Author's Note:  thank you all for being patient. My mother is indeed on my side in this saturation with my father and I will very soon have an Internet connection! Touch wood. Anyway, thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews! I haven't actually seen them since Saturday night, when I posted the last lot of chapters, so I haven't seen any of the new reviews, but I appreciate all of them! Please keep them coming! Sorry that there are only three chapters this time (although chapter twelve is 3961 words long!) but I have been busy with family outings and etc, and I have had a little bit of writers block. By the way, if my current writing binge keeps up, you're going to be in for one long fic! Enjoy!

For all other author's notes and the disclaimer see Chapter One. Please read them before reading the fic. Thanks. Send feedback to nova_mist@yahoo.com Please read and review.

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The Altered View Monday Can Bring

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March 26th, 1984

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Chapter Ten – "I'll show you wrestling!"

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Andy strolled into the gym, trying to look as if he were calm and collected, when he was anything but. He was still angry at himself over his fight with Allison.

He got changed into his sports clothes on autopilot. For once in his life, the last thing Andy wanted to do was go to PE class. He shoved his normal clothes into his bag unceremoniously, not caring if his t-shirt got creased in the process.

And just when he thought his irritation couldn't get any larger, his friends James Lopez and Ben Houghton strolled into the locker room, and straight over to Andy.

"Oh, Jesus Christ." Andy muttered to himself.

"Andy, dude, how was detention on Saturday?" James asked Andy loudly.

Andy grit his teeth. "Fine." He said shortly, turning his attention back to tying the laces of his sneakers up.

James looked at him sideways. "That bad, hey?" he asked.

Andy grunted in a way that said neither 'yes' nor 'no'.

Ben laughed loudly. "Shit, man, what's up with you? Whatever it is, you should really clear it up. You nearly flunked at your meet on Sunday."

"Shut up!" Andy snapped, and James and Ben abruptly stopped laughing.  Andy picked up his water bottle and stormed past them into gymnasium proper.

James and Ben looked at each other. "What the fuck is wrong with him?" Ben asked.

James shrugged. "I dunno. Let's find out."

"Well, it could have something to do with that chick he was arguing with in the car park this morning."

James and Ben turned around to see their friend Mike Williams standing behind them, smoking a cigarette.

"What chick?" Ben asked.

Mike shrugged. "Dunno. I didn't really get a good look at her face. She did look familiar, in a weird sort of way, but I couldn't place her. But she's got dark hair, about average height, pale skin. Pretty little thing. But a fiery temper." Mike took a deep draw of his cigarette. "Our boy Andy obviously said something wrong, and that really set her off." Mike laughed slightly. "She stormed off angrily, Andy yelling after her."

Ben and James exchanged glances.

"Did Andy look angry?" James inquired.

Mike smirked. "Yep. Angry as I've ever seen him. He looked like he was gonna go bust a fuckin' cap on someone."

"Well, did he look pissed off before he started arguing with this chick?" James asked.

Mike considered that for a moment. "Actually, thinking about it, yeah, he did." Mike flicked the cigarette onto the floor, and stubbed it out with his toe. "And he looked really worried after the girl stormed off. Like he was completely ticked with himself more than her." Mike shrugged, and looked back at his friends. "Weird shit. I ain't ever seen him that worried before. And he was yelling after her to try and get her to come back."

"Was he yelling her name?" Ben asked.

Mike looked at him. "Yeah, but do you really think I woulda been able to catch it over all the noise in the car park?" Mike snapped. "All I could hear was an 'Al' sound."

"An 'Al' sound?" James and Ben asked is unison.

"You know, like Alanna or Alexandra or Alyssa or Allison."

"A girl with dark hair whose name starts with 'Al'." Ben summarised. "That's what we have on this mystery chick."

"Yeah, all we have, I'm afraid." Mike clarified.

"Wait, do you mean Allison Reynolds?" James interjected.

"Allison Reynolds?" Ben snapped. "Who the fuck is Allison Reynolds?"

"The name sounds familiar…who is she?" Mike asked.

"Yeah, you know, the weird girl who sulks around wearing black and everything. She's always in seeing Hasimoto, the school counsellor." James replied.

"Oh, yeah!" Mike agreed. "It was her, thinking about it!" Then he frowned. "But she was wearing a long denim skirt and a pink jumper. Not all in black."

"Oh, who cares what she's wearing?" Ben cut in. "Maybe she gave herself a makeover? Our problem is Andy, not Allison Reynolds!"

"Yeah, but Allison may be Andy's problem." Mike pointed out.

Ben glared at him. "You know-it-all prick! Who the Hell asked you anyw-"

"EVERYONE GET IN HERE NOW!" Coach Sheldon roared.

Everyone groaned quietly (very quietly: Coach Sheldon was known for his exceptional hearing) and filed into the gymnasium.

*****

While his friends were discussing him, Andy sat against the wall, fuming. He knew that Mike, Ben and James were talking about him. He could feel it in his bones.

Fuck! What the hell am I going to do? Andy fumed to himself. Allison's mad at me, and now my friends are talking about me behind my back! I thought it was only girls who were supposed to do that shit! They know that something is up, and they just won't let it go?! All I need now to complete my shitty day is for Coach Sheldon to get wind of my apparent "lacklustre attitude" on Sunday, and then scream my fucking head off-

"CLARK!" Coach Sheldon bellowed.

