Mute Boy - Chapter Three

Another thing. Thank u Devon M. U really kept my spirits up to keep writing because I still feel guilty for it being so long also thanks to Suzanne I never use to think of myself as a good writer. By the way the picture is of June.

3. Disappointment.

I woke up feeling hopeful that today would be okay. I took my usual shower and got dressed. I tiptoed down the hallway in case anyone was still sleeping which turned out to be a wasted effort. Both of my parents were in the kitchen, my mom was in her lavender robe holding a mug of coffee. My mom only drank coffee when she was worried, and when she's worried it's usually about me. Her hair was a light brown that was graying even though she was only in her mid thirties. I got a lot of my looks from my dad, including my hair but I got my height from my mom, unfortunately. My dad was cooking breakfast over the stove. The smell of bacon and eggs made my mouth water.

I didn't have time to dwell on the smell of breakfast, this was not normal. My parents are never home in the mornings. Something was up. I sat on the stool near the counter and my parents both looked up. "Are you okay, Alec?" my mom asked in her caring voice. "Are you sure you want to go to school?"
I looked around for paper and something to write with, my dad left the room to find me something, I nodded. My dad came back with one of my notebooks and a pen. My mom still looked worried so I wrote 'I'm fine. I've even met a new friend.'

"Oh that's great! You should have him come over!" I wasn't going to correct my mom. It would be more of a surprise if I didn't. So I just nodded my head in agreement. She came over and kissed me on the head and then left the room. My dad then served me a breakfast feast that consisted of: bacon, eggs, hash browns, sausage, toast, and a nice cold glass of strawberry milk to wash it down. It was the most I've eaten in a while, so by the time I was done I was afraid the buttons on my pants would pop off. After I ate I got my school books ready and headed out for school.

As I was coming closer to the school I saw June and started to walk a little faster. She hadn't noticed me yet because her back was to me. I tapped her on the shoulder and she spun around quick and smiled. "Hi!" she exclaimed. She took a step away from me.
'What?' I wrote and handed her my notebook.
"Nothing. I just can't hold surprises for long." I looked at June with a very confused face. "I have to tell you something. Or really, show you something."
'Then show me!'
"I can't! Not until lunch!"

'Please?' I threw my sad face on her but gave me a look that was just so sad and pathetic looking, I gave in. I sighed silently and wrote, 'Fine.'
"Yay! I can't wait!" June jumped around in a sort of happy dance and was smiling her head off. I was glad I made her happy, but I wasn't glad that I had to wait. I hate surprises. But, Stella, I would do it for June. She was a girl that I feel I'll be close friends with. She already felt the same way when she first saw me. We walked to class together and I took my seat in the back and June took hers in the corner on the other side of the room. Man, class is going to be so boring. I thought.

The teacher (whose name I found out was Mr. Poe) called the classes' attention in that deep voice of his and we all turned to face him. "Okay everybody, today we are going to talk about force." I started to draw in my new notebook because I didn't feel like paying attention to his voice anymore.

"Murphy!" he roared. I lifted my head up in surprise. "How about you help me with a demonstration."He smiled a smile that could only mean he was going to make me do something humiliating. I stood up from my seat and slowly stepped to the front of the class. Mr. Poe pointed to the wall on the side of the room where my seat is. "Stand right there and put both of your hands on the wall." I did what he said and tried not to concentrate too hard about how this looks like I'm being held up by a cop. "Now push." I whipped my head side ways to look at the teacher. "I'm serious. Push the wall and try to move it. Yes Mrs. Adams?"
I was waiting for whoever it was to say something smart, "This doesn't seem that fair that Alec has to do this." I felt relieved that it was June. Her last name is Adams? I didn't know until now.

"It's just a demonstration. Now do as you're told Murphy!" I tried to push on the white and purple painted brick wall with all my might. Of course the wall didn't move so I heard the laughter of the other students. "While Murphy is doing that let's talk about how this relates to force!"
I was furious. He just hates me! And why does he only call me by my last name? It's not even Mr. Murphy, it's just Murphy. I listened to Mr. Poe drone on about how my situation involves force. I think he and everyone else in the class were just getting a kick out of watching me lean against a wall on my hands and see me get nowhere. I stopped pushing against the wall and turned around and sat against it.

