Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ The Only Hope ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Therapy was now in session. Entering a small office was a man who appeared to be in his mid forties. Tailing from behind was his long going client, Paulie. An un-amused and lethargic expression bore on Paulie’s face as he takes a seat in a chair standing next to a cabinet. The therapist, Dr. Forbes, can see the frustration hiding behind the wrinkled lines above his forehead. The expression, though, was something to be seen every Thursday’s in Dr. Forbes office. Not only does he receive them from Paulie, but from his own mother who forcefully sends him to these appointments. Dr. Forbes takes a seat in front of Paulie and skims through his clipboard. Paulie sighs and leans his head against the edge of the cabinet. We have to drive all the way to Austin just for this, he thought loudly.
Dr. Forbes clears his throat and picks up a pen. “How was your day so far, Mister Scott?”
Paulie shrugs. Shrugging may have been the only response Paulie ever given to Dr. Forbes, followed by a, “S’okay.”
“Did you do anything today?”
Paulie rolls his eyes over a clock that hung above Dr. Forbes many certificates. It was only three thirty and the hours felt slowly. Paulie wanted this to conclude. He wanted to go back to Temple, go to sleep and get the whole school day over with the next morning. He almost forgot about the questioned doctor and replied with a slight head shake.
“You know Paulie; you’re a very bright young man. Wouldn’t you like to rub off that brightness on someone who’d maybe look up to you?” Suggested the doctor, hoping Paulie would reply this time.
Paulie shook his head. He folded his arms across his chest and tapped his feet impatiently. Tapping his feet and thinking about something else made minutes go by faster than having to talk about the days and expressing how he feels about certain things. Dr. Forbes stares at the adolescent and gives him a few seconds to respond back. Nothing. Paulie stared at the tiled floor and didn’t say anything else. He hated the sound of his voice and he hated how embarrassing the idea was to talk to someone about his problems.
“There’s only thirty minutes left in this appointment. So you might as well speak up.” Thirty minutes sounded like a long time. But to Paulie, he can sit there and not do anything for the remaining thirty minutes. It wasn’t hard to endure and to this doctor, it boiled his blood. He scribbles something down on his clipboard and hands a small note to Paulie. “Go give this to the lady in the front. Make sure to call your mom for me.” Dr. Forbes gave Paulie his one way ticket to go home.
He walks out of the office and literally jogs to the young and pretty receptionist in the front. Her pearly whites flashed at him as soon as he appeared before her wide baby blue eyes, and freckled face. Paulie thought she was the most attractive and young employee around the building. To half of the workers there, it was true. She seemed too oblivious to figure out, but that’s what Paulie liked about her.
“Hey, Paulie!” she greets in a chirping high pitched voice. He waves at her and hands her the signed paper. “You’re leaving already?” She whines and sticks her bottom lip out jokingly. Chuckling, she slides the phone from underneath the counter of the desk and pushes it towards Paulie. “Make sure to dial three first.” She instructed before giving a friendly wink to him.
He dialed the number from his mother’s cell phone. Before she left him at the office building, his mother told Paulie she’s be around the area, but not in the exact building.
“Hello?”
“Mom, can you pick me up?” Paulie whispered.
“Already? But it’s not four yet.”
“I know. Dr. Forbes’ sending me home early.”
She sighs. “Fine. I’ll see you there.” The line goes dead and Paulie hands back the phone to the lady.
“What did you do this weekend, kiddo?” The receptionist, Kelly, asks.
He shrugs, stuffing his hands back into his pockets. “Nothing.”
“You ready for school tomorrow?”
He pauses to think about the appropriate response and truthfully shakes his head. “No.”
She ‘aw’s’ in sympathy. “Well I hope tomorrow will be a good one for you.” He hoped so too. Who knows which trash can bin he’ll be dumped into next.
He turns to look over his shoulder and sees a black car pull up near the double entrance doors. He quickly waves back to Kelly and escorts himself through the doors and into his mother’s car. It had been a hot day and the heat in the car was unbearably overwhelming with exhaustion.
“How’d the appointment go?” His mom asks, already knowing the reply.
“The usual.” And of course, she was right.
“Did you give Dr. Forbes a hard time?” She questions while driving off into the busy street.
He merely chuckles. “I guess.” A sly smirk planted his thin lips.
For a few quiet minutes, Paulie rolled the window down and enjoyed the Texas heat. It was only October and any signs of autumn weren’t showing up sooner or later. A slight breeze buzzed right by his face and the feeling was pleasing. It could’ve been worse, he thought. At least it’s ninety-something degrees and not one hundred four. The car drive from Austin and back to his home would take a good hour so he might as well enjoy the silence while he can.
“You want to take Jeff’s truck to school tomorrow?” Jeff was his mom’s current boyfriend. Paulie didn’t like the idea of him coming over almost every day and the fact that Jeff was going through his hardest times of oncoming age.
