Chapter 1: Cookies and Playground Fights
"So uh, when do you think this shit is gonna kick in?" stammered Kyle against the steering wheel as he shoved a handful of Doritos in the general direction of his face. By now those magical pastries that Evan had cooked up for them were now working at full force, but he wasn't going to be the first of the two to accept defeat.
"Hey fucker I asked you a ques-"
"Shhhhhh, hold the fuck up dude", whispered Evan in a hushed tone as he pressed a finger to Kyle's lips to silence him. He had a solemn face on as he stared straight ahead, lacking his trademark smile. "Now don't get me wrong man, I know you were saying some fascinating shit just now but-"
"But what?"
"But before you say anything else I have some really important shit to say. Have you ever and I mean like ever, taken a good look at the back of my left hand?" exclaimed Evan as waved the back of his hand to Kyle's face, "You see that there? I just found a scar that I've never noticed before and it's kinda giving me mixed emotions man."
Kyle was confused about Evan's sudden infatuation with his left hand. There wasn't even a scar on the back of his hand, he was pretty sure Evan was just seeing things. There was no way Kyle was going to even spend remote amount of time having a conversation about an imaginary scar in the back of Evan's hand.
"That's not a scar on your hand dumbass", replied Kyle as he slapped Evan's hand away, "You were scribbling on your hand literally minutes ago and then forgot what you were even doing in the first place."
"Oooohhhh", let out Evan in realization. With one quick glance to each other the boys broke out laughing, slapping their laps as they gasped for air. Wiping away a couple of tears that sneaked up in Kyle, he sat in the car in complete bliss as he realized where they were supposed to already be.
"Hey don't you think it would be a good idea to possibly start heading to school by now? We've already hot boxed the car and ate those damn cookies you made."
"All in due time my friend; I just wanna look at that bird for a while", smiled Evan.
"Listen man, I just don't wanna push my luck you know? I have to be able to at least hold my pen right and make eye contact with Lexi while I try and copy her work", pressed on Kyle, "Not to mention we have to tell the others about that new game Skianet is just released, and I'm quite sure it'll be kinda hard to explain them the whole situation without sounding like fucking morons."
"Dang man chill out, you don't gotta be so damn anxious." replied Evan. That boy didn't give a care in the world, and if anyone was with him, chances are that they'll soon stop giving a shit as well. "If we're late then we're late, there won't be a single thing we'll be able to do about it." Kyle unknowingly stared at Evan while trying to figure out why he was so sure about himself. They were going to be late as hell; there was no doubt about it. Yet, there was something that made Kyle thought otherwise. Instead of getting to school on time they just sat there, watching, waiting.
"Hey man when are we leaving again?" babbled Evan.
"You were the one that said we had more than enough time", accused Kyle.
"Uh no, I never said that."
"Oh, shit."
Without a moment's hesitation Kyle retrieved the car keys from his sylladex and turned on the car's engine, making his way to school. Kyle was still pondering over how easily Evan trusted him with his car. "I just believe I can trust you man", he would say with a wide grin spread across his face. Evan had a knack for trusting people and somehow making the right choice by doing so.
"Hey Evan?"
"Yeah dude?"
"So uh you've mentioned that game to me a number of times already, but what exactly is that game you've been obsessing over even about? You haven't even played it, yet you've been getting so hyped over it", said Kyle
"I don't know much about it other than it was made by Skianet and that it's crucial that we play it. I was actually lucky enough to get a free copy", added Evan with unnecessary joy. Why was he so excited over how little information he obtained over a game he knew nothing about? Why was he so accepting of everything and never questioned a single thing in his life ever? The world may never know.
"If you already have your own copy then how come you haven't played it already and find out what's the deal with it? How did you even get a free copy?" exclaimed Kyle. Evan was his best bro, he really was, but he didn't understand half of the shit that went through his mind.
"Hey man no need to get hostile! The reason I haven't played it was because it's multiplayer game only. I needed more people to play with and Lexi said that the more people you play with the better so I was just waiting until the whole lot of us to get the copy", replied Evan.
"Sorry about that", apologized Kyle, "So it was Lexi who had given you the game? I didn't now she was into playing the video games?"
"Well she really isn't, but there was something about this game that seemed important to her so I thought what the hell. Besides she's pretty chill and I was curious about playing the game nonetheless." Soon after the conversation died out and nothing was said for the longest time. Not that it bothered either one of them. They were both too high to even give a shit about the silence; they just wanted to get to school already.
