AN: HEY GUYS! YAY, FOR TWO CHAPTERS BEING POSTED BACK TO BACK! :)
ME AND MY FRIEND UMBRELLA0326 WERE WORKING ON THIS ALL MORNING SO THAT WAY YOU GUYS WOULDN'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR LONG. ANYWAY LET ME START OFF BY SAYING THIS STORY IS GOING TO BE ONE HELL OF A LONG RIDE. IT WILL BE MY LONGEST STORY, EVEN LONGER THAN MY FIRST. THERE IS SO MUCH TO GET THROUGH SO THAT IS WHY THIS WILL BE VERY LONG.
SPEAKING OF MY FRIEND…. THANK YOU AGAIN YOU WONDERFUL PERSON! SERIOUSLY YOU ARE SO AMAZING FOR HELPING ME WITH THIS JOURNEY. IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO WRITE AND BOUNCE IDEAS OFF OF YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN. :) CREDIT GOES TO YOU AS WELL BECAUSE THIS CHAPTER WOULD NOT BE UP IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOU. THANK YOU! :)
Also throughout most of this story there will be chapters such as this one that will be flash back's to the year 1984. This chapter is the introduction to how Paul and My OC Jack meet. This like many others will highlight the unfortunate circumstances they will face.
The inspiration for how Paul is as a teen came to me when I was listening to random songs. I hope you guys like how this turned out.
Jack is a really fun character for me to write and I hope you guys love him. :)
I don't own Glee or "Someday we'll be Together". Or any Madonna song "La Isla Bonita"
Okay I think that is all for now. Enjoy! Please review. Please be kind.
Chapter 4
Lima, Ohio-1984:
"Get him!"
"Grab the fucking loser!"
"Where you going geek?"
"Come back! We just wanna talk to you!"
A group of four or five jocks with cruel smiles holler as they begin to chase a terrified Paul Karofsky.
Paul is trying to leave school, hoping to go unseen at the student entrance.
No such luck.
The group of ruthless bullies had seen Paul. As soon as they did this Paul bolted. Paul wasn't an idiot – he knew they didn't want to talk. Not to somebody like him anyway. It was a trap. He wasn't stupid enough to stay around. Paul was running fast wherever his feet would take him.
There weren't that many students around this time.
Some popular kids stayed behind that had after school activities like football practice or cheerleading practice, etc. Also a few of the non-popular such as the chess team stayed behind as well. Other than that the school was pretty much empty.
As usual the people in the high school couldn't wait to get the hell out of the hell hole that is high school.
Not Paul. He hated high school like any other normal teenager but the reason he wished he could stay longer is because what he knew what was waiting or who, rather, was waiting for him to leave the building.
As Paul was running some students noticed him and the Jocks that were close behind but they said nothing or didn't even try to help Paul.
Paul was used to this by now. This type of thing happened daily for him. He wasn't popular; he didn't belong to any of the popular cliques. He wasn't a jock or anyone special that people would notice. He wasn't built like a body builder; in fact he was a pale scrawny toothpick. That is how he saw his body. He loves himself no doubt but he wished he could at least have some kind of muscle.
Paul was quiet and usually kept to himself. He liked taking pictures more than cheering for some silly football game.
He didn't dress like anyone either. He wasn't into the latest fashion and dressed however he saw fit – not what some dick jock was sporting like most followers at McKinley did.
To put it simply Paul was considered an outcast with no friends besides his camera which he carried around his back pack ever day- even while being chased like he is today.
Breathlessly, he rounded the gymnasium, fast approaching another labyrinth of hallways. The jock bullies, evil smiles and determined looks, were gaining on him. Paul's wild eyes shifted to somewhere, anywhere he could get away. He finally saw a door near the janitor's closet. He blasted through it, unaware the jock bullies weren't far behind.
Paul emerged from the school, backpack struggling to stay on his shoulder. He tried to increase his speed as the relentless bullies matched his.
There was nothing Paul could do and he didn't even realize it. He just kept running.
Running for his life!
Rounding the corner outside the gymnasium, cars were already at a standstill, moving and honking their way out of the school grounds. Students here and there ignored Paul, choosing their own route of departure from the school. Paul was a loner. Nobody cared.
Or, at least, he thought nobody cared.
Wild eyed and terrified, Paul blasted around the corner nearing a few parked cars and a lot of open space. Sheer horror consumed him. Paul had nowhere to run but empty, open space.
