Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt.
Lazilly, a hand emerged from the covers, and waved feebly in the direction of the noisy alarm. But, due to an overall lack of effort, did not have much success in shutting it off.
Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt.
The alarm was rather insistent.
"Go 'waaay..." A voice muttered.
Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt.
But it did not relent. And, as he could not get his hand across to switch it off, he had to get up. Curses. Foiled.
He sat up with a sigh, running a hand though his scruffy black hair. "Stupid mornings.... why do you have to start so damn early?" He said to himself. Really. Was it too much to ask for an extra hour and a half of sleep?
Grumbling, he reached over and belted the alarm clock by his bed, summoning at last the silence. But now he was up, he couldn't lay back down. Stupid alarm clock.
With another heartfelt sigh, he tossed the covers off his bed, and climbed out, heading over to his small freestanding wooden wardrobe to change from his stripy pyjamas that almost didn't fit him anymore.
Pulling on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, he left his bedroom, heading downstairs. A tall man with short cropped black hair was standing in the kitchen, idly sipping at a cup of coffee and reading a newspaper.
"Mornin' Dad."
"Hey." A pair of dark brown eyes looked over the top of the newspaper and watched the teenager as he made himself some toast and coffee. "You still insist on going, huh?"
"It's my last year, Dad." Green eyes looked up at met the brown. "So what is the point of dropping out now? I might as well finish it." He shoved some crispy bread covered in fruity goo into his mouth. "And it's the last term. Nine more weeks, then I'm finished."
"A lot can happen in nine weeks." His father told him. "You could do a lot around here in nine weeks."
"I'd rather go to school."
And with that, he downed his coffee, and left the room, grabbing a backpack from the lounge room, and leaving the apartment.
His father watched him walk down the street, until he couldn't see him anymore. He sighed and shook his head. His second son had so much heart to him. Brown eyes turned to a photo on the wall, of a woman with striking green eyes and beautiful brown hair.
"This is your doing, isn't it, love."
---
"Now, you're sure you'll be alright dear?"
"Yes mother, I'll be fine."
"Because you know we can afford a private institution, if you'd prefer..."
"Mother, I was accepted here, I'm enrolled here, we're here, so I'm going to school here! Now will you please park the car so I can get out?"
The woman sighed, and pulled the car into a parking space, turning the engine off so her son could get out of the car. Her blue eyes met his for a moment, and she reached across to run a hand through his browny red hair, which made him swat her hand away and set it back the way he had it.
"You be careful dear."
"Yes mother."
"Do you want me to come in with you?"
"No mother."
"You're sure?"
"YES mother."
He pushed the door open and climbed out, fetching his bag from the back seat. "I'll be fine, mother. Really. I'll walk in, go to the office, and ask them where I should go. Easy."
"...Alright, but, call me if you need anything. Anything at all sweetheart!"
"Honestly mother, you're acting as if I've never been to school before! It's High School, not Kindergarten."
"I'm sorry dear, but after moving, and skipping you up, I'm just worried for you is all."
"I know, mother. But really, I'll be okay." He waved to her, smiling, and turned, heading up towards the school building.
She watched him until he vanished through the front doors. She sighed, and started the car up again. He was so stubborn. So proud. But then again, he was a teenage boy, after all. They hated to be babied.
She smiled. He was just like his father.
And the black car slid out of the car park, into the street.
---
His father never really could understand why he wanted to go to school.
Sure, he wasn't the most popular guy in class, and his grades were average at best. But it got him out of that place.
The suburb where he lived, commonly known as the 'Back District' was a rundown locale in the bowels of New York. Gangs ran the place, selling drugs and alcohol, theft, muggings, all of that was common place there. The only thing that kept things from spreading and getting out of hand was his father.
He was a strong, brutal man, and he had lived in that district for a long, long time. His name was famous, and if he told you to do something you damn well did it, and did it well. If you didn't, he made certain you knew to do it the next time, usually with strategic application of a fist to your nose.
It was a strange arrangement, but, as long as the gangs didn't do anything outside the District, and involve others, he didn't care. Of course, if someone walked in there, then they were fair game, to be mugged for all they were worth. But most people weren't that stupid.
The only place his father drew the line was murder and rape. If a person died at the hands of anyone in the District, or forced someone against their will, he would personally turn them over to the police, after beating the living hell out of them.
Of course, the residents of the District who weren't part of a gang were quite welcome to call the police at any time, and, occasionally did, usually when an outsider was spotted being harassed, especially if they were there because a Resident had invited them there. Over the years, the gangs all learnt that if a Resident threatened to call the police, if they didn't stop what they were doing, they usually would. And getting the police called to the District usually meant that if you weren't arrested, his father would beat the CRAP out of you. Most people hoped to be arrested in that situation.
