Thicker Than Water - 2. Chapter 2

...9 years later....

“Get up! Last warning,” Diego called out, before heading back to the kitchen.

Bryan grumbled. Like his dad, he wasn't a morning person. He rolled onto his back and covered his face. Bryan wasn't looking forward to school and wished summer break lasted longer. Suddenly, his blankets were pulled back and a mass of fur was dropped on top of the 14-year-old, as a barrage of licks attacked his face.

“I'm up, I'm up!” Bryan called out in a panic, as he tried fighting off the all too happy husky.

Diego laughed as he walked out, leaving his adopted son to fight off the family dog. Bryan managed to get the dog off of him and made his way to the bathroom to take a quick shower. When he got to the table, he found his little brother already there eating breakfast, as his dad was at the stove.

“About time,” Caleb said, taking his last bite of bacon.

“Shut up,” Bryan said, pouring himself some orange juice.

“Don't tell your brother to shut up,” Diego said, plaiting up Bryan's own pieces. “Apologize to your brother.”

“Sorry,” Bryan said, though he didn't really mean it.

Caleb stuck his tongue out before starting on his eggs.

“Morning guys,” Steve said, yawning, as he walked into the busy kitchen.

“Morning,” both boys said in a monotone.

“Morning,” Diego said, leaning in to kiss his boyfriend.

Steve sat down between the boys with a cup of coffee and the newspaper. “Um, Diego,” Steve said, sounding concerned.

“What?” Diego walked over and took the newspaper from his boyfriend. Shit, he thought, not today of all days. He handed the newspaper back to Steve and said to his sons, “Um, something's happened, and I think you boys should stay home today.”

“No!” Caleb protested. It was his last year of 5^th grade, and he was looking forward to being with his friends and at the new school.

“What happened?” Bryan asked, not at all excited to be starting 8^th grade.

“Um, come here,” Diego said, leading the boys into the living room. The boys sat on the couch, Bryan looking really concerned, while Diego sat on the coffee table. Steve stood nearby. “It's your mom. I'm so sorry, but she's passed away.”

“What?” Caleb said, fighting back tears and failing. He fell forward into his dad's arms and sobbed.

“How?” Bryan asked. He didn't feel anything. It wasn't numbness from shock. After his last visit, he knew it was only time till she was gone.

Diego held Caleb tight and said to Bryan, “I don't know yet. Steve found her obituary.”

“I'm really sorry guys,” Steve said, looking uncomfortable.

“Thanks,” Bryan said. He didn't really care for Steve. The man had done nothing wrong, but he felt his dad could do better. “Can I still go to school?”

Diego suspected this would happen. Bryan had issues with his emotions since he was little. The boy had been in counseling several times but nothing seemed to work, mostly because Bryan wouldn't open up. “If you want,” Diego caved knowing that fighting wouldn't do any good. Caleb, on the other hand, was too distraught to go.

Bryan finished getting ready. Diego came to his bedroom door and knocked. Bryan almost chuckled, given his dad hadn't bothered to do so less than an hour earlier. “Are you sure you're okay, Chico?” Diego asked. “You know you don't have to go.”

“I'm fine, Dad, seriously.”

“I know what it's like to lose a parent, and it isn't easy.”

“That's the difference here. You miss Abuela, but I'm not going to miss her.” Bryan slung his backpack over his shoulder. “She was hardly in our lives, and I can't remember the last time she was sober. It's been, what, almost a year since I last saw her in person and at least three months since her last text, in which she was hitting me up for money to get her next fix. Honestly Dad, we're all better off now that she's dead.”

Diego sighed heavily. He was never a fan of Donna; in fact, he hated her from the second he laid eyes on her, but despite his feelings, he always tried to be civil for the boys' sake. After Donna came to their last meeting high as hell, Diego was left with no choice but to block her future visits, but he did allow them to message her. He was secretly relieved that Donna was dead, as she constantly threatened to take the boys from him, despite her frequent homelessness, joblessness and active drug use, not to mention all the abusive boyfriends she went through on a weekly basis.

“Okay,” Diego said, “But if you don't feel like staying or whatever, you go to the office and have them call me, alright?”

“Alright,” Bryan said.

Before Bryan could walk by, Diego pulled him into a hug and said, “I love you, Chico.”

“I love you, too, Dad,” Bryan grudgingly said and returned the hug briefly.

Steve gave him a ride to school and made the same offer without the sentimental crap his dad said. Bryan thanked Steve without making eye contact. Steve and Diego had been dating for about six months, and Bryan suspected things were getting serious between the two, since Steve was staying over most nights.

“What's up?!” Kenny Mitchell said as Bryan approached. “Have a good summer?”

“My mom died,” Bryan said flatly.

“Sorry?” Kenny didn't know what else to say. He knew his best friend didn't like his mother, but it was still the loss of a parent.

“I'm over it,” Bryan said.

“Really? I don't think I'd ever get over something like that, especially if it was my mom.”

