I like this chapter. I like it, the next one, and the two after that, because things happen. Exciting things. It'll be fun when it gets here. But for now, let's take it easy in this chapter with a little drama.

Read On!

Journal,

I'm beginning to make progress in one area of my life. It's a good feeling, after being in a stalemate for three months. I'm getting an idea of what career I would like to have. I would like to work with animals. Preferably small animals. I blame Duracell for putting the idea in my head, the little fluff-ball.

But by the way she's acting, I might be terrible at it.

~*~V~*~

With the unbearably bright light being aimed at his eye, TJ fought back the instinct to blink and get away. He sat in the leather chair in the office of his optometrist as the doctor examined is blind and infected eye. The dim light of the room made the bright light worse. When the doctor was done, the light was turned off. He blinked to adjust back to the lighting in the entire room. Circles of colors floated around in his vision before fading away. Though the light was aimed at his blind eye, he also saw the light in his right eye as well.

"Your eye is infected for the fourteenth time since I started seeing you," the doctor said, turning back to him. "It's annoying, isn't it?"

"It's more than annoying. It hurts, too. I have to wear shades everywhere I go and take aspirin every day to cope with the pain," TJ told him. "What are we going to do about it?" The doctor sighed.

"I don't ordinarily recommend this. In fact, I only recommended this to one other patient. Because your blind eye has been repeatedly infected, and you say it hurts as well, I say that you should have it removed."

"…..Removed? Is that safe?"

"Yes. It's a simple procedure. They would put you sleep throughout the surgery. Because the eye is surrounded by bone, it would be less painful then say, having a kidney removed, though you would have a headache for a day or two afterwards. You can even go home the same day. You wouldn't have much to adjust to, not being able to see out that eye anyways. Then, two to six weeks after the surgery, you would come here to get a temporary prosthetic eye to keep the socket the form sinking out, and then you would get a final prosthetic. It's a much better option than constantly fighting infections."

"How soon can I have it done?" TJ asked. Being put to sleep and not knowing exactly what was happened made him nervous, but his eye bothered him more than the surgery made him nervous.

"You can go in as soon as next weekend. The procedure is not done here, but at the hospital. You'll be fitted for a prosthetic eye and have all your check-ups here."

"What if they take out the wrong eye?"

"They won't, I promise. Before you go in, they'll mark the right one to be sure. There's nothing to be afraid of."

~*~V~*~

"So I'm going into surgery next weekend. I never been in surgery before, unless you count the one time I slit my wrists, or when I got stitches on my head. I'm nervous about the whole thing. Some reassuring words would be encouraging, sir."

"It's nothing. Waking up will appear to happen just as fast as you fall asleep. What are you going in for?"

Being told that a surgery was in the near future didn't stop TJ from continuing his schedule for the rest of the weekend. He played with Zack for the rest of the day yesterday, and was currently in the front yard of his former principal pulling weeds. He kept his promise to Zack to bring him along, and he was on the porch, coloring in his coloring book.

"I'm having my blind eye removed. An enucleation is the word for it," TJ said, brushing the grass off his hands. "I'm almost happy. It kept getting infected and this way, I won't have to deal with it. I'll have to take it easy for the two weeks after, so I can't come over."

"That's fine. You did plenty of work around here already, though I don't know why," Prickly said from his seat on the porch.

"I do it because I want to help you out. You're not getting any younger, no offense. Lemme help fix the house up. Keeps me out of trouble. Um, where's your lawn mower?"

"In the garage." TJ left and came back with the lawn mower.

"I'm glad you got a real mower and got rid of that push mower you had," He said starting the mower. "Technology is a good thing."

"Yes, but the push mower cut lower." Pushing the mower, TJ knew that cutting the overgrown grass was going to take longer than he had expected. Meanwhile on the porch, Prickly was trying to figure out why his former student was so insistent on doing some much work on a house that he didn't live it. He appreciated the help; the upkeep a house needed was harder to maintain now that he was beginning to age. However, he wanted to make sure that TJ wasn't doing it because he felt he owed it to him for being is only contact whilst in Duval.

But if doing all the work kept him out of trouble like he said, then so be it. He didn't want to see his former student do something stupid and get in trouble.

"Mr. Old Man," Zack asked, pulling him out of his thoughts. "I drew you a picture of your house for you."

