Freak - Chapter 1

Alex looked reluctant face task ahead of him. He didn’t want to do the presentation. Well not only because he hadn’t properly prepared it, but also for the lack of time he’d had. Couldn’t they see he had more important matters to focus on other than school?

“So?”- Mrs. Cannon asked-“Doing the presentation or not Mr. Higgins?”-she added a sarcastic face with the saying, which made the class turn staring at him, and Alex hated when people did that.

“Uh…yea, I mean, yes Mrs. Cannon”-he babbled. He was really nervous about speaking in public as always-“just a second, I’m just…”-he gathered a bunch of paper in his desk-“ok, I got it. Thank you for…-he lost his balance, dropping all his work onto the classroom’s floor.

The bell rang, and all his classmates hurried out the door with in fuzz, laughing and gossiping, obviously at what had just happened, which only contributed to making him feel even worse. Mrs. Cannon rolled her eyes, looking deeply annoyed -“You’ll do your presentation on thursday Higgins. Now pick everything up and close the door behind you when you leave”. She started heading towards the door remarking-“…always the same Higgins, it’s unbelievable”.

He found himself alone in the room. Picking up all of his papers, he put them back into his messenger’s bag. He leaned against the wall and slid his back against it till he sat on the floor. Tired. He was deeply tired of all this and couldn’t wait for school to end. Besides, where would History be of any use to him? Except if he signed up for one of those question answering television contests which, lets make clear, he wouldn’t, his life was embarrassing and ridiculous enough as it was, let alone with those. The fact that he was in a new school didn’t help neither. He’d moved there since the beginning of the school year, and was he sick already.

‘Alex?’ A voice came in from the door interrupting his thoughts. ‘Oh there you are! Where else, right?’ A boy stood there. He was tall, taller than Alex, which was hard since he wasn’t that short himself. He had black silky hair, styled in this “emoish” way, with some purple stripes to it. His eyes were highly unique and of a deep turquoise, very bright, with some yellow reflexes to it, as if out of a drawing. The boy was very skinny aswell, and wore some black skinny pants with a colourful t-shirt, “Fosters home for imaginary friends” he noticed. Yes, that was probably the reason that made him manage to step foot in that school for so long now. That was Spike, one of the few people he could call friend since he’d gotten there.

‘Hey, you listening to me?’ he realized Spike had just moved closer to him and was now kneeling down on the floor next to him.

‘Oh yeah, was just…’

‘Cleaning the floor with your clothes?’ Spike stood up and gently offered him a hand, as if to help him up, raising his eyebrows to go with the teasing smile and the sarcastic tone on his voice.

‘What?’ He sounded a bit confused, and looked around himself - ‘Oh that, no…’ – he laughed a little and took the other boy’s hand and he helped himself up.

‘I was wondering where you’d gone, but you’re still here strangely enough.’

‘Don’t be meany now Spike’- he frowned face the teasing smile on his friend’s face.

‘Okay, okay, sorry now’- Spike moved his arm easily around Alex’s shoulders, due to his height – ‘You just make it so easy though.’

As they stepped out of the classroom door, Spike holding Alex’s bag, they had a stop by their lockets, which were right next to each other.

‘So Alex, are you so sad you can’t stand on your feet anymore, or was that just a lame attempt to cry out for attention?’ he looked to his left and saw a classmate of his and a bunch of others who quickly laughed at the guy’s little attempt for a joke.

Spike, whose locker was just to Alex’s right, had been missed out by the jokers due to his locker’s door being open, and closed it noisily, throwing a nasty look at them. Spike could easily overpower them, which he could tell they knew and made them scared, was even a good 2 inches taller than the guys.

‘Now, now “Brat” why don’t you leave him alone and go bother someone with your own IQ? Oh wait, you can’t beat up preschool kids can you? Dang…’Alex thought of letting out a laugh but quickly hide it.

‘Name is Brad you moron!’. The look on the guy’s face was both angry and frustrated; he knew he couldn’t stand against Spike.

‘Oh I knew that, but brat just fits you so much better! Now if you’ll excuse us, we have stuff to do other than studying the behaviour of an inferior subspecies’ Spike smiled sarcastically, it could tell he was enjoying himself. To this, Brad turned to Alex, along with his mates, and directed his speech at Alex.

