FicWad

Jack’s POV
As I walked into school the next day I had my hair in my face and stared at my feet as usual. I didn’t want to re live the humiliation of my busted face, and I wanted to avoid Amy at all cost. I had successfully avoided my parents last night so they didn’t freak out. It was the first time in a while I had came home with an injury.

“So how is the face” Deek said as he leaned beside my locker.

“Fine” I said quickly. I was in no mood for chit chat today. Deek understood and didn’t make small talk with me. We just walked to math and I slept, he read. Lunch was what I dreaded. We decided to forgo our usual spot and sit out by the trees a few feet away. We sat down and began to eat in silence.

“I could use a smoke right now” I said, I stole one from Frank from time to time.

“Yeah I know, to bad your dad officially quit, it was to easy to steal from his secret stash” Deek said, we both laughed.

“You smiled, over cigarets. Your mom would freak if she knew” He said with a chuckle.

I saw Amy laughing at the lunch table with her new friends I assumed. She was with the people she fit in with, or the people that she thought she fit in with. I knew who she was deep down, she was in no way shallow like most would assume. She and I even as 11 year olds had semi deep life conversations. I got to know the girl she wanted to be, the one she was afraid to be because of her label and appearance. We made eye contact from across the yard. Neither smiled. She was hurt because I snapped at her, I knew that much. She broke away from my eyes and turned to laugh at Mike.

“I think you hurt her feelings” Deek said.

“She will get over it” I said and stood up.

“Where are you going” Deek asked as I walked away. I didn’t answer I was angry and maybe I was jealous. I went and stood behind the school and saw a guy smoking.

“Can I bum one” I asked him. He handed me one and lit it for me.

“Thanks” I said and inhaled the smoke. I needed to calm down, to relax.

“Now that is an awful habit to pick up” I heard Amy say before I turned to see her standing in front of me.

“What do you want” I asked angrily. She looked hurt again.

“An apology” She said.

“I have nothing to apologize for” I said and exhaled the smoke into her face. She coughed

“You do not intimidate me Jack Way” She said as she stood her ground. The guy with the cigarette took that as his cue to exit.

“You had no right to snap at me yesterday. I was concerned” She said crossing her arms over her chest. I didn’t respond.

“Are you ignoring me! What did I do” She was almost screaming.

“Nothing” I said.

“Then why are you acting like such a jerk” She said and walked closer to me.

“Why Mike?” I asked as I put out my cigaret, I immediately wished I had another one. “What” She asked.

“You are flirting and making eyes at that fucker. You know how he treats me and Deek” I said angrily.

“I am not flirting” She said innocently.

“No that innocent bit doesn’t work with me. I know You Amy, you are being such a fake. Next your gonna tell me your gonna cheer” I said and spit on the grown. She looked awkwardly at me.

“No” I said.

“They asked, I agreed. I like it” She said.

“What? Why do you want to fit in so badly” I asked.

“Why do you want to be so different. Do you like being talked about, laughed at, beat up, called names, ignored? I don’t enjoy that, I am sorry that I like being liked” She said, she was getting mad.

“I thought I knew you Amy, I thought you were different. But you are just like them” I said loudly, then walked off.

“Jack! Jack come back” I heard her scream but I ignored it. I would not waste another breath on her, I wouldn’t waste another thought either.

I can’t believe I had cared for her. No more! I got home and as usual marched up to my room avoiding anyone who was home. I grabbed my guitar and began to play something aggressive. Take my frustrations out on the instrument. I had defended her, I had a busted lip defending her. I hope she gets hers, I hope Mike messes her up!!! I played until I though my fingers would bleed. Then I reached into my drawer and pulled out my picture of her. I took my lighter out of my pocket and touched it to the paper.

“What is going on” I heard my dad ask from the door. I watched the picture catch aflame as I dropped it into my waste basket.

“Amy” he said looking down as the photo burned.

“Want to talk about it” He asked. I shook my head no. He stood there for a few more moments then patted my back and left. He knew I needed to be alone. I felt a little hand take my and looked down to see Angel. She stood there and held my hand as the picture burned. She seemed to always be around when I was hurt or sad. It was like she knew, she was like mom. I looked down at her and she rested her head on my arm. I picked her up and walked over to my bed and she sat on my lap.

“Was your day better than mine” I asked her, she could always calm me down.

