Someone Like Me - 5. Chapter 5

I never thought it could happen. It's unusual for ones around my age for it to happen to them. And especially since it used to hurt me so much, I never thought it possible for me to actually like it. But the impossible, is now possible.

 

That thing of course, was school.

 

Not just school itself though. It was who was also at this school that counted. Namely, my two crushes: Malachi and Sean. Malachi, whose adorable face radiates warmth, which I was embraced with when he smiled at me. It was comfortable, despite my nervousness at the time. And as for Sean...oh boy, oh boy. Sean had this aurora which made him look angelic. For the first time when I looked into Sean's eyes, I melted inside. Dad once told me that there is no such thing as 'love at first sight.' Well I think I proved him wrong because I fell for Sean straight away. The impossible is now possible.

 

I lay in bed, thinking hard about my two high school crushes. They were in my mind now, Sean dominating just. Since after school right through to now late in the night, I've become obsessed thinking about them. I must've looked like I'd been struck silly. Mom noticed this too while eating dinner earlier.

 

"What's with you, Jordan?" She asked me with a slight frown.

 

"Nothing." I had replied quickly, straightening up.

 

"So nothing gave you that dopey face, huh? I find that hard to believe."

 

I felt ashamed, although all I'd really done was look 'dopey' as Mom put it. I glanced at Dad who just shook his head and went back to eating. I tried hard not to think about Sean and Malachi during dinner, which was a mission on it's own.

 

But now, I get to think about them all I want. Who cares what my parents think of me quietly frothing over my high school crushes without them knowing? That was awesome.

 

I found I thought more and more about Sean Chrystal. Compared to Malachi (who was still extremely cute), Sean just did it for me. We connected well, he laughed when I was being funny. He wanted to be by me again tomorrow. Did I mention how outrageously cute he was? Fifty times over, I think. I was obviously doing something right to make him like my company. Was it the clothes? The shampoo even? Don't be ridiculous Jordan.

 

I couldn't wait to see him tomorrow. I had art, then History in the middle periods which I translated as Sean then Malachi. The only problem was that now, it was 11:30pm and I had to get through the whole night. The night before, I couldn't sleep because I was afraid of my new school. Tonight, I wouldn't be able to sleep because I couldn't wait to get back go my new school!

 

After a while, I decided I did need to actually sleep or else I'd look terrible tomorrow. I closed my eyes and turned over, snuggling in a bit more into the bed. I turned again a minute later. Then again. And again. Dammit! I'm never going to get to sleep at this rate!

 

I think this carried on for the best part of an hour until finally, FINALLY, I was able to doze off.

 

You know those nights where afterwards you don't know what you dreamed about, but sometimes you do?Well I went into a memorable dream which I can honestly say I'd be happy to not repeat. In my dream, I was at school in art class. Sean was there, and we were talking. Then he told me something strange and he reached forward and kissed me! That was followed by him pulling me into the boys toilets and into a cubicle where we made out. Right there in the toilet! Then the best part was when Sean began going down to his knees while I sat on the toilet seat. He pulled down my zipper, pulled out my cock and started sucking on it!!! It felt like heaven, even though it was only a dream. Then, everything shattered when the cubicle door was broken down and Mom and Dad were there. Dad had a rifle wielded straight at me.

 

"You're dead to me." He growled before squeezing the trigger.

 

I woke up panting hard. Thank God it was only a dream. It's only a stupid dream. But it didn't stop me from crying.

The scene of Dad saying I was dead, about to shoot me, it horrified me. The idea might've been far-fetched, but there's no saying it might not be true. I didn't want to think about it, it scared me so much.

 

On a more happier note, it was morning now and I could get up before Mom had to yell out. And more importantly, I got to see Sean and Malachi today. How cool is that?

 

I got up, picked out a white paneled shirt with some skinny jeans, and went and had a shower. It was hard not to at least stroke myself a little, while I thought of Sean's adorable face and Malachi's heart-warming smile. What aroused me the most was when in my dream, Sean made out with me and even began giving me a blowjob! I can't believe I even dreamed that, but there you go. You can't trust what weird, fanciful thing you mind comes up with. Including the intrusion of my parents in my dream...I really could do without going through that again.

