Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ The Edge of Insanity ❯ Rick and Kael ( Chapter 2 )

My biggest pet peeve…Rick, the boy next door. He had stringy dirty blonde hair, down past his shoulders as if he'd long forgotten to brush it or even trim it. He wore black wire frame glasses which made him look as if he'd fit in anywhere, or so one would think.

Today he was wearing tan dickeys (as usual) with a white long sleeved shirt and the same brown dress shoes he has worn for the past two years.

“So how was your night last night?” he asked, as he caught up with me a little ways down the sidewalk on our street. I looked at him through the hair that seemed to always manage to escape my messy braid and replied,

“Walked around town, found a necklace, went home at around midnight, read for a bit and got yelled at for being up at three in the morning…you?”

“Stayed up playing Dungeons and Dragons until around eleven then went to bed.” I nodded and stuck my hands in my jacket pockets. It was quiet for a moment before Rick asked,

“Do you have the necklace with you?” I pulled the object from my jeans pocket and handed it over to him. He immediately took a liking to it and ranted on about how it seemed to come out of one of his video games and how it would bring me a lot of money if I were to pawn it off to someone at school.

“As if I'd sell that. It's cool, gothic looking, and I like it. I'm keeping it.” I held my hand out and he gently put the necklace in my palm, noting my irritation. I put it back in my pocket and sighed. Rick kicked a can and it flew down the sidewalk until it connected with the stop sign that we stood by almost every morning to wait for the bus that took us to school.

It was awkwardly silent, at least for Rick who kept fidgeting which annoyed me even more. We waited there for twenty minutes for the bus to come. When it finally arrived, we hurried onto the bus, happy to get out of the cold morning air. Though it was already February, it was still cold enough out to shiver while wearing a light jacket but warm enough to sweat in a heavier one.

We shared the third seat back on the opposite side of the driver, me but the window. I leaned my forehead against the cold glass and Rick pulled out a hand held game boy. He turned it on and started playing one of the many games he kept with him.

“Sorry I couldn't make it to you party Jaedyn. My mom and dad wanted us all to have a family night out.” My hazel eyes met his grey ones and I gave him a small smile.

“It's not like you missed anything.” He looked at me with an odd expression for a moment before turning back to his game.

 

****

 

Rick and I had different homeroom classes. He had biology while I had my literature class. So, here I was, sitting alone in my seat in the far back corner of the room, the noisy jocks and their cheerleader girlfriends hanging around the front of the classroom. Any other stereotype was left dotted at no more then two in the vacant seats. I watched as they laughed and joked around loudly for a few seconds, before I rested my head on my hand and doodled on the sheet of paper that was on my desk. I sighed just as the tardy bell rang, signing that everyone should be in class by now. Still the teacher didn't show up.

 

I looked up, slightly, through my bangs as I heard my name spoken amongst the jocks and cheerleaders. Just as I did, I was hit in the face by a pencil. I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw before picking it up and throwing it on the floor. I went back to my doodling only to be hit by one of the big pink erasers. I looked up, glared at them, and threw the eraser on the floor as well before asking,

“Could you please stop that?” They smiled and went back to joking around, when a minute passed and I hadn't gotten hit by anything, I relaxed and thought that they were done. That was when a football hit me. I jumped up and shouted,

“The hell?” The biggest jock, a light brunette that, in my opinion, was overly muscular, as well as their leader, stood up.

“You trying to start something, Freak?”

“If you keep throwing shit at me I will.” On cue, another eraser hit me.

“Oh look, I think she's going to cry, Matt.” giggled a cheerleader, most likely the lead jocks girlfriend since she kissed him on the cheek after she told him that. I grit my teeth and then forced a smile onto my face before addressing her.

“The only one that's gunna be crying is you when you see your precious Matt bloodied up.” Before I could do anything else, all of Matt's weight was thrown onto me and I was knocked into the desks behind me. I managed to squirm out of his grasp and punch him before the door opened. When it did, everyone except Matt looked over to see two people walk in. I didn't get a good look though, because while I was distracted, Matt had stood up and punched me in the stomach. I groaned and fell to one knee, coughing.

