Josh was thinking. A lot. He was upstairs, laying down on his bed. He'd gotten himself into a lot of trouble. All because of Brent.
Brent.
His name tasted like dead leaves in his mind. Always taunting him. Always finding a way to manipulate him. But there was nothing he could do. His hands were tied behind his back.
"Joshie!"
Josh's mother's annoyingly overprotective voice floated upstairs. "Yes, mom?"
"Your friends are here!"
Almost immediately, he heard short footsteps pounding on the steps. Hunter. He almost didn't have enough time to snatch the piece of paper he was mulling over and threw it under his pillow.
The door burst open and Zoey and Hunter burst into his room, shaking its hinges, just as the paper was buried under the pillow.
"Where were you at lunch?" Zoey demanded
"Uhh i was in the library" The last part came out with a tilt, sounding like a question.
"You can't fool me" she said. Hunter flopped down on the bed and the paper peeked out.
No, they can't see that! Josh thought.
He'd to maneuver them somewhere else. Somewhere safer.
"Let's go to the tree house"
"Why?" Zoey asked.
"Let's just go".
Josh noticed Hunter hadn't spoke since he'd came here. Normally Hunter liked to crack a few jokes in a conversation. Josh wondered why.
Josh and his friends were almost out the door when his mother gripped his shoulder. "Where do you think you're going, young man?" Mrs. Grimshaw queried.
"The treehouse mom".
His mom seemed reluctant to leave his shoulder.
"The treehouse, you say? Her brain, thinking rapidly.
"Yes mom". Josh's eyes widened in shame as a safety helmet materialized in Mrs. Grimshaw's hands. She plopped it on his head.
"For safety precautions" she advised. Josh rolled his eyes. He closed the door after him, and ran to his backyard, ditching the safety helmet behind a couple of rosebushes.
He climbed up the ladder and entered through a trap door. The treehouse smelt like autumn. It had been built by Josh and his dad three years ago.
Back when he still cared.
Josh shook all thoughts of his dad out if his mind. He didn't care anymore. There was no reason to mule over something you can't have.
Hunter and Zoey were propped ontop two swivel chairs. Waiting. Zoey was swiveling on the chair. Hunter's face was raised up abstractly, seeing nothing and everything. His chin was raised up in the air. Josh could bet he couldn't see you the wooden ceiling. A desk was in the room, filled with paper he'd doodled on. There was a PlayStation console, connected to a TV. There were other random things in it too.
Two pairs of eyes locked with his. Waiting. Anticipating.
"What's up, guys?" He asked, nervously.
"Where were you at lunch, Josh?"
He couldn't tell them about Brent. Or about Principal Rockwell. That was sure. They'd report it and it'd only backfire him.
Time for his expert maneuver.
"Would you believe me if I said I was at the library?"
"No." Zoe was not amused.
Josh walked to a desk. He yanked it open. In his hands was a video game. He raised it up, just in sight of his friends. "You wouldn't believe what's in this" he says.
"What?" Zoey snaps.
"The new version of The Outer Worlds!"
"No way!" Hunter, finally spoke.
"How come you have it. It's not supposed to come out till next week"
"I have my ways" he said, trying to smirk, but it came out looking like a lop sided smile. "Whoever looses gets to wear a complete princess outfit, tiara and all and walk down the street".
Zoey was already on the floor, legs folded together, awaiting them. "That's great. I'll give you my Cinderella outfit from last year's Halloween".
"And wear it to school".
"You're on". Hunter said.
"What're you waiting for? Come on!" Zoey motioned them over. Josh rolled his eyes. "Don't roll your skimpy little eyes at me!" She snapped.
Josh rolled them again.
βΏβΏβΏβΏβΏβΏβΏβΏ
It was in the dead of night. Three figures loomed about wearing head torches. A terrible rain was pouring down with fierce determination. In the distance, lights were flickering. Lightning flashed and thunder stroke, streaking the inky black of the night.
The rain increased several paces till the boys couldn't see four feet in front of them. Cold racked through their bodies, stealing their breath. One of them blew on his hands which had wrinkled from staying out too much in the rain, all to no avail. The winds slapped them hard in the face. It whistled and felt as if they had stepped into a tornado.
