Living in Surreality - 4. Chapter 4

chapter 4:
: edited by viv :

"Crap!" Jacob groaned.

The controller, which moments prior had been securely gripped in his hands as he maneuvered around a tight corner, flew arching through the air and landed with a thud on the ground. Jacob stared in disbelief as his choice Ferrari spun uncontrolled into a side wall and burst into flames. Matt sat chuckling on the floor between his spread legs, watching as the yellow Ferrari burned, and his blue Viper raced past the finish line via the split screen. 'LAP RECORD' floated across his section of the screen as 'GAME OVER' pulsed over Jacob's flaming heap of import sports car wreckage.

"YESS-S!" Matt's arms flew into the air triumphant as he watched the replay of his blue Viper sideswiping the Yellow F430 along a hairpin turn, causing the car to spin helplessly into a barricade.

Jacob couldn't decide which he found more disturbing. The fact of losing twice in one night to someone he taught how to play, or the way a pixilated body was rescued from the wreckage amidst an audience of flash bulbs.

Valerie only gave the commotion behind her a passing glance, deciding instead to concentrate on the history project she had spread across Jacob's desk. Claiming space on the cluttered desk had proven to be victory enough for one evening. She had even voiced her displeasure as she moved graded papers from Jacobs' first week at school, along with four issues of the school newspaper, and three progress reports. Valerie also stumbled across a paper plate with a forgotten fork beneath the clutter.

The last four months seemed like they flew by. Matt and Valerie had each celebrated their birthdays which were less then a week apart. Valerie spent the occasion at work, which she was most displeased with, that was until she arrived to find a surprise party thrown in the bays of her father's auto repair shop. Matt's birthday was celebrated a few days later with the arrival of a used Honda Civic.

Matt had become quite proficient at his regular visits to Jacob's bedroom to play video games as evidenced by his mounting victories. He also got a job working part time at a local burger shop, explaining it was to pay for gas and insurance, even though he rarely drove his new car. Valerie's mustang had proven to be the preferred mode of transportation.

He was interesting; Matt decided, casting a sideways glance at the humorous glare that washed Jacob's face. As hard as Matt tried, spending as much time with Jacob as he could over the last four months, the curiosity he felt for Jacob only seemed to grow into a dull ache in the pit of his stomach. The hollow pain annoyed Matt the most as he lay alone his bed at night, his mind caught somewhere in that foggy plane between dreams and reality.

"What?" Jacob asked, immediately regretting the sound of his voice as Matt's gaze quickly snapped back to the TV.

Matt couldn't decide on the tone of Jacob's voice. Demanding, suspicious? The only thing he knew as he clamped his eyes shut, willing the throb at the base of his heart to go away, was that he had been caught staring a little too long. Praying for Valerie to intervene, Matt felt a knot grow in his throat as he fought to control his breathing, which seemed to grow even more labored the longer he clamped his eyes shut.

"Matt?" Jacob called again, his first two attempts having gone ignored. Cautiously, Jacob slid down between Matt and the foot of his bed. Jacob's arms snaking around Matt's waist as his rear softly landed on the hard wood floor. Matt's body tensed with the unexpected contact. "Matt," Jacob echoed in a whisper. Close enough for Matt to feel the moisture of Jacob's breath rush over the fine hairs on his earlobe. "What's wrong?" Jacob cautiously pled. "I'm sorry." Jacob whispered.

"Matty?" Valerie interjected with soft caution, her history assignment forgotten.

The moment Valerie's voice hit Matt's ears his eyes slowly opened, the knot in his throat seeming to ebb, as his gaze met the concern that was painted on Valerie's face. Matt became aware that he was trembling, trembling and being held securely in Jacob's strong embrace.

"Are you alright?" Jacob whispered, constricting his grip on Matt momentarily before releasing it slightly, feeling Matt relax somewhat.

"Yeah," Matt managed to croak. "I just think I'm getting a headache is all," he continued after a moment. Pulling himself out of Jacob's grasp, Matt stood, stumbling slightly for effect as he did.

"You want an aspirin?" Jacob asked, as both he and Valerie regarded Matt with concern.

Matt shook his head. "I think I just need to get some sleep," he offered, trying to drop a hint to Valerie that it was time to go.

"The bed's comfortable," Jacob offered, motioning his head to the bed behind him as he looked hopefully up at Matt. "You can crash here tonight."

Matt carefully gazed from Jacob, to the bed, to Valerie, and finally, back to Jacob. He wanted nothing more than to gladly accept, and to run, declining the offer as he fled. Matt's gaze shifted to the bed again, remembering the warmth of Jacob from only a few moments ago, a warmth he could still feel tingling along his back. As he did, he thought of how alone he felt lying in his own bed. Matt imagined Jacob holding him close all night, comforting him. That was the reason he answered the way he did.

