Foreword: Hello! I took quite a long break, didn't I? I'm not sure if I'll ever continue Summer Sweetheart, or if I'll rewrite it. The name for the story is from the song "I'll hate you better" from Suicidal Tendencies. The song itself isn't involved in the story, but I thought that the title fit in it.
This chapter is mainly a prologue to show the starting point of these boys. The atmosphere will be very different in the next chapters compared to this.
Arthur and Alfred, the two As, were the talk of the school. The most of pupils thought that they were cute and funny, but many also thought them stupid as well. Ridiculous they were – these two couldn't help but fight about everything. Mostly it was just playful insults and all that, but sometimes their quarrelling escalated so bad that they had to go to headmaster's interrogation. The teachers had got used to their competition thing, ignoring the most of it since they themselves didn't seem to mind it.
That day was just another day in the International World School, but the weather outside was sunny and it boded the upcoming summer vacation. Just a week and they could relax.
"Jones, did you know that I'm going on a trip immediately after this week is over? I bet you're going to be home, eating greasy crisps and playing some stupid videogames", Arthur smirked. The class had ended and they had the whole break to brag about their vacation plans.
"Do you mean, like, you're going to do drugs? That stuff's bad, man", Alfred laughed teasingly, and their friends laughed a little.
Arthur and his friends hung out together even after school. Arthur and Alfred's fights were more exciting than teenage dramas on television so they didn't mind them at all. Their group consisted of four people, Arthur, Kiku, who was smart and modest, Matthew, who rarely opened his mouth but everyone liked him, and Francis, who annoyed Arthur to no end. There were also some other people who the group were friends with, but rarely hung out.
The group was considered cool because the boys were good-looking and charming, each in their own ways. (The boys instead were charmed by Michelle's group, who were all pretty girls.) The whole school having a lot of students from all around the world made it possible that there was no racism and fear of another nationality. Alfred had his own jock group of friends, who teased people a little, but it was never about nationalities. Everyone respected one another, and if someone didn't like somebody, the reason was the person itself.
When Arthur had heard that they were going to spend the whole summer at some secluded beach vacation place, he had been annoyed. He didn't care for beaches, he just wanted to read books in peace and maybe be with his friends. In the end he gave up mourning and decided to boast.
"No, it's a beach, you twat."
"Well, I'm sure some beach isn't nearly as cool as the place our family is going to travel to. We're going to spend the whole summer there, oh man, I'm going to get a girl there. Want me to send some pictures of me and my summer sweetheart?" Alfred sniggered as he took his phone as if he had some pictures to show.
"I'd love to see you and some forced poor girl, but unfortunately I'm going to have so much fun with my motor boat that I probably won't notice your poor pictures of some over-populated ugly city", said Arthur and crossed his hands and grinned successfully.
"Bah, I can't believe that your family could afford to one. You see; I'll be having a beautiful car without a roof, and all the chicks will come to me! My family's actually rich, unlike yours."
"Do you mean a cabriolet? My family's just all right, thank you, I think that your family has spoiled you so much that it has rotted your brain completely. You're not even of age, how do you think you're going to drive that oh-so-beautiful car?"
"I look of age, unlike you, babyface. The police won't suspect anything." Arthur puffed his cheeks in annoyance.
"Who're you calling a babyface? I'm already fifteen, unlike you, and that means I'm older", he announced proudly.
"By two or three months! It doesn't matter, we're both the same age, even though you don't act like it", Alfred remarked.
"Are you saying that I'm childish, you, who reads Marvel comics and watches Nicktoons all night?" Now was Alfred's turn to blush.
"I… I don't really… You stalker!" Alfred took an irritated breath, thinking of a good comeback whilst he was embarrassed. "Hah, it wouldn't be all that new of you, since you're like the nosy British grannies that monitor their neighbours through curtained windows."
Arthur rolled his eyes. "Why would I, of all people, be interested in pursuing you? I just happened to come across your Tumblr blog, oh yes. Somebody requested it to me, thinking that they were very clever. Your blog turned out to be very laughable and I got good inspiration on picking on you."
Alfred's eyes turned to ones of horror. "Don't tell me you actually…" He was out of words.
Behind Arthur, a little shamefully, Kiku tried not to break out an impish smile.
Luckily for Alfred, the next class was already starting and they got separated.
That stupid Brit can say whatever he wants, I will so get back at him… But how? I'll have to find out something at least equally humiliating, and say it out loud to everyone so he would get teased like I'll get from having that kind of a blog… I could ask his friends on Lunch break, he thought.
Soon the class was over, and the Lunch break came. Alfred tried to search for Arthur's friends – the other was probably having a coffin nail outside, so his friends were at the cafeteria.
"Alfred, is it true that you have an anime themed Tumblr blog?" some girl asked on his way there. Alfred ignored her gaining a bit red on his cheeks.
"I've heard that you watch shows for children at night and do dirty things", another girl asked.
Alfred had even redder shade on his face. "No, I don't! The ones I watch are much better than that", he huffed angrily.
"Oh, does that mean that you watch… That kind of cartoons?"
"No! I don't!" embarrassed by misunderstanding, Alfred continued: "Can you please go away, I've got more important things to do."
Finally he reached the cafeteria, relieved to see that Arthur was nowhere to be seen and those girls left him alone. He comfortably sat to Arthur's friends' table. They set curious glances at him.
"How long he'll be gone?" he asked. These people were nice, even though they hung out with the bastard. He could manage to communicate with them.
