Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade.I don't own Eastenders or HollyOaks or any of their characters, nor do I own Chad Michael Murray. I also don't own Carmello, it's a product of Cadbury's.
Chapter Nine: Battle of the sexes
"Hey, Amber, you heading to History?" Ming-Ming asked as she breezed into the locker room where I was changing my books for my morning classes.
"Yeah, the second bell is about to go so the assembly should be finishing up."
Each morning a different year has assembly from 20 past nine to a half nine. Usually the other students head to class at 20 past to be sitting in their seats with their books out for a half nine, of course you can guess that no one does that. They actually take the 20 past bell for a warning and the second bell for the 'you're really late, so get your butt moving' alarm. However, for students like myself who have their first class in the assembly area on certain days, we have to wait for the assembly to finish before we can get to class. The teachers like us to be waiting for the assembly to finish so we can be on time, however Mr. Balkov doesn't like students loitering outside the assembly area in case we distract the students. However it's October and it's not particularly warm, so I usually head to the canteen and leave just before second bell to change my books and go to class.
"Well just wait a few seconds and I'll come with you."
I nodded, shutting my locker and walking round to her side. Inside her locker door were tons of pictures and cut outs of famous celebrities -mostly male- and a few stickers of stars and hearts. The books were in an untidy pile with covers bent and spines missing their coverings.
"So did you get those notes written out?"
"Yuppies. Pretty tough going though, some of those paragraphs were hard to shorten, so much information and everything."
"Yeah. Oh and how did your meal with Kai go?"
"It wasn't a meal with just Kai, his parents were there too. And it was grand, a bit awkward but it seemed to go ok. Ended early though because my cousin from Dublin turned up."
"Wow, he just showed up out of the blue?"
"Yeah and not for a visit. He's all packed and stuff, and he says he's only here for a few days but I saw his stuff, he's packed for good."
"Holy hell. Who is it anyway?"
"Bryan. And he won't tell us why he's here. Mum and I tried asking but he just shrugged the questions off. Just asked mum if it was ok for him to stay and she said it was fine. I figure Nana will question him later."
"Wow, jeez, you're family is weird."
I chuckled. "No kidding. So are you all good to go?"
With a bob of her head, she closed her locker and slung her bag over her shoulder as we headed out of the locker room and into the relatively silent lobby area, also known as the shamrock area because of its shape. A few students walked in from outside and I waved to Johnny as he passed, but he didn't notice. He was too busy talking to some blue haired guy, Kane, I think.
The air was cool and the light gloomy as a thick smear of grey clouds blocked out the sunlight that could be seen as a golden glow along the horizon. Students in clusters walked down from the canteen and turned onto the walkway heading towards the main teaching block, grabbing their bags from the pile by the gateway. Ahead of us, I caught sight of Kai and Tala talking in very serious tones while Ozuma and Rei hovered beside them in an anxious manner.
Beside them another group of boys passed and turned towards us. Daichi and Tyson in the midst of them. Both boys caught sight of me and as they passed, they grabbed my hand and pumped it heartily.
As they walked away, I turned to Ming-Ming who looked as bemused as I felt. "What was that about?"
"I have no idea. Third years are strange."
"No kidding." I replied but I was already walking purposely towards Daichi's older half brother, Ozuma. The product of aunty Aubrey's first marriage. It turned out bad but she always said that she couldn't really regret it because it brought her Ozuma and in turn that sort of led her to Seth. Seth and Ozuma formed a strange bond when Ozuma was just an infant, when he first came to Ireland with Aubrey and moved into the house that Seth rented out to people. Seth would baby-sit Ozuma while Aubrey went to work since she worked nights. Despite being attracted to Seth, she couldn't afford to have a relationship and she didn't want to make the same mistakes, but because Ozuma had warmed so much to Seth, almost looking at him as his father, Aubrey had thrown caution to the wind. They had this whirlwind romance, got married and though Nana was slightly dubious at first, even she had to admit they were a perfect couple. A year or so later, Daichi came along to secure the unit.
So because of all that, I sort of owed Ozuma my uncle's happiness. Seth had always been a rebel of sorts, racing in rallies and doing all sorts of crazy shit to get his kicks. (He never did drink or drugs, he's not that crazy). However Ozuma and Aubrey settled him down for which I'm really grateful because I like who Seth is today.
I also liked who Ozuma was too. Because I liked him so much I poked his shoulder to get his attention, which was better than yelling in his ear.
Without turning, he simply replied. "What is it, Amber?"
"I need to talk to you later. It's about Bryan."
Ozuma turned so fast, I'm sure he got whiplash. "What about him?"
"Um, he's here. As in, in my house with all his clothes packed in two duffle bags and he won't say anything. But I can't talk here, gotta go to history, so lunch time?"
Ozuma nodded, his jade green eyes clouding with worry. The red streak of colour he'd put in his hair to lighten it up, moving gently in the still air. "I'll come find you then. Should I get the others?"
"That'd be great thanks." I liked organizing junior Benson family meetings, I used to call them a lot when I was younger, because our parents wouldn't let us in on theirs. So I'd get a tray of plastic cups and diluted juice and a packet of cookies and heard upstairs where we'd sit in a circle in plastic chairs around a plastic table, just as our parents would. It was loads of fun, we'd discuss what we'd watch on TV, who was wetting the bed and what punishment people should get for cheating in hide and seek. Kirby always cheated in that game.
I headed back to Ming-Ming and we continued into the reception area, fighting through the flood of second years who were exiting the assembly.
"Oh, there's a message for me in the office. G'on in and keep me a seat, will you?"
"Sure." I shoved a second year boy out of my chest and with a few muttered expletives, I headed into the assembly area and over to room 5.
The room seemed very empty when I went inside but already more than half the class was inside. Hitoshi stood by the heater, looking out through the Venetian blinds at the students going to PE. Oliver was sitting at the third table from the top, pouring over his notes and making a few adjustments. Ian was standing beside Hitoshi and muttering things to the older boy who simply shrugged. Garland was standing at the seat beside Oliver, searching through his bag that he'd placed on the table while Robert was sitting beside him at the top table talking to himself.
"Morning."
For my wonderfully friendly greeting I received a few nods, a grunt, a 'oh you are here, great' (delivered in a dry sarcastic tone by the big nosed midget) and a 'Hello, Amber!' from Oliver, who I love because he always pronounces my name like Am-bear. Which is being used by Mariah as a nickname, she now calls me her Amie bear as opposed to her having a Teddy bear.
I ignored their comments and took the seat beside Hitoshi (well it would be the seat he would sit in, his bag was on the desk) to make the sides even. Putting my bag on the chair beside me, I turned my attention to Oliver.
"So how did your notes turn out?"
"Yes, they turned out very well. A bit long though. But, ah, that is how it goes."
"Mais oui." I quipped with a smile. "You weren't on MSN yesterday."
He looked up startled, those uptilted purple eyes widening in surprise. "But I was. I went online at approximately 8 o'clock but I did not see you on line. I waited for a good half hour, but you did not come on line so I did not see a reason for me to stay."
"Ah, I was on early. I had that dinner party to go to."
"Of course. And did you enjoy it?" he asked tucking a strand of lime green hair behind his ear.
"Yeah it wasn't so bad. I imagined it to be much worse."
"That's always people's problems. They always think things are worse than they really are."
"You seem in high spirits. Is everything ok with you?"
"Yes." He smiled benignly at me. "I took some advice and now I've put things in perspective, I feel free."
"Good. I'm glad to hear it, oh and here's the old sour puss."
Yeah, the evil fiend who almost put the moves on me just last night. I kept reliving that moment and it suddenly came to me, he was willing to take advantage of my momentary lapse of concentration. It's a good thing I came to my senses when I did, god knows what mess I could have been in. Though I still figured he'd make a good friend. Which is why I greeted him cordially but not flirtatiously. Don't want the guy getting anymore ideas.