“That is quite enough!” shouted Mr. Rodrigo. I guessed everyone had sat down due to the many scuffling noises. I remained on the ground until I felt someone grip my arm and pull me up. I looked up at Mr. Rodrigo and then away, not liking the frown on his face. He helped me over to a chair in the front of the room, where I was to sit the rest of the hour. I was surprised he didn't send any of us to the office, but then again, he had never been a normal teacher. Everyone was silent as the teacher looked at us in disapproval.

“I'm getting very tired of this. Twice almost every two weeks either Jaedyn or Matt has to be sent to the nurse, the office, or up front in that chair. There are others of you in this class and I expect you to keep them civil!” He shook his head and sighed. Another ten minutes passed in silence before he spoke again.

“Today we have a new student with us. Class let me introduce to you, Kael.” The teacher had to pause for a moment because the class erupted into excited whispers, mainly from the girls. I sighed and leaned back in the chair, happy it didn't have a desk connected to it like the ones the rest of the class was sitting in. Once the noise died down, Mr. Rodrigo asked Kael to tell everyone a little about himself.

“Well as you all know my name's Kael. I moved here from Tokyo and from New York before that. Ummm… I think it'd be easier from here for you to just ask questions or I'd be talking for hours.” Kael said, his voice neither low nor high, just somewhere in the middle that made the girls giggle even more. `Great,' I thought `As if his looks weren't enough, they had to swoon over his voice too…so annoying'

Kael had to be at least 6 feet tall, give or take some. He was slender and had slightly broad shoulders. The way he stood, just gave away that he was a talkative, confident, cheerful person. But I think what the girls liked the most were his blonde (almost white) hair that was cut to where it looked slightly feathered and hung to where the tips just brushed this shoulders. It went perfectly with his cerulean eyes and slightly angular facial feature. He wore a blue under armor shirt with stressed and ripped jeans.

Just as I thought nearly the whole class raised their hands. Kael randomly picked a girl from the front of the class. She giggled and blushed and her friend next to her nudged her arm. She nodded before she looked at Kael.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” she asked. Kael laughed and replied with a no before picking some one else.

“What's your favorite color?”

“Grey.”

“Why grey? That's almost as bad as black.” Matt said. Almost immediately, the whole class went silent and looked at me. I smiled and then waved at them like an idiot. During the silence, someone asked,

“How many siblings do you have?” Kael didn't answer that and it didn't seem like he going to. The silence turned awkward. I looked around and everyone was staring at either Kael or me. Mr. Rodrigo shifted from one foot to the other and was about to say something but I interfered.

“What about music? What do you listen to?” Kael looked at me and smiled.

“Anything but rap and hip hop. I prefer classic over all the rest though.” I smiled at him and at the disappointed murmurs of the class. He didn't seem to care though.

“Do you play any instruments?” I continued.

“Piano and violin.”

“Interesting,” Mr. Rodrigo stated.

“Most kids your age seem more interested in the noisier things like guitars and drums.” Kael shrugged.

“Well I guess that's enough for now. Class in almost over. You may talk quietly amongst yourselves, but I do want those essays turned in before you leave. Kael you may sit in Jaedyn's chair for today. I'll be sure to have you a desk in here tomorrow.” Kael nodded and headed to my seat.

 

***

 

I looked up as I heard the door to the roof creak open and then swing shut with a bang. Rick walked towards where I was sitting at one of the few tables on the roof. He sat down across from me and I stole his strawberries off his tray. That is one thing I like about Rick out of the few, he was allergic to strawberries so I got them when they served them at lunch. My sweet strawberries!

“So did you hear about the new kid?” Rick asked. I nodded.

“He's in my first hour.” I replied, happily nibbling on my strawberry. Rick seemed to frown for a moment before his face turned back to normal. He picked up some food and started to eat.

