Reviews :
Burgie : Yep... It's really difficult to write my beloved characters being put in situations where they could be potentially viewed as 'the problem' but everything done to Gideon isn't of malice, but it's definitely out of lack of awareness. And Gideon pays that price.
Snake557 : Aww, thank you o much for opening up like that. I appreciate it. This situation that Gideon is in very loosely happened to me. I know the people involved weren't acting maliciously, but definitely held on to a very much younger, more naive version of myself in their minds for a lot longer than they should have, and it damaged me. I'm glad that's all being portrayed correctly, and I'm glad you guys are feeling frustrated for Gideon. That furthers my wondering of maybe my feelings are valid all along, maybe I was wronged. I was worried I'd write this story and everyone would come back at me saying I'm just overthinking things, but... It's nice to have clarity here. The fam means well - just not really using their noggins and catering to someone who is far more different and sensitive than them.
Lyssdoodle : Thank you so much! I'm okay. Trying to heal through my writing but it's definitely tough. I appreciate the kindness here, thank you.
Song Listened To :
Hometown by Twenty One Pilots
*Chapter 61*
The week and a half pressed on smoothly, though Gideon was certain it was because he was diligently doing work to keep his eyes down. Strictly keeping to himself and taking liberties to go on flights with Novus after school, he resisted the urge to escape to Vidrix every single day, though was also strict in avoiding Orion City. Stuck to nothing but the clouds, practicing his ability to properly manifest and not loose touch with creating fantastical worlds he could escape to, he knew sticking to just his and Novus's routine was best. Although tempted to fall into his old habit of finding grungy places in Orion City to tag, drink and otherwise loiter, he was secretly grateful Lash had given him a mild throw around. Rebellious in nature, he knew he had to rein it in somewhere and somehow. Grateful Lash at least gave him an out, lest he need it, he kept his head to the clouds after school hours and was diligently doing everything not to flunk his classes.
In the agitated scuffle he took to his locker during lunch hour, so to avoid Chase, he successfully rushed his locker, turned the dials at lightning speed he had perfected and popped open the. jarring clack of his locker. With agility, he did everything he could to dump off the books and items he didn't need, he swiped for his lunch money and a few other items he'd need for the following classes, and tightly grit his teeth. Well aware time was ticking and he was definitely taking way too long of a time at his locker, he felt his pupils tighten in a draw of terror as he heard familiar voices off to his left. Chase and Zee could be heard happily talking, loudly laughing with one another, they had become fast friends. In the panic, Gideon fumbled with one of his books and it tumbled to his foot, causing him to sharply grit his teeth in a jolt of pain. He swiftly bent over, grunted a soft noise of stifling said pain and came back up in time for Zee to meanly call out to him.
"Aww, he was just too slow, this time," Zee cooed meanly; although everyone was on the fast track to maturing, the rapid growth that happened in the Arcade meant that everyone was getting taller, bigger, bulkier, everyone's voices were deepening, everyone's auras were becoming more permanent, character was beginning to shine through and true in a slow bloom of either good or bad. Gideon darkly volleyed Chase and Zee a look of full, pursed, dreaded anger and did everything he could to get away quick. He finally sagged his shoulders and slowed his roll as Zee was first to saunter up. Although Chase was definitely with Zee, he hung back a little, as if to show a tender amount of apprehensive confusion. Zee gingerly nudged Gideon's shoulder and shook his head with that same old mean smile he'd deliver, "Little Giddy-no-shoes not so little anymore."
"Leave me alone," Gideon's deep voice growled in a roll of a proper threat.