"Nah, I think I'm just gonna' go home and crash," Matt replied, offering Jacob a weak smile.

Jacob frowned deeply, as the sound of Valerie's history book slapping shut bounced off the walls. "Okay," he conceded, struggling to his feet.

Valerie already had her work packed up as she crossed the short space between the desk and Jacob. Collapsing Jacob in a light hug, Valerie placed a light kiss on his cheek.

"Happy Birthday Jacob," she offered, sounding more cheery than Jacob cared to hear at the moment. "Sorry we couldn't go to dinner with you and your mom," she continued, breaking the hug and casting Matt a warning glare.

Matt shrugged weakly amidst her gaze, offering her his silent defeat.

"We'll make it up to you tomorrow," she stated, turning her attention back to Jacob. "Matty and I are going drag you out to that quarry we've been talking about all winter. It's finally, getting warm enough!" Valerie went on to lay out the plan of the surprise picnic she had set up for the three of them.

In an effort to dispel the sour look Matt was wearing; Jacob looked in his direction and made a dramatic event of rolling his eyes.

Matt chuckled.

"I saw that!" Valerie intoned, smacking Jacob's head with firm yet gentle hand before leading the way out of Jacob's room and down the stairs.

"It's not a surprise anymore," Jacob stated, his point leaving Valerie halting in her descent.

"Crap!" Valerie nearly shouted in the quiet of the house, chiding herself.

In reality, Valerie had taken the opportunity to disclose her plans, willingly offering her effort to surprise Jacob as a sacrifice for Matt's happiness. Valerie smiled to herself at the resulting laughter, while continuing to look as displeased as she could.

The goodbye was lingering, Valerie making Jacob swear to be up bight and early. Jacob didn't consider the bargain entirely fair, but his boisterous neighbor promised certain, unrepeatable threats against his manhood if he wasn't ready to go at exactly nine a.m. In turn, Jacob ordered Matt to go home, take an aspirin and go to bed. No way was he willing to face the wrath of Valerie alone.

Jacob rushed back up stairs, after Matt and Valerie had departed, in time to see the pair crossing the last half of the street. His eyes lingered, watching as Valerie gave Matt a quick hug before they parted and walked to their separate homes. Satisfied they had both made it to their beds safely, Jacob retreated from his vantage point over the serene stretch of fading asphalt to his own seemingly empty bed.

Under a canopy of fluorescing stars that were all too quick to fade, Matt lay in a bed that was choked in darkness and equally empty. The order of medication had been abandoned; the headache a white lie, besides, Matt doubted aspirin could ease the weight he felt in his chest as he settled in uncomfortably for the night.

'Finally warming up', was a gross understatement on Valerie's part as the sun bore down on the black asphalt of Lilly Ct. with brutish force. It was barely nine fifteen in the morning, and the temperature was already an imposing eighty-three degrees. The smell of smoke hung in the air, leaving its tang on the senses. A wildfire burning in the distance gave the usually bright morning an ethereal orange glow. Valerie let out a sigh, moving a stray strand of hair from her sunglass shielded eyes. Matt sat next to her fidgeting with the hem of his board shorts. Together they sat on Jacob's front porch swing waiting for Jacob to emerge.

"What was up with you last night?" Valerie asked, smoothing her hair back into a tight pony tail.

"Huh?" Matt replied, looking up from his shorts.

"You didn't have a headache," Valerie stated evenly, waving a fly off of her exposed knee before folding her arms over her chest.

"Oh," Matt stammered, his gaze falling on the explosion of deep purple Iris's in the planter that guarded Jacob's porch. "I was tired," he offered.

Valerie studied Matt for a moment, her eyes hidden behind the dark glasses, not believing the second excuse he had offered. Matt knew the look that Valerie was appraising him with. He even remembered the first time she had leveled it in his direction on the kindergarten playground. He was about to open his mouth to further defend himself when Jacob's front door flew open.

"Luv ya 'Ma'," Jacob shouted, calling back into the interior of the house, before he turned an excited smile on Valerie and Matt.

"You guys have fun," Joanne's response was heard from the house's depths before Jacob closed the door.

"About damn time," Valerie chided, abandoning her inquisition of Matt, for the time being. "You take even longer then I do to get ready," she frowned with the realization. "There is something wrong with that, seriously," she offered, pushing off of the porch swing, heading towards her car.

