Other Half
August 31, 2011
When Charlie Ray enters high school, he’s prepared for the worst year of his life. His mother lost her job at the beginning of the summer and he’s wearing the jeans she bought for last school year. They’re dirty, with holes in both knees. His sneakers are falling apart and he watches as the kids he talked to last year, drift away from him. They’re all wearing shiny new clothes with equally bright smiles.
At lunch, Charlie Ray’s thankful for the free lunch he qualifies for and sits at an empty table in the back near the trash cans. He eats too quickly and sits at the table for a few moments before he decides he wants a tour of this new school.
It’s not very large, but walking in the empty hallways, Charlie Ray feels even more alone.
“Hey.” Charlie Ray turns and sees a boy, older than him, walking out of the bathroom. He’s got shaggy, blonde hair. He smiles slightly and says, “What’s your name?”
“Charlie Ray.”
“Come ‘ere, I wanna show you somethin’ really cool,” the guy says and points down the hall. “Come on.”
Charlie Ray follows, if only because this is the first student that’s spoken to him all day. The guy opens the door to a dark classroom and Charlie Ray is almost completely sure they shouldn’t be in here.
“Hey kid,” another voice says and the first guy is pushing him towards the other. Behind him is another teenager, wearing the ugliest plaid shirt Charlie Ray’s ever seen.
“What?” Charlie Ray asks, trying to take a step back into the hallway. The first guy pushes him back into the room.
The guy in plaid punches him hard in the ribs and Charlie Ray doubles over, losing his breath. He stands up a second later and lunges after the guy who punched him. Someone grabs his arms and holds him back.
Alone in the gym locker room during his last class of the day, Charlie Ray strips out of his t-shirt and pokes at the bruises.
At lunch, Charlie Ray’s thankful for the free lunch he qualifies for and sits at an empty table in the back near the trash cans. He eats too quickly and sits at the table for a few moments before he decides he wants a tour of this new school.
It’s not very large, but walking in the empty hallways, Charlie Ray feels even more alone.
“Hey.” Charlie Ray turns and sees a boy, older than him, walking out of the bathroom. He’s got shaggy, blonde hair. He smiles slightly and says, “What’s your name?”
“Charlie Ray.”
“Come ‘ere, I wanna show you somethin’ really cool,” the guy says and points down the hall. “Come on.”
Charlie Ray follows, if only because this is the first student that’s spoken to him all day. The guy opens the door to a dark classroom and Charlie Ray is almost completely sure they shouldn’t be in here.
“Hey kid,” another voice says and the first guy is pushing him towards the other. Behind him is another teenager, wearing the ugliest plaid shirt Charlie Ray’s ever seen.
“What?” Charlie Ray asks, trying to take a step back into the hallway. The first guy pushes him back into the room.
The guy in plaid punches him hard in the ribs and Charlie Ray doubles over, losing his breath. He stands up a second later and lunges after the guy who punched him. Someone grabs his arms and holds him back.
Alone in the gym locker room during his last class of the day, Charlie Ray strips out of his t-shirt and pokes at the bruises.