Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ A Fugitive and Me ❯ Adaptation ( Chapter 2 )

 

 

Even right after I'd gotten a drink I was still thirsty. It was scorching hot outside, even the sun was going to punish me now for what I'd done. It was a coincidence that my least favorite thing, sunny days, and the worst day of my life would be on the same day, but telling myself things like “the sun is playing against me” makes it a little easier to forgive myself. Then again, come to think of it, this isn't the worst day of my life. But it doesn't matter, that day was sunny too.

 

I wasn't ashamed for most of what I'd done. I'd taken lives, stolen important things, beautiful things, and my conscience was only getting on me for one crime. I spent a lot of time in the town jail telling myself that it hadn't been my fault, while another part of me just told me I shouldn't have left him there. I think maybe if I hadn't been such a coward I may have been able to help him, but another part of me says there was no hope.

 

“What time is it?” I asked, as I could hear Matt coming up behind me. I only heard footsteps, but I knew it was him, after all he was my stalker.

 

“Five to six,” He said casually moving up beside me. I probably could have strangled him just then, or shot him with his own gun. After all, why shouldn't I? I have nothing to lose, my life doesn't mean anything to me, no one cares whether they execute me or not. I suppose they could put me in solitary confinement for the rest of my life, my sentence, but at least I'd be alone.

 

“You guys gotta come in soon,” He said. I watched as a bunch of prisoners played football a few yards away from where I sat. They weren't great, but they weren't bad. I suppose it was all they ever did here, and I understood just by watching them why they did it. It was almost like they'd all forgotten they were in prison, forgotten they would soon be going back to work. But then again, with the knowledge in the back of your mind that you'll be going back to what was in store for us in five minutes, you can never really enjoy yourself no matter what you're doing.

 

“Are you listening to me?” I felt something nudge my shoulder and snapped out of a trance. I stared at Matt in askance as he looked at me like I'd just made a joke about his mother.

 

“What?” I said clueless. I hated the look on his face, his eyes were so expressive, I could tell I'd somehow insulted him. So I hadn't been listening to him, why should I? But he seemed like he was going to slap me for it, which kind of made me wonder what he'd said that I hadn't heard.

 

Just then a voice came over the speaker. “All South Wing prisoners to work, All South Wing Prisoners to work, East Wing Prisoners are released to recess, thank you,” They were always so very polite on those speakers.

 

“See-ya later,” I jumped up from where I was sitting on the bleachers, making it obvious that I was glad to get away from him. I heard him reply a `good-bye' as I walked away and I raised my forefinger for him to see without turning back.

 

Work wasn't what I'd originally thought it would be, in some ways it wasn't so bad, but in others it was worse than I'd expected. For example, the work wasn't as bad as I thought, there was no one whipping you if you didn't do it right, and although you weren't aloud breaks other than the ones scheduled, you could work leisurely.

 

I was on laundry duty that day, Wednesday is my laundry duty day, probably the only bearable day I'll have out of the week. Thursday I mop the halls, Fridays's scrub the toilet, Saturday's clean the sink, Sunday's my free day, Monday I clean the cafeteria, and Tuesday's washing dishes. I'm going to be here a while so I might as well memorize my schedule, it's the only way I'll be able to keep track of the days that go by.

 

I only work with Darryl on two days, we shared schedules, or more, he snatched mine and shove his own in my face. I'd see him every day in my cell, but luckily I only had to put up with him on Saturday and Tuesday during work. And recess, but as far as I can tell he hangs out with some other guys then. Sunday I have the cell all to myself during Darryl's work hours, and boy do I look forward to it. Some guys have already asked me to join their small prison church when the noticed it was my day off, but I don't do that stuff. I've never gone to church in the past and I'm not about to start. Besides, it doesn't matter if my sins are forgiven, or what I believe, or whether I'm saved. When I kill myself I'll be in hell no matter what, if there is a hell, I'll keep telling myself I'm going to commit suicide.