"Hey, looking this good takes effort," Jacob quipped with a wide smile, his arm sweeping over the blue tartan oxford he wore unbuttoned, over a white t-shirt with a pair of loose khaki cargo shorts.

Valerie rolled her eyes with a slight chuckle.

"Really?" Matt questioned, looking serious as a slow smile spread across his face. "I look damn good naturally."

"Ha ha," Jacob smiled, slapping Matt on the back before sliding his arm to an easy rest on Matt's shoulders. "So, where's my party at?" Jacob asked, looking between Matt and Valerie.

"This is stupid," Valerie muttered, trying to shove eighteen small candles into the top of a four inch mini birthday cake. "We should have just gotten the number candles, the one, and the eight would have fit," she continued, sounding more then a little perturbed.

"Shh," Matt shushed her, busy trying to keep the small cake looking somewhat edible, rather then something that looked like Deacon's younger sister had pulled out of her easy-bake oven.

Matt definitely had his work cut out for him. The heat of the day had left the once fluffy frosting turning into a sugary mess. He tried the best he could, using his fingers as a make shift spatula to do repair work, but found the results less then admirable. The airbrushed reds and blues that had once been vivid now smeared into a color that was akin to a bruise, and not like anything at all edible. He would readily admit the sorry sight before him had more of its frosting on the flimsy plastic tray it sat on, than it did on the cake any longer, and it bothered him.

"This looks like shit," Matt commented as he sucked on a frosting coated finger.

"Just light it," Valerie gave in with a furrowed frown, wishing she had opted for the brownies now. At least those came in a foil pan.

Not having anywhere better to wipe his hands, he wiped them on the back of his board shorts, finishing just in time to notice the paper towel Valerie had in her hands. With a slight frown and, a shrug of his shoulders, Matt fished out a lighter and set to work lighting each of the candles. Six curses and two burnt fingers later, Matt stared at something that he couldn't imagine looking any more pathetic. Not only was it a sloppy, bruise colored mess, but it was now a flaming, bruise colored, sloppy mess. The two stared in disappointment as red and blue wax congealed in the runny frosting.

Jacob sat back amused, watching as the two huddled over the rear fender of Valerie's mustang, bickering silently. He couldn't help but laugh out loud as they turned, flaming confection in hand, beginning to sing Happy Birthday. It appeared the pair had more of the icing on their chests than the cake had on it.

"Crap!" Jacob shouted, laughing at the sorry cake as they finished, "That's a friggin' fire hazard. Didn't you guys know you're supposed to blow the fire out before you ice it?" he laughed, as he stood up, meeting Matt and Valerie halfway.

"Just make a wish smart ass!" Valerie snapped with a smile as sweet as the runny frosting.

Jacob moved his attention from the cake with its' lopsided candles to Valerie, and then Matt in turn. Stumped at what to wish for, Jacob's gaze lingered on a smear of frosting that circled around Matt's left nipple. With a small secretive smile Jacob leaned forward slightly, closed his eyes and blew. The blaze extinguished in a swirl of smoke. Jacob stood, opening his eyes, enjoying the lingering visual he had just witnessed on the backs of his eyelids.

"What did you wish for?" Matt asked, plucking the candles from the cake.

The corner of Jacob's mouth curled upwards producing a deep dimple in his right cheek as he slowly shook his head in answer.

"Alright," Matt muttered, a grin playing at his own lips as he plucked the last candle from the cake.

Without warning, Matt lurched forward, the cake in his hand making perfect contact with Jacob's face. Surprised, Jacob staggered backwards a few paces, his hands catching the remnants of cake that dropped off his face. With a slight chuckle, he plopped a scrap in his mouth before advancing on Matt with a chunk of the cake at the ready.

"That's what you get for picking on the cake," Matt laughed as he stepped backwards, ready to flee if need be.

"Hey!" Valerie stormed. "He was supposed to eat that!"

Valerie's complaint was just what Jacob needed, as Matt turned to look at her with a wide grin. It only took Jacob a moment to cross the short distance between Matt and himself, shouting in triumph, Jacob smeared the chunk in his hand down the side of Matt's face.

Matt laughed as Jacob directed the sticky frosting and moist cake down his cheek and under his chin. Valerie let out a huff, seeing her efforts ruined again, a sound which garnered both of the boys' attention. Her arms folded tightly over her chest as she stared at the pair with narrowed eyes and her mouth set. Jacob, remembering her complaint that he was supposed to eat the cake, leaned into Matt. With a long swipe of his tongue he cleared a path through the mess.

Matt's eyes opened, shocked at the feeling of Jacob's fleshy tongue running the length of his cheek. He felt frozen to the patch of sand in that moment, not knowing how to react. Valerie broke into a high pitched squeal of laughter at Jacob's antics.

