Lost In Purple

Chapter 11: A Walk Laced In Tragedy

It's finally Monday, the Monday after the homecoming football game to be exact, and I'm feeling fairly sluggish today. I don't know if it's because I was completely drained of energy from the day I spent with the RORs, but I can't rule it out. All of the stupid drama that came along with that adventure also took a lot out of me socially. I think a majority of that came from Sullivan really trying to start a spark with me, but I couldn't be more uninterested if I tried. For a guy who has such great potential, he really doesn't have much to offer anyone. He just sits around expecting good things to happen to him while everyone around him feels like their suffocating. Again, I couldn't be more uninterested.

Today is a boring and partly cloudy day. It's not abysmally unbearable to be alive or anything, it's just a very dull day for everyone and it shows. Many students feel stressed out or unenthusiastic to be awake right now which is unironically relatable because it's midterms. Yeah, those things that make everyone all depressed and unmotivated, that's what's happening right now. For Bruiser, Sullivan, and I, ours isn't for another week. Although, for everybody else it's this week. Everyone's also on edge right now since the Fall Formal is coming up and they're trying to figure out who to go with. I myself am not expecting to go to that so I'm saved from being worried about a dance.

As for school, Bruiser and I sit in class bored out of our minds. The material is mind-numbingly easy for us and we're a hair away from just standing up from our seats and leaving since this is almost not worth losing our sanity over. We're at the point where Professor Knight is teaching and quizzing us on 'matching children with scares.' He ends up asking us what a child afraid of snakes would scream from while giving us multiple choices.

Mike raises his hand and says, "The answer is C, Fangs." He is properly praised by Knight.

A little later we're asked what a child afraid of insects would scream from and gives us another list of answers. Mike raises his hand once again and answers, "A bowl of spiders!" Professor Knight congratulates him yet again. A couple minutes later we're asked what a child afraid of makeup or hidden identity would be afraid of. Guess who answers that one.

"A clown running in the dark!"

Then Knight, near the end of class, asks everyone what a child afraid of witches would most likely scream from when seeing. Again, who do you think had the answer ready to go?

"Warts, boils, and moles in that order!"

While I really do respect Mike and his undying wish to become a great scarer, it feels almost annoying to see him leave no room for anyone else to learn or be engaged in Knights teachings. Everyone else feels the same way since they're shaking their heads or rolling their eyes which isn't uncalled for. Luckily that was the last question and things return to normal.

"You think he's trying a little too hard?" Bruiser whispers to me.

"Maybe, but let's not destroy his confidence. If he wants to be a smart scarer, let him," I respond about to fall asleep.

The rest of class goes on and on until the bell rings. We're dismissed and make the same trek we do everyday to the front of the Scaring School where Bruiser and I almost always part ways.

"Goodbye Miss Melanie," he pants and twitches while running to the cafeteria.

"See ya!" I say waving goodbye.

Nothings really changed. Things have kind of become part of a never ending loop that's slowly draining my lust for life away. Scarers walk by drinking their cups of coffee in order to stay awake during such boring times of our lives, and there's Scare Technology students burying their faces in their books, looking like they've sold their souls to whatever gods of knowledge they worship. As for me, instead of heading back to my dorm room and becoming even more bored, I think about taking a walk around campus and maybe drawing some more. Ever since I sketched out the amphitheater road, I've been motivated to draw whatever new landscape I find on campus. Since I'm a scarer, opportunities for me to create masterpieces will become rare so I'd better take the time to enjoy doing my hobby while I can.

I take of my backpack and grab it from the back to open it, but before I do, I feel a presence behind me. the feeling I get when i notice that makes me feel somewhat supernatural.

"Hey freshman."

I spin around to see Johnny tiredly smiling at me. He has some visible bags under his eyes, and his eyelids aren't open all the way. Even though he looks a little under the weather, I'm glad to see him. He tends to make things feel so much better when he's around.

"Hey horns. You doing alright? You look abnormally tired today," I say bringing the back of my hand up to his forehead.

He laughs. "Yeah, like you said, I'm exhausted. We seniors have our midterms today, so Javier and I ended up pulling an all nighter."

"Aww, I'm sorry. Do you at least think you'll do alright? If not, I can help you study a little more if you need," I offer empathetically.

"No I'll be fine. I'm certain I'll get an A+ by this time tomorrow. Then I can spend as much time as I want annoying the hell out of you," Johnny jokes.

"Oh god, please don't," I say holding back my fists.

Johnny wraps his arm around me and pulls me close. "Oh come on, I know you enjoy it when I'm around to bother you," he winks.

