Scarred Souls - 2. Chapter 2

II: Second Encounter

"So, Spence, did you find yourself a job yesterday?" Chad asked as the three friends met at the school gate the next morning.

"No," Spencer sighed. "Not many want to hire teenagers these days. And especially not teenagers with no experience whatsoever."

"Don't give up, though," Josh said, grinning encouragingly as they started to walk towards the main doors. "I'm sure you'll find something eventually."

"Yeah," Spencer spoke in a low voice, giving his two friends a faint smile. "I hope so too. I'm not giving up. I seriously need money. Everything dad makes goes to bills and my mother's damn alcohol."

"Hey, don't talk bad about alcohol!" Chad exclaimed. "Alcohol is good! It helps you through tough times!"

"I am talking bad about it when it comes to my mother," Spencer said, still with that faint smile on his lips. "She's addicted to it. And so is your dad. Doesn't that bother you?"

"Neh," Chad shrugged lightly. "Dad's a big guy. He can take care of himself. If he wants to spend his life working, drinking and paying hookers, then fine by me. I don't care what the hell he does as long as he's not dragging me into anything."

Obviously, Chad didn't have much love for his father. But then the man had treated him as shit his whole life, and even worse after his mother had taken her own life a couple of years ago.

The three boys stayed silent as they walked through the crowded school corridors. None of them had anything to say, they were all engrossed in their own thoughts about their own lives.

"Do we have English first period?" Chad asked as they stopped next to his locker. Chad never learned the schedule, he always relied on the two others.

"Yeah," Spencer replied, opening his own locker that was located a few lockers away from Chad's own.

"Ah, darn," Chad sighed. "We'll probably get the tests back today. I totally screwed that one up."

"Don't you screw up all your tests?" Josh asked, leaning against the wall as the other two pulled out their books.

"Well, yeah," Chad said with a laugh. "But I'm usually a bit prepared, so I don't fail totally, but this time I wasn't because I'd been so busy."

"I'm sure you did fine," Spencer said, shutting his locker. "You're always doing fine when you're trying."

"It's just that I wasn't trying," Chad muttered, walking behind his two friends towards the classroom. "I practically slept through the whole shit."

***

As Chad had predicted, he was told to stay behind as the class ended forty five minutes later. Spencer had placed an encouraging hand on his shoulder as he'd passed him, while Josh had waved reassuringly with a small smile.

Chad took a deep breath as the classroom emptied and he was the only student left in there. Then he walked forward, up to the teacher's desk. His English teacher, Dion Stryker, was leaning against the side of the desk, watching him with an expressionless face.

"What is it you want to talk to me about, sir?" Chad asked, looking the man up and down. Dion Stryker was quite striking. He was one of the youngest teacher's Chad had ever met, and he had short, blond hair and dark brown eyes. In short, he was one of the most handsome guys he'd ever laid his eyes upon.

Dion Stryker was often wearing glasses, but for some reason he wasn't today. And that just made him even more intimidating. His eyes were so hard, so cold, so damn expressionless just as his face. The glasses usually helped tone that down a bit, but of course he wasn't wearing those today, and Chad felt a flick of nervousness where he stood.

"You failed that test, Chad," Dion Stryker said in a low, yet piercing voice. "Any reason why you almost hadn't written anything?"

"No, not particularly, no," Chad replied in a bored voice, shrugging slightly.

"There had to be a reason," the teacher stated firmly. "You hadn't studied for it at all, had you?" When Chad shook his head, he decided to continue interrogating the red-head. "You failed the last test too. Do you have some problems at home or something, seeing as you obviously don't have enough time to study?"

"No," Chad said in a snappish tone. "I don't have any problems. I just... Just don't feel like studying. It's a fucking waste of time."

"If you continue like this, Chad, you'll flunk this class," Dion said steadfastly. "And then you won't be able to graduate this year."

Chad's head snapped up. He had to graduate! He was getting away from this goddamn place with Josh and Spencer!

"I see that got you thinking," Dion said, sounding slightly satisfied as he crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the student in front of him.

"I can't flunk okay?" Chad said, avoiding his teacher's eyes. "I have to graduate."

"So what are you going to do to be able to graduate, then?" Dion questioned.

