"Better run faster freak!" Shouted Ethan Thomas as he sprinted after me. One of his lacrosse grabbed my From First to Last jacket swinging me to the ground.
"What are you going to do now punk?" Asked Todd my ex-friend as he stepped on my stomach.
"I can't believe I used to be friends with a loser like you!" I yelled raising my leg and kicking him where the sun doesn't shine. He fall to his side moaning about his groin in agony. I got up only to be once again punched hard in the face. I grabbed my cheek as a small line of blood ran down it. Ethan's senior ring had been caught and ripped my cheek. I fall to my knees in shock holding my cheek. Two more people from the lacrosse team grabbed my arms and stood me up.
"Todd would you like the pleasure of the second knockout punch?" Asked Ethan running his hand down my face. Todd nodded smiling leaning close to my ear.
"The only loser around here is you, Cutter." He whispered in my ear punching me hard in the gut. I moaned bringing my legs up in pain as Todd punched me again smirking as I let out a small scream as something cracked. Ethan smacked me in the face as Todd kicked me in the side. I felt like I was shot as pain shocked through my side.
"Don't diss my girlfriend again got that, Cutter?" Ethan asked punching my in the face again. My eyes welled up with tears as I heard another crack from my rips. I felt the warm metallic tasting crud crawl up my throat begging to come out. I swallowed it gagging slightly. It was persistent as it came up once again and leaked down my chin. I perched my lips tightly, but that wasn't enough as I bent over puking blood all over the grass and my converse. The two guys holding me dropped my arms as I fall into my own blood. I felt it soak into my black skinny jeans as I crawled up in a ball not moving. They all laughed as I winced every time I took a breath. 'Yeah, almost killing someone is all so funny assholes.' I shuttered as I took a large breath closing my eyes.
"See you around punk." Snickered a unfamiliar voice. Probably one of the guys that held my arms. They walked away kicking me as they walked by. I took shaky and sallow breaths begging the goddamn pain to just go away. It went away slowly as I laid there like something dead. That's how I kind of felt, DEAD. I sat up almost screaming out in pain. I glanced at the clock that was on the side of the school. Thirty minutes. Thirty minutes late to the most god awfully class, P.E. 'Physical education my ass more like kill all the weaker kids with rubber fucking balls.' That was one of the bonuses of getting the shit beat out of you. I usually missed my most dreaded classes like P.E. It's not like I'm bad a sports or anything, but people here take it way to seriously. The bad part was the VP always found me as I was just heading to my class after a beat down, and I was sent to the big man ,principal Jacobs. I wobbly walked over to my messenger bag gathering my things that were spread out in the tiny courtroom. I was just at the door of the courtroom when I saw VP douche bag walking down this hallway. I ran over to the other door gasping holding my side. I flung open the door making a huge bang.
"Fuck!" I muttered as douche bag looked in the window of the courtroom. I sprinted out of there hoping douche bag wouldn't catch me. However, I have no luck so he grabbed onto my messenger bag.
"Cutter your late to class, are you not?" He asked pulling me down the hallway away from the auditorium/gym.
"Yeah, I'm late your point is?" I asked cockily.
"I'm tired of that damn attitude of yours." Douche bag said as he pushed me against a locker.
"So we heading to Jacobs's office?" I asked as douche bag pulled me down the hall once again. He nodded tugging harder as the principal's office was in view. Jacob's was standing there grimly.
"Oh look it's my favorite and most frequent visitor." Jacobs said in heavy sarcasm.
"You know you love my visits Jacobs." I muttered in sarcasm matching his. He grabbed my arm roughly making me wince as my rips popped. I ripped away from him angrily.
"I know which door is yours. I'mot dimwitted like most students in this hell hole." I said darkly down casting my eyes. I flung the door opened and flopping down in one of the plastic chairs. I immediately regretted it as blood rose in my throat again. I choked it down almost puking...again. Jacobs looked at me strangely for a moment. He sat down in his large leather seat. 'How come I get this ghetto plastic chair and he gets leather?' He sighed putting his head in his hands.
"I don't know what to do with you Cutter." Jacobs shook his head looking up at me. I shrugged looking around the his office. Sports trophies lined the walls with pictures of all the winning teams. One picture in the way back of a self there was a soccer trophy by a picture that just so happened to have me in it. That was the last year I ever did soccer here in this place. I was mad fun of for trying out most people said I wouldn't make it. They didn't see me try out in privet with coach. She said right on the spot that I was allowed to join the team. During games no one passed me the ball and during practice no one talked to me. I usually won the game when someone would kick it too far in front of them and it was a free ball. I would run full speed and make a goal in the right or left side corners.
"Cutter are you paying attention to me?" Jacobs asked shaking me slightly.
"What yeah of course I am." I said. Jacobs raised an eyebrow shaking his head.
"Oh really then what did I say." He asked smirking.
"Something about detention, right?" I answered/ asked. Jacobs sighed smacking his cheek softly but hard enough to make a sound.
"Just go to the nurses office and then go to fourth period." Jacobs said standing up and pointing to the door.
'How did he know I needed to go to the nurses office?'
"Okay." I walked into the nurses office waving at her. She frowned when she saw me but walked over to me.
"Did you get beat up again Cutter?" She asked. I stared at her then looked at the other kids laughing behind their hands. 'Thanks for the embarrassment Mrs. T.' I shook my head.