He finished what he was doing in his locker and slammed it, causing Chase to flinch; Chase, having really shot up within the last month or so, now stood nearly at Gideon's height, which was just now touching six-foot. Gideon's strong, proper stature was nearly full grown, though Chase was turning into a proper, boasting show of his true self, as well. A scarily intimidating individual, with proper spikes at the bends of his elbows and all along the crown of his head, Gideon nearly double-took Chase's figure and immediately felt his heart sag at the fact that he hardly even recognized Chase anymore. Zee had hit his mature growth spurt a month or so prior, he looked the same as he always did. Black, straight hair that hung in his eyes, vivid blue eyes that nearly looked translucent, a charming, wide white smile that was his secret weapon, pale skin that had Gideon wondering if he was a vampire of sorts. Eager to step away, Gideon did just that, though jolted to a scuffed halt the second Zee took a daring step out before Gideon. Gideon's fiery, angry eyes glowered down into his, Gideon was shocked that Zee even attempted to intimidate him at this point due to the growing height and physical stature he had over Zee.
"Just tell me where you got your hair cut," Zee hissed meanly, "It was about damn time, eh? Just talk to me, why can't we be friends?"
"Because you've spent the better half of Pre-A deploying mental terrorism on me for no reason," Gideon muttered tightly, he dared to get in Zee's face a little.
"Just give me the name of the place, that's all I want," Zee grinned in mean, scheming delight, to which Chase muttered Zee an annoyed notion of potentially stepping away.
"Get the fuck out of my face," Gideon sharply whispered in Zee's face, and though that was enough to cause Zee to inhale a deep readied breath and broaden his venomous smile in goading, bullying delight, Gideon flinched in unwavering surprise the second someone's arm and hand shoved to Zee's chest with a firm pop, causing Zee to jolt backwards and fumble on his feet in unbalanced surprise.
"Hey, get lost, little guy, you're absolutely no match for Gideon, powers or not," Callum suddenly barked; being older, taller, popular and far more confident, both Zee and Chase sagged in hot regret. Callum stood before Gideon in riled irritation and boasted the belt of his voice in Zee's direction, "If your path crosses with my cousin one more time, you will keep your eyes down or rue the day. I will find your ass if you so much as say one more word to him, you hear me?"
Zee and Chase quickly stepped away, and though their confused, irritated and defeated gazes lingered in hot question of whether they should fight back or not, they finally fumbled with each other and booked it. Although Callum didn't cause a scene, a few people within a five foot radius tossed curious, onlooking glances towards the two. Gideon felt shellshocked; he peered to Callum in a roll of cold, nearly delighted surprise. Having gone on to Academy side a few weeks early, Callum wasn't one to be seen around Pre-A any longer, thus causing Gideon to continue reeling in hot confusion. Callum turned to face Gideon and shook his head, his dark blue eyes hooked tight to Gideon's in sharp defense, he urgently peered back to where Chase and Zee had run off and brought his frustrated gaze back to Gideon's shellshocked disposition.
"The hell was that about?" Callum ordered, and though Gideon was having an out of body experience, he strangely felt a lump gather in his throat, the desire to properly be taken seriously by his childhood best friend, Gideon shook his head and opened his mouth to usher Callum a confused recollection of said short event, though Callum gestured down the hall, "I came back to Pre-A because I accidentally left my stuff in my locker. Do you know that guy?"
"Yeah... He's been bullying me since day one," Gideon muttered darkly; somehow the feeling to be giddy and joyous of Callum's presence never came, like he assumed it would. Somehow he could feel Callum's body language and energy soak into a mature dip of reaching understanding, as if to be totally sure Gideon would figuratively fall to Callum's feet and show eternal gratitude for finally being aware of his presence, it was here did Gideon take air into his lungs and feel a strange sweep of power course over him. A strange sweep of freedom, liberated from desperately puppy-dogging after Callum, and now that he was sapped in his cousin's non-verbal communication, he was floored to find he largely had the upper hand in their dynamic. Gideon almost meanly narrowed his eyes and stood his ground, "I've been dealing with this problem for weeks."
"Sorry, Gid, I... I wish you would've told me, that guy's a total douche bag," Callum muttered, he sheepishly looked off and tugged the collar of his tidy button up, very Wren-esque, "His big brother was in my friend circle, they're both kind of... The bullying type."