He knew all this. He had known all this for years. He had been raised to continue this sort of dominance over the district when his father no longer could. But, he just didn't have it in him. He hated it. He wasn't suited to the life of a thug, no matter which way you looked at it. He was just too nice.
Not like his older brother. His brother was almost a clone of their father, if not for their mother's green eyes. His brother was tall, strong, and had the same temperament as their father. He was the acknowledged successor to their father's possession, and there was no one, least of all him, who was going to disagree.
All his teachers knew of course, where he was from. He wasn't dumb enough to go to school in a place he hated. His school was a whole three suburbs away, which was why he had to wake up so Goddamn early. A few of his classmates, mostly those who sucked up to the teachers, knew about him as well, but he had, in a strange fit that had made him seem more like his father than he ever had before, threatened them within an inch of their lives, making them SWEAR to secrecy. He had tried, over the last few years, tried his hardest to have a normal High School life. He knew that if people found out, they would shy away from him, and the semi-normality of his life would be shattered for all eternity. Finding out that it was at risk brought out this horrible side of him...... a side he became desperate to repress at all costs afterwards.
He still, however, saved an irritated glare for those few members of the student body who knew whenever they passed each other.... just to let them know he hadn't forgotten who they were.
There was one other reason he went to school. One that he never told anyone, not even his father and brother.
Because of his mother.
His mother had died when he was eight. She had been so pretty... so smart. He had never asked WHY someone as awesome as his mother had married a thug like their father, but he figured she must have had a reason. She had always wanted her sons to go to school.... go to college, realise their potential. She had told him so before she had died. She realised quickly that her first son was not suited to going to a public school. He was too much like his father. So, she charged HIM with his education. And of course, she also taught him, when she came home from work.
But the second son was different.
They had waited until the first son was five before they chose to have another child. And their second son was so sweet. So gentle. She knew right away, just from the light in his eyes. He was not like his brother. And she started him in preschool as soon as he was old enough. She wanted him to learn. To be able to leave the Back District, and see everything there was to see on the outside.
There was nothing she could do to stop her husband from including the second son in the training, however, that the first son was undertaking. Nothing worse than having a favourite, he had said. Nothing more unfair than making life easy for one and allowing the other no reprieve. She agreed on that point, so she let the younger boy train with his brother and father.
It made a fine, strong young man out of him.
When his mother died, he made a promise to her over her grave marker. He promised her he would finish school. He would finish primary school, get his High School diploma, and even go to college if he could. He promised her he would find his potential, just like she wanted him to. He wouldn't follow the life that his father and brother did. He would find what he was meant for.
He'd make her proud.
And so, here he was, waking up at seven thirty, walking to the station on the other side of the District, and taking the train to the High School, three suburbs away. At least there was something to get him there. If it wasn't for the train, this would have been much less plausible. He'd have to wake up at four just to get to school on time. And seven thirty was enough of a trial, thank you so very.
At least it was nearly over. Nine weeks, eight exams, and one project to go, then High School could go to hell. He was so close.....
He didn't expect, with his grades, be able to get into college, although it would be nice. And it wasn't as if his father couldn't afford it, either. They had a lot of money, for a family that did what they did.
At last, his station was called out over the PA in the train. He grabbed his bag off the floor at his feet, and stood, heading for the door. He held onto the handrails for dear life as the train screeched to a halt at the station, and the door roughly jerked open. He grumbled to himself about the stupid train, just like he did every day, and stepped out onto the platform.
It was nicer than back home. Christ, compared to the Back District, this place was paved with platinum and constructed out of polished marble. Nothing was as crap as the Back District.... nothing as gloomy, nothing as so unnervingly depressing. He couldn't understand WHY anyone, especially the Civilian Residents, chose to stay there! Prices elsewhere be damned! It was a horrible place to live!
He left the station and walked through the much nicer district towards the high school, pausing at the crosswalk as an expensive looking black car drove past, before heading up to the school building. Stepping through the doors to the main lobby, he saw the same thing he saw every day. Kids heading down the hall to the main part of the school, heading to the administration desk... always heading somewhere. The lobby was a transitional point; hardly anyone came to the lobby to be in the lobby, and when they did, it was usually because they were waiting for someone, and would move off when they arrived at last.
Something seemed different today though. There was something....new.... in the lobby that day. Ah, a new student, asking questions of the administration staff. Shrugging it off, he moved to walk past the new student.
"...and your time table is in the folder. Your class is SK4."
"Thank you very much. Where is the classroom?"
"There is a map in your folder."
"......"
He paused and looked over at the new guy. SK4 was his class. Their teacher hadn't mentioned they were getting a new student..... and at this time of year? Madness.
"Hey, you after SK4?" He asked.
A pair of blue eyes turned on him, blinking in surprise from behind a pair of oval glasses. Crap, he was a nerd.
"Yes...."
"That's my class too. Here, come with me, I'll show you."
"Oh! Thank you!"