 

“Hey, you're the new kid, right?” I was approached by a black man with a bandanna on his head, a big Asian guy, and a woman with oversized lips. I froze for a moment, giving the leader, the black guy, a glare just to make myself look less susceptible in case they were planning anything.

 

“If you have to put it that way, yes,” I shrugged and slammed the dryer shut after putting four grey suits and a bunch of white socks inside.

 

“Ah, you're just getting used to all this, aren't you? Like your first day of school,” He smiled at me and I wanted to smack him. I was in prison now, about people continued to smile at me like I was their best friend, there must've been no escape.

 

“Something like that,” I shrugged for the sake of agreeing with him, maybe then he'd go away. I'd established now that they weren't looking for a fight, but if he was interested in getting to know me, he shouldn't have been wasting his time.

 

“You'll need someone to show you around and how things work. There's two stories of how things work around here, one is what the guards and the cops tell you, the other is the real thing,” He explained. He somewhat had my attention now, I wouldn't mind some kind of mentor, other than Darryl.

 

“If you like next recess you can meet us by the tree and I'll show you around,” He stuck out a hand to me and for a moment, I just looked at it. If I decided to shake it would he yank me back and stuff me in the dryer, if I met him there would they gang up and kick the shit out of me? Only one way to find out.

 

“All right,” I shook his hand. Almost immediately after I did a guard told us to get back to work, and so all four of us did. I had another hour of work to do, but for the most part this day was going okay. Everything that I'd experienced so far hadn't exactly been fun but better than I'd expected, better than what I'd heard. I glanced at the man who had offered to show me around, and in doing so I realized I hadn't gotten his name. I suppose it didn't matter for now, he'd tell me tomorrow, and I needed to focus on the work at that moment, I kept getting threatening glares from the guard.

 

When I got back to my cell it was empty, but Darryl was probably on his way, no time to start anything I wouldn't have wanted interrupted. Lying down on my bed I decided that I needed a journal, a private one where I could just write out my life. Just a spiral notebook would have worked, I'm sure Matt would have gotten me one if I were persistent enough.

 

Even though I've never believed in the resurrection of souls, or heaven, or any of that, I find myself wanting to talk to him now and then. Just tell him whatever I needed to tell him, hope for an answer but know I would never get one. The thought of talking to dead people was just weird to me though, maybe it would feel less weird if I did it in writing.

 

Darryl came back and surprisingly he said nothing, he just glanced at me and slid into his bed, pulling the covers up over his shoulders. His eyes stayed open and he just stared at the ceiling. It didn't bother me at all that he hadn't said anything, in fact I was relieved, whatever the reason for his silence.

 

I woke up early the next day; I think I fell asleep the evening before while it was still daylight. Darryl was still asleep, and I decided it was best I didn't wake him up. Quietly, I crept over to the cell door and pressed the side of my head against the bars, peering down the hallway. There was a guard not to far down, pacing back and forth and whistling with his hands behind his back.

 

“Hey,” I called for his attention. The man's whistling stopped and he turned to me in askance, I motioned him to come over to me. He did, but he kept his distance from my cell, far enough away that I couldn't have reached him if I tried.

 

“Do you know Matt Fritz?” I asked, glancing back at Darryl, he hadn't shifted at all. The guard nodded. “Next time you see him, tell him I want to talk to him,” I said, and then turned away. I saw the guard nod again from the corner of my eye and then he was gone, the whistling started back up again.

 

I looked down at my finger, the one my ring should have been on. I couldn't believe I'd thrown it, it was all I had left in the world, all I had left of him. I doubted ever getting it back, all it took was one greedy prisoner to pick it up and hide it away to sell, and I'd never see it again. I already had so many reasons to hate myself, yet I apparently couldn't stop creating more. Glancing at Darryl one last time I saw that he'd rolled over, but his eyes were still shut.

