Id like to thank AzureFlames, sunshine5991, Cloneskywalker and Arceus Avenger for reviewing.
Finally got this chapter up. I have no clue when the next one will be up, but probably not for a while.
"Well, what the hell do you think?" I spat at him. Surprisingly, he smiled. He's a bit too used to me by now.
"I think you sat up in your room all weekend, jerking off, while you completely neglected your work." I put on a face of mock shock. Even though it is partly true, I'm not going to let him know that.
"Wow, how'd you know?"
"Seriously?"
"Nope!" We were walking on one of the only paths on Kin Island, beside the only road on Kin Island. If you could call it a road. Just an overly wide route. It was odd to see more then one car on it at any given time, due to the fact that not a single resident on Kin Island owned a car. It was mainly just tourists who wanted a 'break' from their boring urban life's. The 'road' stretches from Kin island port, through the town, over Bond Bridge, and to the edge of Berry Forest, which, back in 05, had been partly cut down in order to build a school. Before then, we had to get a high-speed ferry to Knot Island.
"So, what you two do during the weekend?" I asked them both. I honestly didn't care much, but seeing as I accidentally flungmy MP3 Player against the wall last week in a feat of rage, I might as well talk to them. I have an iPod Nano aswell, which I managed to buy last month with my savings, but I'm not stupid enough to bring that in. I don't trust the people in our school.
"We went to Treasure Beach and played a bit o' footy." Alex replied. Those two were as close to brothers as possible. I envied them. He was tall, bordering on 6'2, and good enough looking (I'm not gay, but I'm not blind either). His hair was spiked up aswell, and although he had just as many freckles as me, he could pull it off so that they looked cute. "Yourself? The usual?" I scowl.
"Yep. The usual." The usual consists of me, in my house. Thats it. Nothing more. I don't get out much, not that I haven't been asked; I'm just kind of anti-social I suppose. I find it hard to come across long standing friends. Could be my arrogance. My (lack of) popularity. My choice in music, anything really.
Ray gave a short trike as we rounded a corner. The main school building literally jumped out at us, due to shoddy planning. There is less than 15 meters of path left. I turn my head slightly to the side and gaze at the entrance to Berry Forest. Tall, dark trees loom over the path into the forest, gradually darkening it until it looks like the mouth of an unknown cave. No light at all. Just darkness. Startlingly enough, all that empty blackness seems strangely welcoming. A place of solitude. A place of silence. A place to escape...
"Ben, what the hell are you doin?" Jamie calls. I jump, startled. I had taken an involuntary step towards Berry Forest. I spin around to face the others. They had already climbed the stone steps to the entrance of the build before realizing I was gone and abruptly started calling for me. Other students started looking at me as I passed. I tried to look back at them with a blank expression. Some of the younger students quickly averted their gaze, but the older ones who knew of me well enough continued to stare.
"I...I...dunno" I stammer. Dear God, did I actually just stammer? I mean, wow. I'm not really the kind of person who stammers.
"What were you thinking?" Alex asked.
I try to act like it was nothing and shrug it off "I was tryin to remember what last night was like with your mom, but it was so wild I forgot most of it." Alex slaps the back of my head and starts chasing me into the school, leaving Jamie behind because he's leaning against the doorway, laughing. Ray yaps at our heals playfully.
As we run, (well, jog for me. I'm not necessarily fit, but Alex is definitely the slowest in our base class) I get a chance to think of why I did what I did. And no, I don't mean slagging off Alex's mom, thats normal. I mean almost walking into the Forest. As of late, strange noises have been heard coming out of it, and its not unheard of someone running out of it, screaming their heads off with fear. They never say why. I know, cliché.
"Hey, boys, no running, you could hurt someone." Our English teacher, Mr. Woulfe shouts at us from the opposite end of the corridor. He didn't really shout, but he has a really loud, booming voice. We skid to a stop. Mr. Woulfe is as sound (islands word for cool) as teachers come, but you wouldn't want to get on his bad side.
"Sorry Sir." We reply in quick unison, while he walks over to us.
He stares us down a while before smirking. "Go on, your reg 'll be soon." We nod and part with a quick 'Yes Sir,' before hurrying up the main stairs to our tutor's classroom. It's Monday, so Ms. Whelan is late, as usual. She lives over at One Island on the weekends, but rents out a house by the beach for the rest of the week so she can teach us. "And put that damn Pokemon in its ball." he calls after us.
I silently withdraw Ray. Your Pokemon is only aloud out during certain classes and Break.
"Where'd you two disappear to?" Jamie asks, hurrying over to us.
"He chased me around half the bloody school" I say, indicating Alex with my thumb.
"Yeah, well don't slag of my ma, she's a saint." He growls at me. None of us mean it when we slag off each other. Most of the time.