"Not bad Sweets, not bad," Jacob concluded using the nickname he had taken to calling Valerie, thinking as he licked his fingers free of cake, that wishes do come true, at least partially. "Hey Matt," Jacob nudged the still stunned Matt who stood firm beside him, "race ya to the water!"

Jacob quickly turned on his heel and raced to the crystal clear water that had accumulated in the quarry over time, shedding the loose khaki cargo shorts; he had been wearing as he did. Free every stitch of clothing, Jacob let out a yell, launching his body forward, the sound yanking Matt back into reality. He turned just in time to see a very white rear disappear beneath the waters surface.

"Did he just strip?" Valerie asked astonished, replaying the image of Jacob doing just that in her mind.

"I was wondering why he wasn't wearing a swimsuit," Matt answered, watching as Jacob breeched the surface.

The lull of southern California's temperate winter, thawed into a warm spring. Bright balmy days far outnumbered their sullen cool counterparts. Jacob was doing far better than he expected in school. Maintaining a 'B' average, with an 'A' in sociology, he credited the 'A' to Mrs. Frost however, convinced she had to be the best teacher he had ever had. That in mind, Jacob was already looking into ways to stay in her class as the semester was soon to draw to a close, meaning that sociology for him would be over. That was the reason Jacob found himself planning on seeing Mrs. Martin during his lunch period the following Wednesday.

He had gone to the office hoping to chat with Mrs. Martin only to find she had stepped out. Dejected over this development, but in no way deterred, he scribbled a note requesting to talk to her which he left on her desk before heading out to join his friends. Fifteen minutes later, Jacob padded up to the usual table. Offering a quick nod to the assembled group as a way of saying hello, Jacob's curiosity turned to Matt who was huddled over a sketch book, his hand moving in rapid short strokes.

"Whatya' doin?" Jacob asked, craning his neck over Matt's shoulder.

What met Jacob's quizzical gaze caught his breath. Matt's pencil ceased its' repetitive strokes along the muscular tail of what Jacob decided was a menacing-looking dragon. Smoke and flames curled out of the dragons flared nostrils. The dragon's claw clutching a set of chains that led to a physically flawless figure of a man and an Amazonian looking buxom woman.

"Jesus Christ," Jacob mouthed, almost silently.

"What?" Val asked, her interest piqued by the stunned reaction. She looked at the graphite-laden image in the sketchbook while Matt tried to protect it from their prying eyes. "Oh that's great, Matty!"

"You guys think so?" he asked, pulling the book back and gazing at the rough image skeptically.

"Hell yes!" Jacob nearly yelled, shoving Matt's shoulder playfully, his hand failing to move after the light shove, instead curling around Matt's shoulder. Jacob's finger tips rested comfortably against the warm flesh, and the solid collar bone that cut a sharp ridge beneath.

"Damn Sweets, you knew he could draw like this?" Jacob's eyes met Valerie's. The French fry in her hand hovering over a pool of ketchup.

"Yeah, he gave me an awesome rose for Valentines day," she said as her cheeks flushing.

"A rose?" Jacob questioned, intrigued.

"Yeah the stem was drawn like a piece of barbed wire. He left that in black and white, but shaded the petals of the rose in a vivid red. The contrast between the two is amazing. I told him he should have turned it in for a grade."

Matt's cheeks burned as soft scratches of lead on paper filled his ears, drowning out the conversation around him. Scribbling, Matt was oblivious to the world around him, especially the stares of a pert blonde dressed in a pink cardigan, her sparkling eyes poured over him every five minutes in a constant wandering gaze, just as they had done every lunch period for the last two years.

In the months since the school year had started, nature had been kind to her. The once barren chest she felt cursed with was now sprouting nicely outward, like the first blooms of spring. A development Jackie Spencer was now accentuating with tight shirts, and even tighter sweaters, in hopes of gaining Matt's attention. Other than the occasional polite hello from Matt, her primping had little effect.

"He won't though, doesn't turn any of the good stuff in," Valerie continued, sounding frustrated as the fry in her hand made its way absently to her mouth. Her eyes caressed Matt with annoyance as he was bent, once again, over the sketch book, the pencil in his hand diligently shading, adding detail in the form of scales along the dragon's muscular tail.

Jacob's shifted his gaze from Valerie to Matt's back, and the picture beyond it, and as he quietly watched Matt shade the picture to what he was sure would be perfection someone caught his attention. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Val and he weren't the only ones watching Matt work. His head cocked slightly in direction of Jackie Spenser, offering the girl a small knowing grin. As soon as Jackie saw Jacob's slight grin, her face snapped downward and gazed at the table top ahead of her. The corners of Jacob's lips curled further as he bent down. The right side of Jacob's face flush with Matt's left cheek he pretended to study the image more closely.

