Road To Acceptance

Summary: Dil has just moved to a new town and finds it hard to fit in. That is until he meets Phil, will he accept him or not. And where is Tommy? One-shot!

Disclaimer: I own nothing, although I wish I did...

Warning: Contains some slash

A/N: This story was inspired by Green Day's Road To Acceptance, which can be found on their 1,039/smoothed Out Slappy Hours c.d. Looks who is back! Yes yes I know I should be working on the other story. Never fear it shall be here soon enough, plus it's summer break so yeah! I passed english! Anyways onto the story! Oh and please no flames. I will warn again this has slash!

'I always waste my time
Just wondering
What the next man thinks
of me'
- Green Day 'Road to Acceptance'

Slowly entering the crowded room, all eyes land on me. I see people give me disgusted looks and stares. Turning toward the teacher, I hand him my schedule. He looks at me, giving me a look like I was diseased.

I look down at my clothes; black bondage pants, that are so baggy that they cover my black vans. My black System of A Down shirt hanging loosely, as my many necklaces rest on it. The black, spiked choker my brother gave to me squeezes my neck slightly. The teacher hands me back the schedule and glares at my studded bracelet. I head toward the back of the room, hoping to get away from all the stares.

People's eyes following my everymove, and I can't help but wonder what they thing of me. Frowning slightly, I look down at my desk. The stares I receive still linger in my head.

"What did I do wrong?" I ask myself quietly. "Why do they hate me so much?"

It was second period and it ended up being just like first. I was gaped at and some even gibed at me. People are still staring and I'm starting to get annoyed. I glare at them all, as anger rushes to my eyes. A lot of them look away, but some still look at me with a virulent stare. I look them straight in the eye, daring them to say something. I feel indomitable as they look away and mumble something about Goths and freaks. My diffident mood vanished and my confidence back as I finish out this class.

The bell rings breaking the tension and the class disperses. I walk down the hall looking for my next class, science. Frowning slightly as the classroom numbers go by. Finally I reach the class, dreading it.
When I open the door I notice two things; one, there are only eight people in the class and two, there is a really hot guy in the back.

He had on black bondage pants, similar to mine, except his had chains instead of cloth straps. His black shirt unkempt as it hung loosely, and full of hoes. He had on one studded bracelet and one single silver ball chain. His black hair falling just above his shoulder and he had the clearest blue eyes I've ever seen.

Pulling myself out of the trance I walk slowly and warily to the teacher. Smiling slightly she takes my schedule and looks it over. Handing it back to me, she tells me to go sit next to the hot guy. I sit in the seat next to him, tentatively.

"Class this is Dil Pickles," the teacher says. "He just move here from Vegas."

Whispers break out among a small group of people. They are speaking harsh words and in harsh tones, just like the people in my last two classes. My head hits the table in an attempt to block the voices out.

"Hi Dil, name's Phil," the guy next to me greets in a callous voice.

"Hi Phil," I reply trying not to sound nervous.

"S.O.A.D huh?" he asks.

"Yeah, pretty cool band," I reply trying to sound nonchalant, but failing.

"So how has the bastards at the school been treating you?" he asks.

"Peachy, just peachy."

"I'll introduce you to the others, by the way are you related to Angelica?"

"Yeah, she's my cousin."

"Don't you have a brother, uh... Tommy?"

"I did, but he-isn't here anymore," I whisper as dreaded memories appear in my head.

"What do you mean did?"

"Nevermind, I don't really like to talk about it," I mumble.

"Sorry," he says.

We fall into an arkward silence as the rest of the class goes by. The teacher sitting at the computer desk doing whatever. finally the bell rings and I head off to my Acting class. I get treated the same way as any other class.

The minutes seem to slow down as it nears lunch, and I'm getting more jumpy. Finally the bell rings and I head off to the lunch room. Well what I thought was the way. After minutes of mindless roaming, I find my way.

"Now I have to find..." I say to myself but get cut off as I find myself face to face with the floor.

"Well looky here, another gothic freak for us to pick on," the football captain exclaimed, grinning madly.

Swiftly I pull myself to my feet and walk away. Their taunting laughter finds its way to my ears. Then angry voices drift over to me and I look back. there he is glaring at the football player and telling him off.

"You fuckin' bitch," the football player said. "Don't tell me what to fuckin' do!"

"Just leave him alone, there are plenty of other people to torture!"