"Morning Kai."
Kai grunted and walked round to my side of the table. Which is a bit weird because Oliver's side is closer and if he sat on Oliver's side, he'd be evening the side up and making our class a nice little unit and we always sat with four on each side. Always. But he was going to make the seating uneven. What was he doing?
"Hey, that space is kept!" I blurted out, grabbing my bag and tugging it back from him when he went to move it so he could sit down. "Ming-Ming is sitting there."
"Well your big bag has just squashed her, so I don't think she'll mind if I sit on her." Was Kai's disgruntled reply.
"Kai, I'm keeping that for Ming-Ming, I said I would. Go sit beside Oliver."
"I don't think so. I'm not sitting beside that thing."
I gaped at him, so shocked that I released the grip on my bag and Kai simply tossed it off to the side and slipped into the seat beside me. I looked over at Oliver to gauge his reaction and noted he looked slightly hurt. Well he had good reason to. What Kai had said had been rude and uncalled for.
"God, you're a grump in the morning." I snapped, tugging at the band I'd wrapped around my hair because I could feel the beginnings of a tension headache. "Well you can explain to Ming-Ming why you took her seat and while you're at it, you can get my bag from a way over there, cause I need it for my books." I growled peevishly.
"Did you cut your hair, Amber? It's very cute." Oliver complimented.
I smiled but before I could reply, Kai jumped in with: "You would notice that sort of thing."
I blinked. The whole group fell silent and stared between Kai and Oliver to see who would react first. Turns out neither would, as I did. "What are you on? You noticed it last night, you plonker!"
"Are you trying to imply something Amber?" Ian leered at me. No doubt what his mind was coming up with.
"I told you yesterday mum invited the Hiwatari's to dinner, you dolt! God, I live with a bunch of idiots."
"Now that's no way to talk about your family, I know Kaeto's a bit rough around the edges but her dad and your mum are quite pleasant."
I flipped Hitoshi off and settled for resting my throbbing head on the cool surface of my desk.
The door opened and everyone jolted expecting Mr. Shallow but Ming-Ming walked in instead. Her eyes scanned the room and fell on who was sitting beside me, the girl who said she would keep her a seat.
"I thought you said you'd keep me a seat." Was the first thing out of her mouth, naturally because I did say that.
"She did, it's beside Oliver." My mouth opens but my words don't come out. Oh wait, that was Kai again.
I snarled at him. "I did keep you a seat Ming-Ming, but Kai took it. I even put my bag on it but he threw it away."
"Your bag is right there." Kai commented idly, pointing to where my bag now lay resting against my chair leg.
"You put it-" I broke off on a frustrated noise. Instead of replying to Kai, I simply rammed my elbow into his side but most of it was deflected. "Shit arse."
"Kai, did steal your seat, Ming-Ming, but no one's sitting here." Oliver said, motioning to the seat beside him.
"Why don't you shut up, Oliver." Kai snapped.
Ming-Ming looked unhappy about sitting there for a moment before she huffed and threw herself into the seat with a scowl.
I rounded on Kai as his sharp words processed. "What is your problem?"
"I don't have one with you."
"No, but you obviously have one with Oliver, so fuck off or bite your tongue." I retorted.
An uneasy silence fell on our group as we awaited Mr. Shallows eminent arrival. Oliver picked up his pen and began to scribble stuff onto a blank page, mostly doodles and the like.
"Writing anything interesting there Oliver, like a letter?" Ian sneered.
Oliver froze like a deer in headlights. I glanced at Ian who shot a smirk at Kai. So I looked at Kai who looked very smug and very malignant. He was slouched in his chair, with his arms folded and a malicious smirk on his lips, as he watched Oliver with glittering eyes. Sensing Oliver's unease, I reacted. Not smartly and definitely without thinking as I grabbed a nearby pen and drove it towards Kai's leg.
He reacted just as fast, grabbing my hand and twisting the pen out of it. When the pen dropped and his hand continued to hold mine motionless, (And when the roaring in my head had gone leaving it clear and in shock) I looked up at Kai. He looked just as shocked as I felt. I almost stabbed him for crying out loud. It was just a knee jerk reaction, something I had done a lot when I was younger, it was never dangerous as it never really harmed anyone and yet, I had meant it this time.
Kai's heat searing into my ice cold hand, punctured the bubble of shock around me and I immediately yanked my hand back, holding it to me and nursing it.
"What was that about?" Kai demanded.
Ok, yes I was ashamed of what I had just tried to do, but hey, he started it. "I could ask you the same thing. Leave Oliver alone or face the consequences."
"Ha, he needs a girl to fight his battles. How gay is that?"
Kai snorted and Oliver quivered slightly. Something was wrong here. Did the boys know Oliver was gay? Was that what all of this was about? Oliver's sexuality? If so, big deal. He was gay, they really should get over it. Loads of people were gay, didn't make them evil. Besides it wasn't like being gay was contagious, homophobia on the other hand could be. As I was seeing first hand.
"He doesn't need me, but if anyone lays a hand on any of my friends," I looked directly at Kai now, to make sure he got this message. "I would make them regret it."
"Amber it's ok. I do not mind their narrow minded comments."
I did! "Well…" at his pleading look, I sighed. "Fine."
Another silence fell on the room. Robert and Garland continued to scribble down notes, not paying any heed to us while Hitoshi continued to linger at the window. Ian just dropped into his seat opposite Robert.
"Oh, so Prom's coming up. Who are you all going to ask to gowith you?" Ming-Ming asked, her eyes flicking towards Kai as though she was testing how he felt towards her. Again there was silence and Ming-Ming's face fell. "No takers?"
Feeling sorry for her, and appreciating that she was trying to lighten the atmosphere, I said. "I suppose I could go on my own. Unless Oliver wants to take me?" I teased lightly.
Let's get this straight. Ian does not understand subtlety. Nor teasing, or sarcasm though he uses it; it's the very obvious kind. Because of this, he snorted and spat, "Not likely."
"Actually I might have someone else in mind." Oliver replied with a flush of embarrassment and possibly excitement.
"Oh really? Who?" Then realizing how awkward that question might be for my friend, I quickly went. "No don't answer that, I want it to be a surprise. Maybe I can steal you for a few dances."
"But of course, I would be most honoured."
"No, seriously Oliver, who is it?" Ian jumped on my mistake, little weasel.
"I hope it's not me, Oliver, because you know I don't swing that way. Not even in your ideal world." Kai drawled lazily and Oliver blushed to the colour of a beetroot.
Ok, that's it.
Grabbing my bag, I shoved out of my seat.
"Where are you going?" Kai asked surprised. Though I don't know why he was surprised, I'd given him enough warnings to shut his cake hole.
"Away from you." And for your bitchiness Kai, I give you: "Ming-Ming swap with me."
"Sure."
Ming-Ming scrambled from her seat and for a brief moment I was sure she was going to dive across the table in her excitement but instead, she just grabbed her bag and hurried around the block of tables. The door opened and Mr. Shallow walked in.
"Amber, Ming-Ming sit back down."
Ming-Ming froze and once again her face fell in disappointment.
"Sorry, sir but I can't-"
"Just sit down!" He snapped. "We've wasted enough time already today and it's only a single class, I don't have time for this nonsense."
I stopped and stared levelly at him. "If you want to get anything done today, I suggest you let me move because I really can't stand that thing sitting beside me." With that said, I didn't even bother waiting for Shallow to reply instead I just went to Oliver's side, and offering him a reassuring smile, I sat myself down. Ignoring Kai's piercing look.
"Right, now open your books. We're going to discuss what led to the Easter Rising."
What the hell was going on with this school? Even as I left History for English I could spy the various clusters of boys shuffling closer to Oliver to make snide passing comments or to try and trip him and each time they tried or succeeded, it made my blood boil. Who were they to pass judgement on someone? Especially someone as sweet and nice as Oliver? It just made me so mad.
