Author's note: I'm glad I still have readers. I know I take forever to upload my new chapters, but I really try to make them as close to perfect as I can.
Thanks to LovelyCass, Lady Azura and JDTB90 for taking the time to review. Here, now Chapter 5 ready to be read.
Adam was beyond excited when the lunch bell rang. He met up with Eli and Clare and they sat at their usual lunch table, near the back of the cafeteria. Clare and Eli always had an odd assortment of food at lunch. Adam preferred to be predictable (and somewhat boring) with either a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or a large thermos of chicken noodle soup. Today was a soup day, although it wasn't chicken noodle. He sniffed the broth and wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Guys, what does this smell like to you?" he lifted the open thermos and put it in front of Eli.
"After the face you just made, why would you think I would want to smell your soup?" In mocking, Eli pushed the thermos towards Clare, crossed his arms and stuck his nose up.
Clare laughed and sniffed the soup. She didn't like the smell either and showed it by accidentally sneezing on the soup. "I don't know what it was, but if it didn't seem unappealing before I sneezed on it, I'd suggest you consider replacing it with something more appetizing now that I have."
The trio laughed and Adam hot up and poured his soup in the sink. He spotted Owen walked towards him and hurried back to his seat before he could finish rinsing his thermos completely.
"You ok, Adam? You look pale." Eli put his hand on Adam's and Adam practically jumped out of his skin. Eli jumped also. "Sorry if I scared you."
"It's not you. I'm usually pretty edgy when I have a lot on my mind." Adam slouched in his seat. Looking at his empty thermos and knowing that he had no money on him with which to buy more food made Adam's stomach even more growly. He didn't want to have to ask Eli or Clare for money, but his stomach pretty much took the choice out of his hand when it growled so loudly that it could have possibly been heard across the cafeteria.
"Ok that was so not a happy-stomach sound, Adam. Aren't you going to go and buy yourself some more food?" asked Clare earnestly.
Adam shook his head. "Who knows how many times the food here has been reheated. I'd rather not get food poisoning. Thank you for concern, Clare, but I'll be fine. I promise." Adam grinned. "So what weirdness will you be trying to digest today?" he asked.
"Sushi, if you must know. It's not even that weird, Adam. Lots of people eat it."
"Does it look like we're in Asia or wherever, Clare? I think not."
Clare laughed. "Way to be politically correct there, Adam. I know it's probably a shock to your brain but the Western part of the world indulges in other cultures. Mind shattering isn't it?" Adam threw a balled up napkin at her and stuck his tongue out. "How about if I tell you that it won't kill you? Would you try it?" She asked. Adam shook his head. "You know one of these days you might actually have to broaden your food pallet. What happens when your parents take you and Drew to actual restaurants? What do you eat?"
"He doesn't eat anything." Adam and Eli turned to see Drew standing behind them. "Adam, can I borrow you for a minute?"
Adam looked confused but got up and followed Drew anyways. When they were a fair ways away from the doors of the cafeteria, Drew looked at Adam very seriously. "You're scaring me, Drew. What's the matter?"
"Have you seen Alli?" Adam shook his head. "I haven't seen her since this morning."
"She was with Clare when I was with Clare, and then Clare left so Alli left. That was when we were all supposed to be in homeroom." Adam offered.
"She texted me right after all that. We met up, I calmed her down and then right before we went to class, she said she'd meet up with me for lunch."
"I really don't know, Drew. Normally I would suggest asking Clare, but since they don't seem to be on the best of terms right now, I guess that isn't really an option." Adam paused. "Did you want me to help you look for her? I'm guessing your texts and phone calls have been ignored."
Drew nodded and then shook his head. He looked really worried. "Maybe I'm overreacting a little. Maybe she's just hanging out with her girlfriends and she forgot about saying she'd meet me." Adam shrugged. "That wasn't the only thing though. Mom called me in the middle of my class. She told me she's kicking you out of the house." Drew paused but Adam said nothing. "You wanna explain what's going on with you two?"
Adam rolled his eyes. "She came to school, we got into a fight and now she is kicking me out. What part of all that needs explaining?"
"The part where that doesn't make any sense. Why was she here in the first place and what did you say that made her mad enough to actually kick you out?" Drew was stunned by Adam's flippant attitude.
"Drew I really do not want to get into things with you at the moment. Can we just drop it? I'm coming home right after school just like every other school day. We'll see what happens. She'll probably be completely calmed down by then." Adam knew he didn't sound very sure of himself. He hoped Drew wouldn't catch the insecurity in his voice. "Anyway, I'm going back to lunch. I'll see you in the parking lot after school." Adam grinned grimly at his brother then walked back into the cafeteria.
I hope you're right, Adam. I don't want to know what will happen if mom is still mad. Drew thought.