"Fuck off, before I decide to beat the-what?"

"Leave him," a girl that looked almost like Phil said in a pleading voice.

"You're lucky freak," he said.

"Whatever," Phil said walking towards me.

"Thanks," I mumble s he leads me to the back tables.

"No prob, the others aren't here yet. They have lunch detention," he said grinning.

"OK."

We sit there in a silence, not knowing what to say. The noise around us, scattered and I pick up on a few conversations, not really caring about them.

"Are you hungry?" he asks.

"What?" I ask being pulled from my thoughts.

"You hungry?" came the repeated question.

"Not really," I reply, truthfully I was starving, but he didn't have to know that.

"Alright, I'ma go get some food, you sure you're not hungry?"

"Yeah, I'll stay here."

"Ok," he said getting up and leaving.

Sighing deeply, I watch him walk up to the line. He stands out, bright colors surround him. Like the only black rose on a vine of a red rose bush.

"Damn Dil, you're starting to sound really corny," I tell myself.

Suddenly I feel a pair of eyes on me. turning slightly, I see my cousin. She's dressed in tight blue jeans that show of her hips and a tight baby tee. It's a baby blue color with 'Hottie' written across the chest. Her light blue eyes burning with disgust and her golden blond hair laying softly on her shoulder. You would never be able to guess under this nice guise is a cold person.

"Dil?" she asks, coldly.

"Yes?" I reply.

"Where's your brother?" she asks taunting.

"Where do you think?" I ask as the anger boils up.

"You know its your fault he's gone."

"No its not," I reply, glaring.

"Face it freak, you're the cause of him leaving. He couldn't stand having a freak as a brother. Face it Dil, he hated you," she said sneering and laughing evilly.

"Shut up! Tommy and I were close, he is the one that-well- if he did hate me he would have" I stuttered as realization hit me.

"You know its your fault; he left because of you, freak."

Shaking I get to my feet and rush out into the sunlight. Not many people are out here and it is really quiet. Sitter under a tree, I try to clear my head. Thinking back hurts me as I realize that Tommy and I were close-on a surface relationship.

I feel my chest tighten as I think back. the area grew darker and suddenly I felt as if I couldn't breathe. The air was settling around me; drowning me.

"Tommy why did you leave?" I whisper to no one. "Was it because of me?"

Tears rush to my eyes, as I fight them back. the emotion is taking over me, I can't believe it, I'm the reason for my brother leaving-its my fault.

More tears rush to my eyes, as I head toward a secluded area. There were to many people around the tree. Sliding down the wall behind the school I grab a notebook; full of thoughts, poems, and a few quotes. I take a pen and write my thoughts down. 'I can't believe its my fault.' 'Why did you leave me?' 'Why can't I just go home.' 'What's the point of living?! Especially since I'm hated.' The bell rings pulling me from thoughts and I put my thoughts and I head toward my next class, poetry. I find the room pretty easily and the teacher seems nice. I sit in the back and listen to the lesson, free writing poetry. A few kids read poems they had wrote, which were really good. The class goes by fast, and I'm reluctant to go, it's the only class that I haven't been treated like shit.

My next class is a double period, 130 minutes in this class, math. The teacher was pretty cool and let me sit anywhere I wanted to. Phil is in the class so I sat next to him. Toward the end of class the teach, Mr. T let us talk quietly to each other. Phil turned toward me and asked where I went off to during lunch.

"I had to get away," I told him frowning.

"What happened?" he asked concerned.

"Things," I reply, not wanting to open up. 'Why do you care?'

"Look I know we just met and all, but we're friends right?"

"Yeah."

"As a friend I'm asking you to open up and tell me what happened."

"Come over after school and I'll tell you," I respond before I could stop the words. 'SHIT!'

"Yeah alright, where do you-" he starts but gets cut off as the bell rings.

We both walk out to the buses and he asks again.

"I don't know that name of the street. I ride bus ten though," I say.

"No shit? Me too, along with my friends, you can finally meet them!"

"Cool," I say forcing a smile. 'What if they don't like me?'

"Don't worry, they aren't like the bastards here," he says somehow knowing my fear.

"Yeah, alright," I say blushing slightly. 'How did he know what I was thinking?'

Silence once again falls over us and I steal a few glances at him. the sun beating down on him, shadows forming on his face, giving him a darker look. The silk looking strands of his black hair had a tint of blue, and I'm pretty sure he dyes it. Looking down as he looks up, I hope he didn't catch me staring.