"Did you? Can I see?" Zack held up a sheet of paper for him to see. On it was a simple crayon drawing of the house. Prickly could make out himself and Zack on the front porch and TJ in the yard. "That's a great picture."

"It's for you," Zack said, handing him the drawing. "I'm thirsty. Can I have something to drink?" TJ watched the two of them go inside the house. He stopped to catch his breath before working on the last half of the lawn. Even after he finished the front lawn, he still had the back to cut, then the garage to clean.

He suddenly wished he had brought his iPod to listen to. It would help pass the time.

"Detweiler." Hearing his name called, he looked up and saw Zack and Prickly come back out of the house. "Take a break."

"I'll take a break when I'm done," He said, beginning to push the lawn again.

"Now, Detweiler. Before you pass out." Sighing, he turned the lawn mower off and joined the two on the porch.

"Happy now?"

"Well excuse me for looking after your health," Prickly said, handing him a glass of lemonade. "You're no help if you're not conscious."

"I would've stopped before that happened," He said. He sat on the steps of the porch and swallowed half the glass in two large gulps. "Hmm…didn't know I was that thirsty."

"You don't have to do all this work today. It's supposed to be hot later," Prickly told him.

"It's not like I have anything else to do today. This wasn't an issue when I painted the house last weekend…."

"It wasn't hot outside and you were taking your time," Prickly defended. "You took breaks too."

"Right."

"If you're going to be stubborn and clean the garage anyways, there's something in there I want you to keep an eye out for."

"What is it?"

"You'll know what it is when you see it, trust me."

"That doesn't help me, but I'll take your word for it," Said TJ. "Hey, you're a driver. Can you teach me how, sir? I haven't learned yet, and being 17, I would like to."

"Driving lessons? Yes, I'll teach you, but not today."

"Oh no, I wasn't asking for it today. I was asking for after I recover from the surgery. Three weeks from now. Thanks, I appreciate it. It'll be a great present after the surgery and all." He paused to get back on his feet and hand over the now empty glass. "Back to work."

~*~V~*~

TJ coughed as dust was stirred from him moving things around in the garage. Seven of the ten boxes inside were moved outside and he was working on lifting the eighth.

"Jesus, what the hell is in this box?" He said, sitting the box back down. He found the box to be too heavy to lift and choose to push it outside to save himself the harm he would do to his back otherwise. Shoving the box towards the exit, a small bicycle leaning against the wall was exposed. "Is this what I'm supposed to keep an eye out for?" he asked himself. He patted the thick layer of dust of the small bike. Carrying it outside the garage, he could see the chipping orange paint and the fading 'Road-Runner' written on it. "Nice bike. Could use a new coat of paint, though."

He went back in the garage and finished moving the other boxes out. He grabbed the broom and began to sweep the dust and dirt outside. Bringing everything back inside, minus the bike, he went back in the house and found Zack and Prickly in the living room watching TV.

"All done," He said sitting down on the couch. "I found a bike out there. Is that what I was looking for?"

"Yep. It's still in good shape after all these years. I thought you might want to give it to Zack," Said Prickly. "The size adjusts, if it's too big or small for him."

"Hey Zack, how would you like to have a new bike?"

"But I don't know how to ride one," Zack told him. "I only got a tricycle."

"I'll teach you how. It's easy, I promise. And you'll never forget when you learn."

"You too better get going. It's starting to get dark out," Said Prickly. TJ looked outside and saw the sun beginning to set.

"Good idea. Mom and Dad will start to worry if Zack's not home soon. Do I take the bike with me?"

"Of course. It's not doing anything here except rust."

"Okay. Say thank you for your new bike, Zack."

"Thank you for the bike, Mr. Sir."

~*~TJ's POV~*~

The following Monday at lunchtime, I found myself sitting at the table with Vince and the others. I don't normally sit with them; I usually sit by myself, or with Ashley A., but today I need a favor and only they can do it. I don't sit with them on a regular basis because I have something against them; I don't. I don't sit with them because…..

Hell, I don't sit with them because I don't want to sit with them. Do I need a reason besides that?

They're having a conversation about something….I'm not paying attention to what it is. I'm staying out of the discussion. I have enough on my mind.

First thing, Duracell is being a complete brat. I feed her, clean her cage, by her toys, and how do I get repaid? In bites and scratches. Spoiled rabbit.