 

While getting dressed after my shower, I made sure I teased my hair a little and put on extra deodorant to look and smell nice. This was for my two school crushes. There...not bad at all.

 

I emerged from the bathroom once I was ready. Mom saw me as I walked by.

 

"So now you're up early and you didn't take long in the shower. Why weren't you doing that yesterday?" She remarked.

 

Normally, my mother's face would have a look of intolerance along side that comment, but quite unusually, she actually looked impressed.

 

Mom is nearly always complaining or getting grumpy at something. So it made me feel good to know that I did something that made her feel like I've done something right.

 

A few minutes later, I was at the table having breakfast. Mom sat close by me, writing down notes for the media conference she was having today.

 

"Are you announcing anything big today?" I asked, while eating cereal.

 

Isabel put down her pen. "Nothing big. I'm doing these conferences to promote Enviroca Wonders to the public. I'm trying to get more donations by showing what I've been doing and what I aim to do to help the country's environment."

 

"And what have you been doing?"

 

Mom looked up from her notes and stared at me. "I've been able to contact oversea forestry and horticulture industries who have agreed to send supplies and exotic trees and seeds needed to plant an entire forest on space destined for economic development. I want to reduce the needless factories and industrial firms being built and replace them with renewable resources that won't contaminate the environment. That is my goal, my belief. Does that answer your question?"

 

"Geez Mom, I'm not the press. Save it for the conference."

 

"I will if you stop acting the journalist." She shot back. "You'd better get moving too. You've gotta catch the bus."

 

"Kinda contradictory, isn't it?" I smirked. "An environmentalist telling her son to not be late for one of America's most air polluting vehicles."

 

Mom just looked at me with an exasperated expression. "Just shut up and get moving."

 

I finished up my cereal, left my dishes in the sink and began packing my stuff for school. Truth was that I hated the bus. It was the place where I was picked on often back in New York. I was called names, jeered at, poked, prodded, pushed, even punched. The bus driver was completely useless, as if all that went on in his own little world was driving the goddamn bus from stops to school. We complained twice to the principal, Mr Craw, about it.

 

"This has got to stop. You cannot allow this to happen to my son." Isabel had insisted to him in his office.

 

"We're doing all we can Mrs Brooks, trust me." Mr Craw assured.

 

But he never did anything.

 

I just hope I'm not gonna get anything like that today. Really though, what could go wrong? No one knows I'm gay, and at the other end of the ride, I get to be in the same building as Sean and Malachi. I'd do anything for that.

 

I gathered my things and began to head out the door.

 

"Bye Mom!" I called.

 

"You don't have to go now. You're early yet." She said.

 

"Doesn't matter, bye!" I quickly said before Mom said another word.

 

I hastily opened and closed the front door behind me. It was a little chilly this morning, despite the warming weather. I walked out the driveway and headed toward the bus stop at the end of the street, shoving my hands in my pockets. It was 7:45am now, and the bus arrives at 8:15am, so I had time to spare to think about the glories of my world. Why not start right now?

 

I began to envision Sean in my art class again, but it wasn't too long until that horrendous dream dabbled with my mind some more. Lips locked with my beautiful crush, my father's furious face as he aimed the gun straight at my head. And the line, the line that began to haunt me.

 

"You're dead to me." His voice echoed.

 

I remember Mom being there too. She looked...well, upset. Her hands were clasped to both sides of her head, a look of stricken worry on her face. I had never seen her like that before. It made me wonder what in particular she was upset about. That me and Sean were sharing in gay sex? Or was it because my head was about to have a bullet through it? When the cubicle door had burst open, Sean had swiveled around in pure shock. He cowered to the ground even further under the threatening figure of Victor. It was a horrible dream, and I never wanted it to resurface.

 

As I arrived at the bus stop, I resolved to not remember the dream ever again, no matter what happened in it.

 

I was lucky enough to find that the bus stop had a bench I could sit on whole I waited for it to arrive. There was twenty minutes left until the bus came, so I pulled out my phone and began playing a little game I liked to play. In it, you had to match numbers together by swiping the screen left, right, up or down to strategically create bigger numbered tiles. Two '4' tiles swiped together next to each other became one '8' tile for example. It kept me occupied for the moment, and I forgot everything else going on around me. So focused I became ten minutes later that I didn't see who was approaching the bus stop toward me. I had no chance to prepare myself, it came as a complete surprise when a familiar Italian-heavy voice greeted me.