 

Only a few moments later the alarm went off, it was time for everyone else to get up. I hated that loud sound, it was as if whoever triggered it had the intention of burning out every prisoner's eardrums. I kicked the leg of my bed and the alarm was shot off almost simultaneously. I planted my hands on my hips and stared down at my feet, huffing and trying to keep my easily aroused temper. I hadn't always been so sensitive when it came to anger, but I suppose this place can get to you even after only one day. I glared behind me, hearing a groan from Darryl, our eyes met and he looked away immediately, letting out a grunt. This is when I first decided that something was wrong between us, maybe I'd said or done something that had pissed him off, he'd been so anxious to talk to, and ultimately annoy me before. But once again, the fact that he wasn't talking to me was some sort of a luxury in my book.

 

Work started in a half hour, and would last four two hours before recess, and then it was back to work again. I groaned, remembering my mental schedule, today I had to mop, to me that had to have been the worst legal punishment I could have been given. So I suppose that means they've done a good job in punishing me for what I'd done, at least on Thursdays.

 

Darryl continued his silence through out the whole first half hour of the day; we were released to the bathrooms to clean up a bit, though not allowed to take showers. I was glad to get away from him when we were finally sent to work, every time I looked at him, it seemed like I was getting the death glare. I couldn't help but wonder what I'd done to make him hate me, if that was the case.

 

Not of significance happened during the whole mopping deal, the guy next to me, who was actually somewhat attractive as far as looks went, kept picking his nose and throwing it in front of my mop. I think there was something wrong with his head, seeing as he was laughing his ass off while those around him were gagging on the verge of throwing up. As for me, if the guard hadn't been standing there I would have drowned him in the water bucket.

 

I passed that girl again on my way out to recess. She was following behind the other women in the North Wing. Her expression didn't match her appearance, while her small build and soft colored hair made her look calm and shy, the look in her eyes was fiercim and determined. She intrigued me somehow, it wasn't that there weren't any other young attractive women in the line, but she stood out. Somehow she still struck me as someone that just didn't belong here.

 

There was only one tree in the whole prison yard, and it was in the corner, the only real source of shade. A lot of people were crowded around it, but when I spotted him, the guy I was looking for seemed to have his own little spot, along with his friend I'd seen him with before. He was talking to another guy, too, this one hadn't been with him the last time we'd met, must have had a different shift. I made my way over with a sort of careless, unenthusiastic confidence and stood near by until I was noticed.

 

“Aha, there you are,” He smiled when he finally noticed me. I forced my own smile and stepped forward, a little irritated by the way three pairs of eyes turned toward me. I held back a glare at the other too men and proceeded to approach them.

 

“I'm Aaron Skinner, by the way,” He stuck out a hand once I was within shaking distance. I shook his, “Fox Murphy,” I said simply.

 

“Fox, this is Mark Chiles, and Devon Larick, we're some of the few in the South Wing that haven't yet lost our marbles. Getting too attached to football, or looking at everything that moves as a…” He paused and shrugged. “…Sex object.” I couldn't help but smile, I knew guys, and girls that were like that even out of prison.

 

“I don't know your religion, race, preferences, or background, Murphy, and I don't care. As long as you keep them to yourself, and don't preach,” He smiled in a way that made me understand. I was already beginning to like him.

 

“There's nothing about me I'm too stubborn to change,” I shrugged, almost suggestively. He'd said he didn't care, but I still wanted him to know I was more into guys, just so it didn't come up later.

 

“We'll get along fine, Fox,” With that he put his arm over my shoulders. His friendliness didn't bother me; in fact it was fair to say I liked it. The two behind us followed us out of the shade of the large tree and he began to talk about how things worked. Throughout the conversation, I'd learned at least one fact about every staff member and many of the inmates. Lisa, the lady that spoke over the speaker, is married and has two kids, but never fails to spread her legs for sergeant Louis Stevens when he is around. An inmate named Beck likes to stick his cock into every hole he can find, so I'm supposed to watch my back, yeah right. The guard I'd spoken to that morning on my level is only 21 years old and rarely opens his mouth. As for Matt, he was gay, as if I didn't know that. I was surprised how quickly Aaron had found it out though, seeing as Matt was new.