“I spelled my whole name” she said proudly.

“That is way better than my day. Congratulation!” I said and hugged her. She reminded me of lives more innocent days.“

Don’t be sad brother” She said and planted a kiss on my cheek.

“I will try not to be” I said with a slight smile. She then got up and walked out. It made me upset to know that some day because of her looks she would be forced into a mold that did not fit her. Then when she didn’t fit into it she would be an out cast, a weirdo like me. I know that I would kill anyone who ever hurt her. I walked out of my room and past Lena’s I heard her talking to a friend.

“He is so cute and I want so much to be kissed. Like in a fairy tale” I cringed at the though of my sister being kissed. I would not do well with her having boyfriends. She was gonna be trouble, I could tell. She was so sweet and naive. I had to always watch out for her. I heard giggling coming from my parents room and decided to flee the area immediately. I went to see what was in the fridge, it was apparent mom was not fixing dinner tonight. I sat at the table and ate some warmed up chicken from the night before. Moments later dad walked into the kitchen smiling.

“Have a good nap” I asked with a laugh.

“Shut up” He said and shook his head grinning. He sat across from me and began to pick at my food.

“How did you get that shiner” He said. I didn’t answer him for a minute.

“Amy” I said. He shook his head, he understood what if it felt like to fight for a women. He had fought for my mom.

“Still trying to have another baby”I asked.

“Yeah but we stop after this year. We are not getting any younger” He said. I know how much they wanted one more, no one could figure out why it has been so hard.

“I mean we had all three of you unplanned. The second we plan for one we can’t seem to get pregnant” He said sadly.

“Do you think you should still be trying when you are gonna be recording again” I asked.

“She still wants to. She knows if we tour it wont be like it was” He said and picked off another piece of my chicken.

“Is it weird that we talk like this” He asked.

“I don’t think so” I said, we both grew silent.

“Well I told your mom I would bring her something to drink. We will be down in a bit” He said with a smile. I felt my cell phone vibrate

“Hello” I said knowing it could really only be Deek.

“I am bored, you should come over. We can play some video games and smoke some of my dads cigars” He said happily. Sounded like a good idea.

“Okay” I said and hung up the phone. I knocked on my parents door.

“Come In” I heard my mom say. I walked in and they were all snuggled on the bed watching tv.

“I am going over to Deeks, I need someone to take me” I said hating my lack on independence.

“I can take you” Dad said.

“Okay, I should go talk with the girls anyways” Mom said slipping out of my dads embrace. He smacked her butt as she got up and she giggled. They made me sick still.

“Ready” He said as he got up.

“Yeah” We headed to Deeks. We listened to the radio.

“You guys really have to make an album. Music is sucking again” I said disgusted with the current Music choices.

“Yeah the industry is getting stale again” he said as he turned into Deeks.

“I will be back at 9" He said as I slipped out of the car. I nodded my head in understanding then headed inside the house. Deek now lived with his dad, and well his dad was never home so we had the place to ourselves.

“That was quick” He said as we walked into his room.

“You said cigars and video games” I said and took a seat.

“Oh I forgot to mention beer” he said handing me one.

“Thanks” I said and popped open the lid. We played video games, smoked cigars, and drank a few beers. I loved hanging out at Deeks. Alcohol was in no way aloud in my house and now that dad doesn’t smoke it is hard to hide that kind of smell.

“I beat your ass again” Deek yelled.

“Damn” I said, we got serious about video games. By the time I left I was feeling the effects of the beer and I reeked of cigar smoke. I heard my dad beep the horn.

“Shit, I didn’t even think of how I was gonna cover this up” I said panicking.

“Tell him my dad smokes cigars” He said.

“Genius Deek” I said and slapped him on the back. I headed out to the car and crashed into the front seat.

“Have fun... You smell” He said and shot me a look.

“Deeks dad smokes cigars” I said. He gave me a look that told me he had been there done that and didn’t believe my bull.

“Right” he said. It went silent.

“Jack we have talked about this. I want you to be your own person and I know at your age all this seems fun but it will catch up with you” He said seriously. I had heard enough stories about dad to know how he felt about all of it.

“I know” I said wanting very much not to discuss it.

“Let your mom get a wif of you and you are a dead man” He said as we pulled into the driveway. I got out of the car, and walked right up to my room. I slipped into the shower, she would never know.