"You... You wish I would've told you?" Gideon repeated through a breath of a sarcastic huff of a laugh, he fluttered his eyes in disbelief and tried to ground himself, "I couldn't approach you, no less tell you my problems, Callum, what makes you think I'd suddenly just tell you about this? Risk being bullied MORE for crying to 'mommy' for help? I'm a big boy... I can take care of myself."
"Well, thank User you'll be out of here, soon, Pre-A is premeditation for terrible friend groups," Callum gestured about Pre-A's humble, lovely white halls, Gideon could tell Callum was beginning to proverbially sweat, due to being called out. He smiled into Gideon's eyes in a show of sincere softness, something Gideon was previously desperate for though properly grieved and was now getting on without. Callum warmly carried on, "When you get to Academy side, you can sit with me so you can avoid that asshole. His brother doesn't hang with us anymore. Sound good?"
Gideon held his breath and couldn't believe the roll of words that rose from his core and was prepared to drive Gideon's voice like he was simply just a meat vessel. He huffed a shaky exhale, narrowed his gaze in warm disbelief and felt a further release of liberating freedom. The very idea that Gideon didn't even need nor want this offer anymore made him thrilled and livid all in one emotion. How desperate he was for Callum's support weeks ago was now a lovely thought Gideon had done solid work to put to rest. Now that it was buried, dead, long gone and healed from, Gideon felt absolutely floored to have the leg up over Callum in this hot instance of yanking his sense of self above everyone that had ever wronged him.
"I'm sorry I kinda... Secluded myself for a bit, there," Callum mumbled in soft regret, he peered into Gideon's eyes in a show of mature, genuine apology that Gideon felt to be entirely true, though Gideon smiled a little and inhaled a cleansed breath through his nose.
"It's okay, Callum," Gideon delivered softly, to which Callum smiled and gently nudged Gideon's upper arm.
"You'll love the area we chose to sit, on Academy side. We're right where Tammy and everyone sits!" Callum encouraged excitedly, and though Gideon felt floored he was due to being included in on all of this drama, finally, he was excited to free himself from these drowning desires that were never met. Callum shrugged and continued on, "You down?"
"No thank you," Gideon assured with soft confidence, he shrugged and looked off in contemplation, "I really appreciate you sticking up for me, just now, but I've been wildly hurt by the lot of you... Although I appreciate the apology, I'm not ready to receive it."
Callum flinched and froze, entirely certain this wouldn't be Gideon's stance, though Gideon shifted on his feet and gave Callum a humble smile of sweet victory.
"I'm sure I'll see you guys in passing though, maybe I'll wave," Gideon chirped gently, the final nail in the coffin, he stepped around Callum and tossed a small smile over his shoulder, "Have fun, see'yah later."
Gideon stepped away with pride, humility, a swathe of whole victory, and like finally cutting ties with a toxic, one sided relationship, he felt entirely emancipated from the cold, sorrowful state of mind he was previously swallowed by. Although he tried not to be too cocky about it, his bigger, powerful figure strut out into the sunshine with Callum's confused gaze held tight to the back of Gideon's head, a hot gaze he could feel on his skin. Gideon grinned a closed-mouth little smile and felt his pupils tighten as sunlight kissed his cheeks, the blue sky of Academy's world was littered with beautiful clouds, he pressed out into the world alone and felt strangely good about it. Knowing the offer was nice, he was shocked that it came at all. All along, Gideon was absolutely certain Callum's invitation would be like winning the lottery, though now that said one in a million chance was cutely delivered to him, all wrapped up and complete with a beautiful bow of presentation, Gideon felt as if he were on top of the world declining something he was now certain would do him no good. Excited to mark his own path and find his own friends, people that would genuinely include him right off of the bat, Gideon powered on in solitude, knowing full-well he had left Callum with a pill that was likely too big for him to swallow.