Next, JoJo is scaring the hell out of me, Specs, and Bandit. If I starting talking about that for too long, I won't stop for hours.

THEN, I realize that I have to go around looking like Ralphie's twin from the Twilight Zone. I can't bleach my hair now, or for two weeks after the surgery and the brown is already growing in. So there's that...

While I'm on the topic of Ralphie, he's looking over at me every few minutes and smiling at me. Get the fuck away from me you little rip-off.

"TJ?" I looked up from my phone when I heard Spinelli's voice calling me.

"Huh?"

"We asked you why you choose to sit over here today," She asked. "For what reason have you graced us with your presence?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Ha, ha. Very funny," I said. "I'm over here because I need a favor. I'm can't come to school next week because I'm going in into surgery on Sunday to have my left eye removed." I saw them all wince when I mentioned my eye.

"Why would they take your eye out? It's your eye. Not your tonsils," Vince's. "You sort of need it."

"Most people. But I'm not using it anyways. I'm blind in my left eye, so I'm used to not seeing through it. It keeps getting infected. That's why they're taking it out. I'm asking you guys to get the homework in the classes that I have with you all."

"Your blind?" Gus asked. Right….I didn't tell them. Sighing, I saved myself the explanation and took off JoJo's shades, letting them see my left eye. The normal blue color was faded and no longer as bright as the right.

"In my left eye only. So will you all help me?" I asked them. They all agreed. "Thanks. I'll be outside if any of you need me." I stood out of my seat and walked out of the lunchroom to the back of the school. No one's back here, except for Francis, and that's only on Wednesday's. He sells cigarettes for cheap. It was a pain in the ass to get him to not run when I approached him for the first time.

I was almost done with my cigarette when I heard the metal door open and close. Ashley, I'm sure. Oh. I'm wrong. It's Ralphie.

"Is there a problem?" I asked, turning around.

"No," He said standing next to me. "Kind of. I have a feeling that you don't want to be friends with me." Damn right.

"How did you come to that conclusion?"

"You barely talk to me when I try, and you give me a bad look when I smile," He said, while smiling.

"Sorry you think that."

"I am too, because it would be a shame if something bad happened."

"Something bad? Like what?"

"I don't know, just saying it would be a shame," Said Ralphie. He's still smiling. "I like you, I wouldn't want your world to go up in smoke before I got the chance to know you. I think it's best if we attempted to get along, okay?"

"Uh-huh." I brushed him off, and he stayed for a few seconds before turning and leaving. What the hell does he mean?

"I am too, because it would be a shame if something bad happened."

"I wouldn't want your world to go up in smoke before I got the chance to know you."

I tossed my cigarette to the ground and stomped it out. I don't need this. Is he threatening me? With a smile? I can't tell. You can't tell anything by the way he looks. Whatever the fuck, I'm going back to class.

~*~V~*~

As soon as I opened the door to the house, I could hear the bell in Duracell's cage being rung. It's okay for her to be a royal brat and bite me, but when she wants food, she's her sweet self. She's too smart, but she has to eat. Shouldn't bite the hand that feeds her.

"Okay, okay. I hear you," I said as I entered my room. She stopped ringing the bell when she said me. I grabbed a handful of the timothy hay and placed it in her cage. Right as a set it down, she bit my hand, again and again. "What's your issue?" I asked and I pulled my hand out. She stared at me and started thumping her back leg. "Whatever, Thumper. Be that way. See if I care." She's grunting now.

It's time to make rabbit stew.

Just kidding. I wouldn't do it. I just want her to stop.

"You used to love me," I said, watching her carry hay in her mouth to another spot in the cage. "You did, as hard as it is to believe. What did I do so wrong? I can't touch you. I'm only allowed to feed you and clean your cage. Other than that, you want nothing to do with me. Are you pregnant? Pregnant women can be straight bitches sometimes. Nah, you're not pregnant. You can't be. I got you spayed, I think….you better not be pregnant, Duracell, I can't handle more than one adorable rabbit at a time. It's too much. It's bad enough I have a soft spot for small animals, I can't have more than one of you around. I'll turn into a freakin' girl if there were a bunch of AA-Batteries around. My manhood will go out the window. So don't be pregnant."

Did you all like this chapter? I did. I'll like the next chapter and the one after too. So many things will happen. Now all I have to do it type it.

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