When Adam got back inside the cafeteria, he was stunned. Near his lunch table, Eli was trying desperately to hold Clare back and Jenna was trying to do the same thing with Alli. He walked towards them. Clare was still swinging and Alli was trying to kick block her blows. "What is going on?" Everyone in the cafeteria was staring at them.
"Wrong question, bad timing" said Eli through clenched teeth. Clare was getting harder and harder to hold onto.
Their audience had begun a 'fight' chat, albeit very slowly and quietly. "Eli, just let me go. I will hurt you if you don't." Clare's voice was low and very serious.
"Clare, it's not worth it –
"You're one to talk. All your stupid fights with Fitz are worth it, are they?" Clare nearly stomped on Eli's foot.
"We're not talking about me, ok? We're talking about you and Alli. Just leave her be. We'll go for a walk or something. Do you really think that she's worth you getting suspended?" Eli asked.
Alli heard that. "You're damn right I'm worth getting suspended over! I have been with this girl through thick and through thin. I make one lousy, stupid, pointless, futile, insignificant, meaningless comment to her this morning and it's like I told her I was going to end the world. She literally flipped out." Jenna could feel Alli slowly starting to relax so she loosened her grip on her shoulders. "Tell me Clare, do you even care about our friendship anymore? Cause if you do, it sure as hell doesn't feel like you do."
"How dare you Alli! What gives you the right to question my commitment to this friendship? You're really pitiable."
Clare barely got the last word out of her mouth, when Alli's fist connected with her face. Somehow the sheer force and furry that Alli had mustered with that hit managed to send Clare and Eli reeling backwards onto the ceramic tiled floor.
Adam couldn't stand it. He walked towards the food line and pulled the fire alarm on the wall.
The blaring siren was awful. Everyone covered their ears. Principal Simpson gave instructions over the intercom. "Everyone outside now. Meet at the usual spot. If you are currently on your lunch break, please meet within the basketball court." All of the students gathered their possessions and filed out of the cafeteria.
Adam stood at the door to wait for Alli, Clare, Eli and Jenna but to his astonishment (and disappointment) they didn't leave. They didn't even try to move. "Guys, come on." He called. "You heard what Simpson said: we're supposed to go outside." Still, no one moved. Adam, Eli and Jenna stood staring at Alli and Clare.
Alli and Clare had looks of death in their eyes. Jenna had never seen anyone so mad before. It scared her. "Girls, can't we just resolve this? If you want to get suspended then go ahead: keep fighting. I'm not going to just stand around and watch you try to kill each other." She walked towards Adam. "Don't actually let them kill each other, ok?" He nodded and she left.
"I personally don't think that it's a very good idea for us to stay in here. Why don't we go be shepherded into the corral er...basketball court with the rest of the sheep. Sound good?" The girls ignored Eli's quip. "Ok I give up. Is that what you want?"
"What we want..." said Alli angrily; still glaring at Clare "is to be left alone. Think you can manage that?"
Eli finally took the hint. He threw his arms up dramatically to indicate defeat and then he walked over to join Adam. "I guess sometimes we just have to let life run its course."
"Yeah but at what cost?" asked Adam. Eli patted his shoulder and shook his head. "Ok we're going now! Last chance to leave each other alone!" Adam called. The girls ignored him too. He rolled his eyes and followed Eli. "Who could have known just how stupid and stubborn girls could be."
Eli laughed. "They'll grow out of it." Adam smiled. They arrived at the basketball court just as Principal Simpson was preparing to shut the gate.
"Hurry up boys." He closed the gates. "Now our fire grid did not detect any smoke or fire anywhere in the building. The only thing we know is that the alarm came from the cafeteria. This means that someone's idea of a joke is going to give us all a very big headache. I know that if I just stand here and ask who –
"I did it." Adam and Eli admitted in unison. Everyone stared at them. Adam mouthed 'why' at Eli, who paid him no heed.
"You two expect me to believe that you both pulled the alarm. What, did you do it at the same time?" Principal Simpson sighed. "I can suspend you both if that's what you really want. Really. It does not bother me. If no one is going to fess up, I guess I may as well."
"Sorry, what's the difference between 'fessing up' and what we just did?" asked Eli. He grinned as he nudged Adam in the ribs.
Principal Simpson glared at Eli. "Detention, Mr. Goldsworthy. I didn't tolerate smart mouthed students when I was a teacher and I certainly am not willing to tolerate them now that I am a principal. Well Mr. Torres, it looks like you are left with two options. You can either recant your confession and we'll all stand here until the culprit admits to their wrong-doing, or you can stick to your story and I will have to suspend you for three days."
Adam did not get it. He voluntarily confessed to pulling the alarm. Why was Simpson trying to give him a way out? "I did it. Go ahead and suspend me." He couldn't make it much clearer than that. Although...why was Eli confessing? He didn't do anything. Adam thought.
