The A-Z Club
Chapter Two
(Warnings: swearing, mentions of physical/verbal abuse)
Alfred was never late, and today was no exception. He came in with his brother, Matthew, who disappeared and wandered off to find his friends. After a quick stop-off at his locker, Alfred did the same. He wanted to know what he'd missed at practice yesterday before classes started. They'd entered his line of (admittedly not perfect) sight when the pink face of Vice Principal Phillips obstructed his path.
"Jones." He said, curtly. "Step into my office."
Alfred did what he said, biting his tongue so he didn't vocally protest. Why couldn't teachers waste their own time? Alfred sat down and so did Phillips, an awkward silence settled, and Alfred wondered if Phillips was going to make him sit in there in silence just to annoy him.
"I know it's not your fault that you missed most of your detention yesterday." Phillips said. Alfred sensed the word 'but' before he heard it. "But you still have to serve your detention."
"But - "
"No, Mr Jones, you broke the school rules and you will be punished for it. One hour, your parents will be informed. After school. And you can thank Mr Kirkland for that." Phillips said. Alfred stared at him. Phillips waved his hand. "Leave."
Alfred nodded, but only got halfway to the door.
"I don't think it's fair." He said, unable to hold it in. It wasn't.
"And I don't recall asking your opinion on the matter." Phillips said.
Alfred breathed in deeply and breathed out.
It was the type of day that flew by, and for once, Alfred wasn't happy about it. Usually, he couldn't wait for school to end. He didn't hate school, far from it. His teachers loved him, his peers loved him, he was smart and good-looking and popular, but he still preferred after-school. On regular days. But detention days? No. He wanted trig to drag for hours and hours. But lunch came before he knew it. He wasn't even looking forward to his Thursday-Burger, because it meant that the day was almost over and he'd be stuck in the godforsaken library.
He sat down miserably at a table full of his fellow football players, and those of an equal social standing. He could see Arthur Kirkland in the corner of the cafeteria, sat at a table, nodding and laughing but not eating. He was talking to Francis, who had a reputation that almost superseded Arthur's, but more for his sexual prowess than his temper tantrums and criminal behaviour. He and Kirkland got into violent fights often, but they were almost always hanging around each other the next day anyway.
"Who are you staring at?" The brunette girl, who was pretty but not Alfred's type, asked. She was a cheerleader named Britney or Courtney or something obvious like that.
"Kirkland." Alfred said, before he could come up with a lie.
"Uh. Why?" Britney-Courtney asked, eyebrows raised.
"He was at my detention yesterday. Thanks to him I've gotta go again today."
"He's like, bad news. Not even in like a cool way. It's scary. He shouldn't be allowed to go here. He's into drugs and hangs around that dodgy club all the time." Britney-Courtney says. The others started going in the conversation, discussing how Arthur Kirkland steals cars/sells drugs/kicks puppies. Alfred wasn't sure which, if any were true, he just knew that he was pissed off. So he got up, ignoring Courtney-Britney's question, and walked across the cafeteria. He was angry.
"Thanks a lot, Kirkland." He said. Kirkland's table all looked at him. All except Arthur, who continued muttering in Francis's ear. Francis laughed at something.
"Kirkland." Alfred said. Arthur gave him the same look someone might give an annoying toddler they were trying to put up with.
"Oh, what?"
"Thanks a lot."
"For what?"
"Thanks to you, I have another detention."
"You're welcome. I look forward to seeing you." Arthur said. His friends, all dressed in varying shades of black and all pierced at least once, laughed. Alfred stared at the several piercings in Arthur's ear, so it was like looking him in the eyes, but he didn't actually have to.
"You can leave now." Arthur said, and Alfred found himself doing so without actually meaning to. That hadn't gone how he wanted it to. He was going to say something witty and clever and embarrass or at least annoy Arthur in front of his friends.
He spent the rest of the school day livid.
Matthew walked with him to detention.
"Do you think you'll be done then?" Matthew said, looking at his shoes.
"Yeah. I'm just gonna ignore Kirkland. Everyone is right. He's trouble."
"He's not that bad." Matthew said, quietly.
"How would you know?" Alfred said. His twin brother sighed.
"He's in a couple of my classes."
"Kirkland's a senior."
"He isn't known for his perfect grades or attendance, Alfred." Matthew said.
"He's got held back?"
"No. He's just going to a couple of extra classes. Apparently."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Improve his grades?"
Alfred pulled a face. "I bet he's being forced to. He wouldn't do it by choice."
"Who knows." Matthew muttered. They arrived outside the library.
"I'll see you at home, Mattie." Alfred said. Matthew waved goodbye. Alfred counted to ten before he went in, calming himself down before he could get stressed out.
Kirkland was already sat in the library when Alfred got there, sat on the desk instead of a seat. Phillips was hot on Alfred's heels, and frowned at Kirkland but didn't tell him to get off. He had to pick his battles. Alfred sat at the desk in front of Kirkland, once again putting his backpack next him and making himself comfortable.
