Chapter 25: The Cat is Out

(Author's Note: The events of this chapter happen at the exact same time as the events in Chapter 24.)


Cody waited near the door of the cafeteria until his brother arrived. The twins greeted each other and took their place in the lunch line. The room was busy with people catching each other up on the day's happenings while talking over the background noice of plastic trays sliding and banging on tables, utensils scratching across plates, and book bags being dropped onto chairs.

"What are you having today?" Cody asked his brother.

"I think I'll have the pizza. At least it LOOKS edible," the older twin joked.

"I heard someone actually tried the meatloaf last week and hasn't been back to school since."

"I believe it," Zack said, "No one ever eats it. I think they make one at the beginning of the year and just keep putting the same one out every day." The brothers laughed at the thought.

Zack and Cody made their way through the lunch line, collected their choices of food and headed out to find a table. Zack already knew Cody didn't want to sit with Max so the brothers took a seat on the opposite side of the room from their normal position.

"I don't know why they hand these out anymore," Cody said referring to the new issue of the school paper that had been given to him with his lunch. "No one reads it anymore. It's such a waste of paper." As he spoke, Cody noticed a few people laughing as they walked past him, but didn't think much of it.

"No one reads it because we're not working on it anymore. Ask Shirley equals ratings. And besides, it's not a waste," Zack said, "The staples can be pulled out and you have enough sheets for about 10 paper airplanes!" Cody laughed as he watched his brother remove the staples from the paper.

"You better be careful," the younger twin warned, "You don't want to get in trouble." More laughter could be heard scattered around the room. Cody tried to dismiss it, but, as more people started joining in, he wondered what was going on. "What's everyone laughing about?"

"I don't know," Zack said as he finished his third paper airplane. He picked up the fourth page and began folding, but something caught his eye. More kids walked by laughing and this time Cody was sure their laughter was directed at him. He was just about to speak up when Zack cut him off. "Um... Cody..."

"Huh?" Cody was giving the group that had walked by a look of both confusion and anger.

"I think this might answer your question," Zack held up the piece of paper he was about fold into an airplane so Cody could see.

At the top in bold, black, handwriting it said 'My First Kiss by Jordan Farmer.' The rest of the page was also handwritten, but by someone else. Cody began reading the words and his heart dropped as he realized it was a copy of a page from Jordan's journal. Cody snatched the paper from his brother's hand and began reading, in great detail about Jordan's exploration of his body while he was sleeping. When he got to the part about the kiss, he stopped reading and laid the paper on the table staring at his older twin in disbelief.

"Did you read the last part?" Zack asked quietly.

"I... I stopped at... I stopped at the part where he kissed me," Cody was finally able to say. "I... I just don't even... wow..."

"This... this is messed up..." Zack said. "What are you going to do?"

"First... I think I'm going to be sick..." Cody said. At that point, most of the noise in the lunch room had stopped and a strange silence had fallen over everyone. As he looked around, Cody noticed that almost everyone in the room was looking at him. To his surprise, most of the laughter had stopped and many people seemed to be just as shocked at the whole thing as he was. A few people were whispering, filling their friends who hadn't read about it in on the story and some of them were pointing toward Zack and Cody's table for the benefit of those who didn't already know who Cody Martin was. A few tables over, Jimmy Wyntirsno, the captain of the football team, got up and made his way toward Zack and Cody. Jimmy was a big guy and both Zack and Cody had had their share of run-ins with him. He was a senior and liked to pick on the younger kids in school. He wasn't a violent bully like Drew Gambol tended to be, but where he held back in physical abuse, he more than made up for in his verbal taunts.

As Jimmy approached, Zack and Cody both looked up and him silently. He stood over them menacingly, his football letterman jacket bulging around his arms as if it could barely contain the huge, beefy man beneath. He leaned in, placing both hand on Zack and Cody's table and Cody closed his eye and braced himself for what was sure to be a verbal beating.

"Hey man," Jimmy's deep voice boomed, even as he tried to speak quietly, "this is some pretty sick shit. That kid took advantage of you and that's... not cool." Cody let out his deep breath he had been holding in anticipation and opened his eyes. He looked up at Jimmy with his mouth hanging open, unsure how what to say or how to react. "If anyone bothers you about this, let me know. I got your back." Jimmy rose up from the table. Zack and Cody's stunned faces followed him as he turned to address the rest of the students in the lunch room. "This is Cody Martin," he announced while pointing at Cody. "If anyone messes with him they'll have to deal with me!" Then, he turned back around to face Cody. "Make sure you let me know, okay?" Cody was taken aback by the sincerity of Jimmy's words.

"I... I will," Cody stuttered. Jimmy nodded and started to walk away, but Cody stopped him. "Jimmy... thanks." The big man gave Cody a reassuring smile and another nod before going back to his table.

After Jimmy's announcement, the noise level in the lunch room began to pick back up. There was no doubt that people were discussing Cody, but he felt better knowing that not everyone was going to turn this against him. After all, he had been asleep the whole time and was practically molested. It would take a real scumbag to try to use that against him. As these things were rushing through his head, Cody heard Zack saying something in reply to a passer-by.

"What did they say?" Cody asked.

"They said they were sorry for what happened and that I... er you... well... they said 'you' but I think they meant YOU since they were talking to me..."

"Zack..." Cody interrupted his brothers rambling.

"Sorry. They were sorry for what happened and sorry that YOU had to find out along with the rest of the school."

"Wow..." Cody couldn't believe that people were taking his side. It was pretty much the opposite of what the twins had prepared themselves for, but now that it was happening, it all made sense.

"What do you want to do?" Zack asked.

"I'm not sure. I'll have to find Jordan after school and tell him it's over. We're not friends anymore. I don't want to see him, but I have to let him know how angry I am about this. I mean... Zack... he practically molested me while I was asleep!"

"I know. Do you want me to beat him up?" Zack offered.

"I don't think that's necessary, but thanks anyway. I just kinda feel bad for him."

"What?! How can you feel bad for someone who would do that to you?!" Zack exclaimed.

"I don't know... I'm trying not to, but... I just can't help it. He has no friends. He's obviously messed up in the head. I think he needs help."

Zack scoffed, "He definitely needs help." The bell rang signaling the end of lunch.

"I don't know... when I talk to him, I'll let him know I think he needs help." The brothers made their way to the trash to empty their trays before placing them in the slot for the dishwasher. "I'll meet up with you after school."

"Are you worried about what people might say to you for the rest of the day?"

"Yeah, but I'm honestly too angry to let it get to me. I was in a helpless position and I did nothing... wrong."

"Okay... just take care of yourself. Anyone messes with you, let me know." Zack said as he put his arm around his younger brother and gave him a loving squeeze.

"Thanks, bubba. I'll see you after school."

The twins went their separate ways as Cody headed off the face the unknown challenges the rest of the day might present as the second wave of people got hold of the school paper. At first, Cody had considered trying to gather all of the copies, but he knew that enough people had seen it already, there was no use.

As the lunch room filled back up with students who there for the second lunch period, no one knew what was going on just down a small hill from there, inside the gym or that someone needed help.

Author's Note: Jimmy Wyntirsno is named after the user Wyntirsno who won a "contest" WAY back at the beginning of this story to have a character named after them.