SO I know I have another, story that hasn't been updated in forever, but I had this swimming around my head since the last paily week. Punk Rock is something I understand, love, and live every single day. So, enjoy! Any comments, reviews, and suggestions are welcomed! Thanks -SGB
'I guess you could say that I am a bit of an oddball. You couldn't guess by looking at me, that I was a member of the swim team, honor student, and the eldest daughter of a pastor in our small town. I guess that the tight skinny jeans, dead Kennedy t shirt and leather motorcycle jacket hid my A+ material, as my father constantly called it. But you know what...fuck it. I like it; I could be like Jackson over there.' I wrote as I look over at Jack, as he lit a cigarette and ran a hand through his dark green Mohawk. 'At least I don't smoke, or have any piercings. If Pastor Nick knew about the three tattoos already covering my body, he would be beyond pissed. Though most wouldn't guess that punk rock Jack over there had an IQ of 145 and a full ride to any Ivy League school of his choosing. Books...sometimes tattered covers carry precious material.' I continued as Jack stood and stared down at me.
"Sup Shakespeare?" Jack asked as he smoked. He always had a smile on his face, even in the worst of moods, Jackson would be smiling. I suppose I should explain my friendship with this "hooligan", Jackson Mendez. He moved here with his adoptive parents in our freshman year. He didn't always look like this either. He was a scrawny, shy nerd, who just wanted to get through high school as quickly as possible. I had just moved from Scranton, no friends and already working hard training for swimming and track. We were lab partners. One night, while we were studying, his older brother started a punk band, and was practicing with them in their garage. They sucked, but the music they played while they were hanging out later that night hit both of us like a strike of lightening. The Ramones changed everything for me. And as Jackson and I delved deeper into the genre, we both became bitter, tired of the bullying, jaded due to the way both of us were treated for being new, smart, and dedicated to our goals. Our wardrobe changed, along with our attitudes, and we went from shy and quiet to outspoken, and in the case of my mohawked friend, a bit of a fighter. This fuck has taken about 4 punches for me in the last year alone, and he always goes back for more. Once he started working out with me, he filled out, he bulked up and gain a fuck ton of muscle over the last year and I don't think Ben, Noel, and the rest of them really expected that scrawny Mendez would be the asshole who'd fight back. He's totally the Martian Manhunter to my Batman.
"Not much, though I don't think the same is going for you." I said as Jack shrugged.
"Lab partners were assigned in chem. Guess who was partnered with Hasty." Jack said as he smirked, and sat next to me. I cringed as he laughed heartily and nodded as he pulled out his notebook and showed him the numbers hastily written at the top. To my surprise, at the top of the page was Spencer Hasting's number, with a small stern note following it, warning Jack about doing the work assigned to them.
"Well look at that, I already know the headline for the school paper next week" Mendez, kicked repeatedly in the balls by Hastings." I said as Jack rolled his eyes and leaned back. His relaxed demeanor faded as he caught sight of the blonde female heading in our direction. Alison DeLaurentis. Fuck. Me. I gathered up my bag and watched as Jackson snuffed out his smoke, and grabbed him bag.
"Well if it isn't pigskin, and the orphan. Hiding from the world. "Too late' she stood right before us, with her smug smile and arms crossed. Jackson ran a hand through his hawk, before backing away from her.
"Look...just not today Allison." I said quietly, as Jackson grabbed my arm, and pulled me away from the blonde. She laughed cruelly as I Stopped Jackson, and stood my ground against her.
"The orphan gonna cry about how his druggie parents abandoned him again? Boo fucking hoo, my coke whore mother and pimp father gave me up to strangers with money. I'm gonna dye my hair and be all fucking punk rock, and say fuck you to the man when I really want to say is...I'm a sad pathetic little cry baby.. No amount of leather and patches can change that, huh crybaby?" Alison said as Jack kept pulling me away from her. She went too far this time. I tried to get to her, but Jack's grip was strong, and he was focused. "And what are you going to do about it, pigskin? Let me guess, you're gonna cut your thighs up? Because little ol' me? I suppose I should feel flattered...but I'm not a fucking dyke." That was it. I pulled my arm away from Jackson's grip, but he is strong and fast. He pulled me into a tight hug, and blocked my view of her. No escaping. I just relented and pulled away, walking away from her. Not long after, he caught up to me and was the buffer between me and Alison.
"Just ignore her Paige. Let's just go to the stupid cafeteria." Jackson said, as I watched her scoff and leaves the spot we once occupied. I huffed and followed Jackson out towards the cafeteria. I sighed deeply as Jackson relit his cigarette and followed the brooding girl ahead of him.
"Why does she always have to fucking push and push and push those fucking buttons?" I asked as Jackson shrugged and just smoked.
