Chapter 1
From Brendon’s point of view
Oh my god… this is a bit embarrassing. Hmmm… I don’t know how to start.
Ok, let me begin by introducing myself. My name is Brendon, Brendon Bowne.
I’m a loner pretty much. I don’t really have that much friends, no,
actually I don’t have any. I don’t communicate well with others. I don’t
talk to random people. I don’t look at random people either. Well, I do
sometimes but only the ones that I think I have a chance with which is
rare. I go to Town High in Massachusetts in the little town of Revere. The
school is simple. I mean it looks simple. Three rectangular prisms put
together. With 3 floors, a large football, baseball, and soccer field, a
large cafeteria, a library, and over 2000 students, I think it’s pretty
awesome. Ok enough of that, I’m standing at 5′ 8″, black straight, kinda
messy hair that I let down sweep my forehead when it’s long and I wear it
spiky when it’s short. I have deep green eyes, long nose, and smooth
lips. I have tan skin form birth and it’s always a cool thing, but no one
seems to notice, so it’s cool to me. It’s weird though. Both my parents are
white but I’m tan. At least that’s what they told me. I don’t play sports
or work out. I’m slim and shape like an hour glass. Well, not exactly like
an hour glass, but you know what I want to mean. I don’t like wearing tight
clothes. I feel like I’m trap or something and I can’t breathe in them. I
don’t wear those gangster baggy shirts or pants either. I wear size medium,
but I buy my clothes in large size. I like to sleep, eat, text, and I
change phone every few months or so. I’m not rich or anything, I just don’t
like the fact that people tend to buy the same phone as me. Other than
going to school and do homework, I pretty much sit on my bed and watch
TV. Relief that I don’t’ have to go to school because it’s summer right
now. I could avoid going to school now, but school works always haunt me in
the summer. I had Advance Placement classes, so homework over the summer
isn’t a weird thing for me, but still I want my vacation. Sigh… it’s like
living hell for me. I worked so hard in school. Always. Every single
day. Well I didn’t work hard, hard in school. My memory is good, so study
for me is kinda easy, but I still have to try my best. In case you haven’t
figured it out, I’m a nerd, geek, whatever those mean people call us smart
people. Strangely for a nerd, I looked nothing like one. That’s what I
think. I don’t like cheap clothes. I only buy brand name clothes and shoes
and expensive cologne. I like to feel fresh and clean and smell good. I
don’t think people can tell that I’m a nerd unless they talk to me or in
one of my class. I do wear glasses, but most of the time I wear
contacts. Not a lot of people who isn’t in my class know because like I
said before talking has always been a problem for me. I’m a sophomore in
the high school. I’m not popular, obviously. Ok I think that’s enough for
now about me.
Summer is just sucks. I have nothing to do in the summer at all. I
have to go to work, do my homework, and read the summer reading which is
incredibly boring. The book just sucks or is it just me? I don’t get along
with books, but some book can really catch me. So finally the summers over,
thank god, but uh oh. I’m happy I got away from the boring summer, now I
have to face all the embarrassments and bullying in school. The first day
of school, I went straight to my locker and sure enough the football team
came over with like 8 or 9 people. One of the guy’s name is Paul, Paul
Hues. He’s stands 6′ 2″ of pure muscle. He has light blue eyes, shorts
spiky blond hair, and the voice of an angel. It’s not like I like him. He’s
my worst nightmare. The others I don’t really pay attention to cuz they are
not that attractive. Well they all are, but Paul seems to stand out. Like I
said, I don’t like him, more I don’t like them all. He has been beating me
up for years since middle school. They’re just jerks. So I was putting my
stuff in my last year locker, Paul came over and says “Heeey nerd, Happy
first day”
“…………” I didn’t say anything. “You hear me nerd? Or do I have to
beat the shit out of you for you to answer me?” he yelled in rage
“Sorry…” I speak in low voice almost whisper “That’s what I thought, now
you’re ready for the regular?” he asked with a smirk on his face “What do
you mean?” I ask facing my locker still rampage my backpack to get stuffs
out of it “You forgot? Gasp!! I guess I just have to show you”
With that said and done, he pushed me with one hand, and my body just hit
the inside of my locker and my head bang against the inside hook. It hurts
so badly, but I don’t want them to see me cry. “Ooow” I groan inside the
locker “What did you say nerd? I didn’t catch that.” He yanked me out of my
locker and pull up my shirt collar, so now I’m directly in front of his
face. You know what so weird. In his eyes, I saw sadness and sorry. I
don’t know what it is, my eyes swelled with tears after I saw his
eyes. They were so sad, so delicate. Then he said “Go ahead geek, cry, cry
for your mommy.” All my fear came back to me. I shivered in fear, I was
shivering literally. If I weren’t in school right now, I would yell for
help for my mommy. Sadly I don’t have one. He was really, really scary.