That was when he saw something flutter out of the corner of his right eye. His terrified eyes, at first, wouldn't let him look that way, until the flutter became more insistent.
"Here!"
Paul heard.
Primally, Paul turned to the direction of the voice. There stood a male student, frantically waving him over.
Paul's choices were very limited and his survival instinct simply followed directions. He ran towards the flutter – this student's flailing arm.
"Get in!"
The student ordered.
"What?!"
Paul roared.
"Just get in! You wanna be jock lunch meat?!"
Now completely out of options, Paul dove into the bed of this student's truck. Lying flat on his back and out of breath, he looked up into a cloudy, sunless sky. He tried his best to calm his breathing but Paul was absolutely terrified. The sky offered no comfort.
However, Paul chanced a glance to his left. Standing on the other side of the truck, was the male student, leaning against his truck, just a few feet away. Quickly, Paul heard footsteps and covered his hand over his mouth. Time had run out.
"Hey!"
Paul heard. With covered mouth and wide eyes, he stole a glance down. His feet were just inside the bed of the truck, out of sight.
"Yeah?"
"Did you see a geek run by here?"
"Kid with blonde hair?
"He took off towards the front of the school."
More footsteps.
But these footsteps were rapidly falling away. Breathing hadn't ceased to be a problem and Paul was still terrified. He moved his eyes back to the sky. No thoughts were in his head and he was completely at the mercy of this mysterious student.
"Coast is clear."
Paul wriggled out of the bed of the truck, completely ignoring the male student. He rounded the corner of the truck and ducked behind one of the tires. He grabbed his knees in a squatted, fetal position and said nothing. He heard a sigh.
"Come on, lunch meat. Get in."
Paul stared at the truck and watched as the passenger door in front of him opened. He couldn't look up yet. He just couldn't. Again, he heard another sigh.
Now that the chase had ended, adrenalin was kicking in – Paul began to shake, still squatted beside the front tire.
Whoever was standing beside Paul had plenty of patience. Paul saw out of the corner of his eye that this male student was simply standing there, probably staring at him. Paul didn't care. His shaking was getting worse and he was frozen to the spot.
"Come on."
The student said, compassionately.
For the first time, Paul turned his head to the left and saw a hand, offering to pull him up. Paul finally looked up and saw the student.
Paul recognized him from the hallways and a vague kind of serenity began to flow through him. Hesitantly, he placed his thin hand in the firm one and stood.
Paul was only a few inches shorter, but smaller in build. Yet, the kind eyes and slightly amused expression made the feeling of serenity in Paul that much stronger. The boy accomplice was smiling.
He extended his other hand towards the passenger seat. Paul turned his attention to the seat, noticing fast food wrappers and a cassette deck. Still stunned, yet gradually calming down, Paul slowly entered the truck. Once he was seated, the student closed the door, walked around the front of the truck and got in the driver's seat.
"Friends of yours?!"
The boy eagerly said with a broad, boyish smile on his magnificent face. Waves of relaxation tried their best to absorb into Paul's terrified body. Paul tried his best to smile, but his facial muscles just seemed to twitch, as he stared at his hands. The boy's smile faltered a little.
Suddenly, Paul's head snapped quickly to this mysterious boy, only to see an ornery smile suddenly on his face. Paul sighed.
"Sure."
Paul shakily, dryly replied. But this time, traces of a small smile were finally on Paul Karofsky's face.
"You like Madonna?"
Paul asked disbelievingly, snatching up a cassette case.
"N-no"
The boy hesitantly replied. "OK, well, yeah, a little."
Embarrassed, the boy looked away.
"That's cool. But what-"
"Hey!" The boy excitedly interrupted, "Want me to take you home?"
And there was that dazzling, ornery smile again on this mysterious, life-saving boy. Paul watched the boy's eyes dance on his excited face, clearly happy with this sudden suggestion. However, Paul couldn't help but be cautious.
"Well, ummm…." Paul replied haphazardly, "I don't make it a habit to get into stranger's cars."
The boy's smile started to falter until an idea suddenly struck him.
"Well…." The boy again returned, smiling,
"OK. Let's change that. I'm Jack!"
Jack extended his hand. Paul looked at the hand and back up to Jack. Jack's smile couldn't have been more open and honest. And yet, still ornery and slightly amused.
It was difficult for Paul to refuse this offer. Smiling, Paul gingerly placed his hand in Jack's only to realize that Jack had snatched it up and wildly began shaking.