"She's watching you again," Jacob chided, giving Matt a slight nudge, not wanting to ruin the drawing.

The warm breath flowed with little resistance over Matt's cheek, effectively crushing any hope he had of concentration. His head snapped to his left with Jacob's hushed words, spying the girl he found mediocre and annoying eagerly studying the lunch table before her, leaving Matt's lips barely an inch from Jacob's face as he scrutinized his would be admirer beyond Jacob's profile. It was as he watched, hoping to dismiss her cat and mouse game permanently, that he toyed with moving his mouth across the small space that separated he and Jacob. Surely such an action on his part should discourage anymore of the girl's unwarranted advances, however coy they may be.

"So," he managed to finally squeak the breath catching in his throat.

It was at that moment that Jay Henderson slid onto the bench-style table where the group sat. He had figured that his sniggers aimed at Matt had gotten him nowhere with her in the past, so today he was going to play nice, even compliment Matt and whatever that other new guys name was. If that's what it took to bed Valerie King, it would a sacrifice worth making. Those where his intentions, until he saw Matt and Jacob cheek to cheek. Such a sight was too good to let pass with out comment.

"Why don't you just kiss him and grab a room Porter?" Jay sniggered, chuckling at his own excuse for a harmless joke, turning his attention to Val. "Hey Valerie," he started, sounding almost cheerful, almost like he hadn't realized what comment had just left his lips.

Jay's words tore into Jacob, just as his actions on the first day he ran into him had, just like his off color comments nearly every day for the last four months. The snide jokes made in passing had morphed in the last few months to outright allegations of homosexuality, all of which were ignored. As the days and months of these interactions with Jay wore on Jacob's anger slowly built to a point where Jacob knew that he would not be able to control it. This day happened to be it. Jacob had enough, his fists balling at his sides as he let the book bag that still rested on his shoulders slowly slide down his shoulders before dropping to the floor with a light thud.

"Fuck off," Matt growled, annoyed by the presence of the school's star linebacker, unaware of the way Jacob stood behind him with flushed cheeks and fire in his eyes.

Jay ignored Matt's comment, intent on making his play for Valerie. What he couldn't ignore or have a chance to react to, was the way Jacob's body scrambled over the lunch table with out any concern for the consequences. Valerie screamed in surprise as Jacob lunged across the table after Jay. Jacob's shoulder collided squarely with Jay's chest. The air rushed from Jay's lungs and the flirtatious smile melted from his face as the force behind Jacob's weight threw him off the seat and onto the concrete slab below. Matt scrambled to his feet with his picture book in the wake of Jacob's rush. Valerie turned her wide brown eyes on Matt in disbelief before quickly following the abrupt assault as Jacob and Jay fell to the ground.

The jock didn't even have a chance to groan, let alone throw a rebuttal swing, before Jacob's set of balled fists let open on his face. A right hook by Jacob caught his nose releasing a stream of blood. Jay lay there shocked that he was being assaulted with such ease. No one had ever even dreamt of looking at him wrong as far as he knew, but now, here was this guy who had only attended their school for a short while sitting astride him, walloping him.

Jay's own fist curled in the fog of battle. Swinging his arm in the confined space between Jacob and the ground Jay punched Jacob in his unprotected side with as much force as he could muster in his current position. Jacob's assault halted as pain shot through the soft tissue of his abdomen. The blow had made his empty stomach threaten to wretch forward contents it didn't possess.

The punch stopped Jacob long enough for Jay to forcefully push his attacker off. Jacob's feeling of nausea ended as Jay's hands once again came into contact with his flesh, pushing back. As Jay's hands mashed into Jacob, Jacob let loose a wide wild swing. Jacob was as surprised as Jay looked when his fist connected perfectly with Jay's nose a second time. A startling crack was heard by the two, no doubt the crack was louder to Jay than it was to Jacob, as the sharp pain dulled to a throbbing ache that reverberated through Jay's skull.

Pissed, Jay scrambled to his feet holding his sore nose. He took a fraction of a second to gaze at the crimson that he spread between his fingers until the liquid became tacky. Jay's eye's narrowed on Jacob who was now standing. With a speed Jacob never thought Jay could possess, Jay rushed forward punching Jacob in the stomach. Jacob made a sick gasping noise as the air was forced from his lungs against his will. Stunned, Jacob stumbled back a few paces as Jay grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and hurtled him toward the gathering crowd of jeering classmates.