How did the all the boys know Oliver was gay? Unless it wasn't that Oliver was gay, but that it was something else. I just didn't know and that angered me more.
So to do my duty as a good friend, I walked Oliver to his English class, making sure to glare at every person I passed. Though I might not have been intimidating all by myself, let's face it, how scared would you be of a girl who you could probably bench press with your finger? But during the past few weeks of school I could be found hanging out with Tala Valkov; Miyami, Shahero and the girls; and Ruin Mulryan and her little posse. These were people you did not make enemies with in this school. These were people who could make your life miserable, and I was very fortunate to get on their good side. Well there were others who were equally as strong and popular at school, but they weren't as respected as Tala and his group. I mean they were transitions years after all, and most of Ruin's friends were prefects so both groups were well liked by the teachers. So if it came down to your word against there's, you'd be best to just hightail it. It's a sad fact but true.
So although I was not scary by myself, my associates were. So I was scary by association. Cool, huh?
Well, not really because I still had some guy the size of the Dublin spire stand on the heel of my shoe for the pure craic of it! Moron.
As a result, I ended up late for my next class -also English but with Mrs. King. Not a happy prospect. Luckily for me, she was home with a headache and so we had a substitute teacher who told us to just study our poems for the Leaving Cert and to keep the noise down.
I took my seat between Shahero and Miyami and yanked my books out of my bag, glaring murderously at Kai who wasn't happy with me because I kicked his shin… was it eight times? I think so, I lost count after the fifth time when Mr. Shallow had yelled at me for playing footsie with Kai -obviously he hadn't heard the hisses of pain coming from Kai nor did he acknowledge the dark threatening look that Ming-Ming had shot him and me too, for some reason. Supposedly she was just realizing that if she had kept her seat, she would have been able to play footsie with Kai. Silly girl.
Russia leaned back in her chair, which was conveniently placed just in front of me with Zareth at her side. "Yar late."
"Thank you for the heads up." I chirped sardonically, if that possible. It sounded like a chirp and it was meant to sardonic so… You get my drift.
Beside me Miyami shivered and rubbed her palms together to create friction. Miyami seems to get cold in the morning when she's got nothing to do. Most morning classes are spent with the teacher trying to coax her from the radiators. Though today she was shivering in silence, it was a bit worrying.
"Why aren't you down by the radiators?"
"The boys are down there."
"O-K! Speaking of, what the fuck is wrong with this school?" I finally demanded in a hush whisper.
Zareth looked round to raise a brow. Since I don't think he's ever heard me curse, this must be quite a novelty to him. Then again, he's friends/something more with Russia so I doubt that very much, must be some other reason.
"What do you mean?" Shahero asked, leaning her head on my shoulder.
"Ok, well this morning in history class ass-wanker dipshit-"
"Who?"
"She means Kai. She only ever comes up with really creative insults for people she pretends not to like. Those she doesn't like, she doesn't talk about."
I flipped Shahero off but she couldn't see it due to her eyes focusing on the hills outside the window. A tractor was ploughing rows along a sloped hill, I bet she was waiting for gravity to take effect and roll it over. I know I would be.
"I felt that."
"Whatever, he kept taking pot shots at Oliver for no reason whatsoever. I mean, I could see through him doing that to someone who was being horrible to him, but Oliver barely said a word to him. And then Ian started on Oliver too, kept making comments like gay and coughing out poofter and the likes."
Russia exchanged a glance with Miyami and I knew I wasn't going to like this one bit. "Ya 'aven' 'eard 'ave ya?"
"What?"
Miyami leaned closer to me while Shahero turned to face us so we formed a tight little huddle, as though this little formation would stop people from seeing us and hearing us. We all have our little delusions, right? Mine just usually happen to involve Chad Michael Murray or Justin from Hollyoaks or Dennis from Eastenders.
"Oliver wrote an email last night and he accidentally, possibly on purpose, sent it to Kane Suzuro's sister, Salima, you know the red head girl that hangs out with him?" I nodded, yeah she was the girl at the Siren that night. "Well supposedly he told her he was gay in it and somehow Kane found out about it. It mentioned some things about the boys in our year, including Kai and Tala and they're all bent out of shape about it."
I blinked in astonishment. Holy Shit! This ladies and Gentlemen is why people shouldn't write down their secrets and their deepest desires because someone will find out about it and your writing will provide evidence. Due to this email, poor Oliver couldn't even deny this in the hopes that it would all blow over.
"What?" Ok, I didn't really mean to say what, but what else could I say? Besides, it's better than saying nothing.
"The boys are all freaked out. They're acting like if he's gay, they can all catch it or something. Or worse, that he's going to ass rape them sometime in PE."
"Not all the boys." Zareth said pointedly to Shahero who rolled her eyes.
"Fine, there are some boys who are very mature and are handling this in a very grown up way but the rest are all assholes… pardon the pun. There, how's that?" she finished and stuck out her tongue.
Russia snickered and patted Zareth's arm while I turned my attention to the group of boys sitting near the back. "Are all the boys freaked out?"
"All of them, bar a few. All those back there are probably figuring out a way to beat Oliver up." Miyami told me in a dark tone as her eyes flashed crimson for a second before reverting back to silver.
Yeah like they could beat the gayness out of him. Moron's!
"But why?" I honestly didn't see what the big deal was. So Oliver was gay, how did that change anything? I hardly thought he was going to jump every male in sight. Besides, him ass raping them? I don't think so. He's more fragile than I am and he's so sweet and cultured and polite and it's just not him. I know. I spend time with him after school and he doesn't have a violent bone in his body, he's more a make-love-not-war guy.
"Because dey're narrow minded bigots, dat's why. An' my cousin's da biggest one o' da lot. Complete gobshite."
"Yeah, you can just tell that this can only get worse before it gets better." Miyami whispered just after the teacher glared at us for talking. I had to agree with Miyami, things could only get worse from here on out. God knows how the rest of the day would fare.
I didn't know how right I was. The rest of the morning didn't go much better. Irish was a balls, our teacher didn't cop on to the fact that the words the boys were calling out weren't Irish but actual insults that were really crude and had they been directed at me, I think I might have cried but not Oliver. He just refused to look at them and instead concentrated on his work. You have to admire the guy. The only words the teacher did seem to understand were the words 'Go fuck yourself' which I kind of hissed at the boys in the back row as I ushered Oliver out of the classroom as soon as the bell ended for break.
The girls and I had taken it upon ourselves to be Oliver's personal body guards against the boys. It made sense at the time. Miyami and the girls have been friends of the boys for ages, so it's very likely that if they want to hang out with them, they'll have to get over their distaste of Oliver. That and how many of the boys are man enough to hit a girl to get to him?
If you don't believe me that they could be this uncouth, then maybe I should tell you how break turned out. Well, I usually spend my break time in the assembly area within easy access of the radiator, the fire escape and more importantly the tuck-shop. The only boys that really hang out there are Garland and Robert because Ruin likes to stand down there and because they seem to enjoy watching the table tennis, which brings me to the second and third years who play table tennis or those who watch like Tyson and Daichi, the rest are just mainly girls. But today, surprise, surprise, the doom patrol were there to oversee that the gay boy didn't attack any of the second and third years.
If the teachers or the caretakers felt the tense air, they showed no sign of it but I was aware of it. It was so thick you could have choked on it. Miyami did, or maybe it was a corn chip that went down the wrong way, I can't be sure. But it played havoc on my headache, I'll say that much. I was so busy keeping an eye on Kai and his group, and everyone I'd usually talk to was there. Rei, Tala, Johnny, Enrique, Hitoshi, even Ozuma for crying out loud. They were all standing by the radiators watching Oliver with eagle eyes. The poor boy had tried a couple of times to leave but we told him that running wasn't the answer, that and if he left, well the boys would get him. Pathetic huh?