 

"Hey Jordan."

 

I snapped my head toward the voice. It was Malachi. I froze. I couldn't breathe. His brown eyes glinted in the sunlight as he gazed down at me, a warm smile spread across his adorable face. He was so goddamn cute!

 

"H-hey, Malachi. What's up?"

 

"Oh nothing much." He said, sitting down next to me. "What about yourself?"

 

"Yeah same." I replied, my heart beating hard.

 

I was still trying to fully grasp what was going on. Malachi's here at the bus stop, he looks SO cute. Wait, does that mean he lives nearby?

 

"So you live nearby do you?"

 

"No, I live on the other side of town."

 

"Oh okay..." I said, before I realized that I'd nearly believed his light-hearted sarcasm. "Oh wait...then what are you doing here then?"

 

"I live around the corner, you idiot!" He giggled. "I don't walk through town just to get to this bus stop!"

 

I blushed in minor embarrassment. Of course, I'm so stupid! Say something intelligent for once, Jordan.

 

"I knew that." I said back but that just made him chuckle even harder.

 

"So you know where I live, do you?" Malachi grinned, with gleaming eyes. Do you stalk me?"

 

"NO, I DON'T!" I howled in protest. I gave him a playful shove to emphasize that, but he fended it off with a laugh.

 

I reminded myself that it was just me and Malachi here, one of my adorable crushes. Alone together, at a bus stop. Anything could happen. Anything is possible, if the impossible is possible.

 

Malachi calmed down as I stared at his beauty some more. Just the way his hair was shaped — wavy and with stray curls hanging at the sides of his face...amazing.

 

"I like your shirt." He said, looking down at my chest.

 

"Oh, really? You do?"

 

"Yeah, totally! I think the white and black panels on it look awesome. Where did you get it from?"

 

"Got it from a rubbish bag." I joked. "I forgot to put on a shirt back at home and I found this one under all the garbage so I just dug in and, you know..."

 

I impersonated myself putting on the shirt with a mischievous smile. Malachi's grin broadened and he laughed again just as the bus pulled over to the side of the road. The doors hissed open, and me and Malachi rose and began getting on board with a few others I hadn't seen who'd been waiting as well.

 

When I got on, I felt like I was like leaving the quiet, peaceful neighborhood to a jungle of wild animals. The banter was deafening, boys and girls everywhere on board. Malachi acted as if all this insanity was normal, while I was being overwhelmed.

 

Me and Malachi shuffled past the random scatter of people, finding a place for two bodies to squeeze into.

 

"Ladies first." He said to me, gesturing to the window seat. I rolled my eyes in amusement and plonked into the seat.

 

He sat down after me as I heard the doors faintly seal closed and the bus lumbered off. Over the noise of the students, Malachi talked to me some more.

 

"I was wondering Jordan, did you move here recently? I haven't seen you before at school."

 

"Yeah I moved here a few months ago. I live down this street actually." I said, pointing at the direction of my house.

 

"Cool." He smiled. "You're not too far from me. We should hang out some time."

 

Omigod this is unreal! He wants to hang out sometime, how cool is that?

 

"Yeah, sounds great." I said. "Hopefully Mom will let me."

 

Malachi frowned. "Why, does she have a problem with you coming around to mine?"

 

Crap. I shouldn't have said that last thing.

 

"Oh, she's just strict. Mom's like that. She doesn't trust anyone until she sees them."

 

And even then she still doesn't trust them.

 

"Okay, that's fine." He said.

 

t. Now what should I say? C'mon, the bus still has about ten minutes to drive.

 

"When do we have History today?" I asked.

 

Malachi began digging through his bag. "I think it's third or fourth period, lemme check."

 

"HEY IT'S THE NEW FAG!" A loud voice shouted behind me.

 

Assuming it was me, I turned and saw the most fearsome guy I had ever seen. He looked 16 or 17, had black-dyed hair and multiple piercings. I recognized him vaguely from my form class as a guy who had snickered when i had embarrassed myself. A smug expression was plastered on his face as he stared straight at me.

