Chapter 2

Connor and Murphy sat there in the bus seats just staring at each other. They could feel what the other was feeling, what the other was thinking. They continued to stare, looking deep down into each other's eyes, into each other's thoughts. They weren't even aware what they were doing.

Someone behind Connor kicked the back of his seat. He still didn't break eye contact with his brother. The occupant of the seat behind him continued to kick. Connor became agitated, but kept the mental connection with his brother.

Murphy could tell that Connor was getting pissed. He watched his twin's expression. Both of Connor's eyebrows were lowering into a type of scowl, and his eyes were widening. Murphy continued to communicate with his twin.

Suddenly, the back seat's occupant dug their knees into Connor's back, causing him to break eye contact. Connor craned his neck over the top of his seat, and checked to see who was disturbing him.

He looked down into the seat behind him. "Conna!" A sixth grader, by the name of Brian, looked up at him and smiled.

"Ah-ha," Connor said unenthusiastically. Murphy noticed the annoyance in his voice.

"How yeh doin', Conna?" Brian continued.

"If you don't mind, I'd rather yeh pronounce it, 'Connor,' with an 'or' at the end. It's not like I call yeh 'Bria' or anything."

"Sorry, Conna, no can do."

"Psh, why not?" Connor asked impatiently. Murphy was starting to grin.

"'Cause you and me are buds! Right? Come on, just let me call you Conna."

Buds? Connor thought to himself. Buds, my fuckin' eye.

Murphy was looking at Connor, grinning, a knowing look in his eye, one that said "Lucky I don't have an annoying little shit to follow me around all day."

"Yeah. Brian, uh..." Connor said unsurely to the sixth grader. "Why don't yeh go back to doing yer homework or something...? Murphy and I are kinda busy right now..."

"Whatcha doin', Conna?"

Connor closed his eyes and rested his forehead in between his thumb and forefinger. "We're just fuckin' busy, Brian, so be a good boy and leave us alone, okay?"

Murphy stared at Connor, wide-eyed, surprised that he would curse in front of a sixth grader. Even though the sixth graders were only a year behind them, it was still a major offense in the seventh grade book to use such obsenities in front of them.

Suddenly, Connor was taken back to the memories of the sixth grade. Those were some of the best memories he had. He remembered when his teachers last year would let up a bit on the homework when they knew there was party in the neighborhood, or a snow day coming. He remembered when all his friends and his brother were in the same classes as he was. But he especially remembered when there had been a block party at the end of the year, when he saved one of his friends' life, and spared his own to save her. He was suddenly taken back to that place and time...

Connor was at end-of-the-year block party with Murphy, Rocco, and one of his best friends, Marley. She was a beautiful girl, with short brown hair, deep green eyes, and a smile that anyone would remember. Connor was always teased about Marley being his girlfriend, especially by the eighth graders. But by now, he was actually starting to believe that what they were making fun of could be true. Murphy could tell just as well as he could. Rocco, being the clueless kind of person he was, didn't suspect a thing.

Connor and Murphy were getting some soda from one of the tables on the sidewalk, as Marley and Rocco went off to talk to some other friends. The brothers had stayed behind, biding their time, taking in their surroundings. Connor couldn't help looking Marley's way every now and then, who was chatting enthusiastically with a few of her friends. Murphy watched him, but didn't make fun of him or disturb him. He just watched.

Connor looked away to see where Rocco had gone off to, and he was leaning against a street light, talking animately with some friends, all of them laughing. This was the early Funny Man, Connor thought.

Suddenly there was an uproar from the other direction. A girl and about five boys, all eighth graders, were gathered around the group of people Marley was talking to. One of the girls yelled something at Marley, and Connor could hear her answer, "What? What are you talking about? I don't even like him!" Connor put down his drink on the sidewalk, stood up and hurried over to where the commotion was coming from. Murphy followed.

"Yes you did!" said one of the girls who had surrounded the group. "You little slut! I can't fucking believe this!"

Marley was desperate. "No I didn't! I promise you! I would never do anything like that!" A group of boys, some of Marley's friends, gathered around the mob for extra backup. Everyone started talking at once, making it difficult to hear any one person.

"Hey! Guys!" Connor yelled. Everyone became quiet. "What's goin' on?" He looked from Marley to the eith grade girl who was accusing her. Marley was relieved to see he had intervened.

"Well, this little slut was with my boyfriend last week! I saw her myself," the eighth grade girl answered, matter-of-factly. Murphy stood by and watched the conversation progress.

Connor couldn't believe what he had just heard. "I don't believe it," he said to the girl, looking her straight in the eyes. "I don't believe one bit of it." One of the boys who was with the girl moved toward him, fists clenched. Connor ignored him. Murphy looked his way nervously. Rocco suddenly saw what was going on and came running. When he reached the mob, he and Murphy looked at each other, and continued to watch.

"And how would you know, you little shit?" the girl asked.

Murphy swallowed hard and looked at Connor. Connor moved toward the eighth grade girl, stood up on his toes, looked her in the face, and said between clenched teeth, "Because I know people like you are so fuckin' retarded." There was a gasp from the entire group. The girl reached out and slapped Connor across the face. Cheers could be heard from the boys surrounding the one girl. Connor stumbled backward and fell to the ground, not expecting that blow.

"No!" Marley was about to run forward when one of her friends stopped her, for her own safety.

"Fuck you!" Murphy came forward and stared angrily at the eighth grade girl. The girl slapped him too, but he didn't fall; he was expecting it. Half of the crowd cheered, but some of the boys who were Marley's friends helped Connor back onto his feet.

Connor was wild with rage. He hated that girl so much right now, but remembered that his mother had taught him never, even in the most dire of circumstances to hit a girl. Connor, his nose bleeding, set his sights on the boy with his arm around the girl who had slapped him. He calmed himself and just watched. Murphy put his hand on his brother's shoulder. Suddenly, the boy Connor had been watching grabbed Marley by the collar. She screamed. Murphy tried to hold Connor back. He couldn't. Connor ran forward, and punched the boy in the face so hard he went flying to the ground. The girl beside him gasped. "SON OF A BITCH!" he screamed.

Murphy and Rocco backed up next to Connor and put up their fists, ready to fight. The remaining four boys who had been with the eighth grade girl advanced on all of Marley's friends, and a fight broke out. Connor was punching his way through every single one. Most of them were aiming for him. He was the main offender here. More of these boys came out of nowhere. Connor could see Murphy and Rocco fighting next to him, Rocco with a black eye, and Murphy with a busted lip. He could hear Marley screaming. "Marley!" he cried out, then everything went black...

Suddenly, Connor was brought back to the real world. "Thinking about Marley again, huh?" Murphy said, grinning.

"How did you...I...No!" Connor replied. Murphy continued to chuckle. Connor, wanting desperately to change the subject said, "Get yer stuff, we're at school."

"Oh goody," said Murphy sarcastically as he put on his backpack and grabbed his guitar. "You know what?" he asked. "I think I know why you've been so depressed. Marley moved away just a little while ago, didn't she?" he added seriously.

"What, I'm not depressed! What the fuck, Murph?"

"Uh-huh, sure."

Connor looked at his brother, annoyance written all over his face. "Shut up."