‘Need your boyfriend to stand up to you now do you? Can’t even defend yourself you…’

‘He can brat’- Spike interrupted - I just find so much joy in doing it that I get in his way’. Alex couldn’t be more relieved by the intervention, he never knew what to answer in these kinds of situations; he was too shy. This, however, made Brad look defiantly towards Spike, whom replied with a “what??” look.

‘Shall we Alex?’ Alex couldn’t hear him though. His mind had frozen when Brad mentioned Spike as his boyfriend. Had he noticed it aswell? It wasn’t even like he saw Spike in that way or anything, he didn’t; he couldn’t possibly like another guy… Did Brad really mean it? Did he think it looked that way? And why on earth didn’t Spike argument on that? Spike didn’t seem worried at all, it’s like he hadn’t even heard it! Was he actually okay with people thinking that about him? Maybe he was just freaking out for no reason; maybe the reason why he didn’t say anything was that he…

‘Hey, Alex? You hearing me?’ Was he talking to him? He could tell Spike looked dazzled, trying to figure out what was going on inside his head.

‘Maybe your girlfriend froze with fear; see the shocked look on his face?’ Brad speaking sounded stupid to him, but that had made his groupies laugh along again at another one of his humourless attempts for a joke.

‘Why don’t you shut it before I make you “freeze with fear” by shutting you up myself?’

The guy shot a last look at Spike. ‘Let’s go guys.’

As they all walked away from the two of them, Spike placed a hand on Alex’s shoulder –‘Hey, you okay?’ Don’t listen to what those “wannabe bullies” say, they’re just plain ignorant jerks with no life, and find nothing better to do but to pick on others.’

Alex’s eyes widened. Was he touching him? Was that…? No, he was being paranoid! That was his friend; friends do that kind of things all the time, it’s no big thing… But why had Brad’ words got to him?

‘Huh yea, right’ –he hadn’t really listened, his mind was someplace else – ‘and thanks for backing me up there.’ – He drew a gentle smile on his face, but quickly regretted in and cleared his throat, as to sound manlier. ‘No problem’- Spike said, who didn’t seem to have noticed that though and a smile widened on his lips- ‘Always there for you, you know that.’

And as a matter of fact he did know it. Spike was a smart guy, the smartest there really. He always got straight A’s in every class, and despite that he had always been… well cool!, and with a great attitude, one that kicked Bradford Red’s ass necessary, as he had just witnessed in first hand. Coming to think about it, you wouldn’t make all that just by looking at him. Spike looked like your deviant school-skipping rebel kind of kid but, as he had discovered over the past few months, there was a lot more to Spike than met the eye.

‘So’ – Spike took a look at his watch- ‘it has been twenty five minutes since the bell rang, that meaning school’s ended.’

‘Oh – Alex followed the movement and took a quick look at the clock hanging on the school’s corridor- ‘you’re right. Sorry I made you wait’- he slammed his locker’s door closed.

‘No problem’- Spike smiled-‘I don’t mind. So want to grab something to eat? We can make a stop by that cool little pasta house on the way to Broken Edge, and go home or hit a movie afterwards or something. It’s Thursday after all and tomorrow being a holiday, we have a long weekend ahead of us.’ The look on Spike’s face was so happily natural that Alex wished he could have captured the moment and kept it a while longer. He found himself lost again but quickly recovered before his friend noticed and the situation got awkward. ‘Sounds great to me.’- Alex answered with a cute smile but quickly remembered- ‘And by the way, my parents will be going out of town to visit grandmother Lucy during the weekend’-the smile on his face quickly changed to a indecisive expression, not knowing what reaction to expect from his friend- ‘and they’ll be staying there. they’ll be taking my little sister, but they’ve also given me the choice of not going with them, since I went last time, and they trust I’m old enough to stay home by myself and all.’

‘Awe, little Alexander is all grown up now isn’t he?’ Spike spoke sarcastically, but adorably, as he pinched Alex’s cheek mimicking what old ladies do to children. Alex however frowned and shove Spike’s hand off.

‘They don’t call me that; nor laugh at me, cut it out…’ Spike didn’t seem to care for the intimidating gaze he gave him though. ‘Sorry, but you look too cute when you’re mad like that.’

‘Huh…’- he blushed heavily. Could that be noticed?

‘Awe he blushed on me!’ Well apparently it could. Spike laughed softly while covering his mouth; this made Alex throw another discontent gaze at him. ‘Sorry, sorry… You were saying?’

