A/N: Strong Language, Disturbing Language, Adult scenes. Borrowing the character Neil from the film "Mysterious Skin"
Today class, you're assignment will be on one of the "Forbidden vocations of a capitalistic society. I want it in by Monday" The teacher said.
"Forbidden vocation? Does Mr Munoz mean like…..deep sea diving? Matt asked.
"Or like, the FBI, they're pretty secret" Steve said.
"Or…..the IT guy's in school?" Andrew said.
"But we see those guys everywhere" Steve said.
"How can the IT computer guys be secret? We see them everyday Andrew? God you're a dumbass" Matt said.
They walked down the corridor to get lunch. At home, Andrew was Determined to impress his cousin and Steve. Andrew looked up "Forbidden vocations" on the net, but got jobs like Marines in submarines, and illegal surgeons and superheroes. Andrew and his friends might have had superpowers, but that didn't make them heroes.
It could make Matt and Steve one. But Andrew could never pull that off. He wasn't as strong as they were.
"Andrew, get the fuck down here now!" His Dad shouted. Slowly closing his laptop Andrew waited. He didn't want to go downstairs. Sometimes if he was lucky his Dad would leave him alone.
Tonight wasn't one of those nights.
"Andrew! Jesus…..don't make me come up there" Andrew's Dad shouted. Reluctantly Andrew went down the stairs and met his Dad in the kitchen.
"What the fuck is this?" His Dad asked. Holding the plate up.
"A plate?" Andrew said.
"It's a dirty plate. It's your fucking dirty plate Andrew. Do you think I'm fucking room service? Do you!" His Dad shouted. Andrew tried to take the plate away from his Dad, but his Dad pushed him away.
"Well, well, well…..look at that Andrew. There's no more washing up liquid" Andrew's Dad said grabbing the washing up liquid bottle and throwing it at Andrew's head. Andrew stepped back as the bottle hit his head. It didn't hurt, but he pretended it had.
Maybe his Dad would give him a break.
"I want you out" His Dad said. Andrew looked up at him in shock.
"Use your own fucking money and buy the stuff to wash up" His Dad said. "Okay" Andrew said with a shrug. He went upstairs to get his rucksack. He got it and crept downstairs and out the house. It was dark, but Andrew didn't mind, out on his own sometimes he would use his powers, but there were too many people around. He went to the store and came back with the cheapest washing up liquid. He didn't have much money on him. He went back to his Dad and knocked on the door.
"Got it?" His Dad asked. He opened the door and snatched the washing up Liquid out of his son's hand.
Andrew tried to get in, but his Dad was blocking his way.
"No, I just want some peace for a while. The plate will still be here. Hang around with one of your friends…..if you've got any" Andrew's Dad Richard said shutting the door. Andrew couldn't risk shouting and waking his Mom. He walked around, looking at the lamp-post trying to make the glass break. He was distracted by a can speeding across the floor. Andrew looked up to see some kid getting off the ground. He was about to walk away when he saw the blood.
Knowing what it was like to have a nosebleed, Andrew walked over to the guy to see how this guy was.
"Are you okay?" Andrew asked.
"Yeah" The guy lied struggling to get up. He looked a little older than Andrew, but he was still a kid. Andrew used his power to steady him and slowly the guy got to his feet. Blood oozed from the guys nose and he wiped it with his shirt. He looked around began slowly walking on the street.
"Do you…..know where you are?" Andrew asked. The guy shrugged.
"I don't have enough money…..to take you to the hospital" Andrew said. "But….I've got an idea" Andrew said. He took the guy back to his school and used his powers to open the locks. The guy followed Andrew into the nearest office where Andrew found the First Aid box. They guy followed him in and sat on a chair.
"It's here….here you go" Andrew said opening the box. The guy had bloody fingerprints, and Andrew turned the box away towards him and picked up the plasters. The guy took one, went out of the room and a few seconds later came back in again.
"So….a school….kinky…huh?" The guy said.
"ummm…no" Andrew said. "Look I haven't got much money but….."
"It's okay, I'll charge you half price" The guy said.
"Huh?" Andrew asked he looked through his rucksack. He pulled out twenty dollars. The guy put it in his pocket, and said: "Do you wanna stand up for this?" Andrew curiously stood up. The guy stood in front of Andrew and crouched down trying to undo Andrew's trousers. Andrew pushed the guy's hands away.
"What…..what are you doing?" Andrew asked.
"Trying to do what I'm paid for. I mean you got me all alone for this right?" The guy asked.
"For what?" Andrew asked looking at the First Aid box.
"Don't play dumb…..how do you like it? Usually I don't fuck for twenty…..but you did help me out" The guy said. Andrew stood still in silence while trying to figure out this guy's words. So this guy got paid to "fuck" wasn't that a "Forbidden vocation?" Andrew could get top marks in school if he made the right decision.
"What's your name?" Andrew said. "I'm just…..curious"
"For an extra twenty dollars…..I'll tell you" The guy said.
"Look…..I don't want to…..you know…..with you. No offense" Andrew said.
"Okay….well….thanks for the First Aid" The guy said beginning to walk out.
"Wait" Andrew said following him. The guy stopped.
"I've got a Special assignment…I want you in it" Andrew said.
"What is it? A school boy orgy on the tables?" The guy asked.
"I don't know what that is…..but it's real homework…I wanna ask you questions about your job. I'll pay you" Andrew said.
"I'll think about it. See you around" The guy said. The guy walked out and Andrew put the First Aid kit back and re-locked the school gates. When he got back to his house, he was able to put the lock in door. He thought that his Dad would be waiting on the other side of the door, ready to give him hell…..and worse. But his Dad was passed out drunk on the sofa.
Andrew had never been so relieved to see his Dad drunk. He went to his mother's room to check on her.
He wondered what she would think if he told her who he'd met today.
Andrew's Mom always liked helping people, but now she was bed-bound, no-one could protect Andrew from his Dad.