A.N- This is a bit different to the other stuff I've written. It originated after a conversation I had with Sarah (MysteronChild) on MSN about a week or so ago. See, I write humor and stuff like that, and she writes sad stuff, so we challenged each other to write the kind of fanfic we wouldn't usually write. So I wrote this. Tada! I've never written anything but humor before, so take mercy on me!
Virgil was always names 'the quiet one' in his class, and although he was friendly and easy to get along with, he had few friends, for the sole reason that e never really spoke to anyone. Most of the other kids at his school and in his class would just leave him to it and get along with their lives, but there was one group in his year that took advantage of Virgil's quietness. They would often call him names when they passed him, try and trip him up in the corridor, but they had never done him any serious harm.
The day started like any usual school day for Virgil. He walked up to school with his older brother, John, who would drop him off outside his form and then go his separate way. John spent so long in the morning getting himself ready that the two of them arrived at school just in time for registration, so Virgil's form had already gone in by the time he got there.
He sat himself down at a table at the front of the classroom and slung his bag onto the floor, looking behind him at the group of kids sat at the back of the classroom and quickly turned back to the front when they caught his gaze. Answering to his name when the register was being done, Virgil quickly hurried out of the classroom to go to his first lesson of the day, Art.
Unfortunately for Virgil, the group in his form was also in his Art class, and they found him in the queue outside the door and surrounded him.
"Oi Tracy, who do you think you are giving us looks like that? The tallest of the group asked Virgil.
Virgil ignored him and looked away from them, down the corridor, praying his teacher would arrive shortly.
"Don't ignore me you little prat! Now tell me why you gave us those looks!" the guy asked again, in a more threatening tone.
"I didn't pull a face at you" Virgil answered quietly in his defense.
"Don't give me that rubbish, I know a dirty look when I see one"
Virgil said nothing and started following the rest of the class into the classroom, only to be pulled back by one of the group pulling his bag. "Get off me" me muttered, trying to pull free.
"Listen to me" the tallest guy grumbled, grabbing Virgil by the collar. "Give me dirty looks again and I'll smash your face in"
Virgil nodded quickly and hurried into the classroom as soon as he was let go.
Art was Virgil's favourite subject at school. It allowed him to let all of his feelings go in a silent and peaceful way, and once the lesson was over, his mind would be clear of all the bad things that had happened during the day. He got so stuck into his drawing that he never noticed the teacher stood behind him looking at his work.
"That's beautiful Virgil" his teacher smiled at him.
"Thanks" Virgil murmured quietly, letting a small smile out before he got stuck back into it.
As Virgil walked down the corridors to his next lesson, he fell into a daydream of how things could have been, and he didn't notice the foot that put in front of his steps, and he tripped over and fell flat on his face to the floor. He quickly picked himself up and threw his bag back on his back, keeping back tears as he tried to block out all of the laughter.
His nose was throbbing as he locked the bathroom door behind him and went to blow his nose. As he looked down he saw the tissue was blood stained. Groaning in both pain and annoyance, Virgil stood leaning against the bathroom wall as he held the tissue to his nose, waiting for the blood to stop, and let his tears fall down his cheeks. This, it seemed to him, was his existence.
Virgil stayed in the bathroom for the rest of the hour. He would only get into trouble if he went to lesson late, anyway. Time seemed to go extremely slowly in there. Most of the time was spent drawing on the back of his books, but as his ideas and space ran out, Virgil rummaged through his bag to try and find something else to pass the time, settling with his CD player. Sticking the headphones into his ears and pressing the play button, Virgil slowly relaxed as he listened to one of his favourite songs.
'I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone
I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of broken dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk alone
I walk alone
I walk alone
I walk alone
And I walk a-
My shadows the only one that walks beside me
My shallow hearts the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
Till then I walk alone
I'm walking down the line
That divides me somewhere in my mind
On the border line of the edge
And where I walk alone
Read between the lines of
What's fucked up and everything's alright
Check my vital signs to know I'm still alive
And I walk alone
My shadows the only one that walks beside me
My shallow hearts the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
Till then I walk alone
I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of broken dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk a-
My shadows the only one that walks beside me
My shallow hearts the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
Till then I'll walk alone
Virgil stopped the CD and shoved his CD player back into his bag quickly as he heard noises outside of people coming out of their lessons. Zipping up his bag and slinging it over his shoulder, he quickly checked himself in the mirror for any signs of blood and left. Him and his two friends Mark and Jimmy hung out outside the school entrance at break and dinner, just because it was a lot quieter. By the time Virgil got down there, Mark and Jimmy were already there.
