Hai! I REALLY DID NOT EXPECT so many reviews, follows and favourites for the first chapter and It was too short :( But thank you all for the kind reviews it really made me happy that I began this chapter really quickly :) But enough rambling...Heres chapter 2!
The bus ride journey was normal enough.
Other students of the school where laughing and chatting about what they did on the weekend and such.
It would seem that Luffy's fall was forgotten among the students, much to Luffy and Usopp's relief but the raven-haired boy kept his blue eyes on the back of Ace's head. It really pissed him off, he didn't even know the guy and he goes and pulls a stunt like that!
"Just forget about that creep will you, you have been glaring at him non-stop" Usopp told him in a sulking and slightly annoyed voice. The long-nosed boy was slouched in his seat and playing some game on his phone to care, but he didn't want Luffy to attract attention upon himself.
Said boy sighed and slouched back in the bus seat along with his friend, he was right, it wasn't as if Luffy was going to do any damage just by glaring at Ace, he hoped it would have though.. "Sorry Usopp I just woke up in a bad mood today I guess" Luffy said sheepishly and finally turning to look at his friend.
For the next few minutes of the bus ride, Luffy and Usopp talked about TV shows, comics and other things that they liked. Usopp was into comics and art and Luffy was into Manga and video games. Usopp really wanted to write his own comic one day and get rich and famous but Luffy reminded him it would take lots of work and stress, but he encouraged Usopp to do what he liked and do not let anyone stop him.
"Say Luffy, what are you doing on Friday?" Usopp asked suddenly out of the blue, sitting up to look at his friend better.
"Hmm?" The other boy grunted also sitting up to hear properly.
"Friday, what are you doing?" The curly-haired teen asked again rolling his brown eyes. Luffy really needed his hearing checked.
Luffy thought for a second, did he have any plans? He did not. "Nothing why?" He smiled.
Usopp seemed to perk up more and grinned back to Luffy's wide eyes. "Well you see, my mom and dad are going out on Friday morning to visit some sick relative and will not be back until saturday night! So I was going to ask you, Zoro and Sanji if you would like to stay at my house that night?" Usopp practically said in rush of excitement. He had never been alone in the house before, especially not over night and he really wanted his friends to stay over.
Luffy beamed and also looked excited, he had only been to Usopp's house once and he really wanted to do something that night so it was a yes for him!
"Great! I just hope Zoro and Sanji can come though" Usopp continued, packing his bag as the school bus finally came to a stop outside the large school.
So it was settled, they would beg Zoro and Sanji to tag along and they would have the best night ever! Usopp thought proudly standing up in his seat, but he quickly sat back down.
Luffy noticed this and turned back around to his friend, "Nani Usopp? Come on" The boy commanded. "You know I need help with the steps"
"Uhm, I just need to pack my bag and make sure I have everything, can you wait with me?" Usopp's mood seemed to drop drastically and he refused to look out the bus window.
Luffy however caught on and looked out the window to see a group of older and bullish-looking boys standing around laughing very loudly and acting like complete children. "Franky family is it, Usopp you need to stand up to them its been two weeks!" Luffy told him while sitting back down beside his friend.
Luffy could have kicked himself, Usopp wasn't the only one with a group of personal tormentors which kept him awake at night. No, Luffy had Morgan and his brother Helmeppo and other people who followed them around, to deal with.
...XxXxXxX...
It started a month ago, a normal day at high school and Luffy was alone in the halls after arriving late to school and was rushing as fast as his messed up legs could to take him and just like what Ace had done, a leg tripped him and sent him flying into some trash cans. Luffy didn't know what hit him until he was surrounded by Morgan and his gang or followers as he liked to call them.
"Look isn't it that kid with those rag doll legs or something?" One of his cronies asked making the others smirk and chuckle.
Luffy felt his face turn red and he sat up and gripped the his locker for support and prepared to face them properly. He recognised these guys from the start of the year, Zoro beat them up but Morgan wasn't there that time, but now he was.
