Chapter Two: A Beautiful Puzzle
CREEEAK
"What the hell was that awful creaking sound? It's so annoying!" I thought.
CREEEAK
"Geez, this must be how hell sounds like except hotter and not pitch black."
CREEEAK
"Oh my god, just shut the hell up!" I yelled as I opened eyes. "Oh hell isn't pitch black."
"You're awake!" Lucas yelled. "Mom!"
"Will you quit yelling?" I groaned.
"Sorry, it's just that you've been out for--," he suddenly stopped to think. "A week or so."
"That long? Weird."
"What's even weirder is that you're alive. You were out there with a tornado and you're still alive. I'm glad you're still alive."
"Oh really? I thought you'd be pretty ticked off that I lived."
"What are you talking about?" Lucas asked puzzled.
"Don't play dumb," I said getting out of bed.
"Whoa, what are you doing. You need to get back into bed."
"Shut up. I hate you. You're fucking two faced."
"Dude, what the hell are you talking about? I thought we were friends."
"I'm sure friends don't choose between people to hang with. Especially one that holds you back when you have so much to offer the world. I'm going home," I said as I stormed out of his room.
Stumbling to the stairs, I walked down clenching the guardrails. Passing Mrs. Claire on the stairs as she was going up.
"Oh wait, Justin where are you going? You still need your rest," she said as she got to the top of the stairs. "Lucas where is he going?"
I got to the bottom and looked up at Lucas. He looked at me with his lips barely parted.
"Lucas, I'm talking to you. Go get him."
Lucas didn't budge; he just looked down at the hardwood flooring.
"Lucas!"
"WHAT?!"
Mrs. Claire stood there dumbfounded. She slapped her son for the first time across his face.
"Don't you dare raise your voice at me, young man. Now you go get Justin back here right this instance."
"Yes ma'am," Lucas said as he walked towards me.
I found my shoes, slipped them on, and walked out the front door. I walked a great distance and still wasn't at my place. I heard footsteps behind me so I stopped and sat in a field. Lucas caught up to me and flopped onto the field next to me.
"I'm morry," Lucas mumbled.
"What was that? I can't understand you."
Lucas pushed up off the ground and sat next to me.
"I'm sorry."
"Apology not accepted."
"What? Why not?"
"When you mean it, come back to me," I said as I walked away.
"I did mean it," Lucas said walking with me.
"Prove it. Dump those so-called people you call friends and show them that you're better than a bottom feeder. Until then you don't mean shit."
I walked towards my house and heard no more footsteps. I looked back and saw Lucas standing there starring at me, hands in his front pockets and biting his bottom lip. He shook his head and walked back towards his house.
I got back to my place, it was the same. Nothing had been moved from what I could tell. I walked to my room and collapsed on my bed. I looked up at the ceiling and thought about what I said to Lucas. Was I too hard on the guy? I mean yes his friends were douche bags but it's not my business to tell him what to do. Maybe he did mean it when he said he was sorry and I was like his friends, douche bags. Geez I'm putting too much thought into this. Time for bed.
The next day I got up ready for another day of high school, WOO HOO (that's sarcasm by the way)! I grabbed my bag and headed in the direction of school. I saw Lucas waiting outside his house so I decided to hang with him for the time being.
"Yo!" I yelled as I waved at him.
He looked at me with cold eyes and walked towards school.
"Yo Lucas, wait up," I said as I walked to him. "So what's new in school?"
"Go away," Lucas said as he walked faster.
"Are you worked up from what I said yesterday? Look I'm sorry. Now quit being such a lame ass and talk to me."
Lucas stopped and crossed his arms.
"See it wasn't that hard to forgive me now was it?"
"Look Justin. You don't mean shit. Just go back to the city, no one wants you here."
"Ouch man, that hurts."
"Well now you know how it feels. Just step off!"
I stood there watching him walk to school. I had this weird feeling in my chest. Was I sick? It felt like I was going to puke but when I opened my mouth there was nothing. Did I just get a taste of myself? That sounds so sick but you guys know I don't mean it in a sexual way. It's more like a slap to the face. Then it happened, the waterworks just took charge.
Just when I thought that the worst had come, I was wrong. Brett sped pass me in his junk heap causing a mini sandstorm in my own vicinity. I coughed and coughed and then I puked (nasty, I know). Sand got into my eyes and I couldn't see a thing.