"Alright, one hour for both of you. Keep quiet, no funny business, Kirkland."
"Me? I wouldn't dream of funny business." Kirkland said, doing his best to look innocent. Alfred had to admit - with those wide green eyes, he almost did the job well. Alfred shook thoughts from his head and turned his back on Kirkland.
"Keep it closed, Kirkland." Phillips said. He turned and left. Alfred didn't understand why he didn't just stay in the room with them. He could do grading from here, and maybe then Alfred could finish serving his sentence and go back to being a free man.
"He looks like a cross between a pig and a hawk." Kirkland said, staring at Phillips as he walked away. He'd said it quietly, and Alfred wasn't sure if he'd been talking to him or himself, but he looked, and couldn't help but agree.
"A pawk." Alfred said. "Or a hig."
"Pawk is better." Kirkland said, smirking. Alfred turned around to look at him. He hadn't looked properly in the cafeteria that morning, and so he hadn't noticed his face. A shiny, dark bruise sat proudly on Arthur Kirkland's white cheekbone.
"Did Phillips do that to you?" Alfred said. "When he was chasing you?"
"No. As if that asshole could catch up with me." Arthur said. He sat forwards, so close that Alfred could feel the warmth radiating off his skin. "It was a present." He said. Alfred heard him swallow, a smirk on his lips. "From step-daddy dearest. For doing so well at school."
Alfred's mouth opened. "Are you joking?"
Arthur's absurdly thick eyebrows knotted together in a frown. "Are you calling me a liar?"
"No." Alfred said quickly. "I just, didn't - I thought you might be."
"Good. Because I'm not a liar." Arthur said, folding his arms.
"Why?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean...why did he do it?"
Arthur's frown deepened. "He doesn't need a reason. He was drunk and my mum told him about what happened. He shouts up the stairs, 'Arthur, get down here!' And I go down, because if I don't he'll come up, and he says, 'What have you done this time?' So I tell him that Phillips was being an arse and Step-daddy, he rounds up on me, my mother watches, and he starts walking closer and closer, and he he's got me pinned against the wall, and he's so close I can smell the booze and sweat and I don't breathe too deeply because I know his stench will knock me out, and when he starts talking he spits all over me." Arthur said, "And he's says 'why can't you just behave for more than two seconds? Why can't you do anything right? You're just like your father, a low-life waste of space, a loser. And he hits me, right here." He points to his bruised cheekbone.
"I'm sorry, Arthur, I didn't know."
Arthur rolls his eyes. "No-one does."
"Then why tell me?"
"I don't care any more."
"About what?"
"Them. Or anything. When I was younger, I was scared social services would take me away. Terrified. But I'm eighteen, and just waiting for them to kick me out. Or the school to kick me out. It shouldn't be long." Arthur said. "I don't care about people finding out. So you can tell your stupid jock friends."
"I won't tell them." Alfred said. "Its not my business to. I won't tell anyone."
"How loyal." Arthur said, and he started picking his nails. Alfred turned back to his homework, but he couldn't concentrate.
"What about your mom?"
"What?"
"Doesn't she stick up for you?" Alfred said. He couldn't imagine his own father hitting him, and he couldn't imagine his mom letting it happen.
Arthur snorted. "No. She hates me just as much as he does. She thinks I'm useless, too. She and my stepdad have a kid together, and they're a happy family. She says I'm just a ugly hanger-on and she can't wait to get rid of me."
"Oh." Alfred said. "I am sorry, Arthur."
"Fuck off." Arthur said, standing up so quickly his chair falls to the ground. "Jones, are you really that gullible?"
"What?" Alfred said.
"Of course I was lying." Arthur said.
"But -"
"Jones, why the hell would I tell you any of that if it was true? I got into a fight last night at a club over something so stupid I don't even remember." Arthur said. "You're so stupid it's painful." He swung his backpack over his shoulder.
"I thought -"
"That we were going to make friends? Hold hands and skip across the football field? I was bored, that's all. I'm going. Send Phillips my love, will you?"
"Where are you going?" Alfred said, standing up and following Arthur to the fire exit, which had been locked. Alfred couldn't help but think that was a fire hazard. Arthur shook the door a few times before frowning. "See, just sit down." Alfred said.
Arthur didn't. He went over to the window, which was only open a little and pushed it further out.
"See you, Jones." He said, and jumped out. Alfred watched him run across the field, before walking back over to his desk. He decided he'd wait out the detention. He tried to concentrate on his homework, but he felt too stupid. And gullible. Everyone said Arthur Kirkland was bad news, the type of person to lie about the colour of the sky, but he hadn't listened. He's almost thought that there was more to Arthur than met the eye but he'd just fallen for a stupid sob story. He was a sucker. He wouldn't speak to Kirkland again, or even think of him. He'd go back to running into his social circle, and leave Kirkland to his, like it had been before detention.