The collective mass of voyeurs parted like the Red Sea under Moses' command. Without the throng of chanting onlookers to catch his fall, Jacob fell down a small flight of concrete steps that led into the open grassy arcade. Jay wasn't done yet, the front of his white shirt smeared with drops of red. He jumped down the flight of steps, an odd nasal wheezing sound coming from his chest as he plucked Jacob off the ground and his hand cocked back menacingly.

A loud whistle screamed through the excitement-filled air, and before Jay could throw his punch, both of their shirt collars were snatched in the strong grip of Coach Jacovy who had pushed his way through the crowd by force. The older man then demonstrated his dominance by tearing the two of them apart, shaking them like a set insignificant rag dolls.

""What the fuck is going on here?" Jacovy's stern voice demanded, full of malice and absent of tact. "Henderson?" his raging eyes sought out Jay's who quickly became meek and accommodating. "Keats?" the same eyes spilled over Jacob, not satisfied with Jay's lack of an answer.

"This fucking ass-," Jacob started, uncaring for the anger that had been awoken in Jacovy. Jacob lunged toward Jay only to be forcefully pulled back by Jacovy whose strangling grip only tightened. The fabric of Jacob's shirt burnt painfully across his neck in the vice of the teachers hold.

"SAVE IT," the man's voice boomed as his clench on Jacob's shirt collar tightening further, causing Jacob to wince.

"Coach," Val screamed, running up to Jacovy. "It wasn't Jacob's fault he was just-"

"Did anyone ask you King?" the teacher cut her off, leveling her with narrowed eyes.

"It's the truth," Matt said rushing forward to back up Val. "Jay's been asking for an ass-whooping for years and finally someone came along with the balls to do it."

"Keep running your mouth Porter and you'll be in the same boat as these two," Jacovy snapped at Matt, becoming even more furious, if that were possible.

Coach Jacovy roughly tugged at the shirts of the boys in his grip. Turning he spun the pair with little effort and lead them off to the discipline office, not caring if Jay and Jacob had to trip and stumble over their feet to keep up with his determined pace.

"Fucking ass," Valerie huffed.

"That was great," Jackie exclaimed strolling up to Matt. Her books planted firmly across her chest. "I mean, it was great that you stuck up for your friend like that. I think you're a great guy and-" she began rambling nervously.

Her timing for expressions of the heart was, at best, ill timed. Matt was pissed at the way Jacovy had snapped at him for trying to defend his friend and he had just found a victim to vent on. He slowly turned and gave her a look that spoke a million blasphemous curses at once.

"What do you want?" he demanded, his eyes narrowed on the girl with accusation.

"I was just trying to say that you're a great guy and-" she recoiled taking a step backward.

"Well save it and get the fuck away," Matt bellowed with rage, oblivious to the wide eyed stares of fellow students who were mulling around.

"But I-I was just-" she stammered, trying to salvage any hope of getting to be with him.

"Listen," Matt appeared to clam, only to rage further. "Don't think I don't know you're always watching me. Just stop, and leave me the fuck alone!" Matt turned on his heal and stormed off towards the campus parking lot.

"Matt, I- I'm sorry I didn't mean to," Jackie tried mumbling an apology as her eyes stung with tears. The welling of tears in her eyes paled to the weight in her chest though, as the one boy she had been pining over for years only answered her apology with his back.

Valerie stood there wide-eyed, her mouth agape. Had she not been totally dumbfounded by the events of the past several minutes, she would have felt sympathy for the girl before her. She had known Matt his entire life, and never had she seen him blow up in anger, whether it was directed at someone he truly hated, or a simple victim of chance, like Jackie Spencer just had the misfortune of being.

Jackie turned her tear-stained face toward Valerie as if asking for support. Valerie had none to offer, too thunderstruck to even understand what had happened. Quickly gathering not only her books, but Matt's as well, she ran off in the direction Matt had.

"Fucking faggots," Jackie's voice hissed in a tone that was unnatural coming from her petite frame. Wiping away the itch of a tear that was not there, she tried to regain her composure.

In her mind, that was the only way to justify what had just happened. It had to be why Matt turned his back and shunned her. He and Jacob were gay for each other! Which would be why Jacob flew off the handle, attacking Jay the way he did. Her eyes narrowed, and planning her revenge, she slowly padded her way across the quad. Her mind, busy racing to its own far fetched conclusions, and just whom she could share them with.

Valerie caught up with Matt who had planted himself in the back seat of her car, arms folded across his chest as he stared blankly out the front windshield.

"What was all that about?" she asked climbing in.

