I Woke Up 124 by M.P. Arsent
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I quickly turned to Gordon and Aiden.
"The phrase you need to learn right now is 'no comment'."
"Got it."
We pushed our way through the people and started our jog. Only a couple of people were persistent enough to try and keep up with us. Karl joined us and they tried to get comments from him as well. The rest of the group was waiting for us as we completed our first lap. By the time we got back around for our second lap campus security had shown up and asked them all to leave.
We completed our laps without further incident and went and got our showers and changed for this last day of the week. We soon had our breakfast with only a few stares this morning and were off to classes.
Intro to Business went without a hitch as Mr McEmbers made it a point to get right into things and didn't give us a second to think about anything else.
Ethics went much the same way. Now I had an hour to kill before Accounting. I found myself an unfrequented corner and stayed quiet until it was time for Accounting. Mr Andrews did give me a look as I entered the class but nothing was said.
He set us a problem to work on and once we were finished and he verified our work we were free to go. When I was done I hot footed it back to the dorm and grabbed a premade sandwich from the cafeteria and headed up to my room. It would still be a couple of hours before the Apparatus room would be available.
I checked my email. The majority of it was spam, but there were a half dozen requests for interviews. Rather than just ignore them, I told them all no thank you.
There was a knock at my door and I didn't answer it.
"Dennis, it's Andy. I know you're in there."
I went and opened the door and Andy stepped in and closed it behind him.
"I heard about what happened last night and saw the circus this morning. You holding up ok?"
"Yeah I think I'll get through it. Just laying low until I can get to work on my gymnastics."
"You think they'll be alright with it?"
"I'm hoping so,but there is one guy on the squad who did get hit. I'm hoping he is ok with it and the team takes their lead from him."
"Anybody gives you anymore shit you come see me."
"I'll give you the same courtesy I gave the Dean. If it's just trash talking I'm not going to bother. If it goes beyond that then I'll say something."
"What about last night?"
"What about it? I hit his fist with my face."
"Yeah right. Later Dennis."
Andy left at that point and Pete came in followed closely by Gordon and Aiden.
"So how has day one of the seige gone so far?"
"So far after the press this morning, things haven't been to bad. I've gotten a couple of dirty looks but that's all. I'm hoping that's all I get at practice, but one of the guys on the squad got hit in all of that."
"Is the guy pretty level headed?"
"Normally yeah, but this is far from normal."
"Yeah I suppose. You want an escort just in case?"
"I don't think I'll need one, but thanks anyway. Gordon, you still want an entourage for dinner?"
"I would but I'm not going to make or even ask you to do it Den. I've got to stand on my own two feet at some point, might as well be now."
"OK, I don't know what Karl will want to be doing for supper tonight, but if he wants to go out we will."
"Fair enough. Later Den."
Gordon and Aiden left and I was just about ready to head over to the rec center when my phone rang. The ID said Chambers, D.
"Hey Dirk whatup?"
"Funny I was going to ask you the same question. There have been people all over town trying to find out stuff about you. They even came here asking questions about our court case, and asking what I thought of your involvement in the shooting up there."
"Damn I'm sorry Dirk. I have made a point not to read any of the papers or anything. What are they saying?"
"That it is a distinct possiblility that your run in with this guy and his ultimate expulsion from the college was directly responsible for him going off the deep end."
"Sounds like the press is only taking the parts of the press release they want and using them. I was told that the release made it a point that Grant had severe problems before he ever set foot on campus. That I wasn't responsible in any way."
"Sounds like the newspapers. You holding up okay?"
"Doing my best Dirk. Sorry you and everybody else got caught up in this."
"Shit happens. You take it easy and we'll catch up over the summer."
"Ok Dirk. You take it easy as well."
I hung up and wondered who would be calling next and just how much grief they had given Mrs Ohanlon and Karls parents? I was sure I'd hear all about it over supper.
I headed over to the rec center and got changed. As soon as I stepped into the apparatus room, I saw Dwayne. I figured there was no reason to put off speaking to him. I walked on over and he looked at me.