“That's because you're a mama's boy,” a familiar female voice called out behind them.

“True,” Kenny said, turning around in time to hug his friend. “How was your summer, Terra?”

“It was alright. So who died?”

“Bryan's mom.”

“Sorry?” Terra Christie said, also aware of the situation between her friend and his mother.

“Again, I'm over it.”

“Understandable,” Terra said, linking her arms with a boy on either side. “Alright, who else has first period English with Mrs. Tomey?”

Bryan appreciated the change of topic. He liked Kenny a lot but the boy could hold onto a topic like it was a life preserver. Terra was much more practical and also didn't like to talk about upsetting things. After consulting their schedules, they only had a few classes together, with only 8^th period being the class with all three.

“Well, this sucks,” Terra said. “Why do we have to take another health class this year? Didn't we have one already?”

“Well,” Kenny replied, “6^th grade was Anatomy, which you failed, last year was General Health, which you also failed, and this year is Advanced Health and Sex Ed, which you will probably fail, as well.”

“I'm at least consistent,” she offered with a smile.

“That you are,” Bryan said, splitting away to go to his first class.

As a student, Bryan was above average. Math was a weakness that he made up for with reading and writing. He had kept a journal since he was about 10-years-old, which Diego greatly encouraged, and it helped with his writing skills. Science was a little better than math, but not as good as English. As with all the classes of the day, they got the basic rundown of the teachers' expectations and what the class would be covering.

By the time lunch had come around, Bryan was considering going to the office. Not because he was upset by his mother's passing but more out of boredom. He, Terra and Kenny sat by themselves at lunch. Bryan was well liked by most of the other students, but Terra rubbed people the wrong way a lot, and most people thought that Kenny was too stupid to be around, given that he was in special education. Bryan knew that Kenny wasn't stupid by any means, but he hadn't been able to convince anyone else, except Terra.

They talked about their classes and teachers thus far. Terra's chemistry teacher, Mr. Haskel, was a dick and gave them homework. Kenny was finally allowed to take normal classes that year, but still had study hall and had to take general math, which was mostly full of 6^th graders. Terra was in algebra, while Bryan had to redo pre-Algebra.

“I can tutor you,” Bryan offered. “I'll ask my dad if it's alright.”

“Thanks,” Kenny said. “I'd like to not be in little kid math next year. High school will be bad enough as it is.”

“Maybe they'll hold you back,” A mocking voice said behind them. “I don't think they let fags in high school, anyway.” A group nearby laughed.

“Fuck off, Dan,” Terra growled. Dan Thomas was the star jock. He claimed to be so good that he played on Wilson High's championship team the previous year. Everyone knew it was a lie, but nobody dared call him out on it. Dan had a reputation for beating up people who challenged him.

Dan made to get up from his seat when Bryan said, “Don't even think about it.” Like Dan, Bryan had a reputation for throwing hands, but he only did it when defending people. He and Dan had been in couple fights the previous year, and Dan lost every single one.

Dan eyed Bryan before saying, “You're not worth it.”

“Not worth the ER trip, more like,” Terra said.

“Ignore him,” Bryan said to Kenny, who looked upset.

“It's kind of hard to, when I have two classes with him already, and we still have the rest of the day.”

The next three classes were like the first four, except he had PE with Kenny then Art with Terra. Terra and Bryan made their way to Health talking about how glad they were to have Art. The teacher didn't care what they did as long as it was “art,” so they both just haphazardly spread paint on some paper and talked.

Like Bryan, Terra didn't remember very much about her birth father. Terra was raised by her mother and stepfather, whom she didn't like at all. Unlike Steve, her stepfather was mean to her, especially when her mother wasn't around. Bryan could tell there was more to the story, but he didn't push the issue. He had met the man before the previous year and was far from impressed. Like his mother, Terra's stepfather was a worthless addict who lived off of other people, and Bryan had nothing but contempt for people like that.

“I think she's finally going to leave him,” she said as they walked down the hall towards their lockers. “I know I said that, like, five times last year, but I really think it's going to happen this time.”

Bryan kept his opinion to himself. Yes, Terra mentioned it five times last year, but she also said the same thing at least 10 times the year before that. Bryan assumed Terra was trying to convince herself more than him. Bryan went through similar thoughts when it came to his birth father, but time proved him wrong, which he was very grateful for.

“Hello everyone, I'm Mrs. Miller, and I'll be your teacher this year.” She was an older lady, and Bryan got the impression that she was about to retire. After going through the roll call, which she was the only teacher to pronounce his surname correctly, they set about the basics of sexual biology, diseases and contraceptives and sexuality and genders.

“Are you going to teach us how to be fags?” Dan's voice rang out from the back, followed by a chorus of laughter from some of the students.

Bryan turned in his seat and gave Dan a clear warning glare. Diego wouldn't be happy about a fight on the first day of school, but his dad didn't often publish him for beating up a homophobe.

“Mr. Thomas,” Mrs. Miller said, “you will not ever use that kind of language in this school, let alone my classroom, do you understand me?” Her tone was stern and flat.

