7
Chapter 14
Dickie sat on the edge of his bed…nursing a large bruise on his knuckle.
He cradled his arm in his hands…his eyes fixated on the minor wound.
He examined it over and over again; he studied every little detail.
The lines that ran through the patch of battered skin; the dots of red…and shades of purple.
The sight of it made his heart sink; the thoughts of it swirled through the back of his mind.
He thought of the surrounding flesh; the clean and healthy cells.
The normal light tones…the small amount of hairs protruding.
The wound ruined the whole arm; that small purple splotch wrecked what was otherwise perfectly normal.
He could punch; he could use them write and to study books.
He could use them to eat.
But to him…they would never be the same.
The memory of the wound would remain.
He would know from then on…that something broke him.
That something broke his perfect image.
Dickie heaved himself onto his feet; he winced in pain as he let his battered arm dangle at his side.
He walked slowly to window…leaning against the sill.
He watched below as cadets and officers scattered about…minding their affairs.
A young human male was studying on a bench; two officers were chatting in the sunlight.
They were so nonchalant…so anti-climatic.
They acted as though it was yet another normal day.
Their demeanors sent a tinge of insult through him.
As if they brazenly chuckled at his misfortune.
"Don't you people realize?" he thought to himself.
His feelings of dread…slowly turned to anger.
Dickie wanted to scream and yell; he wanted to throw something through the window.
He wanted to stop on the ground; he wanted to scream and cry.
But a voice told him not to; an invisible force held his arms and legs in place.
He felt the weight of responsibility restraining himself; the image of Zim's ferocious glare haunted him.
His anger erupted inside of him…but his fear restrained from coming to life.
Dickie felt terrified of his own feelings; he didn't want to look himself in the mirror.
He didn't want to be there anymore.
Dickie heard the swoosh of the door; he felt the presence of another person.
He glanced over his shoulder; it was his roommate.
"Hey, Dick,"
"What's up," he replied…hiding the chaos with a straight face.
Dickie turned towards the young man; his face was like stone.
His roommate sat on the edge of his bed…tugging at his boots.
"Got study hall in ten…my exo-biology teacher is riding me hard,"
Dickie grunted in response. He leaned over the small desk in the corner.
His roommate glanced up and spotted Dickie's arm; he got to his feet and started gathering books.
"What's with the bruises?"
Dickie straightened up his back and puffed out his chest.
"Had self-defense," he muttered.
"Oh, yeah?"
"Yeah…I clobbered the guy,"
The roommate was distracted grabbing his things.
"Cool,"
Dickie quietly nodded; he took a seat at the desk…pretending to read a book.
"Yeah," he mumbled.
After about five minutes…his roommate threw his boots back on…and made for the door.
"Gotta go, Dick. Catch ya later,"
"Yeah,"
As the doors swooshed shut…Dickie collapsed on the desk…a feeling of numbness engulfing his body.
Ed found David in the garden…watching the bugs swarm above the small pond.
Ed stood from afar for a moment…watching him.
He breathed quietly…so that David wouldn't notice.
He listened carefully…wondering if he could hear David think aloud.
After a few minutes…he approached him, taking a seat next to him.
"Yo,"
David didn't even look over.
"Ay,"
"Been looking all over for ya,"
David glanced over briefly.
"Yeah…"
Ed laid his head back on the bench.
"Wanted to know if you wanted to study,"
David flashed a small grin.
"I've been getting kind of stuck on Roman history,"
David chuckled.
"Ed…you're a dolt,"
"I'm serious; I get so confused when it comes to dates and events and stuff. It'll be a miracle if I can pass with a C…"
"They're gonna kick me out,"
"You never know,"
Ed started picking at some lint on his pants.
"I've seen cadets do worse,"
"This one is kind of a biggie,"
Ed looked out at the water thoughtfully.
"What happened?"
David looked down at his feet.
"I can't really explain it…I just lost my temper,"
Ed scrunched his mouth to one side in frustration.
"Dude…don't take offense or anything. But I think you're kind of full of it,"
David looked up…a glare forming in his eyes.
"Uh huh…" he muttered.
Ed raised an eyebrow.
"You never even wanted to be here,"
"Sure I did," David replied…a hint of irritation in his voice.
"A year ago…this place was the last thing on your mind. Then you show up…but you walk around campus with this half-empty look on your face,"
"Ed…that's what every freshman looks like,"
"No…not like you. Every freshman has dreams and aspirations. But you…you look bored or something. I'm just saying, man. Not that its any of my business,"
David felt a wave of anger wash over him. He sat up straight…his body tensing.
"You're one to talk,"
Ed glanced over at him.
"Huh?"
"Ed…you pile your classes with stuff you don't even care about. Your superiors drop subjects in your lap that you hate…but you don't even try to argue."
"Yeah…" Ed raised an eyebrow.
"Seriously? Are you that blind?"
"Dude…"
David got to his feet.
"You wanna come out here and point fingers. Check yourself before you go around judging me!"
Ed's flashed a look of irritation…but subdued it.
"Dude…I didn't come here to fight,"
"But that's what you're getting! What are you implying, Ed!? That I punched my instructor to get myself kicked out?!"
Ed rose to his feet calmly. A small amount of agitation crept into his demeanor.
"I really do have to study. I'd better go,"
Ed turned and started for the building behind.
"That's your answer to everything, isn't it? Run away when things get tough!"
Ed paused in his tracks; he glanced over his shoulder.
"I just wanted to talk to my friend,"
"Yeah! Whatever,"
David watched as he walked away. He collapsed on the bunch…his face in his hands.