"I guess he'll come after a few smokes. That means, not soon", Kiku smiled a little. He knew that Alfred was after something.
"Oh, what is this? Alfred himself, the archenemy of Arthur's, here?" Francis laughed to himself his weird obnoxious laugh.
"Yeah, I just want to get a payback at him. I want to ask you a few questions for it. Now everyone in the school thinks that I'm a massive nerd and the girls don't want to date me anymore. If you want something to trade for the information, I'll be glad to", Alfred sneered.
Matthew wanted to stay out of this, so he took out his phone and started to play Candy Crush.
"Of course we'll help you, right, Kiku?" He nodded eagerly at Francis's question.
"So, you want to humiliate him, yes? Oh, I know a lot of things he's done over the years… Wait, I think I know the one. Kiku, that picture's in your phone, isn't it?" Quickly Kiku took out his phone and started searching something that only the two knew of.
"You see, Alfred, his pride won't take it, if you'll bring it to daylight. Oh no, we'll not take anything from you, just promise to not announce where you got the information from."
"Francis, I found it", Kiku said and raised his phone so Alfred could see the screen too.
It was a picture of Arthur, sleeping with an old teddy bear that had probably been in his grip at nights for years.
"Oh my God, this is great. This is so great. Can I borrow the phone to print it? This is going to be so awesome." Alfred was feeling triumphant and soon ran to the printer room.
After having it all ready, the phone returned and the photograph on paper, he went to the class waiting for the next break.
When the class was over, Arthur was met by several girls who came to him with fascinated smiles.
"You're so cute, Arthur!"
"You act all tough but inside you're a sweetheart!"
"Oh my God, I can't take it!" Some of the girls squealed.
He was confused, but flattered by the attention girls gave him.
But behind all those girls, was even more baffled Alfred.
"This wasn't supposed to go like this! At all!" he said to Francis and his friends, who also were marvelling the scene.
"This was unexpected, I must admit", Francis breathed. Was that tone envious?
"There is still a chance for you, Alfred. Go show that picture to him", Kiku said encouragingly. Instead of standing just there he decided to listen to the Japanese boy's wise words. Slowly he approached Arthur who was in the centre of a girl crowd, finally him noticing Alfred.
"What is it?" he asked, seemingly busy.
"Just thinking that you'd want to know what caused you to be 'cute'", Alfred smirked, challengingly. Suspecting the American having something really bad in his sleeve, Arthur took a reserved expression on his face. Dramatically Alfred took the paper from his pocket, straightening it and then turning the picture in front of the Brit's face.
"Does this look familiar to you?" Alfred asked in a chilly tone, satisfied of the startled look on the shorter one's face. Little by little but fast his face turned absolutely red from embarrassment. He snatched the picture from Alfred and angrily tore it in so little pieces that nobody could perceive anything of them.
"Who's the stalker now? How did you come to my room and take such pictures?" he was not playful anymore in his anger.
"Oh, it was no stalker who took that picture, I received it from a friend", Alfred coolly responded, smiling victoriously. Devastated, the Brit struck him hard to his right shoulder.
Alfred let out a surprised yelp, but when he got a grasp of the situation again, Arthur was far away speeding towards his friends.
"He shouldn't have gotten that angry about such thing", he muttered. In the end, the humiliation Arthur did to Alfred was much greater, since all the girls were swooning for the Brit right now. But Lord, he had temperament.
.
When the last packing was done, Arthur and his family put their luggage in the car. There were quite a lot of belongings, since they would spend a long time at the leased summer house.
"So, it will be the two of us in the backseat, Artie?" Alistair grinned as Arthur frowned and sat in the car. Soon, they were on the road, and Arthur had to listen to his parents arguing over radio channels the whole trip. Alistair listened to music, probably punk rock, as Arthur watched the landscape.
Two of his brothers were left home, his parents believing that they would behave nicely and not have a party every weekend. They had part-time jobs, so they were fine. Alistair didn't get one, or didn't bother trying, so their mother wanted him to come with Arthur. She wanted him to keep sure that Arthur didn't get in any trouble, being very overprotective of her favourite son. Alistair didn't mind, because the handsome bloke as he was, he had already planned to go to these crazy parties that were in the neighbouring huts. Arthur would have opposed, if Alistair wasn't the one who got him cigarette packs.
Just moments after they had arrived to the place, the luggage was spread around the house and everyone chose their rooms. It was peaceful and nice, some woods nearby and the beach could be seen from the window. It was only for people who lived in the huts, including the Kirkland family.
Maybe tomorrow I could go there. Now, I'm so tired that I'll just read a book and rest. Arthur arranged his clothes and took out seven books that he had planned to read. Just in case the books weren't enough, he had his phone.
I feel that even if I don't get to see my friends, this vacation will be fun if I want it to be. Now belt up, Kirkland, he smiled to himself, as he looked through the mirror that was hung on the wall.
Little did he know that Alfred Jones had just arrived in the neighbourhood, unaware of his archenemy in the next door.
Author: Thank you for reading!
I hope you enjoyed! I try to update regularly, and my target is to publish a new chapter at least once in two weeks. Updating time will be on weekends, because other days I'm busy. If everything goes according to my timetable, I might be able to update once in a week.
This is not set in any specific country, just to ease author's pain with different school systems and all. Because it is an international school, it can be anywhere, but I'm mostly thinking of a European land.