“I was just asking a question,” Dan replied in mock offense.

“Answer my question, Mr. Thomas, or you can go to the principal's office.”

“Yes, ma'am, I understand that I can't say, 'Fag,' in the school or your classroom,” Dan replied with a grin.

That's number three, Bryan thought as he got up, crossed the room and slammed his fist into Dan's face. He counted out loud up to three before he stopped, despite Mrs. Miller ordering him to. Without waiting to be told, he grabbed his things, told Kenny to come by after school and walked to the office.

“Really, Bryan? The first day?” Stacey said. She was one of the administrative assistants, and was usually the one he talked to after a fight.

“He started it,” Bryan said, waiting his turn to see Mr. Deacon, the Middle School Principal.

Stacey chuckled and messaged Mr. Deacon of Bryan's arrival.

Bryan sat in a chair positioned so he could see the door to the nurse's office. A minute or two after his arrival, Bryan watched as Dan walked in holding his left eye. It was obvious to Bryan that Dan was crying. He laughed a little to himself. He hated bigots and Dan Thomas was a classic example.

He heard the school bell ring indicating school was out. Dan was sitting on the other side of the lobby with an ice pack over half his face. The nurse had already been in and out of the office. Mr. Deacon had been on the phone several times, and Bryan guessed that at least two of those calls were to Diego and Dan's parents. Kenny came by and looked at Bryan through a window. Bryan smiled and gave him a thumbs up.

“Telling your boyfriend that you're alright,” spat Dan.

“Want your other eye to match?” Bryan asked. Dan didn't respond.

Diego arrived a minute or two after Dan's mother did. Neither parent looked thrilled. It was no secret that Mrs. Thomas and Diego didn't like each other. That became quite clear the previous year.

“Thomas, Padilla,” Mr. Deacon called out from his office door.

Teaching and administrative awards adorned the small office walls. Four chairs sat in front of the desk, while Mr. Deacon took his seat behind it.

“Really? The first day?” The middle-aged man said.

“This needs to stop,” Mrs. Thomas demanded. “My son has been the target of bullying one too many times at this school, and my husband and I will no longer tolerate it!”

Mr. Deacon leaned back in his chair and took the lithe, peroxide blonde in. “You think your son is the innocent bystander here, Mrs. Thomas?”

“Of course,” she said, sticking to her guns. “Daniel has been viciously attacked on multiple occasions by this, this—“

Diego looked at Mrs. Thomas waiting for her to say the offensive thing she was clearly trying to avoid saying. “Child,” Diego said, “I think is the word you're looking for.” His tone was far from jovial.

Whatever Mrs. Thomas thought of Bryan never left her mouth. She turned back to Mr. Deacon, and added, “I want him expelled.”

“I see,” Mr. Deacon said. He did some typing on his computer and turned the monitor around. “After the fighting last year, Mr. Padilla's lawyer convinced us to install security cameras in the classrooms, halls and cafeteria.” On the screen was Mrs. Miller's 8^th period Health Class. Mr. Deacon looked at Dan and asked, “Should I press play or do you want to set the record straight with your mother first?”

Bryan fought snickering. Dan looked scared, while his mother looked mortified. Dan refused to say a word. “Fine, so be it,” Mr. Deacon said and pressed play. The audio wasn't of the highest quality, but it was enough to clearly hear everything that was said.

Trying to recover the situation, Mrs. Thomas said, “He was clearly asking whether or not he was going to be forced to learn about sexual deviancy, as I'm sure your so-called teacher is planning to convert them all.” Bryan could feel the hate radiating off of Diego, who remained silent. “This doesn't justify what happened to my son.”

“Maybe, but there's more.” Mr. Deacon then played the video from lunch. The audio was worse, but Dan's voice could still be heard taunting Kenny. “Bullying and hate speech are not tolerated at this school or any other school in the district. Given that Dan used the F-word three times and used one of those to tease and torment a fellow student, I have no choice but to suspend Dan for one week.”

“One week?!” Mrs. Thomas cried out. “That's ridiculous! And I suppose he (she jabbed a painted finger towards Bryan will just get off, huh?”

“No,” Mr. Deacon said, as he turned to Diego and Bryan. “Fighting isn't tolerated here, either, no matter what was said. Bryan will also be suspended for a week.” Neither Diego or Bryan protested, as they knew it could've been worse.

“I'm going to sue!” Mrs. Thomas said, as she stood up.

“You could do that,” Mr. Deacon said, remaining unbothered by the threat. “I do have to warn you that we installed those cameras last year, and after doing some digging, I found many, many, many instances with Dan and his friends, and if you sue, I would be compelled to contact the victims and their families. I mean, you might win, but at what cost?”

Mrs. Thomas snarled at Dan and they left the room. Once the coast was clear, Diego said, “I don't have a lawyer.”

“She doesn't need to know that,” Mr. Deacon said, as he began the suspension paperwork.