Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Note: Sorry for the long wait, but I've been getting really into Almost! Total Drama Action again. To make up for it, this will be a fairly long chapter, no joke.
Rating Note: Rated T for the usual violence and swearing.
Let's continue this journey…
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Chapter 3 - Love Between A Brother And Sister
Noah POV
I ate my lunch slower than usual today. I still wondered about how Izzy's uncle beat her up last night and how I was very similar to her. After I threw my lunch bag away, I simply sat back down and continued reading my book. I heard a creaking noise and saw Izzy enter the lunchroom. Thick bandages covered her right foot with blood spots located near her ankle. In order to walk, she used two tree branches stripped of the twigs as improvised crutches. She turned to me and gave me a bittersweet smile.
"Still going strong Noah, still going strong!" she said happily while pumping her fist in the air. She continued to limp down the hallway, almost falling a few times along the way.
"You're not going to break up with me you bitch!" Duncan's shout snapped me out of my trance. He was berating his girlfriend Courtney, the Little Miss Perfect of the school.
"Look Duncan!" she said assertively, "I'm not going to be your girlfriend if you keep treating me like this!
"We'll see about that!" Duncan shouted as he twisted her arm, making her cry in pain. "I'll ask you one more time. Are you breaking up with me?" Her whimpers of pain fell on deaf ears as everyone walked past the couple like they were ghosts.
"N... no Duncan." she stammered, "Sorry I ever suggested it."
"Good." the delinquent said as he threw her to the ground, satisfied about torturing her. It was the first time I ever felt sorry for someone in a long time.
Courtney POV
Courtney Harlington, Age 17, and this is my life. I sighed after giving in to my boyfriend, Duncan. I reached down to pick up my books, but I saw another dark skinned hand reach over for them also.
"Do you need any help?" he asked me in a monotone voice. I nodded and we worked together to retrieve my books and purse.
"Thank you," I said politely, "My name's Courtney Harlington."
"Noah Manorson." he blandly replied, offering to shake my hand. I did so, noticing a faint blush upon his face. We walked past each other without a word, but I looked back once and smiled. After lunch, I reported to the auditorium for our debate meet against White Pines High School. [1]
"So you dweebs think you can beat us, huh?" Heather, my rival, called out, "The White Pines debate team is under new management, me!"
"We'll see about that..." I retorted.
Harold POV
I walked down the hallway after school to see Noah watching Courtney throw a tantrum.
"Courtney hissy fit?" I asked him.
"Yep." he said while nodding, "She's pissed that she lost her debate."
"What the fuck are you looking at you dweebs!!!" she shrieked at us.
"You're throwing a fit like a little kid." Noah pointed out, "It's actually quite amusing."
"To think that I thought you were actually nice!!" Courtney shouted.
After she stormed out, I raised an eyebrow at my friend. "What gave her the impression that you were nice?" I asked him.
"It's a long story." Noah groaned as we left the school.
Courtney POV
"God, I hate that bitch, Heather!" I whispered to myself as I stomped home. My pace got slower and slower as I approached my house. When I finally got there, I whimpered and feebly opened the door.
"Why did you lose?" my mom asked me.
"I... don't know." I stammered.
"I don't know?!" my mom echoed me, now getting angry, "That's the most retarded excuse I've ever heard!!"
"I'm sorry!" I cried, "I'll do better next time!"
"THERE ISN'T GONNA BE A NEXT TIME WHEN I'M THROUGH WITH YOU!!!" My mom threw me against the wall and started punching me in the face. As I shielded my face from any further damage, she kneed me right in the stomach.
"YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A LOSER LIKE YOUR FATHER!!" she shrieked as she stomped on my body, "I don't have any use for you anymore!"
She stomped out of the house and drove away, leaving my battered body alone. Tears streamed down my face as I tried to get up. I lost everything now; my father, my undefeated streak, and my dignity were now dead. However, I saw a light of remorse for my actions and people I've used to get where I am now. I went to the bathroom to examine my injuries. I found nothing broken, but bruises and cuts covered my body. After using up all my concealer to cover up my injuries, I changed my clothes and headed out the door. I tripped down the steps, making the bruises on my knees ache harder.
"Are you okay?" someone asked me. It was Trent, the nicest cool guy in school. He played guitar and always helped anyone who was feeling down. He also volunteered as a teacher's assistant at an elementary school, playing a big brother role for all of the little kids there.