“Paul, please let me go. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I won’t do it
again. Please let me go. It hurts.” I begged for mercy “Ok fine nerd. Next
time watch who you’re facing or talk to. If you ever ignore me again, I’ll
beat you up so hard, that you can’t walk home.”
“Ok sir. I’m sorry.”
“Sir huh? I like that, call us that when you talk to us” Tears were rolling
down my cheeks. Then he threw me against somebody’s locker door. My head
and my back hurt. My new A&F shirt is all ruined. I hate school. I hate
school soooo much. The day went on with no more beating. I feel at ease. My
pain subsided and everything was better again. At least that’s what I
thought. At the end of the day, I was using my locker and I see the
football team coming toward me again. I try to be quick and lock my
locker. I ran a little, but a huge hand caught me by the shoulder. Oh no,
as I thought to myself. I turned around. I expect him to be Paul, but it
wasn’t. It was Chris, Chris Haner. He’s also one of the football
players. He looks similar to Paul, but hazel eyes, and longer hair. He
doesn’t gel it. He keeps it down.
“You’re trying to get away huh?” he asked with the devilish smile. I was
scare to death. “N n no sir, I wasn’t. I need to go home. My brothers and
sister are waiting for me.” I trembled in fear. I live in a foster home
with 2 brothers and a sister. We’re not blood related or anything, we’re
just happen to live together for almost the rest of our lives, and I guess
we created bonds for each other. “Oh, is that it?” he tilted his head a
little “Well too bad, they’re gonna have to wait then. Here is the deal. We
beat you up before and after school every day. Just think of it as an
appointment. You miss one appointment; we pay you a visit three times the
next day, k?”
“Please, it hurts. Don’t do it please? I can’t take it. I’m gonna die if I
get beat up every day.” I beg for mercy yet again. I was really scared
though. “Well, isn’t that just too bad? You’re gonna get used to it
anyways. So it’s gonna hurt for a couple of times, but the pain’s gonna go
away after that, I promise.” He was making the puppy dog face. He acted
like he’s feeling bad for me.
People starts to look so the other players yelled at them to get out or
they’ll get beat up too. Eventually the hallway is cleared within
seconds. Chris started off by punched me really hard in the guts. I fell
down to the floor, hands on my stomach, crying. Then the others started to
kick me everywhere. Finally, the beating is over, and I finally have the
strength to stand up. Nobody dares to touch them cuz their parents donated
so much to the school that even the school principle doesn’t have the power
to scare them. I found the strength to pull out my cell phone to call my
sister. After three rings
“Hello?” Angela said “Hey, umm… Angie, you and the boys go home first ok?
I have to stay after school. I have to make up some work I missed.” I said
nervously “It’s the first day of school. You already miss some work. Are
you ok, Bren?”
“Yeah I am. Trust me, I’m ok. I’m gonna be late for dinner I think. Don’t
wait for me ok?”
“Tell me why though”
“Angie, I’m fifteen; I can take care of myself.” I said almost yelled at
her. “Ok, take care.” She said and hangs up the phone.
After that I sat there in front of my locker and everything went black. I
woke up again feeling like my head’s gonna burst, but I managed to look at
my watch. It reads 4:30. I’ve been sitting there for almost two hours. So I
got up and walked outside. The heat hit me in the face and I almost fell
backward. I’m really dizzy. The sky started to darken even though it’s
still fall. I’m walking home. My house is pretty far, not that far. I mean
3 or 4 miles walking isn’t bad, but right now I can’t even walk 2 feet. I
took a deep breath and started limping to my house. I walked for about 2
miles but feel like 20 miles and I felt like someone or something was
following me. I try to ignore it, but I can’t help but to turn around and I
saw a brand new Porsche 09 driving like a turtle with people who I don’t
recognize in it. All the seats are filled. Then I recognized the driver. It
was Chris. I start to walk faster, which I doubt I could do. Now I’m
limping faster, which I’m really happy about. The car started to drive
faster and then it’s park at the corner of a street I don’t know because I
don’t pay attention to what street it is even though I walk by it every
day. Everyone in the car started to get out and I was scare again, so I
turned around and started walking the other way. They started to run after
me and eventually my luck ran out and I was cornered at a dumpster behind
some restaurant. I already know what they’ll do to me, so I just stand in
the corner then slid my butt to the ground. They all surrounded me and
Chris said “Oh so you know why we’re here? Smart boy. That’s why we call
you geek because you pick up on things fast.”