After another 10 minutes of mediocre driving, they both arrived at the school parking lot with more than enough time to spare. Getting out of the car was more than a challenge, considering how off the chart they both were. Kyle had to put on his favorite pair of shades if he wanted to make it inside the building without getting bombarded with the sudden intensity of the light.
"Do you think Lexi will let me copy her work without lecturing me this time? I wouldn't be able to stand another of her rants about how I'm so irresponsible and how I'm so lucky she doesn't give a shit or whatever. It's getting kind of tiring to be honest", whined Kyle. Never has he once in the school year done any of his physics assignments. After all, what was the point of doing them if Lexi was always going to come through with the work?
"Maybe if you did it on your own she wouldn't be lecturing you all the time."
"Whatever man, I'll just pester her to see if she's a willing participant today", replied Kyle.
- prosperousCaballero [PC] began pestering astroVisionary [AV] at 8:36 am -
PC: yo lexi
PC: hey lex answer will ya
PC: goddamn it
AV: What is it now?
PC: good you answered I need a favor
AV: This has to do the physics assignment doesn't it?
PC: actually yea it kinda does
AV: Well that's just too bad because I chose not to do it this time. I have better things to do than to dwell in the matters of elastic forces.
PC: fuck
AV: Has Evan talked to you about Sburb yet?
PC: is that the game you want us to play so bad
AV: Yes, yes it is. It's really important you play it with the seven of us.
PC: seven of us? Who the fuck else is playin
AV: That's not important right now. I gave Abby 3 copies of the game. One of those copies is yours too keep.
PC: holy fuck why are you giving us free games all a sudden
AV: Please don't ask questions concerning my intentions with this game.
PC: alright fuck
AV: Very well then, I'll see you in class :)
- astroVisionary [AV] ceased pestering prosperousCaballero [PC] at 8:43am –
"Well that was a huge waste of time. She didn't do the fucking work and now Mrs. Park will have my head." complained Kyle. Evan couldn't help but to laugh at him and his misfortune.
"What's so fucking funny?" demanded Kyle in a failed attempt. Evan's laughter was so contagious that he couldn't help but to laugh along with him.
"Hey guys!" called out a meek voice from across the parking lot. Abby was heading towards them with what seemed as concern plastered all across her face. Both Evan and Kyle were waiting for the other half of Abby to appear out of nowhere like she was best known for, but she was nowhere to be seen.
"I'm so glad I found you guys", Abby said. Abby was one of Evan's childhood friends that he met in his 3rd grade class. She was so meek and mild as a child that she was often a victim of the other children's bullying. For the longest time he was her only friend and emotional support until she had met her other half, Eryn. Eryn and Abby's personalities opposed each other's in any way possible. Abby was a sweetheart, and soft-spoken while Eryn was assertive and harsh spoken. Their friendship made no sense to others whatsoever.
"What's going on?" asked Kyle with concern in his voice.
"Have you guys seen Eryn anywhere? She was with me when I was putting some things away in her car and when I turned around she was gone. I really hope she hasn't put herself in trouble, again.
"Well what do you think she did now?" asked Evan in return. There was no point in questioning why she taught Eryn was in trouble. Eryn was notorious for getting into fights with others or constantly arguing with teachers. Her getting into trouble was no surprise to them at all.
"Uh well, one of the seniors pushed me aside because I was walking to slow which caused me to fall and drop everything I had. Eryn confronted him but I managed to lure her away into her car and allow her to let off some stream, but I guess she sneaked away from me when I was looking away and… well I think she wants to punch that senior in the throat."
"Well that's great, serves the asshole right. I'm sure Eryn can take care of herself" confided Kyle. The relationship between him and Eryn was extremely tense, and she never missed a chance to insult him in the most horrendous way possible, but he still considered her a friend. A really fucked up friend.
"It's not that I'm worried about her taking care of herself its-", Abby tried to explain as she was interrupted. From across the lot and into the courtyard there was a herd of people attracted to two figures like a swarm of flies, one of those figures closely resembling Eryn.
"Hey asshole this is the last fucking time I'm going to ask you. Are you or are you not going to fucking apologize to her?"
"I don't know what your fucking problem is, but I'm not going to apologize to that dumb bitch. She had it coming when she was just walking there being useless. I'm a busy man dammit."
"How dare you have the audacity to talk about her that way?"
"Oh whatever just piss off."