"Go to hell!" Luffy yelled finally managing to stand up and attempted to turn his back to continue down the hallway but he felt a strong painful grip on the back of his neck. He winced as he was spun around to face that large, frightening looking face stare back as his own. Luffy felt himself turn uneasy, it was Morgan, the strongest and most terrifying guy in the whole school!
"What do you want?" Luffy demanded and tried to pry the hand off his neck but with failure.
Without warning, Luffy felt himself being thrown back into the garbage and felt a pain shoot up his left leg. Morgan had his own foot pressed on Luffy's leg holding him in place as he bent down and whispered in the victims ear, "Remember my brother? Consider it revenge, you snitching brat"
The scared teen gulped as he watched Morgan and his group walk off leaving him in the garbage on the verge of tears, for his pained leg and the feeling of helplessness and weakness. Morgan had added Luffy to his hit list after his friend Zoro beat up Helmeppo. But he never told Zoro about the abuse, he just happened to walk in on it or something. He wasn't a snitch!
Luffy didn't want to tell Zoro about this, because he didn't want Zoro feeling like a bodyguard all the time and he didn't want Zoro to think he was weak. In fact, Luffy hasn't told any of his friends, not even Usopp. When Morgan or even Helmeppo left him with a black eye or bloody nose he would simply say he walked into a door or his grandpa had hit him again. He hated it.
...
"Oi Luffy, come on they are gone now…" Usopp broke the teen from his thoughts as he looked out the window to make sure that Usopp's own bullies were gone.
Luffy sighed and nodded and he and Usopp walked out of the bus with Usopp helping Luffy down the bus steps and up the path to school. On the way up the white steps that lead into the large building, Luffy and Usopp caught a glimpse of Ace, and his other friends. Marco and Thatch was it, all sitting on the steps talking amongst themselves. When the two teens were passing Luffy felt the anger boil up inside him as the group went quite. He just wanted to punch that stupid grin off Ace's face right now but Usopp shook his head begging Luffy to stand down. The two teens finally reached the door and Luffy could have swore he heard Ace whispering to Marco.
"Marco that's enough, stop it"
But Luffy just shrugged it off, Usopp told him it was hopefully just a one off and that he would never see Ace and his friends again.
...XxXxXxXxX...
Luffy's first class was History with Miss Robin. He liked that class because a lot of his friends where in it, except Usopp, he had Art now. But Luffy got to share history with Zoro and Sanji at least, and the next class was Gym. The teen hated Gym, he had to sit and watch his friends and other students have fun playing dodge ball and what not but on the bright side, there were some sports he sucked at and was happy to sit out at those times.
"Oi, Zoro, Sanji" Luffy whispered to his friends. The trio were sitting at the front of the class because of their constant talking at the back and one more strike and it would be out to stand in the hallway. Miss Robin could really be strict like that at times.
Zoro sighed and turned his head to his loud mouthed friend, it was his fault they were at the front but Sanji didn't mind for obvious reasons…
"What? You're going to get us thrown out" Zoro whispered slightly harshly.
"Usopp has a free house on Friday and wants us to stay there that night!" Luffy grinned and looked really excited and could hardly control his bouncing in his seat.
"Oh does he now? He probably wants us to stay because he'll be scared to sleep alone"
Luffy shrugged and continued smiling and copied more notes from the white board. Zoro rolled his eyes and looked at Sanji who was gone. Looking around he found the blonde cook at Miss Robins desk and asking about a 'really tough' question. The green haired teen gritted his teeth and sighed before turning back to Luffy who was now humming and doodling on the desk. "Pleeeese Zoro!" The raven-haired teen begged rather loudly earning a look from Miss Robin.
"I'll think about it okay?"
"Excuse me Zoro, please leave the room and stand in the hallway" A feminine voice suddenly made him jump in surprise and drop his pen. Miss Robin was off her seat and was pointing to the door while smiling kindly, Sanji sniggered and smirked. "Yeah Marimo go" Zoro gave Sanji and Luffy a death glare before leaving the class. Why was it always him out of those three!