"I did not say to stop!" Mr. Poe yelled. "Get back up so I can finish the lesson." I followed orders and got into position again. "Try pushing a little harder this time." I pushed all my weight on the wall. I don't know why I even tried to push it; it's not going to move. I was pretty sure this was illegal but I know the only person who would back me up is June. And no one would believe just us. So there was no one to turn to. I stood there for the rest of the class not listening to what the teacher said or the students' laughter. I just stood there like a statue in the same position the whole time. Occasionally my legs would cramp up but I stood my ground. It was not a situation that I enjoyed, Stella. I didn't understand why I had to push a wall for him to teach a lesson, especially since I wasn't even listening.

When the bell rang I ran to the back of the class grabbed my books and sprinted out the door. I ran all the way to geometry class without looking back. When I came into the classroom I finally slowed down enough to take my seat. June came in shortly after and sat next to me. I could feel her eyes glued to me but I stared straight forward. "That was not fair at all for you." She said. "I mean, I had a feeling he was gonna choose you but-"
I interrupted her by putting my notebook in her face it read, 'Wait what?'
"Mr. Poe is Mrs. Poe's husband. Mrs. Poe did that to one of her students when I was in her class in eighth grade. They always choose the student they think won't behave."

Ugh. Is all I wrote after hearing that and rolled my eyes? Mrs. Smith began her lesson and once again I forced myself to pay attention. I was getting better at geometry and knew a lot of the answers but when I raised my hand, she would just give me a sad look and pick a different kid. I understood why she did that but it was getting really annoying after a while. So I stopped raising my hand and just kept working. I was getting better at geometry so the class passed quickly and so did history, although that might have been because I fell asleep. Finally, it was time for lunch, and I was about to die if I didn't find out what the surprise was.

I bought my lunch and took the table I sat at yesterday. June sat down across from me once again and just stared at me with a smile on her face. I couldn't take it. I angrily flipped open and scratch down 'SO?!?' and shoved it in her face. She read it calmly and laughed. June looked behind her and waved at someone I couldn't see. My stomach felt uneasy, I was really nervous for some reason. Then he sat down next to June.
The boy was not what I had expected. He must have been a friend of June before I started to come here. Although something about them didn't seem like they were friends. For one thing they looked like they were completely different. The kid had black hair combed neatly and wore the clothes of an athlete. While June had her teased hair and had music lover written all over her. Well I guess it happens sometimes. There aren't many people like June.
"Alec? Here's the surprise!" I heard her say, and I looked up at her immediately. "This is Luke. He's my boyfriend."

When she said that it was like the fork she was holding stabbed right through my heart. I don't know why I felt this way I should be happy for her but all I could do is mouth boyfriend?
"I bet you are probably wondering how we got together, aren't you?" I nodded. "Well, I accidentally bumped into him when he was leaving football practice at the beginning of the year and he knocked me down. Even though he's a year older than us, he was just like a gentleman and helped me up. It was so sweet."

"And I didn't let her leave until I got her number" Luke said. All I thought was your lucky she liked you because if she didn't that would've been sexual harassment and almost laughed. Although it sickened me to my stomach that he was doing the cheesy thing and was finishing her sentences for her. It made me want to vomit, Stella. "Then we kept talking every night and we finally hooked up." As he finished the story June snuggled up with him and he wrapped an arm around her. Watching it made my heartache. There was a long silence after that and I was about to excuse myself when Luke finally spoke again. "So are you really Mute Boy? The one everyone been talkin' about?"

Mute Boy? Where did that nickname come from? I didn't like it and I certainly didn't want to be known by it. 'Do you have a problem with that?' I wrote and June looked up, read it, and gave me the stink eye.
"Of course he doesn't!" June exclaimed loudly.
"Yeah, I'm not judging." And he wrapped his arm tighter around her. June rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

As If he knew she wasn't looking, Luke gave me one of the most evil and smuggest grins I had ever seen. He had jerk written all over his face and it seemed to make me feel quite angry. How could June date a guy like him? He was completely wrong for her, Stella! Don't ask me how I knew, I just did. And it angered me even more every second I thought about it. I stood up from my seat. June seemed to perk her head up at that moment.

"Are you leaving already?" she asked. I almost stayed because I didn't want her to seem like I didn't like her surprise, but I didn't. I hated her surprise! What kind of surprise is that anyway? Who shows you their boyfriend as their surprise? I hated Luke with a passion and I knew he hated me to. He started it, though. I didn't do anything to him but I knew he hated me. So I might as well keep the feeling mutual. And I left.
I wasn't exactly sure where I was going but I soon realized I was outside by the school football field. I scowled at it. It just reminded me more of Luke. Why did I care so much? I'm sure he must be a nice guy when you get to know him. Maybe he's a little overprotective? Who knows? But one thing's for sure, June liked him a lot so I will try my best to befriend him.