'Shit he must have felt my eyes.'

Suddenly the bus pulls up, Phil and I attempt to find a seat toward the middle. No luck as we are forced to the back. me on the inside, by the window. Two other kids walk over to us, one boy, and one girl. The boy had flaming red hair, streaked with black. His blue jeans semi baggy and had a black KoRn shirt on. His eyes held a questioning glint, which made his blue eyes a little darker. The girl next to him had a darker complexion. She looked Asian and had dark black hair that reached her middle back. Her black pants tight and had on a plain red shirt. She wore no make-up, which she didn't need. She had a natural beauty to her. Like the red head her deep brown eyes held question.

The two of them sat in front of Phil and me. They turned in their seat and smiled kindly at us.

"Hi, I'm Chuckie and this is my sister Kimi," he greeted friendly, no weird looks or harsh tones.

"Hi, I'm Dil."

"Are you the one that moved into the house next to us?" Phil asks.

"Where do you-" I start to ask but the jerk of the bus interrupts me.

"Well nevermind we'll find out," he said smiling.

We fall into a nice conversation about the area. They are telling me about the things to do and places to eat. Where to go for alone time, and what area's are full of bastards. In return I told them about Vegas and what I used to do. After about ten minutes we got to my stop, which ended up being their stop to.

"Alright guys I'll hit you up later," Phil said as we head toward my house.

I feel kinda bad because I didn't invite them, but I know it would be hard enough to tell Phil. Sighing deeply, we enter my house. My parents are gone, on another search for my brother. I lead him up to my room.

The walls are stark expect for the brown boxes that line them. My twin size bed sits in the middle and my dresser by the window. Throwing our bags on the floor we settle down on the carpet.

"Nice room, very plain," he comments in a joking manner.

"Yeah I know," I reply.

My numerous poster still in the boxes, along with all my other stuff. Moving really does blow, especially with out Tommy.

"I'll help you unpack if you want," he offers.

"Sure, later thought long day," I say thankful for the help and him staying longer.

"So, I don't want to seem pushy, but what happened at lunch?"

"Remember I told you how I once had a brother?" I say after a brief silence.

He nods and I continue. "Well my 'lovable' cousin decided to have fun. I've always blamed myself for his leaving-"

"Leaving?"

"Er-he ran away six months ago. Anyways we had always been close and like one day he came to me and was like 'I can't live like this.' I asked him what he meant, but he didn't answer. He just handed me a box, which had the choker I am wearing, and left. I couldn't have stopped him, maybe if I wasn't such a freak he would have left me-alone." I say as tears rush to my eyes for what seems like the hundredth time.

"I'm sure it wasn't your fault. Look your cousin is a bitch, she must've known what she said would have gotten to you."

"You know understand, what she said was true. Tommy and I were complete opposites, he was football captain, everyone loved him. Where as I was the little freak, who was ignored. No one picked on me; because of Tommy. He kept them in check. Maybe if I wasn't such a freak he would have had that pressure and maybe he wouldn't have left. Maybe we would have been closer, and maybe he wouldn't have been so ashamed." I tell him as the tears fell down my face as I hastily wipe them away.

Warmth fills my body as he pulls me into a hug. I grasp onto him for dear life; as I cry and cry. He keeps telling me that it wasn't my fault, but I don't believe him. How could I when I'm nothing but a little weak gothic freak. Someone who doesn't deserve friends, or life. I try to pull away for him, but he just holds harder until I finally give in.

The tears soon stop falling and I look up at him, blushing. He smiles at me and tells me it's OK. Both of us get up and decide to unpack my room. After a few hours of unpacking and hanging up poster we take a break. We sit on my bed, and I look over my room grinning at it now. My posters of metal, punk, Goth, emo, and many other rock bands hang on the walls. My dresser now full of the swords, knifes, daggers and other things I collect. The one looks like the one I left behind, but it feels different.

Phil leaves and tells me he would catch me later. That night I la in my bed and think about him, finding it hard to get to sleep. It is about one before I finally fall into a fitful sleep. The next day was just as bad as the first, but now I have friends to suffer with.

Months pass and Phil and I grow closer. My parents and I are still searching for my brother. It is about five in the morning when my cell starts to rind. Groaning, I crawl out of my warm, comfortable bed and answer it.