Eli laughed. "Look sir, Adam may be willing to volunteer himself for the role of scapegoat but as his friend I won't allow him to take the fall."
Principal Simpson sighed. "Enough you two. All I want right now is –
He was cut off yet again. This time by Ms. Oh. "The fire chief would like a word with you when you have a spare moment. Something about two girls in the cafeteria." Principal Simpson followed her out of the basketball court.
Adam looked at Eli who had a typical nonchalant Eli look on his face. "I can't exactly get into it right now. Trust me: you don't want to get suspended for this." He said simply.
"That's very cryptic and yet totally unhelpful of you. Someone is going to have to get in trouble for this, though." Adam pointed out.
"Hey Adam!" Owen was calling his name. "Fitz was wondering how your ribs were doing. I told him that I would find out." The next thing anybody knew, Adam had been kicked in the gut. He fell on his back and let out a cry of pain. "That's what I thought. Don't even thinking for one second that you can pin this on any of us. You take the blame for what you did or I'll kick the crapout of you." As he spoke the word 'crap' Owen kicked Adam once more, right in the ribs. "Consider this a pretty serious threat."
Adam was writhing on the ground. He rolled onto his back and started to choke. Eli gently nudged him onto his side. He had been choking on blood. "Stay put, Adam." Eli stood back up and walked towards Owen. "Turn around and face me, you coward. Or do you only take orders from your boyfriend?"
Owens' eyes went wide and he was instantly enraged. He turned to face Eli, fists clenched and ready to strike. They glared at each other, neither one wanting to be the first to attempt a hit. After minutes of circling in silence, Owen began to laugh. At first it was subtle, quiet laughter that sounded pretty genuine. Then it became blatantly obvious that he was, in fact, guffawing for affect. He pointed at Eli, still smiling and laughing and said "good one Eli, good one. You know I don't like fighting." He patted Eli on the back and whispered menacingly in his ear "this isn't over. Not by a longshot. Just you wait until your detention is over. I guarantee you won't know what hit you." He moved away from Eli when he spotted Principal Simpson coming back.
"Alright everyone, back into the school please." He didn't seem to take any notice of Adam who was still lying on the ground in a gross amount of pain.
Eli walked over to help Adam back to his feet. Owen ran at Eli and shoved him hard. He landed almost on top of Adam. "Don't forget." Owen said menacingly. Eli waited until he wasn't looking and then flipped him off.
"Kay Adam now is as good a time as any." Eli stood up and then helped Adam up right after. "What were you trying to tell me a little while ago?" Adam was unsteady on his feet, so Eli grabbed his waist. Careful. I don't think Simpson will be in mood to wave your suspension just because you're unconscious. I've got you, now let's try to walk. They took a few steps. Adam seemed to be moving alright.
"I'll gladly tell you whatever it is you want to know, oww. Just tell me why mph" he winced. "Sorry. Why didn't you and Simpson just let me –
"Be suspended?" Eli finished. "I overheard an interesting exchange between Simpson and your mom. She pretty much threated him with: if anything else happens with you or Drew, she'll have Simpson's job taken out from under him. No questions asked." Eli watched to see if Adam's expression would change. It didn't. "For some reason, you do not seem at all surprised."
"You spent one night with my mother. Imagine that times 15 years and 364 days and you'll understand why she doesn't surprise me anymore."
"Fair enough." They made it back into the school. "So where am I walking you?"
"Math class. Third floor." Adam said simply.
Eli stared at him as they walked in unison. "Any time now."
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Adam.
Eli stopped walking and Adam nearly fell. "I showed you my cards, that means it's your turn to show me yours. I'm helping you, you help me. Help me understand what's going on with you. Why did you call yourself an FTM?"
Adam sighed. "Because I am. I'm a female-to-male transgender. There I said it. Go ahead, run away, go tell everybody. I'm a freak, a weirdo, I'm one of those 'things' you see on Oprah." Adam stopped ranting to give Eli a chance to speak.
"Well wow, I was….not expecting that." Eli knitted his brow and paused to think. "I don't know why you think that this changes our friendship but it does not. I care about you, Adam. I've cared about you since we started hanging out and this does not alter that. You shouldn't make such gigantic assumptions, you know. They don't make you look so great." He punched Adam gently and smiled.
Adam was beyond relieved. "I…don't know what to say, Eli. Just…"
Eli shook his head. "Nothing needs to be said. We're friends, nothing changes that. Quit worrying and let's try and get this day over with so that you can go home and deal with the witch from hell."
"Oh joy." Adam laughed and they continued walking.
Had they looked behind them, they would have noticed Bianca waiting behind a row of lockers. "A freak? Well, it sounds like someone deserves a freaks' welcome."
That's it! I'm sorry it's not long long, but I hope you guys like it. Chapter 6 will be up by Sunday, Monday at the latest. Lemme know what you all thought! :)