A/n: Welcome to Seething in South Carolina. Hope you enjoy: Constructive criticism welcome.

Warning: There will be derogatory and racist terms in this story. I am far from being a racist myself. Since I am Hispanic. But it’s realistic for my plot. I apologize profusely if you are offended.

1

The scenery flew by, as the car took on a steady pace of 65 miles per hour. The trees swayed in the wind, and they looked like dancing green broccoli. I sighed the South Carolina scenery was so dull. Everything about South Carolina was boring to me. Living in Columbia, South Carolina wasn’t so bad, I mean the people were a little stuffy and sure you had your share of racist’s but I lived here my whole life: I could handle that. At least I thought I could. What really had my panties in a twist was that there was nothing ever to do. My options were either go to the bar to hang out or hang out at Carolina’s Diner. The car was now heading in the direction of the latter choice.

I banged my head against the window and seethed quietly to myself. Four years of a restless boredom: four freaking years, from twenty till now. The beginning of college was great, especially when you had friends who were the class clown, and resident troublemaker in high school with you. But our pranking days had to come to an end, when we realized our grades were suffering because of our mischievous ways. So we buckled down when junior year started. Textbooks and studying were our lives at that time. Fun? Who had time for fun when you were trying to graduate college with a decent gpa. Senior year was about the same and sadly the next two years as well. In school my major was Public relations. I had yet to find a job in public relations, and I had honestly yet to care. So I took another route, I applied for a job as a bartender, and funnily enough I got the job. I am now the typical South Carolinian youngin’. Dreams of making it big have entirely disappeared. I sighed again as I realized we had arrived at our destination.

Carolinas Diner. Another Sunday spent at the horribly rundown establishment. Yippeee!

*

“Zodiac, pass the ketchup.” I yawned as I stuffed more French fries into my mouth.

“Pig.” Zodiac grinned as he passed the ketchup. I flattened down my hair as I smiled and gave Zodiac the finger.

Poe out of nowhere opened his mouth and bit said finger and I gave a squeal.

“Ow! You jackass.” I said staring in Poe’s beautiful cornflower blue eyes.

Well, you’re the one that let it fly, September.” Poe said deadpanned as he took a swig of his Jack Daniels. I made a childish face as he looked behind him, probably to check out our red haired busty waitress. Typical. Zodiac and Poe were respectively the certain class clown and troublemaker that had taken on boredom with me. We’ve been best friends since I was seventeen, and I loved them dearly.

Poe Henley was gorgeous. I mean on the ten- scale he was a twelve. His shiny pure golden blonde hair skimmed his pale eyebrows, and curled at the nape of his neck. His pale porcelain skin was radiant, and his light blue eyes were to die for. And all the ladies raved about it after they had there one night stand, hoping for something more so they chatted politely to his best friend (ME) to try and get on his good side. I had to hear about his eyes, his beautiful hair, and his man bits: daily. I knew he was good looking and I was sick of it.

Plus knowing he was so good looking did nothing; I repeat nothing for my self-esteem.

I sulked as I saw my reflection in the Carolina Diners window. A round fat face stared at me with an ugly pout, and long dyed turquoise hair that layered around my face and fell down over my chest. My hair was the only thing I could tolerate. I was an ugly whale, and I hated it. Today I had tried to hide the beached whale look by putting on a black Third eye blind hoodie, black skinny jeans and green converses. I’m sure it hadn’t hidden a thing. I wiped away some of my thick black eyeliner that encompassed my boring hazel green eyes, and sighed heavily.

“You look fine honey.” Zodiac whispered into my ear, as he squeezed my hand. How the hell did this asshole know? Dipshit. I smirked and took in his blood red hair that was long and disarrayed. His deep green eyes were the color of the emerald isle, and I’m sure his mother was thrilled at that fact. Zodiac Filan’s mother was one hundred percent Irish and had married Zodiacs father who was directly from Ireland. Whenever Poe and I had a conversation with her she always felt the need to bring out a fact about Ireland. How… enlightening. We usually made up an excuse though, as we high tailed it out of the house before she started.

“ Is there anything else you will need fellas?” Our red headed busty waitress asked Zodiac and Poe, she completely ignored me. Poe’s smiled spread predatorily, as he looked over her chest. I sighed. Poe had turned from troublemaker to Columbia’s number one man whore. Zodiac wasn’t so much a slut as Poe, but he reveled in the attention he received from numerous women. He was adorable looking and he knew it.

“No that’s all thanks Brenda.” He purred her name. She giggled and two seconds later gave Poe our check, and I noticed she wrote down her number. I rolled my eyes.

“Another slut, another sex romp tonight Zodi, guess I’ll be sleeping in your room.” I said as we stood up and walked out the Diner. Zodiac and I looked to Poe and started to laugh at Poe’s angry face.

“Dude chill.” I said. I stood on my tiptoes to give him a kiss on his pale cheek.

“Poe have I not taught you better than that? Letting some spick whore slobber all over you is an embarrassment to this family’s good name. I’m ashamed and so will your mother be after I tell her about what I’ve seen.”