"Hello?" I ask sleepily.

"Dil?" a familiar voice came through.

"Oh shit, is it rea-really y-you?" I ask hoping this isn't some sick joke.

"Yes Dil its Tommy," the voice says.

"Oh god, T, where are you? Why did you go? Why did you leave me here alone?" I ask choking back tears.

"I had to get away, the pressure, the stress."

"I'm sorry T," I say still fighting tears of joy, and tears of guilt.

"For what?" he asks concerned. "Oh god Dil you don't blame yourself do you?"

"I do, I'm a freak."

"You're not a freak."

"Yes I a, that's why you left, because I was a little freak. Everyone hated me and you had to stand up for me daily."

"Don't say that, I didn't leave because of you. I left because I had to get away from it all.

D, it was me being something I'm not. Man I wish I was like you; you didn't care what others thought of you. Me, I was scared that if I did something wrong I would lose my 'friends.'"

"T, you left and I've blamed myself everyday. I still blame myself," I say finally letting the tears go. "Are you ever coming back? Are you ever coming home?"

"I don't know D. I don't even know where you guys are anymore."

"T, we moved you can start a new life. You can finally be yourself, there are really nice people here, please come home," I plead.

"I might, give me a week to think about it."

"Alright, but atleast visit, mom and dad are so worried. We have held multiple searches for you."

"Tell them I'm safe and I'll think about coming home. I'll call Monday, that's two days from now with my answer, OK?"

"Yeah, alright, but T I gotta get some sleep, I'm going out tomorrow-well this morning."

"With who?"

"A few friends, you would love them. You know Angie blamed me for your leaving. I still blame myself."

"Don't and I'll talk to you later bro."

"Bye T, I miss you and love you bro."

"Love you too, Dil," he said hanging up the phone.

Suddenly I feel warmth on my cheeks, fresh tears are falling. Just then I realize how much I actually miss my brother. The only one that has never judged me and never hated me. Crawling to my bed I fall into another fitful sleep.

The next morning is hell as I wake up. I shower and dress in full black, like always. I look in the mirror and I see dead, blood-shot eyes. A pale sullen face, and I feel the need to help this person; that is until I notice its myself. Gasping I look away and hurry over to Phil's house. He knows how to comfort me, make me smile.

Knocking on the door, I silently hope Phil answers and not his twin sister, Lillian. After a moment grinning face answers the door, its Phil. 'Thanks.' His happy face turns into a concern one as he pulls me into his house. We go up to his room and he asks me what's wrong. I can't help but break down and tell him everything; how Tommy called, how much I miss him and a lot of other stuff. His strong arms pull me into him and I can't help but calm down.

I look up at him and smile, he smiles back. Before I know what happen I kiss him. Pulling back suddenly I mumble a sorry. He looks at me in shock.

"I'm sorry, I'm just going-I can't believe-I'm sorry," I keep saying trying to get out of the room.

"Look don't be, you don't know how long I've wanted you to do that," he replies grabbing my arm and pulling me into him.

He slowly, almost like he was trying to torture me, pulls me into a kiss. I lean upwards and our lips meet in a gentle kiss. His tongue slowly runs over mine; asking for permission. I part my lips for him as we stand there kissing.

When we break apart my knees feel weak and I feel like I'm floating. Our faces are flushed and I can't help but smile widely. He smiles back at me and I know that even if they whole would didn't accept me, one person did. The person I cared about. Another thing is my brother didn't care and didn't think I was a freak. He still cared for me, even as I went through a big change. Two of the most important people in my life liked me and I could care less what the world thought. I had found acceptance in two very special people and that's all I needed.

fin

A/N: Well what did you think? WMoOC's next chapt will be out soon... hopefully... ::grin:: Anywho I'ma go now. Review please! I'll love you forever and a day! They might help me get the next chapt to WMoOC out faster... hehe well I need to answer this IM so peace. Oh before I go... I know Angelica was suppose to graduate already, but she failed a year. Yeah I know not like her, but I needed someone to be a bitch to Dil so yeah. Uhh the kids are in high, Chuck's in 12th. Kimi and Phil are both in 11th. and Dil is in 10th. Any questions ask me! AIM: FucEmotions, Yahoo: Lakiepoo89 and MSN: lake89115 ok leaving now OH and again please no flames... Unless you hated my writing and not the fact it had slash.

Lake