 

These were only a few of the things I'd learned on my little tour. I asked about Darryl, but none of the three knew him, I didn't ever see him at recess that day either, not that I was looking,

 

Mark was describing his wife, and telling about how she was coming to visit soon when Lisa came over the speaker and announced recess' end. It was rather funny, now that Aaron had told me about her, I don't think I'd ever be able to listen to that sweet polite voice the same way again.

 

“All South Wing prisoners to work, All South Wing Prisoners to work, East Wing Prisoners are released to recess, thank you,”

 

-0-Ten Years Earlier-0-

 

The first day of school had gone by quickly, as did the ones that followed it. Mr. Curtis was taking things slow, probably because he was a newbie, and so far we'd done very little. He hadn't said anything or punished me for the incident in the hallway, which I found to be good news. He was kind of boring for the most part, for a person that is, then again I had much more boring teachers during the day. Both Mrs. Claymore and Mr. Mann seemed to love giving out homework, and Mr. Mann was becoming more of an annoying pain than I'd made him out to be. But he was still my favorite teacher of all the rest at the moment. My science teacher, Mrs. Morris was proving to be the average boring, lecture loving science teacher I got every year. And I don't even want to start on my Art teacher.

 

Two weeks into the school year and our English teacher is already having us do a long essay on Shakespeare's life and time period in which he lived. I groaned at the very mention of it. I'm sorry, but I've never been a fan of Shakespeare's books, call me immature but I lost interest in Macbeth within the first paragraph. Mr. Camero, my English teacher, is making a big fuss about it, taking up an entire class period just to talk about what we're going to be doing. I sigh and start folding the rubric into some sort of random nameless shape I'd like to pass off as origami. Terry is sitting next to me, but she seems content on paying attention to the teacher. Miles is across the room, making his own fun, so I have no choice but to sit there and be bored. Melvin is next to me drawing a picture of some guy I'd never seen before, I found it surprising that he wasn't paying attention, he was, after all a loser. Most losers I've heard of are the ones that get their straight A's and take worthless notes like the voluntary schoolwork slaves they are.

 

Somehow even though I was blocking everything Mr. Camero was saying out of my mind, the fact that we'd be doing the project with partners reached my ears. Luckily I also heard that they would be the partners of our choice, which meant I didn't have to be afraid since I had two friends I could have paired with. Then it hit me that those two friends were dating, and not only that but over the two weeks they had been they seemed to have been getting really close. I looked at Miles and then at Terry, they were both smiling and nodding at each other. I sighed and leaned back, looking over my other options, I guess some of the others in the room were okay, and maybe Mr. Camero would let me, Miles and Terry be a threesome if worst came to worst. Then again I wasn't sure even they would be okay with that, they both were constantly looking for any chance they could get to be alone together.

 

As soon as we were told we could find partners I got up and hurried over to Miles.

“Hi, you're going with Terry?” I asked, just to make sure there was no way I could get him first.

 

“Yeah, sorry man, she's become sort of a first priority,” He smiled as she came over and sat in the empty desk behind him. As soon as she did so it seemed like I'd been completely forgotten if not shoved from the picture. That eliminated even my desire to be with both of them together, knowing I'd most likely be ignored while they made out non-stop for hours. No joke, I'd seen them do it at a party.

 

By the time I went hunting for a new partner it seemed like everyone else was paired up. Everyone I would have wanted to be with anyway, once everyone had sat down, I saw that there were three options left. Ricky Ramon, he was pretty much my mortal enemy, so he was automatically out of the question. Sarah Cody was pretty cool, and somewhat normal, but I'd heard she had a big crush on me this year, so I counted her out. Last, and possibly least, there was Melvin, whom I knew didn't have a partner even before I saw him sitting there alone, slouching. I sighed and headed over to his desk to make my claim before Sarah or Ricky could.

