid

‘I hate you!’

​​​The words might have stung if I didn’t know they were far from true. Alexia plopped down beside me as we sat outside on the stone steps that lead to the green football pitch.

​​​‘Love you too sugar’ I replied, ignoring her anger as I took a bite of the sandwich my Mother made for me. The first day of every school year my Mother would make myself and Mikey a packed lunch. She would give up by the second day and just hand us the lunch money to get the cafeteria food. To be honest the food here wasn’t too bad but it was edible so I didn’t mind. Plus if I was smart I could hog the money to buy cigarettes.

​​​‘We should have ditched. I already have homework, can you believe it? I swear Rodgers is the most hateful teacher I’ve ever had.’

​​​‘Sucks for you, I’ve managed to escape homework so far.’ I replied as I could feel her death glare without needing to face her. I could just imagine the look on her face with her nose slightly scrunched up in a mix of anger and indignation, her eyes narrowed as she tried to make me feel guilty for escaping homework so far. We were all the same classes bar one. I had art while she took history. Her lips were probably pursed as she tried to hide the smirk that was threatening to break out, her hands shaking as she tried to refrain from hitting me.

​​​‘I hate you!’ she repeated as she gave in and hit my arm, her closed fist not having much of an impact as I continued to ignored her childish tantrum.

​​​‘Did you bring anything for lunch?’ I asked even though I already knew the answer.

​​​‘Fuck you Way’ she was determined to hold on to her anger.

​​​I rolled my eyes at her behaviour as she huffed in anger. I repressed my desire to laugh at her, knowing it would only make her even angrier. Every year was the same story. She would spend the entire lunch break bitching about being back at school while we tried our best to avoid her wrath and not laugh at her dramatics. If we did we would spend the day being punched and we would be on the receiving end of her anger.

​​​‘Want some?’ I offered her part of my sandwich, hoping I could eventually distract her.

​​​‘What is it?’ she asked cautiously.

​​​‘Parma ham and cheese.’ I replied as I offered her the sandwich.

​​​She took it without so much as a thank you, immediately digging in with a vicious bite. It kept her quiet for a few minutes while she too busy chewing to say hello to Mikey when he joined us a couple of minutes later followed quickly by Frank. We sat in that spot as we waited for Ray to get his food from the cafeteria as his mother refused to make him lunch anymore. Alexia never brought in food nor would she get food for herself in the cafeteria. She just stole our food, and we had learned very quickly to buy extra if we didn’t want to starve. As expected when he finally came over to us he handed her a sandwich and a bag of chips.

​​​She grunted instead of saying thank you as we all ate our lunch, the silence comfortable and relaxing. The sun was now blazing, the heat and sunshine a reminder that we were back in prison for the next ten months. We all took our blazers off bar Frank, who refused to give in to the heat. Alexia loosened her tie and leaned back on the steps, her elbows resting on the step behind her. I unbuttoned the top three buttons on my shirt and rolled the sleeves up, hoping it would help cool me down.

​​​Further down the steps a group of jocks started to have a food fight, the guys being obnoxious and loud as they threw the leftovers of their lunch around. It was only inevitable that we would get caught in the crossfire as a piece of sandwich flew in our direction and hit Frank in the forehead. He scowled and looked down at his thermos cup of reheated coffee to hide his anger and embarrassment.

​​​‘Hey fuckwads, watch it!’ I yelled, not at all scared of the jocks. I knew them well enough to know they were all talk and ultimately harmless. They wouldn’t risk upsetting Daddy by getting into trouble for beating up some insignificant misfit. In saying that, I wouldn’t go out of my way to start trouble either.

​​​‘Go fuck yourself Way’ one of the quarter backs , Johnston, called back as they got back to throwing their food and water around. Eventually a bottle of water headed our way, smacking the side of Alexia’s head as it drenched her. I avoided looking at her shirt, as the white shirt became transparent showing her light pink bra underneath.

​​​‘Hey Collins, nice rack you got there!’ Johnston shouted the rest of the guys laughed like hyenas. I saw the tears well up in Alexia’s eyes as her face flushed pink. I moved to stand up, not sure what I planned to do as my mind went on automatic.

​​​‘Don’t’ she choked out as she put a hand on my arm. I looked at her, cringing as I could see the tears in her eyes. No one ever made her cry but me, and it had been years since I had done that. They guys continued to laugh and point at Alexia and I could feel my blood begin to boil. After about thirty seconds she stood up and raced back inside the school building as she lost her battle against the tears that wanted to fall. I wanted to run after her, comfort her and make her feel better but she wouldn’t accept it while she was in tears.

​​​‘Dude that was out of line’ I heard one of the jocks, Darren I think his name was, say as the laughter died down.

​​​‘Bite me it was only water. Plus we got a nice view of her tits; damn she filled out over the summer.’ Johnston responded, and in that moment I snapped. I stood up quickly before anybody could stop me and began marching over, anger coursing through me as my brain stopped working.

​​​‘Dude, you’re not going to help anything.’ Ray caught up with me and held me back from doing something stupid, as Johnston stared me down, egging my on to do something about it.

​​​‘C’mon Way, you got something to say? Gonna defend your girlfriend’s honour?’

​​​Ray’s gripped tightened as I tried to break free. Mikey took my other arm, whispering ‘Don’t be stupid Gerard’. We didn’t notice Frank until he raced past us and I felt my stomach twist as we knew what was going to happen. We tried to catch up with him before he got hurt, but we were too late as he stood in front of Johnston and lashed out with a closed fist, hitting Johnston in the face. Johnston’s face turned red with anger as we finally caught up with Frank, he stared down at Frank who was almost a foot smaller than him. Darren held him back as we pulled Frank out of Johnston’s reach.