I froze as I fell flat onto my feet. I saw Poe ‘s face-harden and Zodiacs face turn to stone. I sighed. It was Poe’s father Ryan Henley. I slowly turned around and looked up at Ryan’s disgusted looking face. More than a few times I had heard that derogatory term for Hispanics directed my way. But usually I kept doing what I was doing at that time, and moved on. I didn’t dwell on the pain, I couldn’t.

I shivered, as I looked deep into his pale blue-gray eyes. This had been going on as long as I could remember. I was kept a secret for so long due to Poe's father's beliefs. But one day when we were about eighteen: Poe and I had been hanging out on Zodiacs front porch. When Ryan drove by with a bunch of his equally racist friends and saw me sitting close to his son. He immediately stopped his car, hauled Poe up by his t- shirt and dragged him away. Later I found out from Poe that his Father made him go to a clan meeting to teach him right from wrong.

“Dad, I could care less about this family’s ‘good’ name. September has been my friend for seven years does that not say what I think about your beliefs?” He said through clenched teeth. He and his father were locked in a heated stare down. I stood next to Zodiac for a minute before deciding to hide behind his large- football player back.

“Listen to me boy, you’re an adult now I get that. But you better think about what comes out of that mouth before you speak to me. Ryan looked behind Zodiac and smirked. And if you want to go cavorting of with this barn animal that’s fine, but you best believe if she mucks up my reputation I am going to deal with her.”

My stomach clenched at his threat. Okay. There was a threat of harm being directed towards me because of my heritage. Niiice. You had good people here; good hard working people who practiced true Christian love. But it was these types of assholes that perpetuated the bad reputation that painted South Carolina as a racist state. Okay, it was very much racist back in the day, but we evolved a bit. Right?

“If you even come close to September or even dare to breathe near her Dad, you are going to make me do something that I am going to regret.” Poe said stepping a little bit closer to his father. I nervously played with the ends of my long blue- green hair, as electricity charged the air around us.

“I’m going to add something to Poe’s statement. Poe do you mind?” Zodiac asked with a humorless yet deadly smile on his freckled face.

Poe gave him a tight smile. “Not at all Zodi’ add away.” Zodiac sauntered lazily up to Ryan’s face. Damnit! I was exposed for Ryan to fully see me now. Poe’s back wasn’t as wide or large as Zodiacs, but it would do. I hid behind him and watched Zodiac battle our modern day Goliath. Zodiac’s 5 ft 11 frame was shorter than Ryan’s own 6 ft 2, but he made up for it in attitude.

“If I ever hear you refer to September as a ‘barn animal’, spick, or any other derogatory name. I will take a long piece of wood, shove it deep up your ass, and set you in the middle of a field.” Zodiac said balling his hands into fists. Ryan’s eyes showed anger but he held his tongue.

“Hey Sep. What would you call that?” Poe turned around to ask me. I wrung my hands and quirked my lips up in a timid smile. I was exposed again.

“A scarecrow.” Poe gave me a heart stopping lopsided grin, before turning around to face his dad again.

“Ya hear that dad? Now fuck off.” Poe spat. Ryan looked at Zodiac, Poe and then at me before angrily walking into the diner. Just like in the Bible story: Goliath was slain. Well, okay it wasn’t entirely like the story. Because I had a feeling we would be dealing with him again.

We collectively sighed, and started walking towards Zodiacs car. As we got in, me in the passenger seat, Zodiac at the drivers seat, and Poe in the back I felt the dark tension. I felt Zodiac’s annoyance, and Poe’s hurt and weariness. I sighed softly. Maybe boredom was a good thing after all?

“Soooo. How about those Yankees?” Zodiac asked trying to break the tension. I sighed again.

“ Is that all you’re going to do Sep, sigh?” Poe asked his voice rough and his words biting. I opened my eyes in surprise. Poe sounded angry with me.

“What else am I supposed to do Poe? Sing? Would like you a number from ‘Rent’ or ‘Bye Bye Birdie’?” I said wearily. Once again I stared at the trees as we passed by.

“No, your singing is atrocious. How about a fucking thank you instead.” He said icily. I turned around in my seat and stared incredulously at him. His blonde hair glinted in the sunlight and it made me squint for a minute before I spoke.

“Thank you Poe ever so much for defending me in front of your dick of a father! Would you want me to kiss your feet or find you a male prostitute to satiate your lust?” I said sarcastically. The hatred in Poe’s father eyes was getting to me. What was also getting to me was the fact that I directed his hatred onto myself. I should feel proud to be a Puerto Rican. Not shamed: Poe’s jaw clenched in fury. His cornflower blue eyes took on a dangerous glint.

He grabbed my shoulder with brute force and squeezed it painfully. I yelped as I felt the pain shooting through me.

“Get off of her Poe!” Zodiac yelled with a voice I never heard before. Commanding. He swerved suddenly to the right lane; in the process of him trying to pull over we were almost hit by a minivan. Poe and I screamed as the car jerked us forward.

“What the fuck Zodi?”

“This is not the Fast and the Furious jerk off!”