 

“Hey, Melvin,” He looked up at me with an almost frightened stare. I almost laughed, he looked like a puppy that was afraid it was going to be kicked. “I'm your partner, all my friends ditched me so we're kind of stuck together,” I shrugged, sitting in the desk in front of him. He seemed to slouch even more at this and wet his lips quickly with his tongue. I smiled to myself, his shyness was almost cute, in a weird way, but it was, he was.

 

“So,” I began when he didn't say anything. “Unless we want to fail this, which I wouldn't mind so much, we'll have to meet up some time,” He just looked at me as if he had no idea what I was getting at. “Meaning I should probably get your address and phone number?” I felt a little weird asking for his phone number right after admitting to myself that he was cute. But it was as if I actually liked him, or was even attracted to him, he was just cute is all. And I hadn't ever liked anyone before in my entire life, why would I start with the school's anti-social?

 

“Okay,” He nodded, seemingly just going along with whatever I said. “I live right near the school, we could just walk there after school sometime,” He shrugged. I nodded in acceptance, very convenient actually. “And my cell phone number is…”

 

“You know what?” I cut him off. “We can meet after school today and go to your house and get it all over with. And then you can put your number in my phone just in case we forget something or something, all right?” I said. I wasn't looking directly at him but I could have sworn I saw the side of his mouth curl into somewhat of a smile. But when I turned my head back to him, he immediately looked down and away. “You have a computer, right?” I asked, taking little notice of his skittish behavior. He nodded, looking back up at me.

 

“Very cool, Mel,” I gave him a pseudo smile and tapped my fingers on the desk. “Well, the period's almost over, I'm gonna go over and talk to some of my friends, see you after school,” I got up. I couldn't help but notice the frown that came over him when I put the more than obvious emphasis on the word `friends.' It didn't bother me at all though, as it was exactly the reaction I was looking for.

 

I glanced back at him just before the bell ring, he was drawing a different picture, I couldn't make out what this one was of from the distance, though.

 

After school came fast. I stood outside for about fifteen minutes talking with Dwayne and Terry as I always did. Mile's mom was always there waiting for him when school got out, so he left right away. Normally I would have stayed with them longer too, but when I saw Melvin he looked kind of anxious to leave. Feeling somewhat sympathetic of him I decided to wrap up my conversation. I barely got a chance though, for when I glanced back up at Melvin, Ricky was there with him, pushing him around. It wasn't anywhere near my job to protect the kid, he got picked on every day, he was used to it. But if he got beat up too bad, I'd have lost the chance of any project partner whatsoever, which meant doing the project by myself. Not to mention, having a good reason to pick a fight with Ricky was not something I would easily pass up.

 

I said nothing to Terry or Dwayne as I headed over to the two of them at a leisurely pace. I sped up, however, when Melvin was pushed to the ground and his books scattered everywhere.

 

“Hey!” I jogged over to them, getting Ricky's attention as soon as I opened my mouth.

 

“Oh, Foxy, here to protect your boyfriend? How sweet,” Ricky crossed his arms and smirked, looking down at me in a challenging way. I really wasn't that much shorter, he shouldn't have had to look down, just him doing that pissed me off.

 

“Ricky baby, how could you? I thought I was the only boy in your life, I'm like, insanely jealous now,” I jerked a thumb toward Melvin. I got close to him, so close that I knew his homophobic ass would freak out. And sure enough, when our chests touched he jumped back at least three feet.

 

“Screw off, I'm not in the mood for your fagness,” He growled. “Besides, this kid owes me money, so go lay down,” He stuck his forefinger in my face. Had I expected my teeth to be strong enough I would have bitten it off.