“I heard that he is rather good looking and a hit with the girls.” I shrugged and thought for a moment then said,

“I suppose he's good looking. Not my type though.” Rick snorted and I raised my eyes from the table to look at him questioningly.

“Nobody's your type. You don't give any guy one glance. Or is it you prefer girls?” I shrugged once again,

“Never really thought about it actually.”

“Have something against homo's, little computer hacker?” a voice said from behind me. I froze as I always did when someone came around me other then Rick or my family. I couldn't help it, especially when it seemed like everyone was drawn to me in an unfriendly way.

“Shut up Kael.” Rick said glowering slightly. I twisted to look up at the new kid. He looked down at me and smiled. I turned back and looked at Rick then my brow furrowed.

“How does he know you're a hacker?” I asked putting the last strawberry in my mouth and chewing it.

“He saw me hacking in the library. That's how I know about him actually.”

“You should be more careful when hacking.” Kael said.

“Didn't I tell you to shut up?” I looked at Rick questioningly, it was unlike him to be rude to people.

“Jaedyn wasn't it?” I look back up at the guy, still partly turned around. I nodded slowly before he continued.

“Mind if I sit with you guys?” I gave him a strange look and looked around at the other empty tables on the roof before looking back at him then shrugged. He sat his lunch tray down but made no move to eat from it.

“He is right though Rick.” I mumbled before looking down at the table. I heard Rick make a choking noise and Kael laughed.

“Aren't you supposed to be taking my side?” Rick whined.

“Not if you're wrong.” I stated. Rick pursed his lips and continued eating in silence. Kael still hadn't touched his food. I looked over at him then the strawberries on his tray and back up him before asking,

“You gunna eat those?” He shrugged and gestured towards the tray.

“Help yourself. I'm not very hungry.” I snatched the strawberries off his tray quickly before he had any second thoughts. He chuckled and I shot a glare at him. I distantly heard Rick sigh as he got up to throw away his tray before Kael reached over and ruffled my hair. I brushed off his hand, got up and threw away my tray as well. While over by the trashcan next to Rick, I noticed he was frowning and his brows were furrowed.

“What's up?” I asked. He started as if he hadn't noticed I had walked up next to him. He looked at me for a moment before he spoke.

“I just think it's strange that a guy like him that could be hanging out in the popular bunch has decided to sit with us. I have a feeling he's up to something.”

“He has the right to hang out with who he wants.” I refrained from laughing at his expression; it was so obvious he didn't like Kael at all.

“Why are you defending him? I thought you didn't like people. You're always suspicious about them. So why are you being buddy buddy with him?”

“Perhaps it's my lack of social life that is starting to complain. It could also be because I don't like to judge people before giving them a chance. People do it to me far too much. It gets tiring.” I explained before heading back to sit over by Kael who had started to stare at us when we didn't come back over to the table immediately. I sat down and drew my shoulder bag up onto my lap, a habit of mine since grade school when I realized it was the only way to keep the other students from stealing my stuff.

“So, Jaedyn seems to like metal music judging by her gothic attire and the Slipknot bag. What type of music do you listen too, Ricky?”

“Its Rick and I don't care much for music. I find it pointless. As she says, it's a perfect way to express feelings and get a meaning through to people out in the world. It's pointless because the meanings always end up misinterpreted and then musicians start getting blamed for stuff. Then it becomes a big war within the music industry if one musician that hasn't been in the business for long becomes more popular then one that has been there for years. Absolutely pointless.” The table became quiet while I suppressed laughter and Kael simply blinked a few times.

“Okay Ricky, you seem to detest music.” Kael stood up and patted Rick on the head as he passed by behind him. He made a noise of protest and batted his hand off. I couldn't hold it in any longer and started laughing.

“Hey, where are you going?” Rick yelled after Kael. He looked over his shoulder and smiled.

“It's time for class.”

“But the bell hasn't rang ye-” A shrill ring resounded through the school. I started laughing even harder at the annoyed expression on Ricks face. He shot a glare at me before standing up with his backpack. I stood up as well and the two of us followed after Kael and into the school for the last three classes of the day.