CRUNCH
Footsteps were drawing near and a force pushed me to the ground. I rubbed my eyes constantly and when I opened them I saw Brett smirking in my face.
"Go home fag. Go home," was all that left Brett's chapped lips.
He kicked sand into my eyes and hurried to his car. I was alone. Again. I lost my only friend here in the country. I was--no I am worthless. Sitting on the dirt road, I wanted Brett to just come back and have his piece of junk run me over but I guess that's just going to far. Finally getting up, I dusted myself off and walked towards school.
When I finally got there, school had already begun. Late for the second time. Great, I'm leaving such a good impression on the faculty. Pushing the door open to my class, I realized that the room was empty well except for Ms. Alice of course.
"Oh there you are, Justin. I received word that you were returning today. The rest of the class went on a field trip. They won't be back for quite a while. You might as well go home."
"I can't go home. I'm not allowed," I said as I sat in my desk.
"It's ok. I give you permission--"
"I can go to that place but I can't go home. The city. That's my home."
"Oh well--"
"Ms. Alice, I have a question."
"Yes, what is it?"
"How do you live here?"
"What do you mean?"
"I know you're not from here."
"How can you tell?"
"Well for one thing your breasts are fake. Your face is heavy in plastic surgery. Your hair isn't real, it's a wig. You're not a biological woman. You're a transgender woman."
"Wow you're very observant, aren't you?"
"I have nothing better to do here. So why are you here?"
"Well to tell you the truth. I wasn't happy where I was. So when I got this big change my father disowned me and I had nowhere to go. So I moved here and made a new life here. You're the only one that can tell my past. I applaud you for that."
"So what was your name before Alice?"
"What makes you think that Alice isn't my surname?"
"Because your father's unlimited love ran out for you and you don't want to be a burden to your family and you don't want to be found."
"Are you some sort of mind reader?"
"If I were one, you'd know by now."
"Michael. Michael Thomas."
"Hmm. I like Alice better."
"Thank you," Alice smiled.
"Do you ever look back and think that what you did was wrong?"
"Do you see yourself as a mistake?"
"Point taken."
"So how are you adjusting to life here?"
"I'm not. Everyone around my age hate my guts."
"Even Lucas?"
"Yeah even him."
"I thought you two were friends."
"Friendships end easily in my case."
"Was it because he found out that you are a homosexual?"
"No it was because--"
Was I really going to pour out every detail of my life with my teacher? Things that go on between me and Lucas are private. Well so was her life that I pretty much exposed. No, it was her choice to expose herself. Things between me and Lucas are private. I have to accept that.
"Justin?"
"Sorry I was thinking about some stuff. Yeah, it was because of my sexuality."
"Well he doesn't deserve to be your friend if he can't accept you for who you are. You and me. We'll stick together from now on. How do you feel about that?"
"Me, having a relationship with my teacher. Isn't that bad?"
"We can keep it a secret."
"This is going to result in me being the teacher's pet, isn't it?"
"Probably. Most likely. But look at it this way. You won't be alone anymore."
"And neither will you," I replied.
"So is it deal?" as she held out her hand.
"Deal," I agreed as I shook her hand.
As we walked out of the school, Alice stopped and turned to me.
"Well I guess this is where we part ways."
"You live at the school?"
"The location of my home is no business of yours."
"I'm not hearing a no."
"You're not getting anything from me. Just go home."
"Fine. See you tomorrow."
We both smiled at each other then I walked back home. The place was deserted and it was unusually quiet when I got home. Probably because my family was back home and I lived all alone. I guess it finally struck me that I was alone in this world and I could never go back. My friends and family, I could barely picture them here with me. There images were broken in my mind. One person seemed to fill that spot and that was Alice. She seemed like the only person I could relate back to and same went with her.
It wasn't time to go to bed so I grabbed my stereo, hooked up my ipod, pick out a song and started to rehearse a dance that would never be seen by the people that I love. I was dancing to "Waters of Nazareth". It's a great song. No lyrics so it's awesome to my style of hip hop dancing. While rehearsing, I lost all train of thought and just kept repeating and repeating the steps. As I was reaching the end, I slipped and fell on the hardwood floor. I wanted to just lay there but someone helped me up. I looked up and saw Lucas.
"You okay?" he said in the most sincere way.