"Not now," he answered his voice still edged with anger.

Val heeded his warning and asked no more questions. Not feeling much up to going back to class either, Valerie pulled out her books and began doing her math homework. Matt opened the sketchbook he had abandoned back in the quad that Valerie had returned. His eyes lingered on the drawing of the dragon that clutched the man and woman. With a light sigh, he flipped the page and began a new drawing that started with a gentle jaw line.

The final bell rang a little more than two hours later. Matt and Val looked up, hoping to see Jacob walking toward the car. He was expectedly absent as they scanned the crowds that scurried out to the student parking lot.

"I'm tired of her always staring at me," Matt said giving up his search for Jacob.

"Alright," Valerie said non-threateningly. "But don't you think you treated her rather harshly?"

"She came up at the wrong time. I wasn't in the mood," he said sliding his books back into his bag.

"Obviously," Valerie replied, spying a drawing of Jacob that was in its beginning stages. Even in its choppy state she could tell it was Jacob that stared back from the page and that confused her.

The familiar feeling she had the morning they took Jacob to the pizza place returned. It was not the first time she had felt it since then, but as she felt the quelled excitement now, she came to a realization. She recognized the feeling, she had felt it before when neither of them were around. She felt it when Jay first began flirting with her. Valerie had the same feeling when any guy flirted with her. The realization made her pause. Was Jacob flirting with her? Or even Matt? She shook those questions away discounting them completely.

"You wanna head out," Matt spoke breaking Valerie from her thoughts. "I don't think Jacob is gonna be out any time soon," Matt sighed climbing into the front seat.

Val looked at her watch, realizing that school had been dismissed more than 45 minutes ago.

"I guess," Valerie gave in, scanning the empty quad for Jacob one more time.

Joanne couldn't believe what she was hearing as she sat in the discipline office at her son's high school. Discipline problem? Jacob? Never, she thought, as Mr. Decker, the Vice Principle in charge of discipline, continued to run his mouth. Not once this year had Jacob been in trouble. He hadn't even been late, and now this man was saying that this behavior was habitual, as if she had raised a bad kid. Her eyes scanned the small room, noting the schools team pennants that were tacked to the wall with push pins. A small case in the corner housed a trophy and a football.

"I can't have him interrupting the learning environment here anymore," Mr. Decker spoke tersely.

"Excuse me?" Joanne retorted, straightening herself in the chair. "Have you ever had Jacob in this office before today?" she questioned, her tone matching the vice principles. "If, in fact, you have had my son in here previously this is the first I have heard of it."

"In fact, no, I haven't Mrs. Keats, yet, his record speaks for itself," Mr. Decker replied folding his hands patiently over a large manila fold that lay on his desk.

"We both know there isn't much of anything damning in that folder Mr. Decker, and its Miss," Joanne eyed the familiar folder beneath his clasped hands.

"He was expelled from his last High School!" Mr. Decker exasperated, his hands flying into the air.

"He most certainly was not!" Joanne fought back, maintaining her ground. "The school board in Sacramento came to the conclusion that Jacob's needs couldn't be met at East River. Given their narrow minded view on the matter, I agreed. I pulled Jacob out of that high school. It was not the result of disciplinary action."

"He was suspended immediately beforehand. It's right here in his transcripts," Mr. Decker continued to argue.

"The matter for which he was suspended isn't in his file. So you have no clue as to if it's an ongoing issue or not, yet, you still sit here and tell me that he's been suspended for the next five days."

"It would only take one phone call to get the facts Ms. Keats," Mr. Decker challenged as he stared Joanne down.

Being called out of work with the news her son was in a fight on school grounds was upsetting enough, but now, sitting in this room with this man who appeared to have eaten one too many glazed donuts in his time, Joanne was livid. She wondered if the other kid was being suspended for six days as well, or if he was even being suspended at all, as his threat met her ears. Her eyes narrowed as she leaned forward in her seat.

"You make that call Mr. Decker," Joanne sneered as her clasped fist met the faux wooden surface of his desk with a loud slap. "I'll make one of my own."

Mr. Decker sank back into his seat watching the woman carefully. He had to admire the fact that she was willing to do anything to protect her son. It was rare in most parents he came across. Most parents were rather aloof when it came to taking responsibility for their children's actions.

"We don't need to do that. Ms Keats," Decker relented with a sigh. "I do apologize. Perhaps I may have jumped to a conclusion about Jacob that is not true. However, he still is being suspended for the next six days," he offered, correcting her.

"Fair enough," Joanne paused with a stern frown, figuring this was going nowhere, before standing. "I can take him home now right?"