“Just get it over with, do what you want and leave me alone” I said staring
at them with fears in my eyes “Nope we’re gonna torture you a bit before we
begin. Oh remember what I said, you’re gonna have two appointment every
day, but since today is the first day, you’re gonna get another one for
free.”
“……” “Oh look, the silent treatment. Like the one you gave Paul, but
I’m not gonna be soft like him, so don’t get your hopes up”
“I’m sorry sir.”
“I thought so, so do you want a kick or a punch in the guts first?”
“I’ll take the kick first. My stomach hurts really badly, so please don’t
touch it”
“Oh good, boys grab him”
“wha wha what are you saying? I said I’ll take the kick.” “Aww, that’s why
we’ll give you the punch instead,” With that, the boys come and pick me by
my arm and pull me up from my butt. Chris starts to punch me around my
stomach. Luckily he stopped at the 7th one. I fall down when they let me
go. They just laugh and left me where I was and walked away like nothing
had happened. I laid there cuddle up, hands on my stomach, cuddle up, and
cry my eyes out of its sockets. I got another black out after that. I woke
up again and it was raining. I looked at my watch and it’s 11:00 pm. I
started to get up and limp home again. I got home around 1 or so and all
the blood that I cough out of my mouth had been washed away by rain. By the
time I reached home I’m also dry since it stopped raining about 40 minutes
ago. I make as less noise as I could and crawl to my room and onto my
bed. The bruises still hurt like hell, but I managed to not groan in
pain. I fell asleep hoping tomorrow will be better.
I woke up to the sound of the alarm clock ring right next to my ear. The
sound of it got stuck in my head for awhile. I crawled out of bed with the
bruises, but they’re not hurt as much as yesterday when they were fresh
from the fists. I walked to the bathroom in my room which is not that
big. All I have is a queen size bed, a desk, a TV stand with a printer next
to it, and a double door closet, and the half bath. It’s simple and clean,
always clean and neat. I know what you’re thinking. I’m also a clean freak,
but I don’t care. When I reached the bathroom and realize I still have my
yesterday clothes on. So I stripped down naked and walked into the stand up
shower and closed the foggy glass door behind me. I let the warm water
slide down my body. It feels great. I do that when I have something on my
mind. I cleaned myself with my hands full of soap. I’m all set and done
with my shower things and I walked out to my closet. I decided to be a full
Ecko Unltd today. So I chose my baby blue Ecko Marc, grey undershirt, red
stripe Ecko boxers, and Ecko jean shorts. I put on my socks and my limited
edition Ecko sneakers, duh. Since I already cut my hair before school
starts, I spiked it up. Then it came to me, what am I doing? I got pump up
and get dress really cool and stuff and no one’s gonna care about me
anyways. I wanted to take it off, but I didn’t feel like getting them off,
so I just go to school in them. I got to school around 7:50 since I got out
of the house at around 7 or so. At my school, we get first period off for
study hall and stuff. So I took my time to walk and at my locker and of
course ready for my morning appointment. They came with Paul leading
them. I closed my locker’s door and lock it. Then I just stood there facing
my locker. Paul then pushed my body up against my locker; I could feel his
breath near my neck and his package press against my butt crack. Then he
whispered into my ear “Ready for your appointment nerd?” “Yeah, sure, just
get it over with.” I said almost whisper “Ok then” he said as he moved away
from me. With that, the ritual began. I laid in front of my locker like I
did yesterday for feel like 10 minutes crying because of the pain. I got up
and my day is just normal. Nothing happened in school except for more
homework.