He chuckled. "No worries. The Admins are mostly final year student volunteers, and so they are all pompous assholes that are of no use. Try not to talk to them if you can help it. Aim for the adult staff."
".....Oh. I see. I didn't realise they were students. Sometimes it's hard to tell, huh." The boy with the blue eyes said, tilting his head to one side curiously. "So, we're in the same class... nice to meet you." He added, smiling.
"Yeah, weird how I was walking past at that moment." Green eyes studied the other boy. He was tall, but, somehow seemed.... young. "How old are you?" He asked.
"I've just turned 17."
"So....why are you in my....?"
"Oh! I skipped a year back at my old school." He laughed awkwardly. "I get that a lot."
Fantastic. Super Nerd alert. Bzzzt. Bzzzt. Bzzzt.
"Oh, right. Where did you move from?" Why was he still being nice to this guy?
"We moved from Atlanta about two weeks ago." Danger! Danger Will Robinson! "My father got a new job, so, we all had to move out here to New York. My mother has the kind of job where she can relocate whenever she needs to, so it didn't bother her at all." Christ, he even calls his parents 'mother' and 'father'... "But I hadn't finished school yet, so, here I am."
"You'd come to a place like this? Why not a private school?"
"This school is closer to our house. Mother is overprotective, so she wanted me to go to a private school, but, that would mean that she'd drop me off every day... At least here I can walk if I have to."
"Ah hah, independence." He chuckled, despite himself.
"Yeah, kinda." He smiled back.
"Oh, well, here we are." He pointed at a door, a piece of paper slotted into a Perspex window on the front declaring it to be Room SK4.
"Last chance to turn back dude." He said, grinning.
The other boy grinned back. "Not a chance."
And they pushed the door open together.
---
"For our final project, we'll be working in pairs." Their teacher told them. "It might be nice for you to put some effort into it, because guess what!"
There was a puzzled silence.
"The results of this project will in fact, affect your final grade. So no slacking oooooff!" She chuckled at the round of distressed conversation. "You may choose your pairs and work out what you will be doing your project on. The theme is..."
This is about where his attention span cut out. Probably why his grades were only average at best; he just couldn't pay attention through his teacher's over dramatic spiels that were far longer than at all necessary. If he had any other teacher, he'd probably get better scores. Funny how rarely that was taken into account when evaluating one's intelligence.
The teacher clapped her hands together, jolting his attention back to where it probably should have been. "Alright! You may now pick your pairs and start planning your project. Once you have made your decisions, you may go to recess. Have fun!" And with that, she picked up her things, and headed off towards something more important..... Probably involving a chair in the staff room.
He sighed, and stood, looking around at the room. Everyone was already breaking up into pairs, some of the low achievers already heading for the door. Now, he was no nerd, but even he thought that they would probably want to put the effort into something that affects their final grade. The bastards just wanted a longer first break. Lazy pricks.
The pairs were as he expected. Best friends here, boyfriend and girlfriend there, bully pressuring a nerd into doing the project for them over there.
A thought occurred to him, and his green eyes scanned the room for the new guy. He found him, still sitting at his desk, scribbling in his notebook. Surely the guy couldn't have that many things to write down already? Maybe they were ideas? Hm... He seemed to be forgoing the 'find a partner' step.
He crossed the room to the other boy's desk, and looked down at him. "Hey, you got a partner yet?" He asked, knowing full well that the answer started with an N, and ended with an O...
"No, not yet. Most people haven't even noticed I'm here.... which is fine. Things tend to work better that way."
"Well, I don't have a partner either, so, wanna work with me?"
The blue eyes widened. Clearly, he had been expecting an order to do the assignment, not a request for team work. Life of a Nerd is hard, even in Atlanta, it seems.
"Oh! I...uh....I...."
"Is that a no?"
"No!! No, I... sorry." He blushed and looked back down at his notepad. "Sure.... I don't mind working with you on the assignment."
He grinned, and grabbed a chair out from under another classmate who was about to sit down, pretending not to notice as they fell to the floor, and pulled the chair close to the other boy's desk, taking a seat. "You know, I never actually asked your name."
He smiled a little and let his blue eyes rise. "I never asked yours, either. I'm Rodney Lunette... Rod."
"Nick."
"Just Nick?"
"Normally."
"Oh come on, I told you my full name."
"Nah, I'm good."
"Come on..."
He sighed. "Alright, alright." He huffed. "Nicholas Verte."
"Can I call you Nicky?"
"I'm sure it couldn't hurt any."
He didn't think it would stick.
This is a accompanying peice to 'Missing Peices'. All about how Nicky and Rod ended up where they were, but mostly from Nicky's point of view. :3 You don't need this to understand that, and you don't neet that to understand this, but this goes into Nicky's life in the Back District in a lot more detail than Missing Pieces does.
Help me improve and leave a review! Constructive stuff makes me smile!!
~Whispy