What we didn't think of was that him queuing up for the tuckshop would put him in danger. We'd joined the line pretty far back, in the middle of the hall to be honest, and we were just talking. I knew there was something wrong, we were just across from the group of boys and there was this excited, frantic feeling pulsing from them. I caught Kai's eyes a couple of times -he was the only one who would meet them- and I tried to deduce what they were planning but I just didn't until the last minute.
A bulky guy who I hadn't really paid attention to before had joined them five minutes earlier and Kai had begun to talk to him, giving him orders it seemed. The boy looked back at us and grinned in a way that made my blood run cold. He said something and Kai shook his head vehemently giving the boy a hard look. All the time Oliver was talking animatedly about something or other, I honestly wasn't sure. I was just making the appropriate noises every time he took a breath, all the time I was awaiting what the boys were planning.
Then without warning, the burly bloke broke away from the others and charged us. There really was no where to go, he clipped Oliver, knocking him back and continued on into me. I only got hit on the arm but it was enough to send it numb. I stumbled back and looked down at my packet of crisps, or what was left of them. The bag had split in half and the contents had sprayed around me. Suddenly I realized that I wasn't quite standing straight, but I was leaning back on my heels being propped up.
If it hadn't been for Ruin stepping forward to stop me from falling back, I don't know what I would have done. However, the laughable thing was that Tala had come up to me after to apologize. I mean, it hadn't even been his fault but Hiwatari's and that moron the size of mount Everest. At least Oliver hadn't been too badly hurt though he had been a bit shaken up.
The next couple of classes hadn't been much better. The school seemed to be divided, us against them and the sad thing had been that Oliver had to defended by girls because all the boys were treating him like he was diseased. It was just infuriating.
In each class, the boys and their supporters would sit at one side and us at the other, with chairs in between and lunchtime wasn't much better.
As we walked in the door, the first thing we noticed was that the top half of the canteen was very crowded and the second half was incredibly empty. Miyami and I looked around the canteen for a reason as to why that was. One word. Oliver. He was sitting at the corner table beside Aspin and Shahero. They weren't talking, just idly picking at the skittles in the open packet in the centre of the table while sometimes throwing a look over their shoulder.
In the second half, where they kept looking, Kai and his group were assembled in the centre of the crowded room. Despite everyone sitting there, they still seemed to command most of the attention. Partially because they were sitting on the table and watching Oliver while cracking jokes and laughing loud enough so that Oliver could be sure they were directing their jokes at him.
The women working in the canteen were bewildered as to what was going on, but they couldn't do anything except serve the excess of students lining up at the counter at the bottom end. After a while though Doreen ordered some of them to come down to our section where she would serve them. But even though they were getting served down near us, as soon as they got their food they would scurry up to the second half again. There were some first years sitting a couple of tables over from us behind the wall that separated the bottom half from the top half but they were mostly girls and they probably didn't know what was going on.
I sat down beside Shahero with a shake of my head. "Bloody assholes."
"Yeah, well what can you do?"
"Give them amnesia?"
"You do not have to sit with me if I am causing you trouble. I don't need your pity."
"We're not pitying you Oliver. You're our friend. Besides, the guys are overreacting."
Oliver nodded but didn't say anything just continued to pluck at the napkin lying on his side of the table.
"Do you want anything to eat Oliver?" Aspin offered as she stood up and began to reach into her pocket for some loose change.
Oliver looked up at her surprised then nodded reaching into his own pocket. "Actually, I think I'll go up with you."
"Great, anyone else?"
We shook our heads knowing we'd probably stick to our habit of waiting for the canteen to empty out before going to get something.
"Hey watch this." Miyami ordered us in a low voice inclining her head towards boys.
Turning in my seat, I watched as Kai and Kane sauntered up to where Aspin and Oliver were queuing. They were joking and laughing loudly in a way that made both our friends tense. But you have to give credit where credit is due because Aspin and Oliver stood their ground and didn't run away while I on the other hand would have been weaselling away for sure.
"So I heard from Aspin that Kane told her, that Salima showed him the letter and he showed it to Kai. It said some thing's about Oliver fancying Kai and how they sit together in the History class and there were some mentions about the showers in the changing rooms. Basically Oliver was unsure about his sexuality and his feelings, so he wrote a letter to Salima asking her what she thought and did she think he was gay."
I gaped at Miyami. "And she showed Kane?"
Miyami nodded soberly. "Yup and he showed Kai who showed the others."
"That bitch! I'll fucking kill her!" Shahero swore violently, her sapphire eyes flashing with murderous intent.
I caught her hand before she could move. "Cool it Hero, Oliver doesn't need this at the moment."
"But she betrayed him."
"Huh, so you're Lesbians." We froze and our gaze whipped up to an amused Hitoshi. "Well it explains why Shahero was never interested in me. This makes so much sense." He mused to himself then blinked out of his stupor. "So you girls want anything at the canteen?"
"What do you want Hitoshi?" Miyami demanded having very little patience for her cousin and his insensitive comments. I mean come on, calling us lesbians while Oliver's got the whole school against him for being gay? Hardly smart. I might have said something but I still couldn't get over the comment but I did release Shahero's hand.
"I'm here to get Shahero her food." Hitoshi replied slowly.
Oh yeah, that's right. Hitoshi's being nice to Shahero recently. Sitting with us at lunch and trying to worm his way into her affections. It's not working but she does make him buy her food because that way she gets it free. It's funny. Obviously Hitoshi owes her for something but I don't know what it is.
"And you decided to call her a lesbo to make her like you more?" Miyami asked darkly.
"Oh for crying out loud, I was only joking." He snapped. "Now do you want food or not?"
Shahero nodded weakly. "Yeah, my usual please."
He nodded and his brows furrowed in concern for a brief second at her limpid reply before he raised an inquiring brow in my direction.
"Oh thank you Hitoshi. I'll have a hotdog and a Carmello please or a dark chocolate bar if there's any up there." It was highly unlikely but I just thought I'd ask anyway.
He held out a hand. "Money."
Damn. "You don't make Shahero pay."
Shahero snickered and Hitoshi's eyes warmed in what might have been affection but was more likely amusement at my whining.
"You're not Shahero, are you?"
"No." I grumbled as I reached into my pocket and pulled out a shiny two euro piece. "Here."
"What about you Mimi?"
Miyami shook her head but offered him a wane smile in reaction. As he walked off, her expression froze and she stiffened her shoulders in an openly hostile movement. Cautiously, myself and Shahero looked over our shoulders to see Tala and Johnny approaching. Both boys took a seat beside us and for a brief moment, I thought they had come to join us.
"So why are you sitting here?" Then the moment was gone.
"Because Oliver's sitting here." Miyami replied stonily.
"Your point? Come on over to our table." Tala offered giving my hair a little flick.
With Kai? I don't think so. "Do you want us to bring Oliver over there?"
"Not really." Johnny said darkly.
"Well then, I think we'll give it a miss." Shahero smiled sweetly but there was a bitter tinge to it.
"Why are you sticking up for that wanker?"
"When we should be sticking by you wankers, you mean!" I snapped tartly.
Tala's expression closed off and his hands immediately bunched up as he rose slowly to his feet. Yeah, there goes our beautiful friendship. I had to harden my heart because I really just wanted to let him know that I was still his friend but it was obvious we couldn't be his friend and Oliver's at the same time, and right now Oliver needed us.
"Well fine then, if you need us, you know where we'll be." Johnny growled.
"Oh we won't need you. Oliver, even being gay, is more than a man than you'll ever be Jonathan McGregor and he's probably a better kisser and he doesn't have a flabby ass. Goodbye." Miyami smiled but her eyes were like chips of ice.
I bit my lip so I wouldn't spoil the perfect moment but snickering at Johnny's expression. The self righteous anger melted away to disbelief and then to disgust.
