Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. You guys are awesome. Monarch, I haven't bashed myself once this story, which is a great accomplishment for me. I've only said it was random and like fat lard Woundwort pointed out, it is. (That was not a bash, just an observation. Please don't poke me with one of Ray's many ear rings.) But anyway, there is another chapter to be told and I don't know what else to say to you guys other than thanks for the reviews.

Chapter 2: Nothing and a Little Hope

Okay. Today is the first day of torture. This will be fun. The first day is usually met with stares and nothing more than that. The next day the comments start coming in. The rest of the year is torture. I know the routine and I know how to deal with it. But something seems different this year and for the first time, I'm nervous. Why? Maybe I'm just realizing that being lonely isn't much fun and I should attempt to make friends this year. I mean, why not? Why shouldn't I? Maybe I should start out new this year. I would, but who would accept a Goth? I stand out. I'll accept that. With that figured out, I guess there will be no change in my life. No friends, no nothing. I'll just stand out and be picked on for being different. Is being different really a crime?

I really have no more time right now to consider this and I need to get ready for a new day, at a new school, in my brand new life. Man, this will not be easy…

I got up and hid the book under the bed. Not the best hiding spot in the world but if no one is looking for it, chances were nobody would find it.

In about 15 minutes I was ready to go but had to wait for Nickie and Andy to finish getting ready. Their school was right by mine and they wanted to show me around. So, I just sat patiently at the kitchen table… waiting. Not really thinking anything helpful, just stuff that would help the time pass. I was thinking about my hair. I know it sounds stupid and it is but I got it done in like, five minutes. That is something amazing to me considering I usually take twice as long. But anyway, Marry-Anne, Nickie and Andy's mother decided to try to make conversation with me after a long (but thoughtful) silence.

"So, the first day of school," she started.

"Yep." I didn't really want to talk at the moment. I'm not really talkative at anytime actually.

"You nervous?" she asked.

"Kinda' I guess." I answered shrugging. But in all fairness, I would have started to shake if I didn't have a thick wall hiding all my emotions. And for future reference, it wasn't just about to break. But all the same, I was nervous.

"You'll do fine," Marry-Anne said in a happy tone.

"Doubt it." This part was as true as it got.

Marry was just about to argue when Andy and Nickie came marching down the stairs. "You ready to go Ray?" asked Andy.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Which wasn't true. I would probably become more ready later on when these stupid nerves wore out but I didn't have much choice. Nickie grabbed my hand and pulled me to the door.

"Bye Mom!" they both shouted as we left.

"This here," Andy pointed out, "Is a great climbing tree. And, and that over there is a short-cut to Wes' house."

"He doesn't need to know short-cuts to your friends' houses." Nickie pointed out.

"Well, it's always good to know," Andy said a little hurt.

"I don't mind." I said. After that, Andy was back to normal and started to continue to show me places that I would never need to use. It was true, however, that I didn't mind. It was nice to be talked to, even though I wasn't exactly listening.

"Ray?"

"Uh hu."

"Is it strange being different?"

"That's nice." I said, not listening to the question. I was kinda' off in my own private world at the moment.

Andy shoved me, snapping me back to reality.

"Sorry," I apologized, feeling stupid, "What was the question?"

"Is it strange being different?"

"Of course. You can't walk around in all black and chains, with piercings galore, and not be noticed." True, so true…

"In a good or bad way?" Andy asked. Sort of a pathetic question but I didn't say anything about that.

"I wouldn't say good."

"Are you, well…" he paused for a moment before continuing. "Picked on?"

"I guess you could say that." I said as we got to an intersection where a lady in a van looked at me in disgust. I had to fight a very strong urge to stick out my tongue at her. Mypierced tongue. I wonder what she would look like if I did...

"You have to deal with bullies?" Nickie asked. "So does Andy." I was amazed. How did a kid as cool as Andy get picked on?

"Really?" I asked, as Andy glared angrily at Nickie.

"Unfortunately yes." Andy said grimly. "It has been happening since last year."

"You shouldn't have to deal with bullies." I said remembering that Andy was only 9 after all. "Do your parents know?"

"No."

"You don't have to go through this alone you know. If only someone knew then maybe they could help you." This was me of course. Of all people…

"What about you? You can get help too." Andy said trying to take the spotlight off himself.

"What about me? I'm older and know how to deal with these things. I don't need help." Lie! I need serious help!

"Do they ever… well… like hurt you?"

"Well, sure, I guess, but you gotta learn that they can hurt you but after that, there's nothing left. If you just deal with it then they will get tired soon enough and leave you alone." That couldn't come out anymore cheesy! Note to self: Do NOT become a psychiatrist. Though, they are the masters of cheese. I would know.