"No, I got in a fight." I said softly. She angrily grabbed my arm and took me into the clinic.
"Don't you dare lie to me." She said deathly calm, but you could see the fire burning in her eyes.
"Yeah, whatever." I mumbled sitting on one of the beds. I lifted up my shirt slowly. There wear huge black, blue, purple, and yellow marks. Mrs. T gasped slightly putting a hand to her heart. She pulled on some gloves pushing on the bruises slightly. I winced smacking her hand away.
"It looks like you have bone bruises on most of your rips." She said giving me some aspirin from her medicine cabinet. I filled up a plastic cup of water drowning the pills. "Tell your mom you're going to need more medicine." She said writing me a note. I nodded slowly. I walked to my locker dumping off all my books. Fourth period was band and then after that was lunch. I love lunch my favorite subjected. We were allowed to go off campus and get real food. I was starving well I'm always starving and in need of a veggieburger. I walked into the band room interrupting the entire racket. People stopped and stared at me like an alien. 'Never seen a person before, damn?' I walked over to Mr. Wildmer handing him my lovely note form Mrs. T.
"Are you sure you're alright? You still don't look okay." He asked worriedly.
"Yeah, why?" I inquired.
"You look really pale, that and you have blood the side of your face. He smirked. I gasped slightly wiping the blood away with my jacket.
"No, I'm fine." I said waving my hands in front of my face. I walked away bumping into someone.
"Hey Brand." Said Erick my best friend since first grade. He was the only one other Mr. Wildmer that called me Brand, my real nickname, everyone else called me Cutter. It was my last name until my mom remarried to the bastard Jimmy.
"Sup Erick?" I asked jumping on his back.
"Oh you know the sky, clouds, and some planes." He said in his smart alec way. I glared at him rolling my eyes punching him in the arm. He laughed slapping me in the back. I covered my mouth to stop me from screaming. The pills dulled the pain, but didn't make it go away.
"No, hugging or touching me today." I said un-wrapping his arm from around my shoulders. He looked me straight in the eyes. I quickly looked down, but not quick enough. He pulled my chin making me look up at him.
"Ethan and Todd again? Why don't you fight back? You could kick their ass!" Erick yelled loud enough for a few people look over to us.
"Because they're not worth my energy."
"They're going to kill you one day."
"Let's hope that day comes soon." I whispered sitting behind my black and red drums. Erick muttered something angrily grabbed his green fender and waited for direction from Mr. Wildmer. We started off okay not the greatest but in the middle of the song the flutes came in at the wrong time. We started over again and again.
"Play at the right time damnit!" Shrieked Morgan. She was sort of like a friend to me, but we didn't see each other often. There was short laughter around the room until Mr. Wildmer went off. He knocked his music stand to the ground.
"For the rest of our time I'm giving you free time!" He bellowed slamming his office door.
"Well that was interesting was it not?" Asked Erick putting down his guitar. I nodded walking over to the string instruments self. I took down my violin and tuned it. I placed it under my chin and started to play. It was a very sad song that my grandpa used to play when it was raining. Erick sat in front of me closing his eyes as he listened to the music. Soon more kids from my band class came over and listened. When I finished they clapped and cheered.
"Can you play Grand Theft Autumn?" Asked Morgan. Kids looked up in interest waiting for my reply. I nodded counting the beats in my head before I started. I soon started to sway as I played faster, slower. Most kids in school were surprised when they found out I played the violin. I mean most kids thought of me as a freak scene kid who played the drums in the school band. When I finished I bowed as they clapped again. I put my violin away humming Grand Theft Autumn now that it was stuck in my head. It was kind of an old song now after they played it on the radio for about two years. I sat by Erick leaning my head on his shoulder.
"Is the bell going to ring soon?" I asked closing my eyes.
"Yeah, are you hungry?" He asked looking at me.
"Starving, want to go off campus?" I asked with puppy eyes.
"Must resist eyes of doom." Erick said looking away be glanced over every few seconds. "Okay, the cafeteria is having meat surprise." He said pretending to barf. I shuttered at the thought.
"Surprise how long you can keep it down and how long you'll have food poising." Erick and I shouted laughing. Kids turned and stared at the two-emo kids laughing all over each other. Many kids thought we were dating, but surprise surprise we weren't. The bell rung as everyone ran to their lockers. We walked slowly to mine as kids pushed us not even noticing we were there. We really didn't notice as we sang Saying Sorry by Hawthrone Heights. I opened my locker pulling out my Jackass messenger bag, sunglasses, and red and black stripped beanie. I reached in the way back pulling out Erick's non-smiley face trucker hat. I shut my locker with my foot as we headed for the parking lot. When we were, only a foot away my locker slammed open.
"Fucking locker I hate you!" I screamed kicking it as hard as I could. I started to walk away but it opened with a portal in it. I started to suck me in as I ran.
"Erick get your ass over here and help me!" I screamed as my legs went through. Erick grabbed both hands pulling hard. The pain was horrible from my rips as he pulled again.
"Shit!!!!" We both screamed as we were sucked in. It was pitch black I couldn't see a thing. I felt Erick tighten his grab around my wrists. Something came spinning smacking me in the head. I passed out hearing wind whizzed passed my ears.
"Wake up Brand." Someone whispered in my ears. The voice was strange and yet familiar. I rolled on my side pushing the hand away from me that was constantly poking me.