Meanwhile, the rain increased pace. The taller of the lot, checked round, satisfied there wasn't any witnesses, then ran to the HGwells middle school double doors. He fished the keys out of his pockets. The bunch of keys dangled in his hands, and he examining them, shivering and cowering under the rain with two minions beside him, he stuck the key inside the lock and twisted.
A key he'd nipped from the janitor.
The doors didn't budge. Brent frowned. He tried four more keys before the click sound was heard.
His minions pushed passed him, down the hall in to the halls.
"What di- did you say we're doing again?" Elliot asked, his teeth chattering. He could feel the gentle sloping of water running down the floor, making a silent 'drip drip' noise on the floor.
"We're gonna hack into the school's fire alarm system". He snapped. Already moving forward and making a trail of water behind him.
"Just how are we gonna do that?"
"I have a way". Brent dead panned.
He twisted and turned in the halls till he arrived at the redenvous.
"Water paint?"
"Check'
"Bubble bath"
"Check"
"Mr. Ergo's absurdly itchy powder?"
"Check"
Brent grinned devilishly.
ππππππππ
Hunter and Zoey knocked on the door of Josh's house. It turned out that he'd been the one to loose the bet. Josh skippered out, wearing an I'll fitting blouse. High heels and all. "Do we really have to do this?" He pleaded.
"No turning back now". Hunter shook his head. Zoey seemed amused. "Gee, what great friends I have". He half mumbled to himself.
"What was that?" Zoey asked, her fierce eyes crinkling around the edges. "Nothing".
The half mile to school was casual, except stares of curious parents and equally amused children burning holes in the back if his head. He tethered in the heels. Zoey was pressing her phone and laughing. Hunter had given a little distance between both of them.
The climax was when he pushed the huge double doors of HG Wells middle school open. It seemed like everyone had paused in their tracks, staring.
His feet felt like they were filled with lead. He painstakingly pushed one leg in front of the other. Everyone had resumed their previous business, pretending not to take notice of the white, overweight boy wearing a tiara and a blue Cinderella dress, while observing from the corner of their eyes. Hushed tones of 'Cinderella' traveled down the halls, rapidly. Some girls had whipped out their phones, taking pictures.
They'd probably turn him into a meme. Hunter and Zoe were not in eyesight. The jocks had a sneer on their faces.
Just when he thought his day couldn't get any worse, the fire alarm system blared upwards, suggesting urgency evacuation. Nervous girls were already panicking, reaching out to the handle of the doors.
The water showered down in them. Except it wasn't blue like most waters are. It was streaked, mixed with blinding colors of green and yellow, dark shades of red and brown and an unusual odor he couldn't place.
And bubbles?
What the heck was bubbles doing in the emergency fire alarm system? He face palmed.
Then the itching started. Josh groaned out loud. 'My day just got a lot worse".
