Chapter Nine – Loyalty

Oh the agony of a mid-day headache. I can't focus on anything but when can I ever. Jack obviously couldn't focus either because he's asleep with his head resting on my left arm. It's actually quite amazing. Jack and I have officially made it an entire day with out getting in trouble, new record, well in a way.

"JACK MERCER!" screamed the annoying math teacher whose name I can never seem to remember. He groaned and looked up at her.

"Yeah," he mumbled as an answer.

"GO TO THE PRONCELPALS RIGHT NOW!"

"HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG!" I protested.

Scratch the record I have to stand up for my best friend. It's the only rule I follow. Mrs. Annoying threw us out the door; I of course lost my balance and fell into the wall pulling Jack down with me. Five seconds later our backpacks and books where thrown out the door nearly colliding with out heads.

"You didn't have to yell Remy." Jack stated sitting up and staring at the ceiling.

"Do you really think I wanted to be left in that class by myself," I snapped back.

"Let's get out of here," he suggested.

"Hell yea." We grabbed our stuff and walked down to the art gallery exit. Truth is sneaking out of this school is way too simple. Just walk out the door, but in my world simple isn't enough. Jack grabbed my arm and pulled me out the door, but my hand caught the fire alarm trigger. A smirk crossed my face as I yanked it down.

"Remy, why the hell? ...Hurry," Jack yelled as he pulled on my hand. We made it into the suburb before people exited the building.

"You're insane," he gasped as he tried to catch his breath.

"Yea well you'll get over it," I replied climbing over the fence as the security guards came into sight.

Jack quickly followed then kneeled down by where I was sitting.

"We are going to be in so much trouble Remy."

"Shut up," I ordered watching as the guards searched around the houses through a crack in one of the oak boards. As they got closer I felt my muscles tense. One of the larger ones stepped toward the fence…my heart raced…I looked at Jack as he fidgeted with the end of this scarf. I held my breath preparing for the worst.

"HEY I THINK THEY WENT THIS WAY," yelled the thinnest one of the guards. The one near the fence took one more glance toward the gate before running toward the other guard.

"That was close," Jack released the breath he had been holding.

"Yea it was," I laughed. It was funny how security guards never followed the tracks. They were in plain sight but they never caught us. They probably didn't even really care, but hey that means less trouble going on at school.

We soon got up and walked toward the mall. I really needed a new CD and Jack had no problem with stopping by the food court. After an hour of walking around we got bored.

"Hello," Bobby grunted into the receiver.

"Hey Bobby," I replied twirling the payphone cord around my finger.

"What do you want, Remy?" he snapped.

"Can you come pick me up from the mall?"

"Why are you at the mall?"

"Why not?"

"Is Jack there?"

"Sure is."

"I'll be there soon just waiting outside the front entrance," he hung up.

I let the phone drop and hang there.

"Are you going to leave it like that?" Jack asked pointing to the phone.

"Yep," I giggled grabbing the end of his scarf I dragged him outside. We sat on the edge of the sidewalk.

"He's not in a good mood is he?" Jack questioned raising an eyebrow. I shrugged neither of us said anything.

"What CD did you get?" Jack finally asked while lighting up a cigarette.

"The new Red Hot Chili Peppers CD… it's been on my to get list for a while so I decided it was time."

"That makes sense," he blew smoke out his nose as he spoke.

"It should," I looked down at the cement my fingers tracing the cracks in the ground. Jack laughed and I looked up at him with wide eyes.

"What the hell?" I yelled.

"It's just funny."

"What is?"

"How much every thing has changed… I mean remember when we would be able to talk for hours about nothing and now… everything has become awkward. I just stared at him.

"Okay… never mind," he said looking back at me. I sighed heavily and rested my head on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around my waist and laid his head on mine. The wind blew viciously; it was freezing outside like always. I shivered and Jack held me closer.

"That concert was pretty good last night," he stated.

"Told you it would be," I grinned at him.

Bobby's car pulled up beside us. I got in back and lay down, while Jack sat next to Bobby. He drove off not a word coming out of his mouth.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked curiously.

"I've got some business to do so you two need to listen to me and do as I say, understand," he answered.

"Listening," Jack and I replied simultaneously.