‘Oh, right. I mean, I don’t know if I’m going or not just yet… I guess it depends on what you’ll be doing this weekend.’

‘How so?’- Spike seemed intrigued.

‘Well,’- he looked down so Spike couldn’t tell the shyness he was sure his eyes reflected. He never handled requests like this well, even if it was just a friend - ‘if you don’t have something particularly interesting planed out for the weekend maybe you could stay at my place you know, hang out and all.’

‘Loved to!’ The tone on his friend’s voice went up in an excited and thrilled way that made Alex jump back at the suddenness as he let out a wide smile to go with it. ‘I’m bore to death of my parents already and I’m sure it’s reciprocated, so they’ll give me the thumbs up anyways. We just need to stop by my house to get my stuff and then we’ll head off to yours.’

They had been walking for a while now and could no longer see the school behind them. Spike pulled on Alex’s arm, changing their direction from the pasta restaurant to his place and started walking faster in content with himself and the just made plans. Alex stopped abruptly.

‘Wow Spike, wait…’ Spike stopped too and turned his head back in a questioning manner, as if asking why they had stopped. Alex continued- ‘I have plenty of stuff at home that you can wear!, besides, it’s not like you need to look perfect or anything when it’s a guy’s weekend right?’ Spike thought about it for a minute and then changed his expression to one of agreement. ‘Right…’ - Spike laughed softly- ‘I’ll just call my mother when I get to your place.’

‘Good. All I need to do is let my mother know I’m staying. I’ll text her…- he got his mobile out and started clicking the buttons at light speed- ‘she is probably picking up Kiki to leave by now so I think they’ll be going directly to my granny’s house.’- he put his mobile back onto his pocket- ‘There.’

‘‘kay cool. So where’re we heading now, your place?’

‘Either that or the pasta house. I have food at home though.’

‘Hmmm…’

‘And yes, you can eat it! I’ll make you something. You forget I’m a vegan too now?’

‘Right’- Spike pointed up in understanding, Alex could tell he’d forgotten about that detail-‘Okay, then your house it is.’ –Spike smiled and Alex was happy to make lunch for both of them.

That was another thing about Spike, he was vegan. To top all the things that were good about him, and having a friend like him, he neither ate nor wore animals, and he had recently turned him vegan aswell. He had now started seeing Spike as a role model of some kind, for everything Spike did just seemed to contribute more to his already existing perfection as a person; a person whom Alex would one day like to be as.

It hadn’t been that hard on him to get his parents to accept this change in his life. Thought they laughed a little at first and didn’t think it would last long, they’d sent him to a nutritionist and all since the major concern was their “baby boy’s” health. And not drinking cow milk or other dairy products hadn’t been that much of a change neither since his mother had always been a soy milk/soy products nutty. She loved all of those things and Alex had been brought up to like them aswell so it was easy for him in that aspect.

‘A penny for your thoughts?’ The sound of Spike’s voice seemed to bring him back to reality.

‘Uhm? Oh, it’s nothing.’ – he realised he’d been awkwardly silent for a while now and they were almost arriving at his house.

‘Well I’m certainly not wasting a penny on that!’ Spike said sarcastically which made Alex laugh slightly -‘Care to develop?’

‘I know, but really it’s nothing. Just wondering what we’ll do with so much time on our hands!’

‘I’m positive we’ll figure something out’- Spike winked at him while opening the garden gate.

‘I’m sure too!’ Alex had livened up and smiled happily.

The two boys went up the few steps on the porch and made their way into the house. It would be a long weekend….They had no idea.

‘Morning sleepy head…’

That such caring voice woke Alex up but it didn’t seem to be his mother’s. He opened one eye, half sleepy, half curious and thanked that whoever it was this person waking him up was kind enough to not to let too much light in the room; it was so hard when he was forced to wake into a room filled with an astounding amount of brightness. He slowly started finding shape, and then Spike’s face appeared before him, clear as ever. He remembered now. Spike was staying over for the weekend. Flashes of the previous night flooded him rapidly.

After having a very light, very healthy lunch, they went outside for a swim in the pool until dusk. For dinner they had popcorns and candy, staying the first half of the night playing monopoly and talking about life; Spike always won at monopoly, he was far more gifted the game than Alex was and smarter too. The other half was spent watching promiscuous teenage comedies and laughing stupidly. Strangely enough he couldn’t recall coming to bed at all. Maybe they’d drank or something, though he had no memory of that neither, and he’d came to bed on his own just too drunk to remember any of it. It was still not fitting…

‘How did I…?’