"Whatever." I reply dismissively, before settling myself on a desk beside Jolly. His lasts name is actually Jolly, so we tend to just call him that. I start to lazily stare around the room, as the topic our little group is talking about doesn't seem too interesting. Our class is generally divided up into 3 groups during reg. Ours, which is the kind of cool'ish group. I'm only there because of Jamie and Alex, but as I'm doing today, I often end up staring off into space.
Next is the popular girls. They're a group of girls, who, when we're aloud to wear our own clothes in instead of these itchy green jumpers and stiff shirts, wear skimpy pants and tops. They flirt with everything in sight. Even some of the teachers. I'm probably the only guy my age that doesn't fancy a girl like that. They often end up going out with some of the guys here, but so far, they've been to good for me.
Across from them is another group of girls. These girls I like. Most of them are Twi-Hards, but they don't act like it too much. I once heard of some girls who drowned this little kid because he never read the books. Creepy huh? They have their own little group away from us, generally because they're well smarter then us.
"Ummmm, Ben?" I snap my head back around to Jamie and he raises one of his eyebrow. Damn, how does he do that? I can only never get just the one eyebrow to rise. "Don't you have homework to do?"
"Awwww, I do don't I?" I turn around and sit down in my chair. I'm about to take out my books, but then I realize something. I turn back to Jamie. "How d'you know I have to do my homework?"
He smiles knowingly "Mate, I've been in the same class as you for three years, and in the course of those three years, you have never finished all your homework at home."
"Ha, I suppose I haven't." Its true, I'm a bit of a procrastinator. I'll tell you about it later.
At that moment, Alice decides to sit down in her place beside me. She's one of the popular girls. I'm about to take out my books when she turns to me. "You're so annoying." I swear to God, I actually felt my eye twitch. Great. My eye can twitch, but I can't raise my eyebrow? How screwy is that. I sigh and take out my History books and speed through the few questions we were given. I finish it just as Ms Whelan walks in the door. I stuff them back in my bag quickly.
Ms Whelan proceeds to call the role quickly as she can. "Jamie White?" A 'Here Miss' from behind me follows that. More names, more replies. Passes my name, and I too reply with a 'Here Miss.' Last up is Paige Johnson. I lazily raise my head to look at her. Of all the people in the class, I feel like I can connect with her the easiest.
Straight, chestnut brown hair that shimmers at the slightest movement, with eyes of a similar colour. Same height as me, skinny, but not too skinny and pale skin that directly contrasts her hair. I'm not going to lie; she's good to look at (What, I'm a guy, remember?). As I said, I can connect with her easy. She knows how to make me laugh. I wouldn't call us friends, but we get on well.
"Here Miss." She replies, her voice like velvet. Ms Whelan dismisses us and we get up noisily.
"So, what we got first?" I ask to no one in particular.
"Eh, a double class of Pokemon Caring, then Maths, Break, History, a double of Pokemon Battling 101 and then Lunch." Luke answers, smiling. I smile back.
"Oh, My Polyamorous friend, you got me in a mess of trouble again." I quote. His smile broadens. Although he's definitely the most popular in our class, we've gained a sort of friendship, mainly due to the fact that were the only people we know of in the school who like Breaking Benjamin. And yes, he is actually Polyamorous.
In our school, you get to choose your three option subjects. There's the Pokemon related ones: Pokemon Caring, Breeding and Coordinating. Battling 101 is mandatory, but there is an advanced class. This is generally for people with more then one Pokemon. Then there's the basic classes, like Art, Music, Buisness Studies, etc. You have to choose at least one from both the Pokemon related ones, and the normal ones.
The rest of day passed by in a blur, all the classes seemed to blend together, causing a jumbled array of images that seemed to randomly pop out at me. Being congratulated in front of the class for exceptional work, talking to Paige, being invited out by her and her friends. Actually accepting. For the first time in a while, I was actually enjoying myself in school.
Then it happened.
It was during Battling 101. Luke and I were having a battle. Ray vs. his Mudkip, Fin. We were winning without even breaking a sweat. It was hardly an even match though, was it?
"Good match." Luke calls from the other side of the small arena. I hadn't noticed, but Fin had fainted. I was watching our teacher talk to the counsellor. I can never remember his name. They were casting fleeting glances at me with solemn looks on their faces. Eventually, they called me over.
They pulled me into a corner and looked into my eyes. Was I in trouble? Did I do something bad? No, certainly not, I haven't gotten into trouble in a while.
Almost immediately, my unspoken question was answered. "Ben, I'm so sorry. It's your mother. She's dead."
Gasp! Bet you didn't see that coming {rolls eyes}. Anyhow, I managed to get this up before school so I think I'm gonna start setting myself deadlines. I'm going to say once a month at least. I'll try and get two up a month, but I doubt I can.
Not the funnest thing to write, but I'd say that was because I just got a PS3. Most of the time I was writing this, I was craving MW2. That thing is addictive.
No longer accepting OC's, for personal reasons, but I will accept ideas. If you have any, feel free to share them.
R&R