"Mmm yeah, I'll just let you continue believing that," I counter.

Johnny doesn't respond and just stares at me smiling after letting go of me. I wonder what he's thinking.

"So, why are you here senior? I never see you around here at this time." I wonder.

"I was feeling a little bored today, so I figured I'd take the time to get in some exercise before class. Then I remembered that you, Bruiser, and Sullivan get out of Knight's at this time. So I figured I'd pay you a visit," Johnny explains.

I wrap my backpack straps around my shoulders. "I'll join you then. I don't feel like being bored elsewhere."

Johnny looks at me in surprise. "Do you now? I can't say it'll be anymore entertaining than sitting in class."

I look back up to him and put my hands in my in my coat pockets. "Honestly, it's better than sitting in my dorm waiting for for something to happen. I also need to get in shape. I can't really become a scarer if I'm apathetic and sluggish right?" I ask with a smile.

"Your not wrong in that regard," Johnny chuckles while guiding me towards the main road for another grand journey.

We walk through the semi-empty campus to feel the cold sting of the air hover around us. My ears and nose feel somewhat frostbitten, but that's normal for an October day. There's a couple more students who fly by us that are sticking their faces in what looks like dictionaries and encyclopedias, and Johnny can't help but laugh every time they pass us. It seems like neither of us would ever understand what it's like to study for things other than scaring. I can only assume the midterms and finals for the Door Technology and Scream Energy students are literal nightmares.

Once we hit the bridge, I break the silence. "Oh hey, I meant to ask you, was Javier's dad really a drug lord?"

"Y-yeaaah… How did you know that?" Johnny says narrowing his eyes.

"He told me a few weeks ago when Chip first got his concussion. He also told me that with Chip in the room and he looked shocked, so I'm guessing he didn't know either," I answer casually in order to calm his nerves.

"Hmm… he's never told anyone else about that before. He must really trust you. But yes, his father was one of Monstropolis's most wanted." Johnny states.

"Did you know when you first met him? He said everyone avoided him at your elementary school except you which makes it sound like you didn't know," I ask with my hands behind my back.

"Oh I knew. I never told him this before, so I expect you to never tell him this either, but all the parents at the school were heavily against him being enrolled there. Especially my parents," Johnny recalls.

"That's kind of cruel," I interrupt.

"I agree. They all threatened to pull us out of class because they were afraid of some delinquent coming in and exposing us to the horrors of street life. Of course that never happened because Jav is genuinely a good guy and never wanted anything to do with that kind of life," Johnny adds.

"Why is it that you befriended him then?" I question.

"Well…" he says putting on hand to the back of his head, "We were out at recess and I saw him sitting way out in the corner of the soccer field that our school had, and he was just bawling his eyes out. He curled up into this fetal position facing away from the school speaking in Spanish. Since I didn't know any Spanish at the time I can't tell you what he was saying, but I could tell that he was broken and felt like he didn't belong."

I feel my ears lower. I didn't expect this story to be so sad yet wholesome.

"I sat down with him and tried my best to be friendly with him because I knew deep down that he didn't deserve the life he was given. Everyday I looked for him before school, at lunch, recess, and after school to try and make him feel as comfortable as possible. While I did eventually make him happier, he would always make comparisons to himself, saying he was the dumbest in the school or the saddest. So I tutored him in every subject for free and forced everyone else to get to know him. At the end of it all, we became the smartest and most popular guys in school," Johnny explains.

"I think I figured out why you're a ROR now," I jest.

Johnny smirks. "Yes, that's why we all have 4.0 GPAs and take our professions seriously, because Jav and I raised the scaring expectations exponentially. Sadly, people like the JOX take that as a threat and think we're trying to steal their glory."

"Well, no matter what people might think, I'm proud of you," I praise.

Johnny keeps his gaze to the sidewalk, deep in thought. I'd wager he's thinking about how things would have been different if he didn't take the path he did, or make the friends he did. Whether he's proud of himself or not, I'll always consider him to be a good person.

"Now what about Chip? What's his story?" I ask.

Johnny looks back up from the ground. "Oh, Chip? His mother was a scarer before she died about 10 years ago. She wanted to work for Monsters Inc., since that's where all the greats go after a couple of years, but she fell ill just before she transferred. Ever since he was little he wanted to be just like her when he grew up so he's trying to live out her dream for her. But yeah, you know how that's going."

"Aww, poor guy," I whimper.