“Why?”
“I have to work all day tomorrow and I won’t be here in the morning to take you to school.”
He nods to the explanation of her soft voice. His mother works as a custodian for a business office in the downtown of Temple. It was a good pay and it offered her enough to pay the rent, bills and some good food and clothes. “Okay.” Still, the idea of taking Jeff’s car irked him. The guy was missing a front tooth. How hard would it be to even talk to him face to face without having to repeal back in disgust?
“Jeff’s worried about you, honey.”
That’s a huge lie, he thought. “Really.”
“Yeah.” She replies back. “He was telling me the other day about a job position in his work. They need a new truck driver or something.”
Paulie remembered about hearing the jobs of a truck driver and the pay being a lot. “I still have to go to school.”
“I know,” she said in disappointment. “And we could really use a few extra dollars for some things too.” Paulie wished to helped, but if he even tried, he wouldn’t get such an appreciative comment. Out of experience, Paulie would’ve hated for it to happen again.
Paulie looked up at his mother and observed her from her profile. Heavy and dark bags colored her eyelids. His mom’s been known to not being to sleep for a month. Like Paulie, she’s a common insomniac and struggles with keeping up with both her son and Jeff. Paulie worries for her the most and it’s not just him either. His grandma, whom he thought had been dead for the past eight years, comes over every summer and spends at least a week or less in their area. It’s an affable manner despite the animosity connection between his mother and his grandma.
Sharon Scott, Paulie’s mom, was known as one of the pretty ladies in her high school. She was blonde, had the most perfect clear skin, and the prettiest grey eyes in the whole city. Any guy who’d look her way felt awe struck by her graceful presence. She also had the kind of thin, soft hair that would turn up into ringlets when she held her hair up with a pony tail. Sharon never made it such a scene for her beauty to be known to her in an obvious way. All in all, she was beautiful, young and determined. Now to Paulie, he would have nights to compare himself and his mom. How is it that she was incredibly popular and Paulie isn’t the socialite in his high school? He inherited her good looks, but grew up with a quiet personality. Could it be that his biological father was shy and quiet as he is? He’d only wish to find out sooner or later.
An hour later, they had finally arrived to the apartment complex buildings. Paulie had fallen asleep during the drive knowing it’d be difficult to sleep on a Sunday night.
Sharon shook her son once. “Get up, Paulie.”
Paulie lifted one of his eye lids open although staying in his comfortable position. It was probably six, seeing the sun barely setting behind a few grey clouds. Paulie stretched his legs from underneath him and lethargically shut his passenger door, trailing behind Sharon. He ran his fingers through his thin hair making sure to flatten any strands sticking up from the top of his head. He saw the rusty red truck parked beside Sharon’s. He let out an exhausted groan. Jeff.
He carefully climbed up the infirmed stairs and reluctantly walked into the apartment. Jeff was seated on the couch, watching some soap opera and drinking some beer. What did his mom see in him? He was old, fat and pathetic. She was pretty and he wasn’t; how does that go together? To Paulie, it was something that was problematic. Sharon has different taste in men and so did Paulie, except he’s into girls.
“Hey Paulie,” Jeff greeted with a fake solicitous tone. “How was your appointment with the doc?”
Paulie shrugged. “Okay.”
Jeff’s mouth formed into a chagrin line. Paulie walked by the forty nine year old and to hear, “Sharon, are you sure the kids not stupid?” come out of his bearded mouth.
That didn’t bother Paulie. He’s already been told he was one of the clever students in his junior class. Not talking and getting work done was enough for him to rub off his intelligent-ness.
Later that night, the minor decided it was best to try and sleep his thoughts away. The sounds of both Sharon and Jeff’s voices drowned through Paulie’s walls. It was loud enough for him to listen to their audible conversation, but also difficult to attend to half of what they were saying.
“The kid needs a job, Sharon. You can’t just have him mope around here all day.” That voice belonged to Jeff.
“I know.” Sharon agreed. “But don’t you think it’d be hard on him to find a decent job? He can’t even relate to any kids at his own school. He hates talking and he hates having to be the topic of an anti-socialite.” Sharon grieved. “Maybe I should put him into those group therapists or something. You know, the ones that can make friends in a group.”
Oh no. Another therapy sessions and with people dealing with the same problems as him only it’s a bunch of fat and loner thirty year olds who still live with their mothers. If only God could send a certain person on earth to make him more outgoing and articulate like the kids around him. He wanted his own ‘angel’ to lead him to a good and cordial life. The thought sounded cheesy to him, but it helped him to look forward to anything like that in the future.
“Do you mind Paul taking your truck tomorrow? I got to get to work early and I won’t be here in time to take him to school.”
“Sure thing, baby.” One thing that Paulie liked about Jeff was his compassion and charity. I guess there is a good in everybody, he thought lastly before settling in a deep slumber.