Andy smiled and asked, "Has that ever really worked for you?" Man, he's smarter then he looks.

"Actually," but I had nothing. "No."

"Thought so."

"Okay then," I said as I turned to look Andy in the eye, which I try to avoid with everyone, but now was different. He needed to know I was serious, "I realized you don't want help so there is really nothing I can do, but if you ever change your mind about it I'm here. You can talk to me."

"Err, herm!"

"What?" I asked and turned to Nickie, "I'll be there for you too."

"Thank you." She said, satisfied. Man, talk about ruining the moment.

"Well, there's the school." Andy said as we turned the corner, "The big one's yours and mine and Nicky's is beside it."

"Thanks," I said pulling away from the group. "I think I can take it from here."

"You sure?" asked Nickie. How nice. She cares!

"Yep. Bye." And I walked off. Torture chamber here I come.

"I wonder if anyone new is going to come this year?" asked Kirsten, "Last year was soooo boring, it wasn't funny."

She was sitting under the shade of the tree with her two best friends in the world waiting for the bell to ring. She was right. It was the most boring year in history. Or at least, that was Max's way of looking at it.

"That might make things more interesting," he agreed, "Speaking of interesting…" He pointed to someone off a little way off.

"What are you talking about? Where? I can't – Oh!" She spotted the person Max was looking at. Boy, this could get real interesting. The person was all gothed up. He was completely in black and had at least 5 belts on. One across his chest, like two around his waist, another one wrapped around his arm and a final one around his leg. He had a black T-shirt over an equally black long sleeved one and had an expression on his face that clearly stated that he did not want to be here. To top it all off he had jet-black hair with the ends of the spikes dyed red (Ray did this to add to the effect. Torture was bloody, wasn't it?) with bangs that framed his face. She also noticed quite a few piercing. Two below the bottom lip right under each other and one through his left eyebrow. There were also many on his left ear but she was too far away to count.

"Wow! How many piercings you think he has?" asked Max.

"I don't know," said Kirsten, "Probably at least 10."

"What are you two going on about?"

The sound of Kai's voice startled them both. He didn't talk much, but when he did, it might as well have been a historic event. A once in a week time thing. (How that somehow turned historic, don't ask me. I only write this stuff!)

"There's a new kid we haven't seen before," Kirsten told him for she was the first one to get over the fact that he talked.

Max, wanting to have a part in this conversation with Kai said, "And he's a Goth! In all black, piercings, everything!"

"Interesting." Was all Kai had to say. Everyone was a little disappointed that the conversation was over. Not like anyone talked too much or anything.

By this time, the Goth boy was walking past them and avoiding eye contact with everybody. He had a spiky bracelet on, which was reasonable, but something else caught Kirsten's eye. On his wrist, under the fat leather spike bracelet, Kirsten saw a gold chain peeking out and attached to it was a heart shaped locket.

Apparently he felt it slip out so he put a leather gloved hand over it and looked down slightly to make sure it wasn't still showing. As he was looking down, his eyes drifted a bit until he made eye contact with Kirsten by accident. He gave her a little half smile then broke the contact and looked away. He kept on walking but just a little faster then before.

"He just smiled at me," Kirsten said amazed.

"And did you know the name 'earwig' has nothing to do with the actual bug? It doesn't crawl onto your ear and transform into a wig. No! It has nothing to do with ears at all." Max was, at the moment, going on about earwigs and didn't hear Kirsten's comment. But Kai did.

"Who smiled at you?"

"The Goth, he smiled at me."

"What is the point of earwigs? I mean, they aren't very important or anything. If they suddenly disappear, the world wouldn't end. I bet a lot of people would be relieved at their sudden disappearance."

"Kinda' the same way we feel about you Max." this was Kai. "And Kirsten, who cares if some Goth did smile at you?"

"I thought they had no emotion," Kirsten said, "Or at least don't show it often."

"Now I know how earwigs feel." Max said with a pout. "Everyone is so mean and all they want to do with you is squish you. How depressing."

"Max, you do realize no one is listening to you, right?" – Kai

"Ya," Max said sighing. "This must be how those earwigs feel."

Just then the bell rang and like Ray would put it: The torture had begun.

Sorry. Kinda' a pointless chapter and sorry it took so long too! The next chapter will be higher quality… Hopefully. Well, review, tell me what you think so far. Improvements will be made. Thanks! And don't abandon the story. It was just a bad chapter.
BYE!

(Not forever mind you. Just till I get another chapter up.)