"Well if you want to do a gay guy…"
"I certain won't be doing a Scottish guy."
Shahero stuffed her fist into her mouth and began to shake at my side while I simply tucked my tongue into my cheek in an effort to not smile at the way Johnny shook his head and walked off with Tala following, he didn't even look at me.
"Was there anything going on between you and Johnny?" I finally picked up the courage to ask.
Miyami shrugged a shoulder coolly. "Whatever there was, it's done with now."
Well gee, that tells me nothing. I mean they could have been getting all hot and bothered under the covers and I wouldn't have been any wiser. Shit. I honestly thought they weren't together. And now I find out they might have been and I didn't get a chance to tease her about it. "Bugger shits."
"Huh?"
"Oh-"
"WANKER!"
Our heads whipped to the area the outburst had come from. The Aspin and Oliver corner naturally enough. Aspin was being held up by Oliver and dabbing at her lip while Kane was holding the front of some guy from our biology class' shirt. He was saying something very dark and threatening in a low murmur while Kai stood lazily to the side. Well I say lazily, he looked very casual but I was pretty sure he was keeping a good eye on what was going on. After all, Kane and Aspin are his friends. You can say one thing for him, he's very protective of them.
Suddenly Kane released the guy with a shove and turned to Aspin to say something but she simply shook her head in disappointment and walked back to us with Oliver at her heels. They slipped into their seats and Oliver hung his head in shame.
"This is all my fault. If I had not written that email-"
"Yeah if you hadn't written it, you wouldn't be in this mess. But it's not just your fault. It's Salima's too." Aspin growled as she dabbed at her split lip.
"And the boys for being narrow-minded." Shahero jumped in just as the canteen door opened and three figures strode in.
They surveyed the scene before their eyes landed on us and they approached.
"This place is packed, mind if we sit with you guys?"
Miyami and Aspin exchanged a startled look but I couldn't help but grin. "Sure, pull up a chair."
Robert and Garland looked around uncomfortably but then the followed Hitoshi to sit by him as he sat down beside Shahero and handed us our food. Ruin took the empty seat beside me and looked directly at Oliver.
"How're you holding up?"
"I am ok."
"Good. Don't let them fuck you over, Oliver. They're just scared."
"She's right."
I blinked and stared at Garland. Now this guy is in my history class but he rarely speaks voluntarily, the teachers have to squeeze answers out of him but I always took him for a manly man. You know. He does karate and all sorts of self defence and he lifts weights -he has to with shoulders like that, there's no other way he could have them. He's always struck me as very serious and very in control of his emotions and yet, here he was sticking by Oliver, the most feminine guy in the school -officially. It was nice to see that he would do the right thing instead of following the crowd.
"This is doing my head in!" Arista growled as she sat down beside Miyami and scowled at the desk. She froze and suddenly looked at the new people at our table. "Are we multiplying?"
I snickered and the others chuckled, the tension being somewhat relieved.
"No Arista, we're just gaining a few allies?" Miyami questioned looking at Ruin who nodded calmly.
"Ok then. Hey Garland, I saw a photograph of your sister in the newspaper."
"Yes, she won the All Ireland Tennis Finals. She's going to be representing Ireland in the European Cup."
I watched the conversation between them and had to remind myself that Arista would have hung out with Garland while she and Brooklyn were dating so naturally she'd know things about him I wouldn't.
Something wet hit the table.
"What the?" Miyami demanded looking up with a heated glare.
"How childish." Ruin muttered as she probed the blob of wet tissue with the bottom of her biro that she'd produced from her hair. She'd been using it and another one as chop sticks.
"Real Mature." Arista growled.
"Maybe we should leave."
"No, Oliver, we have a right to be here. If they continue that, I'll fire back." Aspin threatened.
Ooh. I scooted my seat back and hurried to the corner of our side of the canteen where the radio sat on a chair. Usually this was where Tala and them ones sat but this time we had the radio! Way-hey. So what was in the CD player. If there was music, maybe the boys would be dissuaded from throwing things at us. I don't know why but music would make things easier for me to ignore them.
The Prodigy- Their Law. Hmm. This could work. It was loud, punchy and pretty techno but it would do the business. Putting on the CD, I skipped to a track I recognized. I pumped up the volume to an acceptable level and headed back for my seat.
"What we're dealing with here is a total lack of respect for the law." Darn tootin'!
"Don't sit down." Ruin ordered pulling out my chair and showing me the blob of tissue.
"Aw gross." If I had been sitting there… Aw gross! I yanked out the chair and shoved it under a nearby table before pulling up another chair. I flipped the boys off before I took my seat again. Their aim blows a big one.
"Where's Sonia?" Robert wanted to know.
"Tuck shop." Arista replied. "I stayed down there with her but there's no one there except for Ozuma. He says he can't come to the meeting and Kirby said she has hockey practice, whatever that's about."
I nodded. Yeah I knew. Daichi had caught me on my way to Maths and told me that they couldn't make it for lunch time and that we could talk later. It was strange, I was so preoccupied with Oliver that I had completely forgotten about Bryan just turning up out of the blue like that. Jeez. Most of my time, life just zooms by with nothing interesting happening and then everything interesting happens at once.
The door opened again and Russia stalked in with Zareth and Hans flanking her. I guess she'd been out for her lunch time smoke. Zareth caught her shoulder and said something to her to which she replied with a nod and he moved to the counter while Hans and Russia joined us.
"Getting your hourly fix?" Shahero asked.
Russia shook her head. "Jus' 'aving a fag. No o'fence, Oliver."
"None taken."
"Why would Oliver take offence?" Hans asked curiously. Well curiously would be the tone normal people would use with Hans, he just uses the same sloth like tone and rhythm for speaking.
"'e's gay 'ans, 'e came out t'day."
Hans sat there for a moment in total silence before breaking out in a goofy grin and reaching over to pump Oliver's hand heartily. "Good man, yourself!"
Well that was unexpected. Shahero curled into me, hiding her face as she snickered while Arista just threw her head back and laughed. Ruin rubbed her brow and Russia just shook her head, completely used to Hans rather doped attitude. He was dropped on his head as a baby apparently and then… well repetitive abuse of substance just didn't help in any way, shape or form.
"You going out this weekend Russia?"
"Aye, pro'ly. Why?"
"Just wondering. Got a business function, parents want me to go."
"Fuck. Aye, forgo' abou' dat. Well fuck 'em. I'm goin' out."
I tuned out Russia and Ruin's conversation because it really had nothing to do with me and laughed as Arista and Shahero made fun of Hans. Robert and Garland and Hitoshi were looking at some kind of magazine I was sure I didn't want to see and Miyami was telling Aspin and Oliver all about how she had told Johnny were to get off. All in all, it seemed everything was passing over. The boys were realizing that as we were ignoring them, their antics just weren't getting them anywhere so they were simply just talking amongst themselves. So maybe this would all blow over in a little while, just as long as Oliver had people willing to stick by him.
PE was next that day. PE, physical education. Oh boy was that not pretty. I wanted to get out of the subject but I didn't have a note to get out of PE and there's only so many times you can use the whole 'I have my period, sir' excuse. Besides Mr. Thompson isn't put off by periods, he says we can still do PE. I challenge him to try running with cramps gnawing at his inside.
As we came out onto the astro turf pitch, the boys were already gathered in a cluster with Hitoshi while Robert and Garland stood off to the side. Whatever Hitoshi was saying, the boys weren't liking so with a shrug he just walked off and joined the other two boys.
"Can someone untangle my earpiece wire?" Miyami asked and Aspin obliged.
I shoved my hands into my baggy bottoms and listened to them swish as I walked to the centre of the pitch where Mr. Thompson was standing with a clipboard under his arm and a couple of balls by his feet.
"Girls hurry up!" He shouted and we hurried… a little.