‘You fast asleep halfway through American Pie’- Spike had already made out the question without him even finishing it; he laughed softly and carried on explaining- ‘I carried you up here and laid you to bed. You just seemed so awkwardly uncomfortable in that strange pose you were sleeping in on the sofa. Didn’t want your back to hurt.’ Spike’s smile was caring like parent.

‘Oh’- he was definitely not expecting that as an outcome- ‘thanks but… where did you…?’

‘There.’ Spike pointed out to the floor showing a sleeping bag and a pillow all in an organize mess, clearly showing someone had just slept there. Spike had guessed what he wanted to say again, and he went on- ‘I remember where you’d left them last time.’- Spike drew a smile that was both adorable and proud, proud of himself for being so useful and handling the situation so well without any help.

‘Dude’- Alex just waved his head in astonishment- ‘you’re the best!’

‘Yea, I know.’ Spike did have a reason to play perfect.

Both boys laughed. Alex found it comforting in a way that though Spike and him were about the same age, few months difference, Spike was a year ahead and acted like it aswell. Sometimes he’d just acted like a mother and truth is, Alex didn’t care that much. He liked the way Spike treated him.

‘So, want to go downstairs with me and have some pancakes? I just baked some.’- Spike’s tone was kind and slow, not forgetting that Alex had just woke- ‘You have fresh squeezed orange juice and syrup, jam and chocolate to go in the pancakes’- Spike widened a smile and winked at him playfully- ‘All vegan obviously!’

‘Don’t mind if I do!’

The getting up process took Alex ten more minutes, during which Spike had been hit by sleep again and was now joining him, eyes closed and laying down next to him on the bed.

‘What time is it?’ Neither one of them could be arsed to open their eyes.

‘About ten…’- Spike spoke vaguely, still not opening his eyes.

‘Why didn’t you let me sleep until noon?’- The tone on his voice was a bit cranky.

‘Couldn’t sleep again. Though now...’- Spike’s tone let him know he was getting sleepy again- ‘Besides, you just had to try on my pancakes.’

‘So that’s what it is about! I see...’

Spike rolled over Alex playfully in response, while he tried to fight him back kicking and punching with harmless intentions. Spike finally got tired and rolled back to where he had been, breathing heavily. Alex, though he didn’t leave his spot, was equally tired from resisting.

‘Didn’t you have rehearsal today or something?’

‘Still do, but I called in saying I’d miss it already in the morning. After all you invited me over, so...’

‘You dumbass! I’ll go with you!’-he rushed up the bed and pulled on Spike’s arm- ‘Come on, when were you supposed to get there?’

‘Ten thirty...’- Spike pulled back on Alex’s arm making him fall on top of him- ‘Ouch!’- Spike contracted a little with a smirk.

‘Well who told you to pull me?’- he punched his friend’s stomach as to make him moan with pain again- ‘Now let’s go, come on! Up!’ Spike whined sleepily.

‘Hmpff... What happened to “wake me up at noon”’?

‘We don’t want to make your pancakes cold now do we?’ his smile was ironic and made Spike respond.

‘Alright, alright, we’ll go!’- Spike rolled his eyes teasingly- ‘Damn you can be annoying.’

Alex showed a bit concern at this but it soon vanished when Spike winked at him and he realised it was a joke and his friend wasn’t actually annoyed.

‘Tell you what...’- Spike’s tone was intriguing and Alex took and extra moment to pay attention to what he was about to say- ‘...I’ll even race you downstairs!’ his distraction cost him. When he finished acknowledging what Spike has just said he could no longer see him, only hear him running down the stairs rapidly.

‘Oi! Unfair!’-he started getting up, both amused and frustrated- ‘That’s cheating!’ At least Spike had gotten out of bed. The voice he heard sounded distant; Alex could tell Spike had already reached the kitchen, on the bottom floor of the house for he could make out the sounds of plates and even the refrigerator door.

‘No it isn’t!’ – Spike yelled from downstairs and Alex started going down the stairs cheerfully in a not too rushed compass- ‘Now rush! We have like twenty minutes if we plan on making it there in time!’