​​​‘Dude, he’s not worth it.’ Darren told Johnston, as Johnston trembled with rage.

​​​‘I ain’t gonna let a midget get away with punching me, even if he is a sophomore!’

​​​‘Fuck you Johnston, I ain’t afraid of you!’ Frank spat, not helping his situation as he struggled to get out of my grip.

​​​‘Frank, shut up!’ I hissed in anger as I pushed him behind me.

​​​‘Aaww, now he’s got his boyfriend protecting him’ Johnston mocked, obviously unable to decide whether I was straight or gay.

​​​‘Dwayne, let it go’ Darren hissed to Johnston

​​​‘C’mon’ I grabbed Frank and pulled him away, before we got the shit beaten out of us. While the jocks were normally non-violent they also didn’t take abuse lying down either.

​​​‘You’re dead Iero!’ Johnston called after us, as I continued to push Frank away from the jocks and back into the school building. We stopped in the hallway, as I took deep calming breaths and ran a hand through my hair. Frank was breathing heavily as Ray continued to keep a hold on Frank’s shoulders and Mikey was cursing under his breath.

​​​‘You fucking idiot’ Mikey ranted at Frank.

​​​‘Fuck you, just because you’re all pussies who are too scared to stand up for your friend when sexist pricks humiliate her in front of everyone doesn’t mean I am!’

​​​Mikey fell silent as all of us let the weight of Frank’s words fall on us. I knew he was right; we were too scared of the consequences if we did what we wanted to do. The school took violence very seriously and suspension was the least we could expect if we caused a fight. The fact that they had practically sexually harassed Alexia wouldn’t matter; they wouldn’t see it as an acceptable reason to start a fight.

​​​‘There’s a difference between being a pussy and being smart!’ Ray countered. ‘Do you think Alexia would want us to get into trouble over those assholes?’

​​​Frank glared at Ray but kept silent as his breathing calmed down.

​​​‘We should probably go look for her, see if she’s okay’ Mikey suggested, finally remembering Alexia had run off.

​​​‘I’ll go look for her’ I offered before going to my locker and getting a spare shirt I kept in there. I searched around the school, knowing that she was probably in one of the girls bathrooms. I tried to ignore the strange looks the girls gave me as they exited the bathroom, looking at me like I was a creep when I asked if they had seen Alexia. I reached the bathrooms in the middle floor when two girls I recognised left, giving me a look over before smirking.

​​​‘Your girlfriend’s in there bawling her eyes out, poor thing. You two have a lover spat?’ Brittany asked, her voice grating on my nerves.

​​​‘Can you give this into her?’ I barely contained my annoyance at Brittany and I handed her the shirt. She gave me a falsely sweet smile and gave me a cheery ‘Sure’ before walking back into the bathroom. She came back out a few seconds later and smiled at me before giggling in an annoyingly girly high pitched giggle and walking off with her friend. I waited outside for about ten minutes when Alexia finally came out. Her eyes were red and puffy and I felt my chest constrict as I gave into my urge to comfort her and pulled her into a hug.

​​​‘Are you okay?’

​​​‘No, I’m not okay. I’ve never been so humiliated in all my life. I fucking hate being a girl. Just because I have breasts people think its okay to comment on my body.’

​​​She sniffled and I hugged her tighter. She was self conscious of her body since we hit puberty, not comfortable with being the only girl in a group of guys. She always did her best to hide her gender under baggy clothes. Her dad refused to let her cut her hair short like she always wanted which I was secretly thankful for.

​​​‘They’re just being assholes Lexi, don’t let them get to you. In five years they’ll have achieved nothing except knocking up some poor unfortunate girl.’ I tried to console her as best I could.

​​​‘Alexia?’

​​​I looked up to see Darren standing behind Alexia, looking uncomfortable as he interrupted us. Alexia escaped from my arms as I felt suddenly bereft and cold like every other time she pulled away from my embrace. She belonged in my arms, and if I wasn’t such a coward I would tell her that. Instead I waited for her to realise it, hopefully before it was too late.

​​​‘I just… wanted to say sorry I guess. Johnston was way out of line.’ He looked nervous as he kept glancing at the ground. The sudden anxiety didn’t suit him; he normally radiated confidence like the rest of his group.

​​​‘You shouldn’t be the one apologising.’ She murmured.

​​​‘I should’ve done more’ he spoke in a low voice, glancing at me as I realised he didn’t want me there. He liked her. I took in his blond floppy hair, blue eyes and slightly muscular frame that was hidden under his uniform. Alexia wouldn’t say yes to him if he asked, she couldn’t. She never showed an interest in him before, and after what happened she would never give him a chance. Or at least I hoped she wouldn’t.

​​​‘Maybe. It’s done now, so don’t worry about it.’

​​​‘Could I maybe… can I talk to you alone for a second?’

​​​I clenched my fists as Alexia looked at Darren in surprise for a split second, before turning to me with an unsure expression.

​​​‘Don’t go with him’ I silently begged her as her eyes met mine ‘don’t say yes.’

​​​‘Uh…sure…Gerard you go on without me, I’ll catch up with you later.’

​​​I nodded at her and gave her one final plead with my eyes and looked at Darren with a glare before I walked away from her, leaving her with the enemy. I had to force my feet to keep on walking, as I struggled against my need to stay and protect her. My only consolation was that I was certain she would say no, he was far from her type in almost every sense. Then again she had never shown an interest in anyone before so I could I know for certain? I fumed as I walked back to my locker, hoping that she wouldn’t give the idiot the time of day.
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