The joke he'd made the day before, by passing PE if he let the coach fuck him, passed through his head. But he wasn't as stupid as to suggest something like that to this particular teacher, because as mentioned before, he found the guy very intimidating. "I... I guess I'll just try to study more," he mumbled.

"The most sensible that I've ever heard coming out of your mouth," the teacher replied dryly.

"Excuse me?!" Chad exclaimed, his eyes snapping to the side to lock with the ones that were already focused on him. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said," Dion replied coldly.

Chad's eyes narrowed. He didn't quite know why he was so mad, what this man had said was the truth, he never did say anything sensible. But still he was almost shaking in anger. "I'm going now," he ground out. "You don't want me coming late to my next class, now, will you?" He gave the blonde teacher a last glare before he turned on his heels and walked out of there, slamming the door behind him just for the hell of it.

***

Spencer stared at the ‘help wanted' sign that hung in the down corner of the diner's window. He'd never noticed this diner before, but it looked nice and cosy. He moved his eyes up to the sigh hanging over the door. Harriet's Diner it said.

Well, it's a nice place, I might as well try, he thought and stepped up to the door, slowly pressing the handle down and opening it. It really was nice and cosy in there, he noticed, there were booths on two opposite walls, and tables with chairs scattered over the floor.

He walked over said floor, up to the cash register where a single woman was standing. She was obviously writing something, but as he stopped in front of her, she looked up with a smile. "Hi, you, you want to order something?" She asked in a friendly voice.

"Ehm... No, I..." Spencer's eyes flickered. He was nervous, extremely nervous. "I was just wondering if that job-position was still free..."

"Ah, you would like to work here?" The woman's face brightened up, if possible, even more. It gave Spencer a little flicker of hope, and he gave her a shaky smile. "So, what's your name, kiddo?"

"Umm... Spencer. I'm Spencer Rennie," he stammered. He was always like this when it came to talking to people. He wasn't very sociable, not even when he was with the two nutcases that were his best friends.

"And I'm Harriet, the owner of this place," the woman introduced herself. "So how old are you, Spencer?"

"Seventeen, miss," he replied.

"You sure are polite," she snickered. "No need for that, my boy. Have you had a work before?"

Spencer's eyes snapped up to meet her, horrified. "No," he admitted in a low voice. "No, I haven't worked anywhere before."

"Hmm," she said, viewing the boy in front of her. "You really need a job, don't you?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Do you consider yourself a good worker?"

Spencer's eyes flickered again. "I don't know," he whispered. "I haven't worked before. But I really need a job, and... well, I like doing stuff. I don't like sitting still for a long, so I do believe I can be a good worker."

Harriet nodded to his words, smiling. "You're hired," she declared.

"Oh... Okay..." Spencer had been so sure he'd be rejected again that it didn't dawn on him first what she'd said. When it did his head snapped up. "Wait... what?!"

"You're hired," Harriet repeated, laughing lightly at the golden haired boy's shocked expression.

"But... why?" Spencer stuttered out.

"Because you seem like a nice boy, and I do believe you'll be a good worker," Harriet answered, grinning. "I have two other teenagers working here too. And I'm willing to bet money on that they're in the same grade as you too."

"Seniors?" Spencer said, seeing the woman nod. "Umm... But if you already have two working here, why do you need a third?"

Harriet sighed, but still had a smile on her lips. "I'm pregnant," she said, and laughed as the golden haired boy's eyes fluttered down to her stomach. "It can't be seen yet," she explained. "But it will very soon, and I've started getting sick a lot. Therefore, I need another good worker."

"Oh," Spencer said, in lack of something else.

Harriet smiled widely as she leaned forward on the counter. "So, how about you start tomorrow, after school?" She asked. "Does that sound okay?"

Spencer nodded quickly. "Yes, that sounds excellent."

"You'll be working with one of the other boys tomorrow, then," Harriet said. "I don't know who, depends on who's here when you come." She gave a small laugh. "We don't exactly have any fixed routines around here, with them having school and stuff. They come when they're able to come. So don't hesitate to ask me if you can come in a bit later because you have something you have to do. Okay?"

Spencer nodded that he understood.

Harriet looked down on the watch on her wrist. "Speaking of the two, Lesley should've been here by now," she said, her expression easing into a worried frown. It went back to it's smiling form though as the door opened and another boy stepped through it.