For the next two months, I got beat up every day, twice a day. Sometimes 3
or 4 times because they saw me in the hallways and walking home alone. I
haven’t walk home or talk with my brothers and sister a lot because of the
appointment after school. I usually get home around 5 or 6 depend on how
hard Chris or Paul or the others hit me in the stomach or kick my
legs. Three months had passed since the first day of school and we’re in
the middle of winter here in Massachusetts. Things started to get better
over time because the football team got tired of beating me up and less
embarrassment happened to me. I never get used to the pain though. Even
though things had changed for good for me, the feeling I have toward the
football team never changed. The only emotions that ran through my head
every time I see in one of them are pain and sadness. At the end of March,
all the beating and embarrassment disappeared completely. They don’t talk
to me or look at me anymore. Then one day something really weird
happened. Paul came over to me by my locker at the end of the day when
everybody is gone. I could see his buddies at the end of the hall but I
keep ignoring them. He came and stood with his hands in his jean
pockets. He looked really nervous and he was wearing his football jacket
number 22. He looked so cute, but of course I hate him. Even if I didn’t
hate him, I have no chance with him. I turned around and face him with a
straight face. He was very, very cute when he blushes. Then I decided to
talk because it’s really awkward.
“What do you want with me?”
“Umm… I, I wanted to ask you something.” Then he paused “I know you
haven’t been at the appointment for a while and, and if, uh if you wanna
start again I’m ready.” He looked up at me with a confuse expression on his
face. “Oh, err no. That’s not what I’m here for. I actually am in your math
class since freshman year. You’re really good at it. I’ve been trying to
pass it, but I couldn’t. You’ve never tried but it seems so easy for you,
and I err, I err, I, I, want err”
“You want me to tutor you.”
“Umm yeah, that’s what I want, but I totally understand if you don’t want
to cuz of how I treated you.”
“I’m not a devil you know?”
“What?” he looks so cute and lost. “I’m not a devil. I don’t get back at
people. Sure I’m alone all the time, and I don’t show it, that doesn’t mean
I don’t help people when they’re in need.”
“Oh ok, that’s… really nice of you.”
“Look, I don’t mind tutor you, but I don’t wanna get beat up for talking to
you, my stomach and legs still hurts from the beating for the past months,
so if you’re be kind for once and tell your buddy that I don’t mean to talk
to you directly.” I said while looking down on the floor full of fear. “I’m
sorry about that. I swear that would never happen again. I told them and
they recommend you for the job and they actually said that if you won’t do
it, they’ll beat you up again.” “But I’ll do it though, so please don’t do
it. Chris said it won’t hurt after a while but it still hurt like hell
every time.” I beg my way through “Wow! Do I really scare you that much?”
“Umm… you always look so mad at me for no reason. I don’t know what I’ve
done to you, but every time you look at me, all I can see is rage and
hatred.”
“Oh I didn’t realize. Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to. Well I meant to
kinda. You know what can you ever forgive me? I’ll do anything for you to
forgive me. I’ve never imagined myself doing this but umm please, please
forgive me?”
“I’ve never been mad at you, you know. If you won’t get mad at me, can I
tell you something?”
“Yeah, sure”
“Ok, I said I’ve never been mad at you because whenever you look at me
before you hit me, your eyes fill with sadness and you look so sorry. I’m
mad at you because you’ve never… never mind. I’m mad at you after you
beat me up and after that the anger just goes away. You look like you don’t
mean to hit me, it’s like you just do it so your friends will be still your
friends.”
“Yeah that’s kind of true. I don’t mean to hit you at all. My friends are
really, really strict, so I gotta do what they expect me to do.” Then he
chuckle nervously “Ok, I’ll do it, but you have to make sure I’m safe for
the time being.”
“Ok, I’ll make sure.” He said excitedly “When you wanna meet up? I’m
available every day after school until whatever time you wanna study till.”
“You don’t have anything to do after school. Wow you have a lot of free
time.”
“Yeah I do” tears start to roll down my cheeks “Why are you crying? Was it
something I said?”
“No, no, no it’s not, I’m just really happy.”
“Oh well, you can’t cry every time I meet you. Hahaha, I can meet you every
day at 5 after practice in the library, the public one. They open until 9
every day until Saturday.”
“Ok, when you wanna start?”
“How about today? I’ll wait for you at the library.”
“Ok, I’m good with today. I’ll see you.”
“Bye now” I said with a smile that cross from one ear to another. I am
really, really happy. I thought to myself, wow I might have a chance with
him, then after a couple of minutes it hits me. He’s as straight as a nail,
a freakin steel nail. My smile shrinks. Eh, but who cares, I get to be with
him after school for hours after school every day. Then I turn back and see
him high fiving his buddies and laugh. Every one of them was saying good
job, nice going, Hahaha you got him, and they were saying out loud. I
didn’t know what the “you got him” mean but I’m happy with it. Now, I’m
gonna walk up the stair to a really good evening.