If it was a day to sleep, in, then this day was definitely not a good day. Paulie woke up an hour after his regular departure for school. He jumped out of bed, slipped into the clothes he chosen the night before, rapidly brushed his teeth and combed his hair and darted out of the apartment with Jeff’s keys in hand and his backpack on his back. How he hated the mornings when Jeff slept in the apartment. Jeff’s snoring scared the living daylights out of Paulie and not to mention the ridiculous horror movies he watches with Sharon late at night.
Paulie arrived in front of the school building observing the empty front office. He wasn’t the only one late, but some kids lingered around the student center purposely. Figures, he thought as he entered the administration office. The office was full of staff workers sitting in front of computers, taking phone calls and filling out notes for student aids to pass to teachers at this hour. He approached a lady at the very front of the many desks and staff.
“Can I get a tardy slip?” He mumbled.
“Speak up honey. I can’t hear a single word you’re saying.” The teacher asked without looking up.
Paulie swallowed oxygen and sighed. “Can I get a tardy slip?” He repeated, his voice just a tone louder.
She nods and takes out a spiral with the word ‘TARDY’ printed on the very front. “What’s your name?”
“Paul Scott.” He nervously glances around the room. In the very corner behind him was a girl who seemed to be new. She was quiet, her eyes were looking at her hands in her lap and she was calm. She’s probably new, thought Paulie. He felt the lady slip the paper in his free hand and he jumped at the touch. “Thanks.” And he escorted himself between the door and a tall looking guy. The girl, however, kept her eyes glued to the frail teen. Paulie was oblivious to her, though.

Two periods later, it was finally lunch time. It was Paulie’s favorite period mostly. He usually snuck outside of the school building and sat on a bench while he listened to his iPod and read a book. Today was extremely different though. Just as he was arriving through the doors of the cafeteria, a male teacher stopped him.
“Hold on for a minute son,” the teacher halted a firm grip around Paulie’s arm. Right next to the teacher was a lanky looking boy. “This right here is Todd. Todd just moved from Chicago and is need of a friend/ guide around here.” Paulie looked over his shoulder to make sure he wasn’t speaking to someone behind Paulie. Looking back at the teacher, he pointed to himself. “Yes you.” The teacher scorned. He shoved Todd in front of Paulie and walked off.
The two stood around, looking at one another’s feet. Paulie felt an over whelming embarrassment shy over his cheeks. He couldn’t believe this was happening and to someone like him; totally ridiculous.
“Aren’t you going to show me around?” Todd asked after an awkward second of silence. Paulie nodded and motioned a nod to follow him.
They straddled near a short length of stairs. “This leads to the–uh–fine arts room.” He explains holding an awkward finger down the stairs. He continued walking forward and pointed to two huge double doors. “This is the band room.” Paulie could tell Todd wasn’t amused. He took a step, but ended up stepping on his own shoes leading him to stumble into an opened door that led to the choir room.
Todd chuckled slightly. “You okay, man?”
Paulie nodded. He adjusted his shoes laces before moving on. The lanky adolescent looked over his shoulder to check if Todd was actually following him. Surprisingly, he was still tailing from behind. The thought of having to talk to someone new scared Paulie. He couldn’t do such a thing, especially since it happened out of the blue. Today wasn’t his day to show a new kid the school.
For a while, Paulie was aware of the first bell ringing. He assumed that lunch time was over. “Uh, do you know which class you have next?”
Todd nods. “Yeah.”
Paulie sighs. “Okay.” He wasn’t just relieved of the bell, but relieved of his next class. “Well… I’ll see you later…”
Todd nodded and walked back towards the hallway Paulie led him through. Maybe he’ll see Todd sometime soon when he isn’t as awkward as he already made himself to be.
A swarm of students walked into the student center building with cups of soda or bags of McDonald’s and Chick-Fil-A. The estimated guess of each student having their lunch in hand would be an approximate thirty. Paulie had a car, but he didn’t have the money to go out and buy himself lunch. Not when there are seniors like him who order at the same fast food restaurant as him. He couldn’t see himself running into a classmate and star up conversation while ordering food. It was better off sitting outside of the school reading a book and listening to music.
Paulie slithered by two athletic and tall guys who rambled on and on about who would lose at Friday’s game. Pretty soon, the building was full of upperclassmen standing around the halls not aware of the first bell ringing. Of course, it’d been like that for Temple’s high schoolers. Careless, stubborn, unpunctual, and lazy. It still was surprising to know that the school was the highest of recognition in the state of Texas.
Business Management was printed on top of Paulie’s next class. It was boring, the teacher was extremely dull and it was always cold. Paulie recalled back on the several times he managed to skip the period. He still wondered why he stopped out of the blue. But sitting in the back and sleeping for fifteen minutes was Paulie’s ideal day of a boring period.