"I'm sorry I'm so late, Harriet," the boy said, adjusting the strap of the bag he had over his shoulders. "I had to pick up meh brother see, and..." He'd looked up then and froze in place as his eyes found Spencer. "... and that's... why I'm... delayed," he concluded in a slow, dazed voice.

Harriet's eyebrows rose in question, while Spencer gave the boy a curious look. The newly arrived boy was very good looking, with silver-blonde hair and piercing, blue eyes, but Spencer couldn't remember having seen him in school. But then again, he didn't exactly pay all that much attention to other students in school. He was content with just hanging out with Josh and Chad.

"I'll see you tomorrow then, Spencer?" Harriet questioned.

Spencer looked back at her and nodded, giving her one of his rare wide, happy-looking smiles. "Yeah, I'll come as soon as school lets out," he said, and then turning to leave the diner. He looked up at the other boy as he passed him and for a moment his own hazel eyes locked with those piercing, blue ones.

Then he had opened the door and was out of there, leaving those intense eyes behind. Why was he looking at me like that? He wondered as he checked his watch. If he hurried home, he might suffice to escape into his room before his father came home from work. His thoughts didn't leave that silver-haired blonde though as he quickly headed home. It had been unnerving, the way he'd just frozen in place as he'd seen Spencer, and the intense way he'd been looking at him... I don't understand it, he thought and rubbed his forehead. Doesn't he like me? But that doesn't really make sense, because I've never seen him before, far less done anything that could make him dislike me...

He rubbed his forehead again and willed those thoughts away. He would find out the answer to his questions sooner or later, now that they were working at the same place.

***

As soon as the door closed behind the golden-haired boy's back, Lesley practically bounced on Harriet. "What was he doin' here?" He demanded to know. "Do yeh know him?"

Harriet blinked at the intensity in the blonde's voice. "I just met him a couple of few minutes ago," she said. "Why? Do you know him?"

Lesley stepped back, blushing slightly now that he realized that for once, the other boy had actually looked at him. "Well, I don't know him personally," he mumbled. "But I know who he is."

Harriet's lips twitched up into a wry grin. "You just happen to know who he is? Your reaction to seeing him tells me that it's far more than that. So spit it out, Les."

Lesley's blush deepened. "I kinda... sorta... have a crush on him," he admitted.

"Well, well, well," Harriet said in a gloating tone. "Then this is going to be very interesting, indeed."

"What do yeh mean?" Lesley asked, now confused.

"I just hired him," Harriet said lightly. "From tomorrow and on, he's working here."

Lesley eyes widened, and Harriet found it hard not to break down in laughter. "What do yeh mean, yeh hired him? He can't work here! I'll just make a fool out of mehself!"

"No, you won't," Harriet said, trying to sound convincing, but didn't quite make it. "Look at it this way; now you'll get to know him, and who knows? Maybe you'll actually have a chance on him."

"Yeah, like that'll ever happen," Lesley muttered, but he couldn't help but feel the twitch in his stomach. From now on he'd be able to see Spencer Rennie outside of school. From now on he'd be working with him. That was almost too good to be true. And it was very frightening. He didn't know how to act around the guy he'd had a crush on for months. "Um... When's Damian comin' in?" He asked to get his thoughts over on something other than his crush and his own nervousness to start working with him.

"I don't know," Harriet replied. She'd gone back to the list of supplies, as she'd been working on as Spencer had entered. "He had something to do after school today."

Lesley just nodded as a reply to that, and he walked into the backroom where he threw his bag in a corner and started getting ready for work.

***

Josh stood outside the school and waited for his stepfather to show up. He had said goodbye to Chad and Spencer a little while ago, seeing as they already had had their parent-student-teacher conference. Josh was the only one left who hadn't. He had delayed it as much as possible, but after the teacher yelling the day before, he found that he couldn't put it of anymore. So he'd told Andrew yesterday, and now his stepfather was approaching him.

"Have you been a good boy in school lately, Joshua?" Andrew asked with a wry smirk as he reached his stepson. Josh just grumbled something unintelligible in reply, and then they walked into the school and up the stairs, heading towards teacher's lounge.

The door to the teacher's lounge was open, and as Josh stepped inside, he soon found himself crashing with another warm, breathing, human body. He fell back against Andrew's chest and that was the only thing stopping him from tumbling to the floor.

"Watch where you're going, Joshua," Andrew said in a low, mock friendly tone and helped the boy steady himself.