Jack giggled as he realized what he was doing and how stunned Paul was. Paul couldn't help but smile back. All traces of fear and paranoia in Paul were gone, replaced with calm and humor.
The hand shaking suddenly came to an end, but the boys were smiling at each other.
"Well," Paul began, "I'm Paul."
"Hi Paul!"
"Hi"
More smiling. The boys were happy in the truck. Only twenty minutes or so had passed since the jock bullies raced in the wrong direction. Paul suddenly frowned.
"Do you think they've given up their search?"
Paul asked.
Jack simply shrugged.
"Probably."
They stared at each other, unaware that there was something building here. A kinship of some kind was being established. Perhaps a friendship.
"Well," Jack began, again with that ornery smile, "NOW can I take you home?"
Paul found it more and more difficult to say no to this joking character.
"Alright."
Paul said neutrally.
Animatedly, Jack immediately dug his keys out of his pocket and turned on the engine. The engine roared to life as did the stereo.
To be where the sun warms the sky
when it's time for siesta you can watch them go by
The boys looked at each other, laughter exploding inside the truck Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" was blasting on the radio.
They shared a good-natured laugh as Jack stared at Paul. He found he struggled to genuinely take his eyes off him. But, Jack now had a mission – get Paul home safely.
Jack casually drove. Song after song came on the radio as the boys sat in relative silence. Occasionally, Jack would steal a glance at Paul, making sure he was comfortable and alright.
Paul would sometimes give directions to his house, but conversation was at a standstill. Jack almost frowned.
Suddenly, a slower, different song came on the radio.
Someday we'll be together
Say, say, say it again
Someday we'll be together
Oh, yeah, oh yeah
Jack, stealing yet another glance, saw Paul staring out the window. Suddenly, Jack began to sing, completely absorbed in Diana Ross' "Someday We'll Be Together." He watched the road, yet couldn't help but be overjoyed at providing such soothing entertainment via music.
His smile couldn't have been broader.
"Do you know this song?"
Jack asked curiously, suddenly stopping his singing.
"No."
Jack turned his head back towards the road.
"Too bad, you're missing out."
"I am, am I?"
Paul teasingly asked.
"Yup. Diana Ross is amazing."
Paul faced Jack, watching as Jack pounded his fist over his own heart.
"She hits you right here. Every time."
Fascinated, Jack returned his gaze from time to time to this interesting, different boy seated in his passenger seat. He loved the soft blonde hair and how serene he looked, especially compared to earlier. Jack knew next to nothing else about Paul, but found he didn't care. He was comfortable with Paul. He felt…safe. So, Jack smiled. And smiled.
"I'll have to buy her album."
Paul said.
"Do that."
The song continued its aching arc. Paul's eyes closed, falling into the song, as Jack drove and sang. The two boys just fell into the song, cruising along Lima's country roads.
Finally, Jack arrived at Paul's house. The song came to an abrupt end.
Jack gingerly pulled his truck into the driveway of Paul's simple country home. He put the truck in park and turned towards Paul.
"Thanks again for…." Paul stammered.
"Sure. No problem."
Jack replied, with that dazzling smile.
"Hey! If you wanna borrow my Diana Ross album, I'll bring it to school tomorrow."
"OK."
Paul replied, rather quickly. Jack's smile lit up the cloudy sky.
They stared at each other for just a moment until Paul realized he needed to explain to his parents why he was so late coming home from school.
Paul turned and opened the truck's door and getting out. But as he passed by the front of the truck, he noticed Jack was rolling down his window. Paul came to a complete stop.
"Catch ya' tomorrow!"
Jack loudly said. And as he was backing up out of the driveway, he returning his smiling gaze to Paul and suddenly winked at him.
Paul, stunned, simply smiled. Jack finished pulling out of the driveway and left.
Paul reflected on what happened in the last half hour. He went from terrified, near-bullying victim, to meeting this funny, confusing, helpful boy named Jack. He couldn't help but smile a little as he turned towards his house.
ANl: SO WHAT DID YOU GUY'S THINK? IF YOU LIKE IT, PLEASE REVIEW. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS LET ME KNOW. CONSTRUCTIVE CRITITSIMS ARE ALWAYS WELCOMED. :) UNTIL NEXT TIME, HAVE A NICE DAY-ILOVESMESOMEGLEE. X3