The ferocity in Eryn's eyes was unfathomable. In was one thing to insult her and try to get away with it, but it was a whole different thing when they dared to even speak ill of Abby. With one quick swing Eryn managed to sock the senior on his jaw. He was just as surprised as everyone else around them that she was fast enough to catch him with his guard down. But now that the element of surprise was no longer on her side she was unsure of what to do next. At first she didn't think she would actually pull through with the punch but now that it was done there was nothing much else she could do. "Oh fuck it", she whispered to herself as a sly smile crept up on her lips.
Without a moment's thought she leaped towards him, managing to take him down with her as they plummeted to the ground. Landing on top of him gave her an advantage. One after another, furious fists pounded the flesh of the senior on the ground whom at the time was only able to fend off the punches directed at his face. After no more than 30 seconds Kyle and Evan had managed to push through the crowd and remove the threat from the seniors now bloodied up face.
"Jesus fucking Christ Eryn what the fuck are you doing!" shouted Kyle over the sound of yapping high schoolers.
"None of your goddamn business that's what. Get your hands off me", barked Eryn.
"Come on let's get out of here, I don't want to be around when any of the teachers come around to ask who did this", exclaimed Eryn as she took off inside. Following right behind her were Evan and Kyle, who were still processing the whole incident, with Abby right behind them. After making their way into the cafeteria and finding a secluded table, they all sat down as no one spoke to each other. Every other second Abby would shoot Eryn a worried look, having the intention to ask her why she did that, but she knew she would come up with an excuse to avoid answering, so she didn't even bother.
"Are you assholes just going to sit there or are you going to say something?" hissed Eryn to the other three. Evan and Kyle were still in shock after the incident, and their hazed minds weren't doing much at helping them out either. Neither one of them wanted to say something that would piss her off, but keeping quiet would also make her mad so there was no way they weren't getting out of this one unless someone came up with something quick.
"Oh Kyle, I just remembered that Lexi asked me to give you this", chirped Abby as she handed Kyle two disks with the Skia logo on them, "This is Sburb, Lexi wanted the eight of us to have our own copy of the game. I'm not entirely sure why she wanted all of us to play it, but it seems innocent enough and also kind of fun."
Kyle stared at the discs on the table and worked up all his strength to create a coherent sentence. "Uh, thanks Abby… I uh, appreciate it, yeah. Hey uh that reminds me, Eryn do you already have the game?"
"Are you kidding me? Of course I do I had Leon order copies for Kate and myself a while ago, so they should arrive any day now", she replied venomously.
The sudden remark prevented Kyle from speaking any further and Evan couldn't find a way to bring back the conversation without sounding like a complete asshat.
"Well you guys are boring as dicks, I'm out of here", announced Eryn. Rapidly after her was Abby, already knowing what Eryn was thinking of doing.
"Eryn where are you going?" asked Abby.
"I don't know, away? I'm really not in the mood to put with self-pitying teachers who blame us for running their lives."
"Wait let me go with you."
"Abby no, you can't skip class"
"Why not? You do it all the time and go off and do your thing while I stay here and worry sick for you because I'm not sure whether you're just at home playing Smash Brothers or getting yourself arrested because you wrote fuck the police on a cop's car"
"Okay that was only once and that cop gave me a dirty look so he had it coming. It's not like I'm planning to bash somebody's face in again, I just wanna drive around you know? You have to stay here and fill that little noggin of yours with more knowledge", she said as she tapped Abby's forehead with her index finger. Abby had a sour face on as if she couldn't believe she would just leave her here after what had just happened. What was Eryn's problem? All she ever did was leave while nobody was looking and sneak up on other people and brush off situations as if nothing ever fucking happened. She knew that if she wanted to convince Eryn to take her with her, shed have to come up with a believable excuse.
"Listen Eryn, you perfectly know well just as much as I do that skipping class is not the most brightest thing to do, but it's fun exciting and its definitely not something my mother would approve of and -", pleaded Abby as she was interrupted by a single wave of Eryn's hand.
"All you had to say was that your mother didn't approve and I would've been sold. Now come on let's go, but only this once okay? Hey Kyle, if anyone asks where we are, just try to bore them to death with your self-involving stories so that they regret even asking you, alright?" taunted Eryn as she was leaving the cafeteria with Abby just ahead of her.
As the girls walked away, the boys sat there, stunned in silence.
"Looks like she still holds a grudge towards you", pointed out Evan, "What exactly did you do to her that made her loathe you so much?"
"I wished I fucking knew."