 

"You're new here, aren't you?" He asked.

 

"Y-yeah, I come from New York."

 

"New York, eh?" He smirked. "That's far from here. The name's Patrick by the way. Who the hell are you?"

 

"Jordan." I said.

 

"Okay Jordan, since you're new here, you're gonna have to pay up."

 

By this time, Malachi had finished checking what period we had history and saw what was going on. His eyes widened when he saw Patrick, and he turned me away from him. "So we have History 3rd period today, with—"

 

"Shut up, nerd! I was talking to the fag. Unless you want to pay up too?" Patrick spat at him.

 

Malachi shrank back in his seat. Patrick continued, "The custom for entering my territory is that you pay a price. It might have to be higher for you, since you came from quite a distance."

 

"Look, I don't know who you are but you're being ridiculous. Can you just leave Malachi and me alone?"

 

I instantly realized I shouldn't have said that. I heard a small squeal from beside me, and glanced at the cowering form of my high school crush. At the sane time, Patrick's nostrils flared.

 

"You're gonna get it. Right now on this bus." He menaced, balling his fists.

 

"Get what?" I asked, just before I saw his fist hurtle straight at me.

 

It connected with my jaw, hard. I was sent backwards into the side of the bus, my head slamming against the window. Pain erupted in my jaw and head. I heard a scream. People were looking in our direction, some getting closer. I only just got over the first blow when an iron clutch gripped my shirt, dragging my forward. Now I could see the rage and cruelty on Patricks face, as he again punched me. In the nose this time. A sickening crunch was heard, and I fell back again. From there, everything went into slow motion. My eyes watered. Blood oozed from my nose. Everything merged into one. Jeers and a voice screaming in protest blended with the blurry faces and figures or people. My pain also screamed out, in my nose and head especially. My hands went to my face, as I tried to protect myself. But this was to no avail.

 

The next thing I knew, my head was being yanked by the iron grip of Patrick's hand. He held me up, as I tried to wrangle myself off of him.

 

"Stop this, please!" Malachi pleaded.

 

Patrick didn't listen. Instead, he used the support from the small crowd around him, who cheered like they were at the Colosseum, and he sent one final punch into my stomach.

 

I gasped, startled and winded. After that, I gave up. The pain was too much for me to handle. I slowly, sank to the floor, doubled over. I think I blacked out too. Everything was going fuzzy, and I was too weak to get up. The organs inside me felt awful, especially my stomach and intestines. I gazed up, saw Patrick's proud face as he faced the audience as if he was a boxer who'd just won a bout. And of course, there was Malachi. He got down next to me and tried to lift me up. He said something, but I couldn't hear him.

 

"What?" I murmured weakly.

 

"Where are you hurt?" He said, a worried look on my face.

 

"My gut." I moaned. "And my head and nose."

 

Malachi had me up back on the seat now. My stomach hurt like hell. Tears were falling from my face, something I couldn't help.

 

"Has anyone got a tissue?" He called out.

 

No one responded, apart from a girl in front of us who passed over a small packet of tissues. Malachi grabbed them, pulled some out and began wiping my face.

 

"Your nose looks bruised." He said softly as he brushed the tissue across my cheek. "I'd hate to see your stomach. I'm taking you to the school nurse once we get to school. Look were already here now."

 

He wasn't lying, we were pulling up to the bus stop at the front gates. The bus stopped completely and the doors swished open.

 

"Let's go." He said, putting an arm over my shoulder.

 

He lifted me up and he helped me down the aisle. People snickered behind us, mainly Patrick and his gang. I was getting better already, but not enough for me to walk upright. My nose felt terrible too. I had to thank Malachi for doing this. He didn't have to help me at all. He could've joined Patrick and bullied me alongside him. But instead, he was helping me out of the bus.

 

"Looks like your boyfriend is helping you, isn't that sweet?" Patrick mocked behind us.

 

Something snapped in my mind when he said that. For me, this was the adding insult to assault that instantly got me so pissed off at him, for both hurting me and teasing me and Malachi. And for what? Just because I asked him to leave us alone? That made me quite angry, but I could do nothing. He was simply bigger than me, and I was hurt. So I did all that I could and extended my middle finger out at him.