"Hey Virg, thought you were off school today, how come you weren't in Science just?" Mark asked, throwing a packet of crisps in Virgil's direction.
"Don't say you skived off Virg, you don't seem the sort to do anything like that," Jimmy said, giving Virgil a look of concern.
Virgil accepted the crisps and returned his friend's looks of concern with a small smile. "It's a long story, I'll tell you guys later"
Break was almost over, and Virgil had cheered up considerably. Him and Mark starting acting out fight scenes from a film they watched the night before. Virgil was stepping backwards when he tripped over, but instead of falling to the floor his fall was broken...by the leader of the gang who tripped him over in the corridor.
"Sorry..." Virgil muttered, getting himself back up, not realising who had had fallen onto.
"You little punk!" the guy shouted, pushing Virgil's back.
Virgil turned around, confused, and his heart jumped into his throat when he saw who he was looking at. "I-I'm sorry. It w-was an accident."
"He didn't do it deliberately, he tripped" Jimmy added, stepping forward.
"Did I ask for your opinion?" the guy said, pushing Jimmy, making him stumble backwards and fall into the bushed behind.
The group started laughing as Jimmy pulled himself up, picking bits of leaf off his jumper.
"Leave him alone...he didn't do anything" Virgil muttered.
"What was that?" one of the guys asked, putting his hand behind his ear.
"I said leave him alone" Virgil repeated.
The guy came over towards Virgil and went to push him over, but just before he got the chance Virgil stepped out of the way in a panic, and the guy tripped over Virgil's foot and landed face first in the bushes.
Virgil watched, mortified. He was going to be in serious trouble for that now. "Jim, Mark, quick" he mumbled, running back into the school building quickly, Jimmy and Mark in tow.
"You ought to tell someone about them Virg" Mark said once the three of them were safely sat in the maths room for their next lesson.
"The teacher's wouldn't do anything...what about your brothers?" Jimmy asked.
Virgil shook his head. "If they knew, then they would tell my Dad...and then he'd tell the headmaster, he'd tell the gang and then they'd know I grassed them up" Virgil explained. "Not that it matters...I'm dead at dinnertime anyway" he sighed.
"But Virg, you didn't deliberately trip him up, he was just clumsy" Mark added.
"So?" That's their excuse to pummel me now, that's what they wanted..." Virgil sighed.
"Are we gonna get him then?" the leader of the gang asked his followers in their lesson.
"Count me out...I already got suspended twice, if I do anything wrong again my Mum'll freak" one of them said.
One by one the rest of the group came up with an excuse, leaving just the leader. "You're al cowards. I mean come on, it's not like he's gonna fight back or anything..."
"Well you do it Mike, you're the one who's got it in for him, anyway" one of them added.
"Fine, I will" Mike agreed.
Virgil made the most of his next two hours of peace. Mark and Jimmy would ask him now and again if he was okay, he replied each time with a small smile and a nod.
"Virg why don't we just go somewhere else at dinner? We could stay in form?" Mark offered.
"Yeah or play football with your brother. He always asks us, and if you were with John then those guys wouldn't do anything" Jimmy added.
Virgil shook his head. "He'd figure something was up...don't worry about it...I'll be okay..." Virgil muttered.
"Virg excuse the rudeness here but you're gonna get bashed up big time" Mark commented.
Virgil sighed and said nothing. He knew Mark was right, and to some extent he knew he should go along with Jimmy's plan. But he knew it would just make things worse. Better to face the problem and get it over with than try and stall.
As the bell for dinner went, a shiver ran up Virgil's spine. Following Mark and Jimmy down the corridors with his hands in his pockets, he looked around him for any sign of the guys. None so far.
It was a good five minutes after arriving at their hang out point when the leader of the gang, Mike showed up. Virgil swallowed hard. At least there was only him...it could have been worse.
"So then...why did you push Damien into the bushes huh?" Mike asked, standing right in front of Virgil.
"I didn't... he tripped over my foot.... When I stepped out of the way" Virgil explained.
"He's right Mike, he didn't do it on purpose" Jimmy added, stepping in front of him.
Mike turned round and gave Jimmy a dirty look. "Do you want another trip in the bush or are you usually this annoying? Now I suggest you step back and shut up before I get seriously pissed off with you too" Mike threatened.
Jimmy gave an apologetic look at Virgil before stepping back.
"So I'll ask you again Tracy..." Mike said, turning back to Virgil, "Why did you push Damien into the bushes?"
"I've already told you, I didn't!" Virgil shouted. He was fed up of being treated the way he was, he knew it wasn't right and he knew he didn't deserve it.