 

“I don't owe you anything, asshole, I never barrowed anything,” Melvin mumbled, picking up his books on his hands and knees. Ricky turned his attention and kicked Melvin in the side. Melvin yelped and fell over, rolling onto his back like a soccer ball due to the impact, holding his side and cringing in pain. As soon as Ricky turned back to me he got a fist in his face, I punched him as hard as I could, square in the jaw so that he fell backward onto his ass. I hoped that would have taught him his lesson, but I'd obviously forgotten who I was dealing with.

“You shit head!” He was on his feet in a second and coming after me. Fear stuck me and by reflex I was moving backward and away from him, stumbling over my feet and just barely staying upright. All of the sudden I was on my ass in the wet grass, my foot caught a sprinkler head that was sticking out of the ground, damn, I'd tripped. I suppose this will teach me to walk backwards. My eyes snapped up to Ricky who was standing above me with a menacing expression, wiping a bit of blood off of his cut bottom lip. I gasped when he pulled out a knife, I'd almost forgotten that Ricky liked to fight dirty, really dirty. To be honest I was good with a knife, and I'd beaten him in fights like these once or twice before. But those were times when I had a blade of my own, and now wasn't one of those times.

 

“Ricky!” Some random boy from the crowd in front of the school grabbed his arm and gave it a tug. “Come on, this is a schoolyard man, I just saw a cop go by, get him later,” the guy prodded. I was perfectly okay with what was being suggested here, minus the `get him later' part. Ricky was still staring down at me with that hateful expression as he closed the knife. I was relieved to see it happen, but had no time to show it before I felt a sharp pain in my groin. My hands shot down immediately and held my crotch as I writhed in the middle of the school's front lawn. As a tip, when someone who obviously wants to kill you is standing two feet away from your sensitive area, keep your legs closed.

 

When my eyes stopped watering and I looked up Terry was standing over me with an out reached hand, offering to help. Dwayne stood beside her with a big stupid grin; I glared at him, what could possibly have been funny? Ricky was nowhere in sight.

 

“ Dude, that was just cruel!” Dwayne was obviously amused by my misery. “You should have seen yourself, I thought you were dying! Holding onto your balls for your dear life!” He pointed and continued to laugh at me. I kept a hateful scowl on my face and a desperate hand on my groin as Terry pulled me to my feet.

 

“You okay?” She asked, ignoring Dwayne's over active sense of humor.

“Fine,” I lied. I turned back to Melvin who was looking at me, biting his lips and hugging his books against his chest. As soon as he realized I was looking at him he looked down, I rolled my eyes and limped over to him.

 

“Hey,” I smiled weakly. “You all right?” He looked like he was about to cry.

 

“Yeah,” He replied, “I…um- are… I mean, I… thanks…” He swallowed, staring down at my shoes. I removed my hand from its awkward location and gave him a confident pat on the shoulder (with my other hand.)

 

“No problem, now let's get going, I wanna be home by six,” I tried my best to walk normally and at an average pace, even with the pain between my legs. He walked beside me with his books under his arm, playing with his glasses. I stole glances at him through out the entire walk, just to see what kind of silly random things he was doing. He pushed his hair back countless times, and switched the arm that held his books over and over again too. In a way he looked nervous, and I really didn't have a heart to blame him, he probably didn't often have people over his house, not to be mean. But I literally never saw him talking to anyone else at school, and I'd known him quite a while. Or at least, I'd known who he was, I had been able to match his name to his face, I'd never actually met him before now.

 

Melvin's house was average sized, not rundown and uncared for like mine, but not attractive either. There was one small two door Chevy in the driveway and a large oak tree in the front yard. Melvin said nothing to me and sped his pace toward the front door, pulling a key out of his jeans pocket. I waited patiently as he unlocked the door and pushed it open, dropping his books on a chair right next to the door.

 

“You can put your bag right there,” He said and pointed beside the chair. I put it down on his command and put my hands in my pockets, looking around the house.

 

“Toni!” Melvin yelled. “I'm home,” He took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. “I brought my… my English partner, we have to do a project,” He yelled. I raised an eyebrow when there was no answer, wondering immediately if he was talking to an imaginary friend or something weird like that.

