Teenage Memories

Chapter 3

The next day, Tony awoken by a nightmare at around 5 am and can't go back to sleep. He had staring at the ceiling since then until his alarm clock rings around 7 am. He got ready, cleaning himself and putting some cream into the bruised spots in his stomach and left the bruises in his cheeks alone.

He had collected his jersey on the floor, wincing as he kneeled down to take it. He wears his grey jacket and put the hoods on. He walks silently into the school. At school, it was the usual. Just Jackie being more annoying than she already is. At lunch time, he had decided to walk away from Jackie and followed his other guy friends instead.

"So, you're with Jackie already?" Henley asked. He's a friend of his since middle school and he's in the football club.

"No! Ugh, stop it Henley, she's annoying." He said making a fake yucky face making the group of five laughs.

"I feel you, man." Len said, he's a sophomore, like the other three. All of them are actually in sophomore except Tony and Henley.

"Lilly?" Jared teased and Len punched him in the sleeve. "Ouch! Not so hard, Len!"

"Whatever." Len said and rolled his eyes, Mickey was laughing out loud while the rest just sat there and smile.

These times is when he finally can smile, he forgets about his life at home and just enjoy the ongoing moment. He was glad he had met them; they're his closest friend in this short term. And he was grateful for their help, even though he sure they don't know.

Suddenly, Gibbs walks in the room, alone, getting in line for his lunch. Tony sat there staring at him from afar, ignoring his friends' chats. But then, he was tapped in the shoulder by Henley.

"What?" He asked without looking up and Henley followed his eyes.

"Are you crushing on Gibbs, man?" Henley asked, his face full with amusement. Tony looked up immediately, eyes wide.

"W-what!? No, of- of course not." Tony stuttered nervously and Henley laughed.

"You totally are, I'm going to tell him later." Henley said and Tony tried to protest but Henley put up a finger against his mouth, "Shush, or I'll tell the whole school."

Tony groaned loud at the back of his throat, "Whatever."

Time passes by, and the lunch time is over. He attended the last two classes, which is Biology and Art. Biology was not his thing; he's not much of an easy memorizing person. And then, art came and he was lost in his own world. The teacher had ask them to draw something that inspire them, and he starts drawing of a woman, her hair was flowing and she got a little boy, around 8 years old, holding he hand tight. She was smiling down at the boy and the boy was pointing somewhere. As he draws, he still can remember that moment, that memory. His mother had taken him out to the park and he was having the best time of his life. He smiled bitterly and the drawing was finally done. He was a quick drawer and the result is really good. He then stared at the drawing. She had inspired him. Her last words were something Tony holds on to, like it was his life line. It is his life line, if he had not remember those words, Stay strong, Tony, live your happy life, for me? Tony nodded, not really understanding any of the words. Why wouldn't he be happy? And now he knows, his mother probably had been treated like he did a lot longer and hides it. But whenever he felt like giving up, or that one time he was staring at the small, shining, razor blade in the dark, he had thought about his mother's words, and he stopped.

His thoughts were cut off by the bell ringing. He had given it to the teacher and went outside to grab his basketball jersey and his training shorts. He changed and quickly went to the gym. He was right in time. They start playing afterwards. Turns out, the training is just plain playing games, well, for now.

While playing, they were splits into two groups of five. The opposite team of Tony's team was full of big guys. And Tony, body was still aching and he still keeps his distance from anyone. But then, when he was on fire, he forgets about his injured body. When he jumps to throw a clear shot, someone lunge toward him from the side, and he was pushed and also landed on his bruises. He yelped out in pain and stays on the floor for a while, trying to clear the stars in the corner of his eyes.

"You okay, kid?" The guy that lunged into him asked and Tony simply nodded, "I'm sorry, dude." He whispered.

"No, it's fine, just- can I have a short time out?" He asked and the guy nodded, helping him up. "Thanks." He murmured before limping his way out of the gym trough the hallways toward the bathroom. But then, Dylan and the guys appeared from the other end. He turned around to walks away. Then suddenly, Tony found himself being chased after the group and had him cornered in a few minutes.

He was cornered, and he doesn't even know why he was running away earlier. It was what his mind told him to do when he saw Dylan giving him the sharpest glare he had ever receive. And now he had regretted it. If anything did happen, and he didn't ran away, they would be doing it in the hallway, not in this hidden place.

"Where you think you're going, douche?" Dylan spats when the group of three had finally caught up with Tony. Tony chooses to stay quiet wisely. "Oh, and I think I already make it clear to you to not mess with something or someone that belongs to me."

"Yeah you did, and I do what you told me to do." Tony said, he did make some excuses to flee from Jackie, and Dylan simply snorted.

"Well, you see, the damage had been done, and having her coming to me to told me about how you ignored her today and she was sad about it, meaning she likes you, meaning you did not really leave her alone." Dylan stated and Tony furrowed. This guy's point is not about leaving her alone, it's about her liking me. That's just ... messed up! Tony thought and let a smirk slip. But of course, Dylan sees it and he did not like it, not a bit. "What are you smirking about, huh, loser?" He said and again, Tony stays quite. "Well, aren't you going to say something?"

"What do you want me to say? That she likes me instead of you? It's not my place to say." Tony said calmly and Dylan's face reddened in frustration.

"Hold him." Dylan simply said and the two guys behind him take Tony's arms and holding him in place. Tony struggled but stays still as Dylan slaps him, letting out a short gasp. "Stay still, dickhead."

"Why should I take orders from you!?" Tony said, and he knew he was stupid for it. And he felt a knuckle connected to his nose, hard. Tony groaned and felt blood tricking down his nose.

In the other side of the school, in the gym, the guys that just lunge himself toward Tony, Brandon, was concerned, Tony had been gone for sometimes around ten minutes. He still felt guilty and he got this bad feeling.

"Guys, where's Tony? He had been gone for a while." Brandon said to the team.

"Yeah, can you go find him, Brandon?" Charlie, the team's captain, said and Brandon quickly took off, nudging Jason, signing for him to come along. Jason got the message and followed him.

They searched at the toilet, guessing it was the most logical place Tony should be at. But he was not there, they move into the other places nearby, until they heard a grunting and some long distanced cursing and they both follow the voices. When they reach the source, the sign meet their eyes surprised them. There stood Tony being hold up by two football player Brandon did not recognized and there was one more person, back toward them, throwing punches toward Tony's face and stomach. And Brandon recognizes the guy who's punching.

"God damn it, Dylan, stop!"

Author's Note: Well, it is a short one, but oh well. Sorry it took a while, I've got a very tight schedule in weekdays, so, I'll probably only updating in the weekends plus Friday. And hope you like it! R&R please…