...XxXxXxX...
The next class was Gym and while in the locker rooms, the four of them discussed Friday and agreed too because they would rather go out than sit in and Sanji wanted to play a prank on Usopp so badly. Usopp felt popular.
When Zoro, Sanji and Usopp were changed and ready to play volleyball Luffy left to get his Manga to read in his locker. The hallways were silent as everyone was in class and it felt like a ghost town only the sound of Luffy's footsteps and the clocks ticking. After a few turns to the right Luffy finally reached his locker but stopped in his tracks. Ace was standing with his back against his locker. HIS locker, why his of all places!
The older teen was talking on the phone and his face was blank but very serious as he was engaged in the deep conversation.
"What did they find,...nothing?...thank god because I'm not going back there…..hahaha I know! But seriously be careful in future aright?"
At the last sentence Aces voice was stern and serious. Luffy didn't know what to do, something told him he was not meant to hear that conversation. So he decided to do the smart thing and slowly and quietly back away back down the hall.
He fell.
He fell into the garbage cans again. He hated the garbage cans so much! They caused so much problems for him..
Before realising what had just happened he saw a pair of legs standing in front of him. Gulping, the boy followed them up until he reached their owners face. "What are you doing?" Ace asked in a surprisingly calm and amused way. Did he find this funny? Luffy thought.
Typical Ace.
When the teen didn't make any attempt to answer, Ace bent down and gripped his white shirt collar and pulled him forward into his face more. Luffy for some reason blushed very lightly. He had never seen Ace's face close up before and took in every detail. His dark grey eyes, his freckles and a cut on the top of his forehead? It looked fresh, like it just happened.
The boy was yanked out of his trance by Ace who pulled him closer and held a firm grip on his shirt. "Did you hear me talking on the phone?" Luffy then realised he could be in some kind of danger. He thought back to that conversation he was most likely not meant to hear. He began to tremble and sweat and found trouble finding his voice. "Did you?" Ace asked again, his tone was still calm but his grip on the shirt became tighter.
"N-No.." Luffy lied, it was the only way he could get out of this. He just wanted nothing more than to be with Shanks safe and sound at his house. Not with Ace.
Portgas saw through the boys lies but decided to play along, for some reason he didn't want to frighten the boy even more. The older teen then stood up but kept his grip on Luffy and hoisted him up as well and looked him again in the eyes. "Alright then, but next time don't eavesdrop it could lead you into some deep shit" Ace threatened and let go of the top before walking off.
Luffy once again felt so weak and helpless, it was just like Morgan all over again. Ace was scary, he just wanted to keep his distance from him from now on!
But what was that conversation about? The boy sighed heavily before gripping his locker for support and bend down to pick up his cell phone he dropped during the impact with the trash cans. His medical problems were killing him!
...XxXxXxX...
"Luffy, Luffy do you want me to get you anything?" Vivi the pretty rich girl asked him at lunch time.
Luffy and his friends where sitting around a circle table having their lunch when Luffy complained he didn't have enough for his dessert and that he was still hungry. At these words Vivi, a kind hearted girl with aqua blue hair rushed up beside him and offered to get him his food.
Vivi was one of Nami's friends who often sat with them at lunch or she would be too busy studying to eat lunch. Her parents had high hopes for her as she was an A-star student in all of her previous schools and was offered so much.
But she liked to kick back and hang around her friends and mostly Luffy.
"Uhh no I'm okay, thanks anyway Vivi" Luffy smiled before casually humming and playing with his knife and fork. He then felt a something kick his leg and looked up to see his stingy friend Nami giving him a stern look, just like Ace's earlier.
That was another thing, Luffy didn't mention what happened with Ace and he certainly did not recall the phone call. But the strange and frightening thing was, Ace kept looking at him from the other side of the cafeteria. Making Luffy look anywhere else but Ace's face.
