The Way Life Goes

Chapter 1 - Awareness

There's something really weird about waking up one morning and feeling like your whole world is about to change. That's exactly how I felt that day. It was a Monday like all the others, plain and boring. Seriously, tell me, who the fuck gets up on a Monday, full of energy, ready to take on the world with a fucking smile wide enough to crack your freaking face? (Except that damn Alex Collins. I swear if I gotta see his fucking shinning toothy smile one more time today, I'll break his face.) I was pissed and I had school everywhere but in my head.

First of all, my alarm didn't go off (Alright I forgot to set it up, so sue me.), then somebody put the damn empty milk carton back in the fridge. And when I finally got here, of course all the freaking parking spaces just HAD to be taken. In short, this is the kind of day you tell yourself you should have stayed in bed. Why didn't I? Well I'm starting to fucking wonder that myself. So I was having a shitty day, boo-hoo, wasn't the first time and sure as hell wasn't gonna be the last.

I did what I usually do when that happens; smoke 5 cigs in 10 mins, after which I finally went to grab my books and headed off to my now very late English class.

Urgh Can this day suck anymo-

...Okay, now it definetly sucks.

I glance down to see the loser I just sent sprawling on the floor picking up his things.

"Hey man! Watch the fuck where you're going!"

He mumbled something like a sorry while I went on my way. Yeah, I'm a bastard, what's new?

Miller was on me the second my hand touched the door.

"Well, well, Mr. O'brian. Good to see you finally decided to join us today."

I ignore the snappy comment, obviously meant to make me go back out, the time I find myself a seat. I make my way to the empty one next to John.

"Heh, What can I say, I just love your class so much Mr. Miller." I smirk.

"Take a seat Justin." He replies exasperate.

I flop down and dump my stuff on the table.

"Yo, King."

God I hate that nickname. I look at John and punch his raised first with mine.

"Hey John."

John Parker, my best bud since I started crawling. Our mothers went to school together and our fathers have been friends since they were kids too. Not to mention, we live right next to each other. So, of course we practically grew up together.

"What the hell have you been doing man?" He asks grinning.

I frown, "I wasn't doing that." Really I wasn't.

"Okay so, what were you doing then?"

"I forgot my alarm."

He snorts at that.

Okay, so, it's a lame excuse, I agree. Makes me feel all the more stupid for it being true.

"Parker! O'brian! Am I boring you? Because I'm sure Principal Green would love to relieve you of your boredom."

I smirk again, "I bet."

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As soon as the bell rings, John and me take off and head to the cafeteria. The rest of our friends are already waiting there. Mike and Chris are laughing, stealing stuff off each other's plates while Stan keep teasing them about looking like a couple of newlyweds. To which Mike answers with a finger.

Nice, guys.

"Yo. What's up King? Did you nail that pretty thing last night?" Stan shouts playfully, when he notices us, while standing up to slap my back.

I wanted to smash him.

"And I thought you said you didn't do that?" John says, glancing at me teasingly.

I sigh. "Drop it guys."

I was not in the mood to talk about that girl (Who I got no idea what her name is btw) I hooked up with yesterday night. Thankfully, they know not to push me.

"Fuckin' Faggots."

I look up to see Scott coming our way while staring at something, looking real annoyed.

"What was that?" I ask sending him a questioning look when he sits down in front of me.

"Nuthing. Just the fucking fags flaunting themselves in public." He pointstoward a table in the corner of the cafeteria.

"Leave them alone asshole." Mike warns him suddenly serious.

"What's your problem bitch?"

Scott was an idiot and nobody ever took any of the shit he said seriously so I was kinda surprise by Mike getting heated up over some inane comment. It wasn't like him.

"Mike, drop it." Chris broke the rising tension by grabbing Mike's forearm.

I look back to where Scott had pointed to earlier. It was him, the guy I had knocked down in the hallway before. I think his name is Jason, Jason Williams. Well at least now Scott's comment made sense. It was no secret to everyone that Jackson High's gay population was: Two. Jason and that little guy always with him (forgot his name). He looks kinda effiminate in my opinion, a guy shouldn't look that delicate.

Both of them are in foster care together. I heard Jason's parents threw him out on the streets when they found him kissing his friend in his room a few years back. Apparently his dad used to beat him up too but that's just a wild rumor. Anyway I've never talked to the guy so I don't really know.

I frown.

"What's up?" John asks seeing my frown and turns to see what I'm staring at.

Scott turns towards me, "Fuckin' annoying, aren't they?" He says grinning at my expression, probably thinking I'm disgusted by the fruits.

"They aren't even doing anything!" Chris tells him agitated.

"What's wrong Chrissy? Scared for your little girlfriends?"

Mike reaches over and grabbed Scott's shirt, "." Mike's squeezing his shirt pretty tightly now.

"Defending your wife, Sanford?" Scott shoot back, grinning.

I suddenly get up and make my way over Jason, ignoring Stan's question to where I was going.

XXX

Jason POV

"OMG JASON!" Nick practically shouts while whispering to me.

"What?" I ask, questioning.

"What did you do to Justing O'brian?" He stresses looking behind me with his eyes wide with fear.