"Right, line up."
As we lined up, he began to count down the ladder, raising a brow as he reached Ruin. "You doing PE?"
"No, I dressed like this for the fun." Ruin drawled and Tala said something to Kai that made him snicker. Ruin showed no reaction but I knew that it had to affect her a little.
"Right, now you're numbered," I'm number one! Yay! Better than being a number two! Just a bit of toilet humour. "I want the number ones in that corner, number two's in that corner, numbers three's down there and fours with them. Ones' play against two's, three's against fours. Now take a ball and go."
I didn't bother to grab a ball, someone else would which is a shitty attitude to have because what if someone else doesn't? However I wasn't interested in going back, instead I just continued to traipse to my corner/ my half of the pitch. I looked up as a figure fell into step beside me.
"Hey Ruin, what number are you?"
"Two, swapped with Garland. He wanted to be on the team against Tala."
I froze. "I'm not on his team, am I?"
"She shook her head. I was four and Tala's three."
"Right. Is there some kind of rivalry between them?"
"Seems to be."
I nodded and slid down to sit on the fake grass, mindful not to get any sand in my trainers. I turned my face to the sunshine that had broken through and absorbed the rays. "So why do you dislike Tala so much?"
She looked down at me, her face in shadow. She inhaled deeply then let it out. "It's not something I'm comfortable talking about."
"Ok then."
"Oi, you two, what number are you?" Johnny demanded as he and Kai approached. Oh please don't put me in Kai's team. Oh please.
"Why what number are you?" I shouted back.
"One."
"I'm one."
Johnny growled something under his breath to Kai who looked up and smirked at us. "Well you better fucking get up and do something, I'm not carrying this team."
"With your puny muscles I doubt you could." I retorted sharply, not liking his attitude one bit.
Ruin helped me up with a roll of her eyes towards the boys. "Dickheads."
"Class-A ones."
"Hmm."
We trooped slowly over to the centre where Kai and Johnny were going to take the face off, all the while dragging our feet as Gordo and Enrique approached. Johnny motioned for us to join him as the rest of our team came to stand in a circle around him.
"Right, who's doing nets?"
"I'm marking Ruin."
Johnny snorted in disgust and shook his head. "Whatever, Enrique you do nets."
Enrique wrinkled his nose in disgust then shrugged. "Fine."
As the boys went into serious competitive mode, 'we must stop Kai's team at all cost', I wandered back down to our nets, trying my hair back as we did.
"Hey, Amber?"
I glanced over my shoulder at Enrique. "What?"
"How's Oliver?"
I froze and almost stumbled in surprise. I thought Enrique was all homophobic like the rest of the guys. And here he was asking how Oliver was doing. Weird. "He's doing good. He's coping. You guys aren't being very nice though."
"I know. I just didn't know how to react. I've known Oliver since I was in national school. We were friends but we drifted here and now he's gay. How do I react to that? I don't see how he can't like girls."
At that I had to chuckle. Enrique wouldn't understand, he's an incorrigible flirt.
"But it does make some sense, you know. Because girls do like him, but then he doesn't date and when we go out, he doesn't go with any of them. Never understood it. I got him plenty of girls and he never wanted them. Huh, I guess that means more girls for me, eh?"
I tapped my lip and then nodded. "Pretty much. I guess so."
"YOU TWO!"
We looked over our shoulders at a furious Johnny.
"STOP TALKING!"
"Aye right, fine! God, he's such a jerk."
"He's just high strung."
"So do you think you'll be able to be Oliver's friend again? He needs one."
Enrique squirmed uncomfortably. "See, here's the thing. If I hang out with Oliver, people are going to think I'm that to."
"You can say gay and no they won't. Everyone knows your love for the ladies, Enrique. Your not remotely gay, trust me. Besides, it's only guys who are uncomfortable with their sexuality that freak out around gay's. They think that they'll become attracted to the guy so they push him away, even going so far as to being hostile. If you're sure your straight, you shouldn't have anything to worry about."
Enrique looked dubious and I wondered if I was getting through to him. I should talk to each guy separately and get them to see that following the pack is wrong.
"What if Oliver thinks I like him more or he develops feelings for me. I mean it's happened with girls before. Boys and girls can't have platonic relationships."
"Not true. You can if you're not attracted to each other. I was friends with boys and I never became attracted to them."
His mouth twitched with his indecision before he looked up at me. "I'll think about it, ok. I'm not promising anything but I'm… I'm not homophobic. I'm not like them." he motioned to Kai and Johnny.
I nodded. In all honesty, I didn't think they were homophobic either, not really. They just hadn't dealt with anyone like them before. It would take a while to get used to it, but soon enough they'd die down. I hoped.
I watched Enrique jog off to the goal and I moved to the defence circle. I had no intention of protecting it for Johnny, then again I didn't really want Kai to win either. Hmm. I suppose I should help Enrique, he was after all a good guy. He was the first guy I met at this school who'd been nice to me and Johnny was the second, he'd helped me to my first class. Tala had been the first person to be nice to me and he'd befriended me, bringing me into his clique. Kai's dad gave me a job and Kai had helped me solve my problem with Gypsy and Oliver had helped me catch up on History. Yeah this was going to be hard to deal with.
"Stop thinking so hard, your head will explode."
I stuck my tongue out at Ruin and watched as Johnny and Kai's sticks met as Johnny tried to tackle Kai. "Here's hoping. So Enrique was asking me about Oliver."
"Oh?"
"Yeah I don't think he's as into this protest as the boys are."
Ruin nodded as the breeze caught some stray strands of her black hair. "There will be some boys who're just following the crowd. Soon enough they'll realize they're in the wrong."
"He's scared people will think he's gay."
"People always care what others think. It's a human flaw, to seek acceptance from those who aren't perfect."
"I guess. Pity we couldn't change it." I wished softly, drawing the stumpy bottom of my hockey stick along the sandy ground.
We stepped apart as the Gordo raced towards us with the ball running along in front of him. Half heartedly I stepped into his path to defend the circle and with some luck, I managed to sweep it away and right into Kai's stick. Goddamn long armed bastard.
"WHY'D you do that for?" Johnny shouted at me as he rushed after Kai.
"It looked fun at the time." I quipped watching Kai get tackled and Johnny took the ball away. Kai shoved past me as he broke into a jog after Johnny shooting Ruin an irritated look.
"Think they're angry with us?"
Ruin smirked. "Hopefully."
"So how's things with you and Brooklyn?"
She shrugged and shook her head. "It's over."
"Wow, that was abrupt. Did you just decide that there now?"
She shook her head again and scratched her nose. "No, it was heading that way for a while. We aren't good as a couple. We're better as friends."
"With benefits?"
She smiled. "No. It complicates things. Brooklyn wants someone else anyway."
"Oh." Ouch, poor Ruin. Did he break up with her to be with someone else? How could they be friends after that? "How do you feel about that?"
She looked at me surprised as though she hadn't expected that question. As though it never occurred to her that she should feel something about it. "I feel fine, why?"
"Well you break up and now he immediately wants someone else. Can't say much for your relationship can it?"
"Interesting comment Benson, are you usually this blunt?"
I shrugged. "Not really. I just don't understand how you can't feel at least a little upset."
"Because I'd rather be friends with Brooklyn. Adding in other elements adds a strain to friendship."
"Not always." There was no strain for me and Mystel. Well ok, a little, but it was definitely worth it. Mystel was the most important person in the world to me.
"You and Mystel were different to me and Brooklyn. Brooklyn and I… we don't have anything physical between us. Not really. You need some chemistry in a relationship. A spark. We don't have one, we're both too similar. There has to be some differences otherwise there won't be any friction. If you don't have friction you don't fight and you don't show you care."
"That's a strange way of looking at romance."
Her eyes softened and a strange smile played on her lips. "You're an interesting girl Amber."