Nami kicked him again, slightly harder but not too hard "Ow, what!?" He complained retreating his heg and rubbing it.
Nami sighed and stayed silent.
The rest of the lunch hour was normal as always, Usopp drawing on his hand, Zoro fell asleep, Sanji hitting on Nami, and Vivi finally got up and left.
"Excuse me everyone, but I must be going. Goodbye Luffy" She smiled and grabbed her dark blue bag and her pink folder and rushed out of the cafeteria.
"Hm, why is Vivi so…" He couldn't find the words, "Polite and clingy with me" Luffy complained pouting slightly.
Nami gave his leg another soft kick and got his attention "Luffy, I think the whole school knows.."
"Knows what?"
"Vivi is crushing on you" Nami said rubbing her temple.
Luffy's eyes widened slightly. Vivi had a crush on him? No one ever had a crush on him, ever. The teen then looked at Usopp, Sanji and Zoro who remained too caught up in their own things to care. "You guys knew…?"
"Luffy its obvious, damn where is my red marker!" Usopp cursed emptying his whole bag contents out on to the table.
"I know its crazy right, you instead of me" Sanji practically wept and clutched onto Namis arm.
"Oh.." That was all Luffy could say, a girl had a crush on him, his first crush.
"Its sweet actually" Nami smiled, mocking her friend further.
...XxXxXxXxX...
After school Luffy was waiting for Usopp while he collected his Art folder. The teen was leaning against the wall minding his own business when a hand grabbed his forearm and yanked him behind the school.
It startled Luffy so much that he almost screamed but that would be stupid.
"What do you want, Ace?" The slightly frightened teen asked.
Ace had Luffy pinned up against the wall, his hands holding his shoulders so he could have no attempt at escape and once again gave him a stern look.
"Shhh, listen, I'm sorry for tripping you this morning and ever since that time in the hall..I have been panicking.." He said in a rush, he kept glancing over his shoulders.
"A-About what?" Luffy recalled Ace threatening him and the weird phone call.
"Luffy I'm not stupid, I know you heard that phone call I just let you off the hook earlier because you looked like you were about to piss your pants" Ace chuckled earning a slight blush to go across Luffy's face. He relaxed more in the iron like grip.
"Okay!" Ace turned serious again. "That's why tomorrow you are coming home with me, I need to talk to you"
"What!" Luffy protested, no way was he going anywhere with his goofy, psychotic guy. Luffy imagined himself walking into some dark, dirty torture chamber filled with cans of booze and Ace laughing like a lunatic.
"No way are you crazy! No no no"
"Aww I wish you had a choice, anyway Ill pick you up tomorrow after school alright?" Ace let go and patted Luffy's cheek before rushing off to a dark orange BMW that was parked at the school parking lot. Wait, why did Ace take the bus when...and where did this car come from?
Luffy was too shocked to care right now. No way was he going to go to that bullying, nut-jobs house. Absolutely no way! Luffy straightened himself up and got ready to go back to meet his friend when Morgan's fist collided with his face once again.
"Where are ya goin?" He asked cracking his knuckles. Luffy only braced himself for what was to come.
...XxXxXxX...
The front door opened then slammed again, the battered and bruised teen stomped up the hall and to the stairs but was stopped by his grandpa.
"This is why I want you to become a police man! You need to stop letting people walk all over you, Luffy!" Garp complained tossing Luffy an ice pack.
The teen could have laughed, his grandpa was right, it needed to stop.
Chapter 2 done! Did you like it? :)
Once again thank you for all the reviews/follows/favourites on the first chapter, I really did not expect it! :o
For you people who are wondering about the ages..here you go..
Luffy: 17
Ace: 19
Usopp:17
Sanji: 18
Zoro: 18
Nami: 18
Vivi: 17
Marco: 19
Thatch: 19
Morgan: 19
Helemppo: 18
You get the idea :P
In future chapters I will introducing more familiar characters I think. But let me know what you think of this chapter and If theres some things you want me to add in future ones :)
Until then, Arigato reader-sans!