Mike knew he was irritating Virgil now. He gave him a push backwards with a grin. "Getting angry now are you?"
Virgil stumbled slightly but kept his ground. "Just get lost...go away...leave me alone" he mumbled. He could see a small crowd forming behind him and Mike. It wouldn't be too long till practically the whole school would be crowded round.
"Sorry, what was that?" Mike asked, grinning, giving Virgil another push.
"Get off me!" Virgil shouted, as he swung his fist round, landing a hard punch just below Mike's left eye.
"Fight! Fight! Fight!" the people crowded around started cheering.
The collision shocked Mike slightly, but he regained concentration and punched Virgil right back, before grabbing his bag straps and pulling him down to the floor.
"Virg quick, get up!" Virgil heard Mark shout through the crowds. He was just about to pull himself up when a sharp pain in his ribs ceased him from moving. Quickly looking up he saw Mike, repeatedly kicking him. Virgil was now in no state to pull himself up; he hugged his knees, closed his eyes and prayed that it would end soon.
"John! Hey John, there's a fight!" Ben shouted, running up to him. Ben was one of John's best friends, who was always hot for the gossip.
"Where, who?" John asked, picking the football up and wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.
"I dunno...a couple of Year 9 kids I heard" Ben replied. "Come on! Let's go!"
John sighed. He hated fights. But he had nothing better to do, so he followed Ben to the school entrance. When they got there, the huge crowd was starting to disappear, and several teachers were on scene.
"Aw dude we missed it!" Ben cried, walking faster.
"Looks serious" John muttered out loud to himself.
Ben raced ahead to see what was going on. When John got there Ben came up to him, dragging him away from the scene. "John...I'm not sure you want to see this" he warned John.
"Why? What are you on about Ben? Who's hurt?" John asked, trying to push Ben away.
"It's Virgil..." Ben said finally.
"What!?" John thundered, pushing Ben away firmly and pushing himself through the small crowd left.
Virgil was sat leaning against a wall, one teacher by each side of him, mopping up the blood from his lip. Jimmy and Mark were sat close by, asking him constantly if he was okay.
"What happened?" John asked, kneeling down by Mark and Jimmy.
"It was Mike Silvers, in our year" Mark said. "At break Virgil accidentally tripped one of his friends into the bushes when they tried to push him in, and then Mike found Virgil at the start of dinner and did this to him"
John nodded and wandered over to the teachers. "Is he alright?"
"Well..." one of the teachers started and lifted up Virgil's school shirt, revealing several marks on his ribs and stomach that were already turning into bruises, "We're calling your father, we want to get him checked over by a doctor just to make sure there aren't any breakage's, but he should be okay"
"John, is Dad gonna be mad at me?" Virgil coughed through his tears.
"Course he isn't Virg! Don't be silly" John reassured him.
"Tell you what though Virg, you gave Mike a black eye and a half from that punch!" Jimmy added, moving closer to the two brothers.
Virgil grinned slightly before falling into another coughing fit.
Virgil was kept off school for a week to rest, and Mike was suspended from school from that same week. Mike's parents had payed Virgil a visit in the week to apologise for Mike's behavior and told him that there wouldn't be any more trouble caused. The Monday after, Virgil was walking up to school with John.
"You feeling okay?" John asked, concerned for him, seeings as he'd stayed silent for the whole of the journey so far.
"Yeah...I'm just nervous that's all" Virgil muttered, keeping his head down as they approached the school. Jimmy and Mark had informed him that the whole school knew about him giving Mike a black eye.
"Nothing should happen Virg, don't worry. But if there's any trouble come find me, okay?"
"Sure thing John" Virgil smiled up at his older brother. John was always there for him when he was down or if something was bothering him, and Virgil knew he would always be there for the same reasons.
Afterwards, once John had gone off to meet his friends, Virgil met up with Jimmy and Mark, and they headed for their form room.
"Hide me..." Virgil murmured, scurrying to the other side of Mark. "Mike's there"
As Mike walked past he looked over at Virgil. His left eye was still slightly bruised from the punch Virgil had given him the week before last. Virgil gulped but returned the look.
"Alright Virg" Mike said with a smile, sticking his thumb up, before walking away.
"Well that was new," Jimmy said, laughing.
"Virgil grinned and sighed happily. Now he could get on with school without living in fear of his schoolmates.
A.N- Hope you liked it! Please review, if you liked it I might try and write some more like this in the future, but if it's pooh I'll stick to what I'm good at. So let me know! Thanks!