Josh looked up at the person he had walked into, who had stopped right in front of him. Black hair. Deep, drowning, dark blue eyes. Shit. It was him! The boy from yesterday! The boy he had almost crashed into in this very same door. The boy who had seen him with Andrew and now Andrew was here with him to talk to his teacher!

Josh stared at the dark-haired boy, who was staring back, and then he noticed his teacher approaching. "Mr. Graham," the teacher said and extended his hand towards Andrew. "I see that young Mr. Slater here has finally let his parents in on the parent-student-teacher conference. Please, come inside and sit down, and then we'll talk." He motioned towards his desk, and Andrew moved past his stepson and sat down in the chair the teacher pointed at.

The black-haired boy glanced from the blonde to his stepfather, and Josh could see understanding dawn in his eyes. He knows my secret. Shit, he knows my secret. Josh was on the verge of panicking by now, but then the other boy grinned wryly and stuck out his tongue just as Josh had done the evening before. Then he strode past him and out the door.

Josh gaped after him for two seconds, and then came to the conclusion that he had to do something about this. That boy fucking knew his most hidden secret, and Josh felt that he needed to explain this to him. He didn't quite know why he felt like that, but he just did.

So he turned on his heels and hurried after the black-haired boy. "Hey, you, wait!" He shouted and ran towards the stairs, that was the only way he could've gone from the teacher's lounge.

"Talking to me?" The boy had stopped at the end of the stairs, and now turned around to look up at Josh with those emotional eyes of his.

"I kind of want to explain," Josh said, running his hand through his blonde locks and biting his lower lip in embarrassment.

"No need," the boy said coolly and turned away from him. "I understand. I won't tell anyone."

"Just listen!" Josh exclaimed, he was beginning to feel very frustrated by now. Though he couldn't understand why he even cared so much, why he wanted this boy to know the truth. It was weird really, but Josh found that this boy fascinated him. "That man is not my real dad," he started quickly. "He's just married to my mother..."

"He's still your dad, though," the boy said coldly. "Whether you are your dad's lover or whatever... I really don't care." He started to walk away.

"Hey! Listen to me!" Josh jumped down to the bottom of the stairs and grabbed the other boy's hand. He really didn't know what was wrong with him at the moment, why he was so intent on explaining himself. Grabbing the black-haired boy's arm like that though, turned to not be such a good idea.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Damian burst out and shoved the blonde so hard away from him that the slightly smaller boy slammed into the wall, losing his breath. Then Damian turned around and ran away, leaving Josh shocked and gasping for breath in the corner.

***

Damian was silent, just staring out of the side window, as his uncle drove him towards the diner. He could feel his uncle's eyes on him from time to time, but he refused to acknowledge him.

Ray Fielding didn't say a word while he drove, but when he stopped the car outside his nephew's workplace, he turned in his seat to face the boy. "Your teacher said that your grades are falling," he spoke in a low voice. "He told me that you are always sleepy and indisposed. He also mentioned that you more often than not show up with bruises and cuts on your face. I've noticed that too, the few times you decide to actually come up from your room and be with us." He sighed as he viewed his nephew. Damian hadn't moved, not shown that he had heard anything he'd said so far. But Ray wasn't about to give up though. He wanted some answers, and he wanted them now! "What's going on Damian? Where are you those nights you're not coming home? Who gives you those bruises?"

Damian gave a light shrug, not taking his eyes off of the sign over the diner.

Ray was so tired of the boy shutting everything inside, so tired of his bored and I-don't-care attitude, and now he lost his temper. He grabbed his nephew's shoulders and yanking him around so they were sitting face to face. "What's going on in your life, Damian? Tell me! I'm worried about you. And so is your aunt. It's come so far that she has difficulty sleeping at night! Just tell us Damian, we only want to help you!"

"There isn't anything to tell," Damian answered shortly, jerking himself out of his uncle's tight grip. "I'm fine. And so what if I get into a few fights? Who doesn't nowadays?"

"It's more than that, Damian," Ray said and shook his head in annoyance. He couldn't for his bare life understand why the boy didn't tell him about his problems. Didn't he understand that both he and Carla cared for him as if he was their own son? "What's going on, Damian?" He pleaded. "Will you just tell me?"