 

“Oh hey baby, glad you're back,” There was a soft, sweet voice that came from the stairs, and down came a fairly young looking woman in a bathrobe, wearing a tired smile and absolutely no makeup. She smiled at me and continued down the stairs, reaching a hand out to me when she hit the bottom.

 

“Hi, I'm Fox, I won't be here long, I just…”

 

“Haven't I seen you before somewhere?” She asked me, seemingly examining my face. “Have you been on TV or anything?” She suggested. I nodded back and forth and backed away slowly.

 

“No, Toni, we're in a hurry, Fox needs to get home,” Melvin grabbed my arm and tugged me toward the stairs. I followed him up willingly, figuring weirdness must just run in the family.

 

“Sorry,” Melvin walked into a room that I assumed was his, stepping over clothes that were all over the floor. “That's my older sister, basically her fiancé robbed her blind and ran off a few months ago, she's not doing so well. A little messed up in the head,” He shrugged. He sat at the computer and turned on the monitor, closing a few windows once the screen came up.

 

“You can sit on the bed,” He turned to me, obviously realizing that I was just standing there as if I were lost. I took him up on that and plopped down on the unmade bed, looking around his room. The walls were blank with scratches in the paint here and there. Different articles of clothing scattered all over the room, dishes stacked everywhere you looked. It oddly reminded me a lot of my own room, except maybe a little cleaner. I didn't see any bugs crawling around his room, that was a big difference between the two. There was always at least a spider somewhere in my own, when I actually went in it on the rare occasion.

 

“I have this book on Shakespeare somewhere, or Toni does, she'll probably let us use it if we need it,” He said. I felt weird now that he was the one doing the talking, but I really couldn't think of anything to say. It was probably because we were in his room, and I felt out of place, while he felt at home. I could see him feeling out of place in class with all those people that never even speak to him, but I felt more at home at school than I did in my own room.

 

“Okay, cool,” I shrugged and got up off the bed and walked over to look at the computer screen. I titled my head examining his desktop image. There were two people on it, seemingly showing affection for one another. I couldn't make out the genders of either of them, but I could have sworn that they were both girls. Was Melvin secretly a pervert for lesbians? I doubt it, one of them was probably a very feminine guy, it was manga, and most manga guys are feminine after all. I didn't get very much time to look at it before Melvin realized what I was looking at and opened the browser, which covered the desktop. I turned to him and he was blushing hard, a deep shade of red and purposely looking away from me.

 

I sighed when I saw him type `Shakespeare' into the find box on the top corner of the browser. All of the sudden I didn't really want to do the project anymore, not at the moment anyway. I wanted to explore his house a little, maybe talk some, talk about whatever it is that weirdoes like to talk about. I sat back down on the bed as he scanned the results for something helpful. From the corner of my eye I couldn't help but notice the CD case of a Fall Out Boy album on the ground under a pair of boxers.

 

“You like Fall Out Boy?” I asked, it was a conversation good enough for me, as long as it had nothing to do with Shakespeare.

 

“Uh, yeah, their songs are really inspiring if you actually listen to the lyrics… most people don't but…” His breath hitched and he looked away as if he felt he'd said too much.

 

“I never really got into them at all, I've heard a few songs on the radio, they were okay,” I shrugged. “More of a Metal fan, really,” I shrugged and grinned. He just nodded his normal boring uninterested nod. Okay, apparently that conversation had faded out, I'll try something different.

 

“So, you like to draw?” I asked. He turned around and stared at me as if I wasn't supposed to know that. “I see you drawing at school sometimes, you're really good,” I complimented. He was, really, not that I gave a lot of credit to people who could draw good, but his was better than anything I ever could have drawn.

 

“Yeah,” He nodded and then went back to what he was doing. I sighed and gave up on talking, wishing I could have lay down on his bed, but that may have been too weird.