I frown and turn around to see the fucking school King coming straight at me.

OMG, OMG, OMG!

I turn back and swallow the urge to run away. Real far. Shit! I know it's my fault I wasn't looking where I was going earlier but still! It's not like he saw me either!

"Hey."

Okay just breathe! Relax and answer him like you don't care, "Hey." I reply barely glancing at him.

I see him frown before he sits down on the bench next to me.

"Look, I just wanted to say I was sorry for earlier okay? I was already late." He tells me sighing.

I look at him sharply when he says that. Was Justin O'brian actually apologizingto ME?! I can't keep the surprise out of my face.

"It's okay, don't worry about it."

He nods but doesn't make any move to go away. I look at Nick, who's white as a sheet.

I grab my stuff and get up, "Let's go Nick."

I snap him out of his frozen stare. He quickly picks up his tray and follows me. I glance at Justin again before going, mumbling a "See ya." that meant "Not Likely." when I hear him answer "yeah", his eyes not letting me out of his sight until we went outside.

What the hell is his problem?

XXX

John's staring at me funny again. We didn't say anything to each other since lunch. Just when I'm about to ask him what's wrong, I spot someone waiting at the bus stop the street next to the parking area.

I tell John I'll call him later, he looks pissed.

"Listen man, what the hell was that all about earlier?"

I frown. "You mean, about Jason?"

He rolls his eyes at me, "No, fucking Santa Claus. Yes about that guy damnit."

Did I mention I hate when he gets smart with me? "Tch' I ran into the guy this morning and went to apologize okay? Happy mommy?"

Well at least he doesn't seem to think it's funny. Good. Cuz I don't either.

"Since when do you ever apologize for anything, King."

Okay, now he's starting to get me mad, implying I'm fuckin' rude. "Well I did this time, What? Do I need your freaking permission now?"

I guess he realizes I'm pretty pissed, "Look, I'm sorry okay but Scott wouldn't shut up about it all afternoon. Saying you were socializing with the barbies. I thought you only did that to freak him out since he kept going on about how they pissed him off."

That could have been true, I've been known to do everything I can to annoy Scott. Unfortunaly I really didn't give a shit about him and his big mouth at lunch. Though I did notice that Chris looked pretty uneasy and it always pisses off Mike when he gets like that. So If I avoided a meaningless fight between him and Scott, that's plus one.

I wasn't about to lie to my best bud for something as stupid as an apology though, cuz really, that's all it was.

"Nah, not this time. I just wanted to be sure the guy was okay, you know?"

He relaxes a little, "I know, sorry buddy."

I clap him on the back, "Don't sweat it, listen I gotta hurry, call ya later."

He nods back at me, "Sure thing."

I take out my keys, get in my car and stop right front of the person at the bus stop.

"Hey."

He looks a bit panicked but at least he doesn't run away. He answers me with a dismissive "Hi." probably hoping really hard I'll go away. Not happening. Though not knowing why the hell I came this way in the first place, I say the first thing that pops in my head, "Need a ride?"

To which he replies with an immediate and sharp, "No."

Pfft. Figures.

I sigh, running a hand in my hair, "Look I already know where you live, okay? It's no big deal."

"You don't know anything!" He practically screams at me. After seeing my stun look he adds quietly, "Just leave me alone."

Now, being who I am, I don't usually get screamed at very often, the promise result of such actions normally has the other person thinking twice about doing that kind of thing. The momentariry shock fades away real quick though. "I'm not going until you get in." I tell him dead serious. I am. I don't know why but the fact that he wants nothing to do with me really pisses me off.

After a short period of silence in which I didn't try to leave, I hear a short "Fine." before he climbs in quickly.

He keeps looking out the window quietly the whole ride, not saying anything until I stop in front of the foster care center.

"Thanks." He says, quickly grabbing his stuff and trying to get out as fast as he possibly can. Of course, I don't let him.

"Wait." I tell him taking hold of his arm.

He snaps an angry, "What?" I ignore the angry tone, "Do you wanna do something sometimes?"

Truthfully, I'm not sure why the sudden urge to know everything about this quiet guy but, it's there.

"You gotta be fucking kidding." He shoots rolling his eyes.

I frown, "What? You are allowed to go out, aren't you?" Not like I know the rules of kids in places like these.

He looks annoyed before replying "Listen, I don't know what you heard but I'm not some cheap street punk queer whore for you to get his cock sucked!"

O-kay, that got me. And for him to think I'd actually want that from him, well...let's just say, I was mad. "Unless you haven't heard, I got no problems getting girls. I'm not so hard up I'd play with a guy."

"Then what the hell do you want from me? I got your stupid apology already." He answers me just as heated up as before. How the fuck did I ever think this kid was quiet.

"Look, I'm just trying to get to know you a little better." I try explaining.

He laughs at that, "Who says I want to be known? And besides, I don't think you'd have as much success with the girls once people find out you're hanging with the homo."

He gets out and slams the door before I have the chance to say anything.

He had a point though. I wasn't gonna win any popularity contest if I did, but, since when do I fucking care?

-End Ch1-