 

"Shut up, you jerk!" Malachi also fired back.

 

Through the driver's mirror, I could see Patrick's face. His smug expression melted immediately. But he could do nothing as we climbed out, into the crowd of students with teachers dotted everywhere.

 

I was starting to walk better as the pain in my stomach eased off. Soon, Malachi was able to let me go.

 

"He's being a bully to you." He said to me. "Ignore him. You don't deserve what he did to you. I'm so angry at Patrick for hurting you..."

 

"Think how I feel." I muttered grumpily.

 

"He does that to all the newbies, honestly. Everyone is scared of him because he's bigger and stronger. He uses that power to intimidate people."

 

"But he's gonna get in trouble, isn't he?" I said. "He can't get away with that."

 

Malachi sighed. "If only that were true. The worst Patrick is ever going to get are detentions. Do you know why?"

 

"Why?"

 

"His Dad James Pierce is the mayor of town. If the principal decides to expel his son Patrick for acting the bully, James is going to make sure he's been fired at the least. The worst thing about this is that Patrick knows about this and the advantage he has. And he regularly uses it."

 

That was totally frustrating. A principal could not expel a student for behavior worthy of being expelled for because he had an important father that could ruin him at will. Right there was an example of unequal consequential reaction to offenses corruption, a fancy lawyer cowboy term that my own Dad used once in a defense. And as complicated as it sounded, it was just an expression for 'not being given the same punishment as anyone else for their actions.' That made me sick.

 

No, really. I think I am about to throw up. My stomach is sending me into nausea...

 

"Malachi..., I think I'm gonna...I think I'm gonna chuck."

 

He looked surprised. "What?"

 

I was holding myself now. "I'm gonna puke."

 

He reacted immediately. Malachi led me to the back of the school admin block where a garden patch was, with large green bushes.

 

"In there." He said. "Go."

 

As soon as I staggered into the garden, my churning stomach washed sickening nausea over me, which encouraged a wave of vomit to rise up my throat. I couldn't hold it back — it erupted out of my mouth and splattered onto the dirt, some on the wall.

 

I wiped my mouth and stared down at my mess. "Yuck."

 

"You're all done?" Malachi asked gently from behind me.

 

I backed out. "Yeah I am, sorry about that."

 

"It's fine. It's Patrick who did this to you."

 

I nodded. "I know. I hate that asshole. I really want him to be taught a lesson. He shouldn't do that to others."

 

"Don't we all." Malachi agreed. "Don't we all."

 

We'd come to the nurses room and I turned to look at him completely. "Look, thank you so very much for helping me. You didn't have to at all. That...that means a lot to me."

 

Malachi's gracious smile was enough to send a lovestruck chill through my body. "You're welcome. Anything for a friend. Will I see you in History?"

 

"I'll be there third period." I smiled, opening the door to the clinic. "Promise."

 

At that, Malachi smiled again and says bye before leaving for form room. I slipped through the door and closed it behind me.

 

"Hi there, what's — oh, you don't look good, do you?" A nurse said to me. "Sit at the bed over there, let me get some things."

 

I sat down as I was told and the nurse came over with a medical kit.

 

"I'm going to try and get that nose fixed up...oh there's a bruise on your jaw too. How did this happen?"

 

"It was nothing. Just...just a fight."

 

"A fight, huh?" But she leaned closer to me. "It's that Patrick Pierce boy, isn't it? He's been rough to you, ain't he?"

 

"Yeah, how did you know?" I asked.

 

"Let's just say this isn't the first time I've had people in here because of him. That boy is outrightly horrible."

 

"So I've learnt." I said.

 

The nurse asked me if I was hurt anywhere else and I showed her my stomach area. I looked down to see an ugly bruise that started looking purple. She examined it and said it'll be gone in a couple of days. I asked for an ice pack for my head too, and a bucket in case nausea hit me again.

 

"You rest up now." She said, handing me the cold pack. "You can be good to go at second period."

 

"Thanks for that."

 

The nurse turned and walked out of the room. As I lay down, I thought about everything that had gone on in the past half hour. That Patrick guy was awful, I hated him so much.

 

Somehow though, I knew it wouldn't be the last encounter I'd have with him. And that frightened me to the core.

 

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