I really didn't expect everyone's origin stories to be so tragic. First there's Bruiser who grew up without any friends because of his twitchiness and hyper nature. Then there's Javier who grew up with a broken family in a broken home, and finally there's Chip whose main goal is to live the dream his dead mother possessed. The only ones who don't have a rough past are Chet, who just wanted to be a scarer for the sake of it, and Sullivan.

"What about you?" I question once more.

"Uuuummm... there's not much to tell. My childhood was pretty boring and insignificant compared to everyone else's. But that's how you got to know the amazing Johnny Worthington you know today," Johnny winks.

I give Johnny a dirty look and punch his arm. "Oh come on there's got to be something about you!"

"No not really. My family has always been rich, which means they're busy working all the time. I barely ever saw them except for a few days here and there. So I learned how to do everything for myself, by myself," Johnny clarifies, "Now it's your turn, what about you?"

I recoil. I didn't think I would be giving Johnny my story when talking about this. I guess this is his revenge for when I caught him off-guard the other day.

"O-oh, uh, I..." I stutter.

"Take your time freshman. I have all the time in the world for you," Johnny teases with a cocky smile.

"Gee, thanks," I chuckle while ignoring his comment, "Um, I'm kind of in the same boat as you. I grew up with very little, and just went to school or work. My parents were never around because they were working in order to keep their house."

"Your parents don't own their house?" Johnny asks with an eyebrow raised.

"No, they had to get a mortgage for it in order for my dad to be close to Scream Industries. They've been trying to pay it off ever since I was born and still have about 100,000 dollars left to go. That's why I'm becoming a scarer. I just want my parents to be able to breathe again," I explain.

"You said your dad works at Scream Industries?" Johnny questions with pity.

"Yeah. They have him as a substitute scarer and door mechanic since they don't find him to be very effective against many human children, or scary in general. He's told me before when he was at his lowest that he feels like everything he's done has been a waste, and that he's failed both my mom and I," I whimper.

I see Johnny out of the corner of my eye looking broken-hearted. "What about your mother?"

"She met my dad just before she became a high school dropout. Her parents died in a car crash when she was 16 so she had to grab random jobs with low pay to even survive. My dad was the only one she had left, so he had to spend everything he had on her. I think that's why he's one of the lowest ranking scarers too, because all he did was stress and time manage to the extreme when he went to Fear Tech all those years ago. He never really got the chance to understand scaring the way we have," I confide melancholically.

"I...I'm sorry Melanie. I didn't think I was opening up some bad memories when I asked this," Johnny apologizes.

I cheerfully hug Johnny while we continue walking through the Quad, which catches him by surprise like at The Belly Buster. "It's Ok! Things are stable for now so I can't be too sad about it all," I reply.

"If it helps, I can send some money their way once I start scaring as well," Johnny offers.

"No, don't worry about it senior. We wouldn't want to start creating issues for you anyways," I decline.

For the rest of our small outing, Johnny and I talk about his midterm. He seems really stressed out about it which makes me wonder if he really did pull an all nighter studying or if he simply just couldn't sleep. He tells me his studying was for his Scaring Biology class and his Scaring 401 class, both of which Professor King teaches. He says his midterms are about all the intricacies of why we're told that human children are toxic. He has to identify the side effects of certain diseases that could be contracted if a monster were to come into contact with a human child and the basics of how they work. To be frank, it's basically learning a whole new version of biology and is one of the main reasons as to why many scarers never get their degree. As for his Scaring 401 midterm, he has to prove he understands the complex nature of the human world and the possibilities of where he can hide if he had to escape from a human child's bedroom.

We eventually make it back to the Scaring School at around 12:30 PM which means his Scaring Biology class should start soon.

"You can do it, I believe in you," I reassure Johnny.

"Thanks freshman. Sorry you had to see me like this," he admits.

I give him one last hug. "It's alright. I don't need you to pretend for me," I reply.

He reciprocates my embrace which happens to be one of the best bear hugs I've ever gotten.

"I'll see you around senior," I say letting go of him and smiling as I turn back to the dormitory.

He smiles back and waves as starts perambulating up the Scaring School steps. He looks way better than he did earlier this morning so I can only assume I lifted a serious amount of stress of his back. I just hope he can stay level headed for his midterms because god knows I can't. I enter the dormitory and prepare to take a long nap. That walk took a lot out of me. However, before I throw myself into my bed and into a fake reality for the next couple of hours, I think about how much work Johnny has put into becoming a scarer. As long as he can prove to himself that he can be the best he can, I'll be with him the whole step of the way.

Because I don't think anyone deserves to become a scarer more than him.