 

“Hey boys,” Toni came into the room only a moment later with a large plate in her hand. “I brought you some pizza roles to get your brain power going, there's pop in the refrigerator downstairs if you'd like any, Fox,” She smiled sweetly and set the plate on Melvin's desk.

 

“Thanks, Toni,” I smiled back, just to be polite. Melvin nodded at her and practically shoved her off with the look on his face. She ignored it and started picking up the dishes that were scattered around the room. She stopped after a little while, and when I turned to her I realized she was looking straight at me.

 

“Now I know where I've seen you,” She put a hand on her hip and smiled. “Melmel, isn't he in your sketch book?” She wore a goofy grin, turning to him. I did as well, his eyes were wide and his cheeks were bright pink, I thought he was about to start gagging.

 

“Toni, get out of my room,” He snapped. She rolled her eyes and left on command. Mel got up and slammed the door shut behind her, leaning against it afterward.

 

“Umm,” I began. “Sketch book?” I questioned. He sighed and looked down at his feet, I couldn't help but notice he did that a lot.

 

“Yeah…” He replied softly.

 

“So, you drew me?” I was a little freaked out, what was he a stalker now too?

 

“No, I was going to, there's a photograph in there I got from the yearbook, I couldn't even get the shape of your head right,” He shrugged. Okay, so there's that, now I just needed to know why the hell he would draw me. “I like you, all right,” He practically stomped back to his computer. I sat there, dumbstruck, unsure that my ears were working correctly. “I've had a crush on you since like, sixth grade, I thought you would have noticed it by now, Jesus,” He grumbled, fidgeting pointlessly with things on his desk.

 

“Well,” I began, rubbing the back of my neck. “I have been accused of being oblivious to the obvious by a few people,” I shrugged. Now that I thought about it, it had been somewhat obvious, I just never thought a guy would ever have a crush on me of all people. “Wait, you're gay?” I gasped in sudden realization.

 

“Yeah. Are you gonna like, beat me up now?” I thought he was joking about the second part at first but he definitely looked serious.

 

“I don't know,” I shrugged. “I'm not really in the mood right now, maybe later,” I cracked my knuckles and grinned at him. He just stared at me with this horrified expression. “Jesus yourself, Mel, I was just kidding,” I laughed. “I mean, what would be the point of beating someone up that I just got my balls busted for saving him from getting beat up?” I smirked. He glared.

 

“Anyway, it'd be pretty hypocritical for me to beat someone up because they're gay,” I snickered, not being able to help letting this out to him now. After all, Miles was the only one that ever actually found out, Melvin could have easily thought I was a homophobe.

 

“Why?”

 

The moron. “Because I'm gay,” I replied. Why else? I could tell right off that he didn't believe me. By the way he just rolled his judgmental eyes and turned back to his computer screen. “What?” I scoffed, how dare he not believe me when I was inally being honest with him.

 

“ No, you're not,” He said plainly. My jaw dropped and I wanted to go over and punched him, that was probably the most insulting thing I'd ever heard.

 

“Is there something that makes me unworthy of being gay?” I stood up and practically stomped up next to him. I could only see the side of his face but I could tell he was smirking, and trying to hide it.

 

“I don't know,” He shrugged. “You're just so not gay,”

 

“Is that right? What's not gay about me? I'm the gayest gay there ever was, you should see my Spongebob pajamas!” I argued playfully. That made him laugh a bit and I felt victorious.

 

“But you're so normal,” He continued. “…usually,” He added.

 

“Being gay is abnormal?” I gave him a cocky grin. I had to give him one thing, he was really fun to mess with.

 

“No, just forget it,”

 

Ha, I win.

 

A/n- This.. Took. Long. Time. >.> I did most of it all in one night though, and I'm afraid I was a little lazy with the revisions this time. But hopefully I didn't miss anything, I need a beta is what I need. Anyway, hope this is okay for you all as far as reading goes. Love to hear what you have to say!