"Um, I don't think so. Strange, yeah most definitely."
"WOULD YOU FUCKING STOP TALKING!"
There goes Johnny Big-mouth again. He was standing at the top of our half of the hockey pitch waving his hockey stick wildly as he yelled at us. It looked like we were having a corner or something, everyone was circled around their goal. There was a 'thwack' and then the orange ball came bouncing in. Another 'thwack' and then a roar from Johnny and the rest of the team.
"Benson, Mulryan. If you two don't stop talking I'll make you walk the lap of this pitch. Now separate and play the game." Mr. Thompson warned wagging his pen at us.
"I'm blocking Ruin."
"I'm blocking Amber." Ruin replied.
Mr. Thompson was not impressed. "Walk."
"Shit." Ruin muttered before I shrugged and wandered over to Enrique.
"Benson, where are you going?"
"I'm going to the edge to start walking my lap." I yelled back. I was hardly going to walk a lap from where I was standing, I would only end up getting in people's way.
Ruin quickened her pace to catch up with me and we fell into step, moseying slowly along the perimeter and waving to a bored looking Enrique as we passed. He waved back before continuing to lean on his hockey stick.
"So why don't you and Tala get along?"
Ruin pulled a packet of gum out of her pocket and rolled her kohl rimmed eyes at me. "You still want to know about that?"
"Yeah. I mean, right now Tala's being a dick and all, but he's always been nice to me so why doesn't he like you? Why don't you like him?"
Ruin offered me a piece of gum and I took it while she tried to come up with a answer to my question. I knew I was being nosey, I also knew I didn't like it when people asked me awkward questions but I also knew I didn't like being out of the loop.
"Well, let's see. Tala and I grew up together. Our parents did business and my mother figured his mother would look good in her social circle so she organized play-dates. My au-pair would look after the two of us and we became friends."
A roar went up from our pitch but we didn't look back to see who had scored. Instead I was imagining a little Tala and a little Ruin playing together in a playpen in a vaguely 'Rugrats' style.
"I don't know how it happened really, but he became one of my closest friends and I was looking forward to going to school with him. When I started here, I saw it as a chance to change my image. I was still me, I just wore darker makeup. I changed a little but then again everyone does. Unfortunately, Tala obviously didn't like it. He and his friends took to picking on me, insulting me, making my life a misery."
I sighed. Maybe I had misjudged Tala. I was beginning to see a whole new side to him that I really didn't like. I guess everyone who is popular has this side to them, the side that can make them look down on those considered weaker or less important than them. I just didn't understand why they should. Shouldn't people in their position try to make life better for those weaker than them as such? Life was too short for this kind of pettiness. Everyone should be making the most of their life, not squandering it on petty quarrels.
"I don't even think they knew that Tala and I had been friends from before because we didn't go to the same national school. I guess I should thank him. If it hadn't been for his betrayal, I wouldn't be the person I am today. He made me stronger."
"No, he didn't, Ruin. He made you unable to trust anyone. He closed you off to others. But think of this, you say everyone can change. Can he?"
Her striking face closed over, her eyes became cool and distant, her mouth a grim line. "Do you think he can?"
"I think he has. The guy you describe, he was probably afraid of being unpopular. Everyone else made fun of you so he followed."
"Isn't he following everyone else now?"
I bit my lip. Yeah he was. I guess some people change and others are just too afraid too because it'll only cause problems.
I sought him out on the pitch. He wasn't hard to notice with that vibrant red hair as he ran backwards in front of Aspin waiting for her to make a move. Aspin swung her stick back to slap the ball and he ducked in to steal it from her before passing it to another team mate. His eyes scanned the pitch and then caught on us. Casually he raised a hand in greeting and I tentatively returned it as Aspin strode up to us, one hand on her hip and the other holding her stick at her side.
"What are you two doing?"
"Walking a lap of the pitch."
She snorted and shook her bangs out of her emerald eyes. She blew out a breath and hunched over. "How much longer are we playing for?"
Ruin looked at her watch, a pretty cheap one from a fastfood joint and I've seen her house, folks. She's not poor. "Five more minutes. In fact, I'm heading back to get changed."
That sounded like a good idea because Tala was approaching us now and he looked like he had something to say to us or to me. Yeah, running sounds like a good option. Sure it's pretty pathetic but hey, I don't want to talk to him. "I'll come with you."
"Wait for me." Aspin called out as we turned back in the direction we'd come from and away from Tala. As we left, I casually snuck a glance back at him to see him running a hand through his hair and wandering back to his match.
The rest of the school day passed by reasonably slowly until the final bell rung and we all raced out of the building and down to the gate. It was now 4:30 and my bus was long gone. Why was I still here? Well someone had to make sure Oliver got home ok. Aspin's bus was already at the gate when we arrived and Shahero had to go home early with Hitoshi, Tyson and Miyami because she had a dental appointment that she couldn't get out of. Miyami had to work in a local fashion store. Sonia always got a lift home with her mother who was a PE teacher at the other secondary school and Russia had gone up town for a smoke with her two boys flanking her as usual. So that left myself down by the gate until Oliver showed up.
And what an entrance he made. The poor guy came through the pedestrian exit with Arista by his side and a whole hoard of students behind them making snide comments and laughing at him. As he joined me, they all swarmed to a spot opposite us to congregate and decide what they were going to do. Basically without a leader, they were pathetically lost. None of them were going to do anything, they were just thriving on the excitement of the situation.
A few minutes later, the ring leaders appeared. Kane immediately wandered off to his bus while Johnny dumped his bag and headed for the ice cream van to get his fix of sugar. Tala hoisted himself onto the wall opposite us and the crowd moved to encircle him almost protectively which was a joke because he didn't need protection.
Almost gingerly, Enrique broke away from the hoard and walked over to us, causing a murmur to break through the group and for Johnny to call him a 'fucking faggot' when he noted his deferment.
So we stood there, in a face off of sorts that looked very one sided when Ruin approached with her little group of Garland and Robert. With us all crowded by Oliver, shielding him from the bullies behind him, I think he felt a little better. Well until a really bulky guy waltzed over and said that he didn't like Oliver but he did think that he should be careful not to go on his own anywhere because the boys were going to kick the shit out of him.
To which, Arista and I promptly voiced our opinion that if they did anything, we'd kick their asses. Which was kind of humorous since the guy was quite literally twice the size of us. However that put the fear of god right back into Oliver again because he was beginning to realize that us girls really weren't much help to him.
Anyway, 4:15 rolled around and I watched my bus drive off. Tala even tried to keep it for me but I told Kirby just to let it leave because I had my own way home. BIG LIE! But I couldn't leave Oliver.
At 4: 25, his bus came and he and Enrique and Robert got on with Johnny, for they all live in the same town. At least Oliver wasn't on his own there. Garland soon took Ruin home and Arista wandered up town to get her bus. I think they all believed that I had my own way home which I really didn't.
So here I was. Sitting on the wall with very little people loitering around the gate. In fact apart from the students that got the late bus, no one was here. The sky was growing dark as the sun set and a flock of crows cawed over head as they returned to their roost for the night. A metallic roll heralded the fact that Mr. Balkof in his Mercedes was going home and now there were no teachers left apart from the football coach.
A bout of masculine laughter rose from behind the corner and soon enough a group of seniors boys from the football team waltzed over the cattle-grid with their duffle bags hoisted over their shoulders. They barely flicked me a glance before they walked up the town or headed for their cars or wherever.
"Amber?"
I looked over my shoulder and smiled at Ozuma, hope rising in my chest as I realized that he had stayed back for football and would have to have a way home… that is until I realized who was taking him home. The smile dropped from my face faster than a raindrop from the sky.
"What are you still doing here?"
I shrugged and hunched my shoulders, turning my attention to the empty road. I didn't bother to look at my cousin because, well he was with the enemy.