"Get it off your chest Dwayne."
"Dennis, there's nothing to get off. I made it a point to go over and get a full copy of the press release. That guy had problems before he ever got here according to the college. This was not your fault according to them. I choose to believe them because I think I know you better than to think you planned on something like this happening."
"I'm not that machiavellian by any stretch of the imagination, and thanks for taking the trouble."
With that off of my mind, I went over snd started to stretch out with the others who had shown up to practice. Today I went and did a complete run through of every piece of equipment. It was damn late by the time I finished and Karl was on the sidelines waiting for me.
"Little late to be going out to eat Den,but whatever you want to do."
"Whirlpool and shower and I'll think about it love. What news from home?"
"Oh you probably already heard about it I'm sure. Seems the press has been running all over town."
"And?"
"Well let's just say that mom has to go buy a new broom."
"Good for her. I'm betting they didn't fair any better with Mrs Ohanlon."
"Story I got was that she didn't even answer the door, just called the cops to have them removed."
"Probably better for the reporters that way."
"I'm sure as hell thinking so."
"Ok give me 15 and I'll meet you out front."
I didn't even bother with the whirlpool tonight and just took a good hot soaking shower and was soon enough out front with Karl.
"So how did things go today for you?"
"After the assault first thing this morning, things were pretty quiet. I got a few looks but nothing more. So, what shall we do for supper?"
"Your choice love."
"Let's hit Rons then."
Where we were running later than usual when we got there Paul of all people was on his way out.
"Dennis, Karl. The papers are saying it's your fault Denny. So what's the real deal?"
"Last time we were out here we told you what happened at the beginning of the year. According to what the Dean of Men told me, and the fact that the papers are seeming to ignore, is that the guy had problems long before he ever step foot on campus. The incidents that got him expelled were his own doing but I suppose the expullsion could very well have been the proverbial straw. Having said that let me also just say that I didn't file a complaint. The campus police reported the incident and the Deans office took over from there."
"Not the picture the papers are painting at all."
"I'm not surprised. They're in the business of selling paper,not necessarily the truth. How are we on the other thing?"
"You mean your being gay? I thought about it and you're right it doesn't change the people that I've gotten to know."
"Good to hear. We'll be seeing you around Paul. Right now I'm starving. Hey you ready for the onslaught tomorrow?"
"You mean the big grudge game? Yeah I think I can handle it."
"Hey next year you'll really be involved in it. Don't forget that."
"I'll worry about that next year. Later."
With that Karl and I made our way into the Rons. We found a booth for ourselves and Gladys was soon there to take our order.
"There's no special left at this point gents so its the regular menu."
"Than I guess it'll be the bacon cheeseburger with fries and a coke."
"Make it two Gladys."
"Medium well right?"
"Yeah."
Soon enough we had our food and we took our time eating tonight. It had slowed down considerably by the time we were finished and Ron came out to speak to us.
"I saw the paper this morning. How you you holding up Dennis?"
"I'll be fine Ron. A few days from now it'll be something else that grabs peoples attention."
"I sure as hell hope so. The papers have got it wrong don't they?"
"I've not looked at the papers or the news, but from what I'm hearing they didn't use the whole press release from the college. They used the portions that would sell papers. If they had used the whole release it would have been in there that the guy had problems long before he got to campus. Damn I'm getting tired of saying that."
"I'm sure you are. Well you guys take it easy and we'll see you whenever."
"Ok Ron. You try and take it easy too."
"Running this place? Ain't gonna happen."
Karl and I were soon enough on our way back to campus and made it back without any problems. We had our good night kiss and I made my way up to my room.
When I got to my door there was a heart on the dryboard. It wasn't all that late so I decided to give it a while before I decided whether or not to head over to the frat. I would have to go over there at some point if only to clean out my room.
I had waited a half hour and there was still no all clear message so I decided to head on over before it got too late.
When I walked in the front door there were a few guys around the main room and the place went silent.