I was heading back to the door I came out of but turned around. I decided that I didn't feel like going to class, even though I liked language arts. I just felt way too tired. So I walked to the side of the building, found a shady spot and fell asleep behind some bushes. It was perfect, I could sleep there without getting caught, and at the end of the day the bell will wake me up and I could meet up with June. I'm such a thinker. I sunk onto the grass and used my hands as a pillow. Sleep came to me fast so I must have been exhausted or something. I then had pleasant dreams of punching Luke in the face. I bet you could tell I went to sleep happy, Stella.

The sound of the school bell almost gave me a heart attack even though I knew it was going to go off eventually. I hopped up with excitement, wiped the drool off my face, and ran to the door that led me out here. I told June I would meet her at the front of the school so I didn't want to keep her waiting. I sprinted down hallways and passed teachers. By the time I was almost at the front of the school I remembered I forgot to go to my locker. I spun on my heel and power walked to my locker because I was tired. As I rounded the corner to the hallway where my locker was I almost walked face first into the football team. How unexpected? I thought things were like that to make scenes dramatic in movies?

I lifted my head up and saw it was the kid I bumped into yesterday. He flashed his teeth at me in a way that could only mean no good. I spun around once again and tried to make a run for it, but I was too late. Two of the football players grabbed me by the shoulders and yanked me back. They dragged me down the hall to where my locker was. How nice of them I thought sarcastically. They shoved me against the lockers and the guy I ran into cut through the small crowd. He just stood there with his arms crossed smiling. I didn't get was so funny, I had to meet up with June. Who are you? I mouthed hoping he would understand.
"Me? I'm Chris, Mute Boy. But we're not here for introductions; we're here to tell you something." Chris said this as if he were talking to a toddler. And there's that name again.

Mute Boy. What's up with that? I tried to listen to what he had to say so he would let me leave. "Okay I'm gonna make this as simple as possible. You better not mess with any of us because we'll beat the crap out of you. That means that at all costs you stay away from us." He seemed uneasy for some reason. As if he was afraid of something. It didn't make sense, Stella. "But I'm getting off topic this isn't only about you it's about June too." I wanted to know what he was going to say about her. "If, for some reason, something were to happen between her and Luke and we find out it's your fault. You're dead. And I'm serious. So for now we'll give you a little taste of what it will be like and don't think that life here is all fun and games because you should know that you'll always lose."

Horror filled the pit of my stomach when I figured out what he was saying. A huge fist flew towards me but I had no way to block it. No way to protect myself at all. The guys holding me were strong. The punch hit me in my gut and knocked air out of me. I crumpled to the floor which was a bad idea because they just kept kicking me constantly. I could hear them laughing above me and it got on my nerves. Who laughs at some ones pain? As the kicking slowed I looked in the distance and I could've sworn that I saw a head of neatly combed black hair round the corner of the hallway. I knew it was Luke. I didn't need any proof I knew it was him and I knew he knew that I wouldn't tell June about this. Not after this. Not after all the kicks, punches and Chris. He was a scary guy, someone I didn't want to mess with so I would try to steer clear of him.

When the football players finally had their fun they all just left. I was still on the ground with nothing more than a bleeding nose. The bruises hadn't come yet so I got up and stretched my now sore limbs. I practically limped to the front of the school but as soon as I saw June I walked as if nothing happened. She frowned when she saw me which frankly tore my heart up. "What took so long?" she pouted.
'Nosebleed' I wrote and showed her. Technically it wasn't a lie. I did get a nosebleed.
"How'd you manage that? And where were you this afternoon?"
'I'll tell you later'

"Okay" she said flatly. I could tell by her voice she was angry and didn't want to hear any crap that I might tell her.
We both walked towards my house. I asked June to come over during history before I fell asleep and how my mother would flip that my new friend is a girl. Not that she had anything about me having a friend that's a girl it's just not what she would expect. But I was happy June was coming with me even though I wasn't sure if I should tell her about what happened this afternoon. I liked her company. We walked the rest of the way to my house without a word (which is never hard for me). I couldn't wait to hang out with her at my house.
Plus I could figure out just exactly who she is.