Mr. Decker dismissed her with a slight nod of his head.

The On Campus Supervised Study room was a dismal, stark, dingy white shell of a former classroom. Five rows of withered desks all faced the dirty wall that had once held a blackboard. A larger desk, occupied by a campus supervisor, guarded the only door into the room. The man, best described as rotund and unshaven, sat quietly shuffling paperwork.

Jacob sat in the middle of the otherwise empty room. Jay had left about twenty minutes after Coach Jacovy pulled them into the discipline office. His mother having drug him off to the hospital to have his face looked at, not before Jacob had the satisfaction of seeing the beginning of the multitude of bruises his blows had caused.

Jacob's rear was dying from the uncomfortably hard plastic seat. They were basically the same seats that the regular classrooms had, but the extended seating time was hard on him. Jacob's book bag had been collected by a separate supervisor and been deposited on the rotund man's desk where it remained.

"Can I go to the restroom?" Jacob asked, discomfort apparent in his voice.

The guard, for lack of a better word, simply stared at him and shook his head.

"Well ain't that a fine fucking way to treat a person," Jacob growled, figuring that he could not possibly get in more trouble for the use of foul language. "I guess I'll just piss right here in the chair."

"Do what you want, you little punk, you'll just receive the joy of cleaning it up," the bored man droned.

Jacob blew a huff of air and turned around facing forward again, wondering when this hellish nightmare would be over. He ignored the sound of footfalls that entered the campus prison believing they belonged to a person he could care less about. The short woman stood there for a moment eyeing the boy who was slumped over the desktop where he sat.

"Jacob," his mother's voice echoed through the room.

Jacob bolted upright in an instant at the sound of his mother's voice. Sighing with relief that he was soon to be released, he hurried to Joanne's side. His mother spared him a stern glance as she signed the form releasing him. The rotund man then double-checked her ID against the signature on the form.

"I'm supposed to remind you, your son isn't welcome back tomorrow or next week," he grinned at Jacob as he said it.

"Thank you," Joanne snarled with a curt smile. "I am very well aware of that. Mr. Decker was just as happy to dispense that news not less then fifteen minutes ago." Having said her peace to the man, she turned and eyed Jacob.

Joanne led her son quietly to her car that was parked outside the administration building. The silence continued as the pair climbed inside the SUV.

"Do you want to tell me what this is all about? Because I had to agree to work Saturday to get out and pick you up Jacob," she watched him for an answer. "You know, I thought things were better here, it's a quiet town and here you go and break a kid's nose. What's the problem?"

Jacob sat in silence for a moment, unwilling and unable to look the only parent he had in the face.

"He's always making comments about Matt being gay. He looks down on Matt cause of his bond with Valerie. He did it again today. Told him to just kiss me and get a room. I had just had enough of him doing that to Matt, there's no reason for it," tears of shame stung at Jacob's eyes as he spoke.

"Kiddo," Joanne tugged on her sons shoulder, pulling him into an awkward hug. "You know there are people out there that don't understand things very well. We've talked about this. They make derogatory remarks, or do things to inflate their own lacking egos."

Jacob nodded his head into her shoulder, conceding her point.

"I know," Jacob choked, "I had to prove to him that he wasn't going to get away with it anymore."

"Damn," Joanne sighed, breaking the hug. "Now I can't ground you."

Jacob gave his mother a small smile of appreciation.

"So I guess you have the next ten days as vacation. I want the house immaculate by the time I get home, and see if Matt and Valerie can collect your homework so you don't fall behind," Joanne ordered, trying to sound like a parent.

Jacob nodded his head in acceptance.

"Mom is it alright if Matt comes swimming tonight?" Jacob dared to venture.

Joanne gave her son a wary look, not sure that was the best idea he had ever come up with. It was just the pleading look that resounded in his eyes that she found impossible to deny, again. "Sure," Joanne relented with a sigh. "Just remember he has school tomorrow."

"Can I borrow your phone?" Jacob requested, his eyes sparkling.

Joanne dug the phone out of her blazer pocket and handed it to Jacob before turning the ignition. Jacob quickly dialed the number to the Porter home.

"Hello?" Matt answered into the phone.

"Hey Matt, do you think you could go swimming today?" Jacob asked.

"Yeah that would be great. Dad's in a council meeting and Mom is working late tonight," Matt quickly answered, dying to ask Jacob what the hell went down.

"What about Val?" Jacob asked, knowing full well that she had to work.

"Can't, she's working tonight," Matt answered.

"I'll see you in about fifteen minute's bro," Jacob replied, smiling broadly.

"I'll be waiting," Matt responded, before hanging up.