Zodiac put the car in park, and stared us down. He reminded me of a male version of Professor McGonagall from Harry Potter. I opened my mouth to tell him just that, but he put his abnormally large hand over my yapper muffling my words.

“We are all angry and some of us are hurt. But you two are taking that shit out on each other. The enemy is not Poe. He looked at me pointedly. And it’s not Sep’. He looked deeply at Poe. It’s unfortunately Ryan Henley. So if you wanna let out some steam…Poe call Brenda from the Diner later and sweat it out and September go to your room and play your emo-screamo shit and break apart your fucking room. The. Fucking. End.”

Zodiac set my mouth box my free, and waited for us to say something.

Poe and I looked at each other with our lips set in a grim line. Hazel- green clashed with Cornflower blue.

“Man whore.”

“It’s down the road, not across the street.”

Zodiac sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes.

“How’s the herpes?”

“Sacrificed any chickens lately?”

“Oh cause I’m a ‘supposed” emo, I somehow delve into the dark arts? You’re a dunce.”

“You’re the dunce. Just because I have a healthy sex life doesn’t mean I’m a man whore.”

“Pfft. Will Brenda be you’re fourth or fifth this week?”

Poe sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. He peeked at me through the crack of his fingers.

“Seventh.”

Zodiac’s short bark of laughter made me start to laugh.

“Are we done fighting now?” Poe asked his hand long forgotten now as his blue eyes stared hopefully into mine. He gave me an endearing pout. How could I say no to that? We’d been friends for seven years I couldn’t hold a grudge. It wasn’t Poe’s fault that his father was a bigot. In fact Poe had defended my honor. We were just angry and hurt, like Zodiac said. He as per usual was right. We needed to stop using each other as punching bags.

“We’re done.” I said giving him a small smile. Zodiac walked over to us and shook his head.

“You guys love to get under each others skin. This arguing thing has been going on for seven years already. Grow up, or take the vows.”

“Fuck that!”

“Get real, Zodi’!”

Poe and I yelled at the same time. I noticed Poe’s face was red, and by judging by the heat that emitted from my cheeks, so was I.

“Aww. I’m guessing by the red clown faces. I hit a nerve. Hehe.” He snickered smugly as he got in the car.

Poe and I stood there in silence. I looked at him, and he looked at me.

“I’m sorry Poe, for you know…” I said playing with the ends of my wildly colored hair.

“ I apologize too. I shouldn’t have put my hands on you and I shouldn’t have taken my anger out on you either. Dad just lit a fire in me and he wasn’t around to take the heat so…”

I nodded. A thought struck me just then. “Poe, what are we going to do about your father? He seemed serious about…”

Poe cut me off. “Just leave it to me September. I promise nothing’s going to happen to you.” He leaned down to give me a kiss on the forehead. I took his affections deep into my heart. I smiled up at him as he stepped back.

“So Sep taffeta or lace?” Zodiac yelled out the car window. Poe stood shaking his head; laughing while he lit up a cigarette. I gave Zodiac the finger and then proceeded to steal Poe’s cigarette to take a few puffs. Okay…my intentions were to smoke the whole thing.

“If you wanted a cigarette for yourself, all you had to do was be a big girl and ask.” Poe admonished.

“Shut it. You have supplied yourself with enough packs of cigarettes to see you into the next Millennia.” I said exhaling the cancerous fumes. Poe grunted in reply. When we finished smoking we walked to the car and got in.

“So having a ‘loving’ moment out there?” Zodiac teased wiggling his eyebrows.

“Zodi’ you know my heart only belongs to you. I’ve been planning our wedding since we met in Gym class. How does a traditional Irish wedding sound to you? You’re mother would love that! Oh and you’re little cousin Moira can be the flower girl and…” Zodiac put his hand over my mouth. I laughed internally as I saw Zodiacs eyes were wide with fear.

“If I stop teasing you and Poe. Will you promise not to ever, EVER say that shit again?”

I nodded. Zodiacs eye’s returned to its’ normal size. His hand left my mouth and I laughed. He shuddered as he started the car.

“ Soooo. How about those Yankees?” Poe asked from the back of the seat. I started to laugh again as Zodiac’s question from earlier made another entrance. This time Zodiac was the one to sigh. I turned around and grinned at Poe.

“They’re great. I hope they win the World Series this year.”

A/N: Well, my dear ladies and gents, this was Chapter one. I re- wrote the ending of this chapter like three or four times. But this seemed to fit: If you are asking why so much drama? I will explain. My personal philosophy is that you get to see the characters, know the characters and understand the characters when you put them in a strenuous situation. You get to see how they tick psychologically.

Oh and not a lot of Zodiac in this chapter, and there is a reason to that. We are seeing things through September’s eyes, and for her Poe’s the lead player in her life. But poor Zodi’ will have a story line. It will develop at a steady pace. Plus, if Poe appears a bit bi- polar to you, I am glad. He’s an up and down kind of guy. I’ll divulge in later chapters.

Septembers just an enigma, at least to me, I would love to hear what you think.

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