"Did you miss your bus?" Rei asked as he approached, looking around as though expecting someone to come up and collect me or for the bus to appear and yell 'surprise'.
"No. I didn't get on it."
Kai, the remaining member of the trio who hadn't spoken, shifted and my attention flickered to him for the first time acknowledging his presence with a filthy look. It didn't bother him, of course. Him being a big hard man and everything. "Want a lift?"
"From you, I think I'd rather die."
"Amber!" My surprised cousin barked.
"I was just asking."
"And I was just answering."
"Why the hell did you not get on your bus?" Ozuma growled, his jade eyes flashing and his shoulders tensing. "Did something happen?"
"Who to? Me? No. Nothing happened to me. Your friend, on the other hand, or I'm guessing he's a friend of yours cause I certainly don't know him, threatened Oliver and in turn me. Because if anything happens to Oliver, I'm going to get involved."
Ozuma blew out a breath. "Come on, Ams, this has nothing to do with me and you."
"No, Ozuma, it doesn't. It also doesn't have anything to do with you, at all. Because I don't think you were mentioned in this and yet you're still on his side." I glared at Kai whose expression darkened.
"Look, Amber, just take Kai's offer. We'll call a truce."
I gaped at my cousin. Didn't he see that I couldn't just call a truce? That wasn't right. That… I couldn't do that. I'd rather sit here all night in the freezing cold rather than get in his car. Before I could say anything though, a car zipped up and screeched to a halt, spitting gravel as the door was swung over and slammed shut as the driver got out. Oh shit.
"Benson!"
I winced and began to wiggle my fingers. "Hello Brooklyn." I greeted weakly around the pad of my thumb that had manifested itself in between my teeth. I hunched up against whatever was about to explode out of him, knowing I wasn't going to like it.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, you stupid little girl?" I resent being called 'little', oh I don't like 'stupid' much either. And girl… well it has connotations, feminine ones that I don't feel apply to me very well.
"Hey, don't you speak to my cousin like that." Ozuma called out, squaring up to Brooklyn who was taller than him but Ozuma had a studier build while Brooklyn's was quite wiry.
"Ozu-"
"Shut up, Pipsqueak." Brooklyn snapped, brushing him off and keeping his gaze on me. Temper was all but sparking off him, which isn't right because he's supposed to have this tranquil elegance to him.
"Brook-" I tried again.
"Why don't you go back into whatever hole you crawled out of." Kai said dangerously.
"Oh you shut up!" I bit out roughly. "If we want a comment from the peanut gallery, we'll ask."
Kai just sneered at me before striding towards his car, motioning for Rei and Ozuma to follow him but Ozuma wasn't going to leave me it seemed.
"What do you want with my cousin?"
"I'm giving her a lift home, though it's none of your business!" Brooklyn told him flatly before turning to me. "Come on Benson, get in the car."
"Sure." I chirped quietly relieved to get away from this school. Boosting myself off the wall, I wiped down my hands and knelt to retrieve my heavy school bag.
"Amber, you're not really going with him are you?"
I blinked at Ozuma and sighed. "I'd rather go home with Brooklyn than that thing over there."
Ozuma looked uncomfortable and I felt bad for making him feel bad but honestly, I had my reasons. I was in the right here, dammit. "Look, Amber," He trailed off running a hand along the back of his neck, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."
"Ozuma…" I smiled softly at him. I wasn't mad at him, not ever him. Just like I wasn't truly angry with Tala either because it was hard to be mad with them when they hadn't done anything to me directly. I guess that makes me sound naïve, but if I was angry with everyone for hurting a friend of mine… Well I wouldn't have any friends. Moreover, Ozuma was family. I couldn't hate a member of my family.
So on thinking that, I hugged him and pulled away. "I'm not angry with you. I am angry with Kai however. Besides, Dicklyn, there, won't hurt me."
I could almost feel Brooklyn roll his eyes as I parted from my cousin and headed towards his car, trying to ignore the threatening words Ozuma felt he had to mutter to my boyfriends best friend.
After I had pulled on my seat belt, Brooklyn got in to the car and ignited the ignition. Just as Kai revved his. I sighed. Boys. Pulling away, Brooklyn turned onto the road and Kai soon followed before he accelerated and over took us. For a second I wondered if Brooklyn would follow but he simply snorted softly and continued to drive leisurely.
"So what are you crusading for this time?"
I glanced at him and gave a subtle shrug. "Oliver's gay and the boys have turned against him."
"So you missed your bus why?"
"Because Oliver's bus comes after mine and I wasn't willing to let him wait for it on his own. The boys are being complete bastards. I mean who are they to dictate who can and can't go to our school? I mean, some guy actually threatened him."
"You get that at times. They're just not used to people who aren't like them. It's human nature to rebel against what's different."
"I just wish everything could go back to normal. But as long as they're acting like pricks, I feel it's my duty to stick by Oliver."
"You sure you're getting involved for the right reasons?" He asked, shifting gears.
"What do you mean?" Of course I was doing this for the right reasons, Oliver was my friend. I'd stick by any of my friends.
"I just don't want to see you doing this because you feel you have to champion the underdog. You forget, I know how your mind ticks."
"My mind ticks very well thank you. And Oliver's my friend. He helps me out with my history, I won't turn my back on him."
"OK then."
"So how did you know I needed a ride home?"
"Ruin, she phoned and asked if I could collect you. She would have offered you a ride home but she and Garland are going into Derry to buy tickets for a gig at the Emblem."
"Oh, ok." That solves that mystery.
"So how's Mystel?"
"Tell him I'm fine. A bit tired though, today was a messed up day."
I turned to find Mystel sitting on the edge of the back seat between our seats with a hand on each chair. "Hello, where've you been all day?"
"Don't talk to him when I can't see him or hear him. It's creepy."
"Fuck of. So where have you been?"
Mystel simply shrugged. "I've been here but you've been busy today. We just didn't have any time to talk."
"I guess. Mystel's fine, by the way Brooklyn. He's got a very healthy flush."
"I'm not flushed!"
"Yeah, it's hardly very manly, is it?"
Brooklyn sighed heavily and urged the car to overtake a tanker. I tilted my head back against the headrest and watched the sun paint the sky a golden red.
'So Mystel, what do you think of this entire situation?'
"Life's short. I, out of everyone, realize that. They're holding a grudge over nothing. I can't condone that. Besides, your poor friend Oliver is having a hard enough time coming to terms that he's gay without everyone else turning against him and making him feel unnatural."
'I guess. You're right, what they're doing is wrong. His words strengthened my conviction. I had to stand by Oliver and make sure he didn't do anything because of their hurtful actions towards him.'
"Amber," Mystel said with a sigh as he sat forward. "This is not your battle. You can support him, but you cannot fight it for him. He needs your friendship but he needs to stand up for himself more. This is his trial, he has to face it. That's not something you can do for him."
I sighed. Unfortunately, I knew that. I just wanted to protect him though. I wanted to take on his enemies… and yet there was no reason for me to pick fights with the boys. I should be trying to smooth over the gap, make them see that what they're doing is wrong. They're letting their fears get the better of them but instead, I'm helping the gap widen. I'm keeping them from understanding Oliver and helping them alienate him by shielding him. This isn't my battle, I had my own to fight. Mystel, as usual, was right.
"Oh shit!" I whispered.
"What?" Brooklyn looked at me with a tinge of alarm in his voice.
"I have to work today and now I'm so late!"
Brooklyn growled before yanking the steering wheel to the left and motoring back towards the road that would take us to the stables, muttering the entire way about how I must have been blonde in previous life.
I hope that chapter was ok. If there is any mistakes and stuff, well I'm really sorry but I'm not perfect and I wrote this ages ago but I haven't written any TFG or SLTS in months, writers block is killing me. Just no beyblade stuff for me to read to get me in the slightest way inspired.