Principal Rockwell herded the monstrosity of kids out of the building.A pile of wet, paint-ish, looking, snotty kids. Mr Toby would not be pleased.And also why was a boy wearing a Cinderella dress in school? If he wasn't right, this had to be the month of July. Halloween was still a long yet.Oh. It looks like that boy Josh. The boy he caught with an improper description of a nude woman. The boy he'd bullied into his numerous tasks. The boy who didn't let him under his skin.Most of the kids fashionable clothes were already streaked with stumps of paints. Red mixed with blue, amber, spots of pink and bubbles were floating out of the school. The younger kids giggled and tried to catch them, clearly enjoying the scene. One particular kid streaked
The car cruising past was a blue Honda Accord. An old lady was inside blasting Katy Perry songs through her speakers. Six cats poked their heads out of the windows, their ears and eyes flapping in the wind.What's with old ladies and cats anyway? Always feeding any puss they come across. Maybe its loneliness. No one knows and I'm afraid no one ever will.Most of the kids had took buses home and the place was halfway deserted. But some of them weren't ready to face the chores they were sure was waiting for them at home. The popular kids. They hung around discussing their latest clothes, the hottest boy in class, which show they'd attend on the weekend.Another car? parked in the school's parking lot. Principal Rockwell was sitting on the foot of the fountainβ². He looked up to see who it was. He was wr
Hunter cycled lazily on his bike. He mostly kept to the bicycle lane, careful to avoid traffic. The cars and motorists moved slowly, typical of Californian street roads. Honks and curses interchanged each other as they flowed, a never ending stream of rude remarks and quippy quotes.Hunter watched the world wheeze by his bike. He watched a woman wheeling a baby cart down the street. He saw a child playing outside on the lawn. He saw the billboard advertising a generic soap. He saw the troops of people moving into the movie theater.He saw a traffic warden sticking tickets on the cars who'd over stayed their parking pass. He saw the laughing trio of girls, shopping bags hooked under the crevices of their arms. He saw the black man ahead helping an elderly lady into her house. He saw the police officer parking his car on the street, moving towards them.He braked and his bike jerked forward and he stuck his foot out to ste
The whole class was eerily silent unlike class fifteen, the class known for being the most loud compared in comparison to the other classes.All the students leaned forward in their desks and anticipated the ending of the historic program they were watching on the projector.Josh adjusted his prescription glasses as they slipped from the bridge of his nose. He didn't normally put on glasses at school because if he wasn't mocked for being a nerd, then it'll be knocked off his eyes. But he'd come late to history class and the only available seat was at the back of his class so he couldn't see clearly.Fregley pushed himself forward in his de
Presently, all the cool kids had jumped up on their chairs. Hunter almost laughed out loud. Josh scoffed. Zoey looked amused. Chirag was offended."Get it away!" Michelle was screaming.Chirag pushed back his chair and marched to their table. "What're you doing? Come back!" Zoey called. But Chirag was determined and took nine short paces to the table.With a jab, he yanked the lizard out of the sauce and laid it reverently on the ground. Nearby kids scampered away in fear."Don't come near me!" Linda said, shooing him away with her hands. "I h
"Detention's over. You're free to leave". The podgy teacher announces.Hunter doesn't hear whatever she said because he's asleep, drooling at the mouth. The other kid shakes him awake and he rubs his eyes, trying to wake himself fully."Let's go, detention's over". The boy repeats. Hunter stands up hurriedly, slamming his head to the kid's forehead."Ow!" He cried, jumping on one foot. "You did that on purpose!" He accused."No i didn't. It was a mistake". Hunter apologized. "I'm sorry". He slung his bag over his shoulder. "Let's get out"."OK".They're about to leave the room when the teacher said "Feel free to visit anytime". Hunter and the kid run out of the building."I'm Carl". He said, holding out his hand. His cheeks are rosy from running too much. His blond hair is disheveled and almost covers his eyes. He looked about
Zoey breezed into Hunter's yard, jumping off her bike, almost crashing her bike and Josh.She bent down on the gravelled driveway and picked up some smooth pebbles which she thought would be enough for signalling Hunter."What are you doing?" Josh asked."I'm going to throw these at his window, dummy". She replied."You're really out to break windows, aren't you?" Josh brought his phone out of his pocket. "Why don't we text him".Zoey smiled. "You know, since I've known you, that's the only sensible thing you've said". She taunted.Josh scowled."Sent that text yet". Zoey asked, keeping herself busy by removing dirt from her nails. Josh peered into his phone, not seeing much because he'd dimmed the brightness."Scoot over". Zoey said. Josh scooted a bit on the steps. "Hey, why is your phone so dark?" She asked,
It was AP Geography. Mr. Lance Gilbert lectured on and on about longitudes and latitudes. Most of the students in the class weren't paying attention.But Hunter was.Ashley wasn't taking this period so his focus was totally on the teacher. The other students were sending notes to each other, whispering about the latest TV series or exchanging a kiss or two when they thought the teacher wasn't looking.Hunter noticed that Josh had bent his head down on his desk and was slipping his hand into his bag pretty often. A small, satisfied smile flickered on his face every now and then.The queen bee, Bianca was resting her hand on her desk, supporting her shin as she stared at the teacher, absorbing all the information. Small dark bags were on her eyes and her eyes d