"Look, if you give into her, she fucking wins. 8 months, Paige. That's it. 8 months and we are UPenn bound. With a two bedroom room in west Philly, away from these fuckers. UPenn man, in a punk rock neighborhood, where we can be and do whoever we want." Jackson said as I smiled and nodded, and opened the door for cafeteria doors. The Rosewood High School cafeteria. The epicenter of our high school existence. It was very much like mean girls, except Jackson and I were always outside. Let's see, in the corner were the anime nerds, next to them, the marching banders and choir nerds. Across the room, the jocks, segregated into their various team sports. Sometimes I get summoned the swim team table for random meetings, but usually I stick to the table near the center, where we were classified as the "others". We sat down across from the only other person who would sit near mus. Toby Cavanaugh sat quietly, before looking up and smiling.
"What brings punk rock Jackson and Punky Paige Brewster over to this side for the island?" Toby asked as Jackson shook his hand and pulled up his chair. Toby got the brunt of Alison's torture, but we never knew why. All we knew about Toby's home life was that his stepsister was Jenna Marshall, and her eagle eyes were constantly cast in our direction when we were together.
"We wanted to feast with the rest of the island, maybe get away from certain scenery." Jackson said as I rolled my eyes.
"What the man in black here is saying is that Alison started into him about his parents again. It was better to get away from her than deal with her shit. Besides she's in chem with me next, and if Romero is assigning partners, I have to pray to her lord Satan to hopefully right a wrong." I joked, Jackson laughed heartily, and continued chatting with the usually silent Toby. My eyes scanned the tables, and they landed on Alison again as she sat in the table dead center. It was senior lunch, and that table housed the Queen Bitch and her court...the wannabe queen Hanna Marin, the pretty-artisty-whatever girl Aria Montgomery, the do it all, know it all bitch Spencer Hastings and...
"Hey Paige..." I heard and looked up, and saw her. Emily Fields. The last piece of Alison group of friends. If I could describe an enigma in human form, I would be describing Emily fucking Fields. My teammate on the swim team, and the one person I've liked since moving here, 4 fucking years ago. I've always kept her at an arm's length, just so she couldn't see it. My buddies here knew all about it, even if it is unspoken between us, and even though I've managed to keep my own distance from her, she always finds her way back here, in my personal space, trying to get in.
"Oh hey. Welcome to our part of the island, Miss Fields." Jackson said as I shook from my stare, and relaxed back in my chair. I chuckled as Toby instantly quieted, putting on his brooding face, as Jackson kicked up his military boots and smiled at Emily. She gave a kind smile, before looking at his boots. What can we do for you today, Miss Fields?" Jackson asked as I began to gather my things, trying to get away from her as fast as I possibly could. She turned fully towards him as he leaned back and kicked his boots up onto the lunch table, letting Emily get a full look.
"Army issued? My dad has a near identical pair, Jackson." Emily said as he shrugged and nodded. "You're such an asshole, Jackson." Emily said as he smiled and laughed heartedly, before she turned back to me and continued "Team meeting? After the lunch bell rings Coach wants to announce captain candidates. Since there are three, four-year seniors this year, you being one of them, means you're in the running." Emily said as Jack and Toby stood, knowing full well when it came to swimming...swimming trumped everything else. I bid them goodbye and turned back to Emily. I grabbed my medic bag and stood, following her out towards the natorium.
XxxxxX
After a long meeting, I stayed behind, and watched my teammates filter out into the hallway. I had my free period and I could use the swim. I returned to the locker room and began changing into my suit, when the sound of the door opening brought my head out of the locker and face to face with one Emily Fields. I smiled and continued to change.
"You know I don't get you guys." Emily said honestly as she opened her own locker.
"Excuse me?" I asked as I pulled my shirt over my head, before turning away from her.
"You, Toby, Jackson...no one really know anything about you guys." Emily continued.
"What's to know, Emily. We keep to ourselves. I have eight months left here before I graduate and head the fuck out of this town." I said as she pulled out her own bathing suit, and began changing. This was every single day, she gets changed, and I have to endure it, even though all I want is to look. Not here, not with our teammates around to make comments. I looked away and started dressing myself. "Only to be a lost memory to you popular, cookie cutter molds of each other." I said as I pulled my suit up, grabbing my goggles, and my towel.
"We aren't cookie cutter molds of the same person. I'm not Alison." Emily said as she watched me walk towards the door.
"Yeah right, and me and my friends aren't all freaks and Assholes like Alison says. Or what is it that she calls me...Pigskin." I said as I saluted her, and quickly left. I shake off her gaze, and jumped up on the board. Before Emily came out of the locker room, I was in the water. The cold shock overtook me as I swam away, and just kept going. Trying to forget this day again. This day and every fucking day. God damn it...it's only fucking Monday.