"Fuck!" Andy cursed under his breath. He looked up at Coach Sheldon. "Yes, Coach?" Andy asked, getting to his feet.

"Get over here!" Coach Sheldon snapped.

Andy walked over to the Coach. "Yes, Coach?" he repeated.

Coach Sheldon frowned at Andy. When he spoke his voice was firm. "Andy, I have just heard about your rather unenthusiastic performance at Sunday's meet." He said to Andy seriously. "And I must say I'm not impressed. Yes, you won, but that was based on your natural ability. If you had really been into it, you could have flattened that guy in a third of the time it took you." Coach Sheldon continued.

Andy could feel the anger boiling inside him. But he could also see that all of his strength was gone. Standing up to his father, and then his fight with Allison, it had taken it out of him. So instead of standing up for himself, Andy just stood there and took the criticism that the coach gave to him. It was the cowardly, weak way out, and Andy didn't feel good doing it.

"You have problems! You do everything everyone tells you to do! That is a problem!" Allison's voice came back to haunt him. "You can't think for yourself!"

You're right, Allison. Andy thought to himself, trying to block out Coach Sheldon's nagging. I can't think for myself. That is a big problem. But do you know why I can't think for myself? Because I'm weak. Which is why I'm standing here and taking this dickhead's crap. I'm weak…

"…do you understand, Andy?"

Andy raised his head and looked at Coach Sheldon again. "Yes." He replied.

Coach Sheldon nodded. "Good. I just don't want you to blow your ride, that's all." he concluded, patting Andy on the back in a friendly way. Andy tensed, but the teacher didn't notice, because he was already yelling to the rest of the class: "EVERYONE GET IN HERE NOW!" 

Everyone scrambled in to the room including, to Andy's surprise, Larry Lester.

His own words echoed in his mind. "When I was sitting in Vernon's office, all I could think about was Larry's father. And Larry having to go home and explain what happened to him. And the humiliation...fucking humiliation he must've felt. It must've been unreal...I mean, how do you apologize for something like that? There's no way..."

I wonder if Brian still had that gun… Andy wondered, as he walked back over to his previous place against the wall, and sat back down.

*****

And just when I thought PE couldn't get any worse…Andy thought irritably.

"Today, ladies, we will be climbing the ropes." Coach Sheldon sneered at the twenty-seven boys assembled in front of him. "There are three ropes. You will form vertical processions of nine, and climb the ropes." Coach Sheldon instructed. "This will be taken as part of your overall fitness assessment for your report mark." He snapped, and chose to ignore the collective groan from most present. "Right, line up!" the teacher bellowed, and watched with amusement as most of the class jumped, and then ran over to get into lines. Andy was two people behind Larry Lester. Ben was first in line, James was second.

Man, what the fuck is this? The U.S. Marines?! Andy thought irritably.

"START! NOW!" Coach Sheldon roared.

Those first in line immediately started to clamber up the ropes. Ben Lopez climbed up to the top in three seconds flat. He jumped down, and the next person in line, James, started to climb.

There was a knock at the main doors to the gym. Mrs. Muir, one of the ladies from the school office stood there, looking impatient. "Ah, Coach Sheldon, may I speak with you for a moment?"

Coach Sheldon nodded curtly. "Of course," he replied, and walked over to the double doors. "AND I EXPECT ALL OF YOU TO CLIMB THOSE DAMN ROPES!" he snapped.

"Grumpy prick," somebody muttered, causing most of the class to snigger.

Andy stared at the ceiling moodily while he waited for his turn. He was just beginning to contemplate trying tpo drown himself in the showers when-

THUMP!  

"OWWWWWWWW!"

Andy's head snapped up to see Larry Lester on the ground, obviously in severe pain due to the fact that he had fallen from a great height right onto his still-injured backside.

Ben Lopez and Ben Houghton started laughing, along with all the other jocks.

"Oh, the wimp isn't gonna cry, is he?" Ben sneered. "Because I bet his arse is still sore from last Monday!"

everyone was laughing now, except Andy.

He knew what he had to do.

He looked at Ben. "Shut up." He snapped, and bent down to help Larry up.

Ben, Mike and James were shocked.

"What the hell are you helping him for?" James shrieked.

"You're the one who pulled the prank, remember?" Ben reminded him.

"And it was bloody funny!" Mike added.

"Yes, and that's exactly why I'm helping him: because it's my fault, and I'm sorry. And I never, ever should have done it." He looked at Larry right in the eyes. "Will you forgive me? For the stupid prank I pulled?" he asked.

Larry just looked at him, mouth hanging open.

"Please? I know I don't deserve it, but just think about it, okay?"

Larry nodded slowly. "Uh, okay." He said after a moment, before Mrs. Muir realised what was happening and bustled over, ushering Larry to the sick bay.

Well, that went rather well. I wasn't expecting that. There are just some things you can never bet on to be the way you think it will go. Andy mused to himself, as he watched Larry leave the gym. They always turn out differently, usually for the worse.  Andy smiled to himself. But today it turned out better. I just hope it goes that well with Allison…

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!" Coach Sheldon bellowed. "I LEAVE YOU FOR FIVE MINUTES AND YOU SLACK OFF?! GET BACK TO WORK!"

Andy smirked. Well, at least some things in life can always be counted on to be the same.

And, ignoring the glances he was getting from everyone, and the whispers of "What the hell…?" Andy climbed up his rope.