"Yeah." I responded, but my struggle to get up communicated the opposite message.
"I heard screaming coming from this spot," he admitted in a concerned voice, "and by the looks of it, your mom was really angry at you."
"N... no," I denied desperately, "I just fell down the stairs." He rolled up my sleeve and doused it with water, revealing a couple cuts and bruises.
"You got cuts from falling down the steps." Trent examined sarcastically, "I'm not falling for it." This caused me to just start sobbing hysterically, collapsing on the steps.
"Look," he said sweetly and softly, "you don't have to hide the fact that your mother's abusing you."
"But if I tell anyone, they won't believe me and my mom will kill me!" I sobbed.
"If you need any help, call me and I'll be there." he said as he scribbled his phone number on a piece of paper and handed it to me. After he drove off in his beaten truck, a sense of warmth built inside me as I made my first true friend.
Trent POV
Trent Saldrana, Age 17, and this is my life. My parents have always pressured me to become an accountant since I was four years old. I went along with it until in kindergarten during music class, this one man came and played some guitar songs for us. I was fascinated with his moving fingers playing the notes. Saving up all of my money, I bought my first guitar when I was eight. I abandoned my desire to become an accountant and became addicted to playing music. My parents didn't appreciate my activity. Things came to a head when I was ten when my parents came home from golfing one day. I was playing guitar as usual, then all of a sudden, my dad struck me across the head with his golf club. When I woke up three hours later, I saw the floor drenched in blood and my guitar destroyed. Though greatly shaken by the incident, I continued doing what I love and tried everything I could to escape my oppressive household.
I pulled up to an abandoned warehouse to rest. What many people might not know is that this building used to be a women and children's shelter, until that horrifying day...
The fathers of the families that were staying there found their sanctuary. Feeling that society was prejudiced against them, they planned an attack on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, their invasion followed through as they stole all of the donation money and burned down the shelter. Sixty-one people, mostly women and children, were killed. Authorties did capture one member involved with the attack and bring him to justice. Even though he didn't say anything, it was clear they were trying to send society a message: Try to escape from us, and we'll kill you. Plans to build a new shelter were proposed, but the mayor didn't want to spend the money. I've spent up all the money I've earned to someday help build a new shelter, but my dream may never become a reality because no one has started a fundraiser yet.
Some time later, I pulled up to my house to find no one home. Relieved, I got out my guitar and started playing my favorite song.
Beauty Queen of only eighteen.
She had some trouble with herself.
He was always there to help her.
She always belonged to someone else. [2]
"YOU!!!" My dad's bellow interrupted my song. "I TOLD YOU TO GIVE UP MUSIC!!!"
"Look dad," I argued back, "I'm going to play music whether you like it or not."
"Oh so that's how it's gonna be then..." he venemously growled while grabbing his golf club, "FINE!!" He started blindly swinging, not hitting me but rather a crystal vase.
My mother came in, looking infuriated. "Who broke my new vase?!" she shrieked.
"It was that retarded punk over there!!" my dad seethed with an evil grin. My mom believed my dad's lie as she pepper sprayed my face, allowing him to follow up with some golf club shots to my stomach and knees. Jackie, my older sister, came in and joined in on my parent's assault.
"Why can't you be like your sister, Trent?!" my dad screamed at me, "You wouldn't have to go through this if you were!" My mom and sister held me down as my father broke my left arm with his golf club.
"That should keep you from playing your guitar." he muttered as he took my mother to dinner, leaving only Jackie to torment me further.
"You had the chance to become like me, but you didn't!" she whispered over my lifeless body with venom in her voice, "Now look where you are! You would've made an excellent accountant, but we always have more." After throwing my guitar in the furnace, she drove away in her turquoise convertible, making my truck look decrepit by comparison.
"Is this really the end?" I whimpered as I watched my guitar burn in the flames.
Footnotes
[1] - This is an actual high school in Ontario. According to Total Drama Wiki, Gwen said Heather went here in the Total Drama Action special.
[2] - These are the lyrics to Maroon 5's song, She Will Be Loved. Trent said this was his favorite song in Total Drama Island, the Big Sleep episode to be exact.
Before anyone asks: No, Trent and Courtney will not be a couple. I intend them to have a brother and sister relationship. They have no romantic feelings toward each other whatsoever.
Sorry this took such a long time. The next chapter will reveal the final character and the pairings will also be revealed.
Read and review.