"Not really," Damian replied dismissively. He had no plans telling his uncle what a mess of bullshit his life was. Had no plans whatsoever telling him about his friendless, anti-social life or about the fucking jocks that always picked a fight with him and beat him up because of those stupid reasons. They're also beating me up because they've gotten into their tiny brains that I'm queer, he thought. Something I might as well be, but it's not any of their fucking business if I am.

Ray sighed heavily and rubbed his palms over his face. His nephew's life had never been an easy one and he didn't want to push him, but he could see that Damian wasn't happy. He could see that something was bothering him; that everything was bothering him.

Damian hadn't smiled in years, not since that fatal day. Not since Ray had started taking care of him. "Fine," he sighed. "I'll leave it for now. But if it gets to hard to bear, then come to me, Damian. I'm here to help you, no matter what. Remember that."

Damian didn't answer, just pressed his lips to a narrow line, and then opened the car door. He slammed it after himself, harder than necessary, but he didn't care that he was being a bit immature at the moment. It was easier acting like this then actually telling his uncle everything the man wanted to know.

***

Josh stumbled and crashed to the floor as his stepfather shoved him through the door to his apartment. He tried to catch himself with his hands, but his wrists gave out and the meeting with the cold floor was quite painful for him.

Andrew stepped in and closed the door behind him, careful about locking it so they wouldn't be disturbed by someone entering. He knew from experience that Josh's friends came in without knocking. Luckily he had just been sitting in the sofa the time that'd happened, dressed, while Josh had been in the shower.

Josh was still on the floor as Andrew turned back around, with his eyes squeezed shut and his arms held tightly against his chest. Andrew sighed in annoyance and reached down, grabbing the front of Josh's shirt and yanking him up.

He slammed the boy up against the wall and then he reached up with his free hand and closed it around the slender neck, tightening his grip dangerously. He smirked as Josh's eyes flew open, the green orbs were glittering thanks to the salty tears that had welled up.

"Tell me, Joshua," Andrew snarled. "Why did you suddenly run out of the room like that? Did you run after that boy you crashed with? Who was that boy, hmm?"

"I don't know," Josh whispered and gasped for breath when his stepfather's grip tightened even more around his throat. That would so leave a bruise, and if Josh didn't want anyone to see it he would have to wear a long-necked sweater the next day. On a hot spring day. Just bloody brilliant, Andrew Graham.

"You don't know?" Andrew yelled. "You ran out after him and you don't fucking know who he is?!"

"I just wanted to apologize," Josh gasped out, clawing on Andrew's forearm in a vain attempt to make him let go off him.

"Is that the truth?" Andrew asked in a low, dangerous tone.

"Yes!" Josh cried. "Yes, dammit, it's the truth!"

"I don't know if I believe you, but I'll leave it for now," Andrew said and released his grip around his stepson's throat.

Josh ducked forward in a severe couching fit, and his hands flew up to his neck and touched his burning skin lightly. Maybe he could cover the bruises with a scarf the next day. A long-necked sweater would be way to hot, but a scarf might go.

"But I will have to be a little rougher with you today, though, since I don't know if you're speaking the truth or not," Andrew mused and then reached out and started to undress the boy. Josh stiffened and just stood there all silent. Andrew had been here yesterday, why the hell was he here today as well? Josh was already sore, he didn't need his damn stepfather to mess with him two days in a row.

Josh started to shiver and his tears overflowed, now running freely down his cheeks. But Josh didn't fight against the man; it would end faster if he was silent and complied. It was what he lived by; it made his life easier just to submit to the bastard. Even though he hated himself afterwards.

"Go down on your knees and brace your hands against the wall," Andrew said when the boy was completely naked in front of him.

Josh did as he was told. He sat down and placed his hands against the wall, facing the wall. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Andrew was already stone hard, and that he had a sick glimpse in his eyes as he unbuckled his belt and pulled it out of the loops. Josh knew perfectly well that Andrew enjoyed punishing him, so he did everything he could to give himself a reason to do exactly that.

Andrew ran his fingers over the black leather a few times, and then he lifted his eyes to look his stepson straight in the eyes. "This is your own fault, Joshua," he said in a low voice. "Remember that."

Josh eyes widened in fear of what was about to come and he turned back to face the wall. He squeezed his eyes shut and bit his lower lip hard so hard he wouldn't make a single sound when the whipping started...