Chapter Text
It was the middle of the year and here he was at new school; a common theme for Joel Heyman.
He always seemed to get into some sort of trouble or another and have to start fresh, half way through the school year. It was one of the main reasons he tended to stay away from people, just incase he ended up having to say goodbye, again.
He hated to goodbyes.
Memories of the goodbyes a younger boy spoke to his dad before he left, walking out on him and his mom forever. The years later, a similar farewell sticking to Joel’s throat when it was his mother’s turn to go, her sickness forcing him to say goodbye again.
Joel had been put into a care home soon after, never wanting to get too close to anyone at school or in the close knit house. He had feared having to say goodbye again, creating relationships that would only be severed, losing those around him again.
Eventually, he did make some friends, the household’s unwavering determination to break Joel’s chilling defense winning in the end.
The home is the only place where Joel doesn’t have to worry about saying goodbye to anyone, ever. At least not anymore. Not since Joel got old enough to realize that he although was going to be without parents for the rest of his life, it didn’t mean he couldn’t have anyone else.
There’s Geoff, a skinny guy with dark locks, half-lidded eyes and a sleepy grin, the teen just recently starting to collect tattoos along his right arm, similar to the ones he used to draw on his arms with pen each and every day in middle school, driving his teachers insane.
Geoff was the first guy Joel had ever really called a ‘friend’. As soon as he arrived at the group home, Geoff was the first to begin cracking at Joel’s shell.
Another friend being Gus, who at the beginning, Joel was actually pretty afraid to go anywhere near with his icy glares and spiteful attitude, later proving that he was only just be as grumpy as Joel was, and they soon bonded over how grumpy both of them were.
Michael, who everyone just called ‘Burnie’, because let’s face it, there are already too many Michaels in the world. He was more of a joker and had helped Geoff in bringing Joel out of his state of, in Burnie’s words, ‘being a dickward’, attending the school that Joel had just been transferred to.
Finally, Kara, the only girl in the house, having her own room at the back of the house. She constantly makes fun of the other guys for having to share a room together, she had been given her own room near the beginning of them being put together, just incase the other guys ever tried to pull anything, but she knew they wouldn’t, and besides, if they did she could easily beat them black and blue.
The five live under the care of their two carers. Matt, who they jokily nickname ‘Sarge’ for making sure the group know their place and Kathleen, nicknamed ‘Tex’ for her fiery Texas spirit.
They live in a house just small enough for the group to live comfortably, located near several schools, and to Joel, it is more of a home than any of the houses he had resided in before.
-
Joel knew it. As soon as he stepped foot into the new grounds of C.B Academy, people are already afraid of him, their eyes flitting to the ground at any eye contact he made. Maybe it was that Joel was in grade twelve, maybe it was the hard expression he always wears on his face and the way he towers over most of the other students in his grade or maybe even because they’ve heard things from other schools.
Still, it doesn’t bother Joel that much, he just wants to turn eighteen, get his record wiped and pass high school so he’ll get into an acting school and never have to think about every high school he’s been to ever again.
Joel and his friends were setting off to California by the end of the year (if all of them managed to reach graduation, that is) and hopefully start something there, but Joel has a feeling that they’re all just going to end up still in Austin, so Joel’s been applying secretly for acting schools around the area, just in case.
Joel walks the halls, concentrating on the new schedule in hand, looking down at the ink on the page rather than up at his surroundings.
Joel feels someone bump into him, knocking him off his balance. He grabs the side of a locker for support and shoots an automatic glare at the person who pushed into him.
Expecting a high school jock with a cocky attitude and a letterman jacket to prove his status and attitude, he finds himself looking down a scared looking, dark-skinned kid. Thick, chunky glasses sit on his nose, dark hair mopped on his head.
“Ah- Shit... Sorry.” The kid sounds nervous, fear radiating from his face as he clutches to a strap on his bag.
Joel stays silent a moment before replying. “Its no problem.”
The younger continues to look up at Joel with wide, dark brown eyes before dashing away down the hall, head down.
Joel keeps looking in the kid’s direction for a moment before looking back down at his schedule, trying to finding his way once again. He smiled to himself, damn, that kid really was cute as hell. Cuter than any other guy at any of the other schools he had the pleasure of attending.
The raven haired teen sighed, time to get to class.
-
The first part of the day drags, math boring and science making Joel want to pour the acid all over his body instead of in the test tube.
Lunch comes by and Joel suddenly realises he has nothing in his pockets or his bag for lunch. Cursing himself for forgetting it at the home for yet another time he starts to walk to the washroom, deciding to stop their quickly before trying to find Burnie, so he's at least not alone during the lunch hour.
Joel turns around a corner, expecting an empty hallway but being met, once again, by the boy from before. However, this time he was being held with his arms behind his back by another, backpack and contents strung across the floor, whilst a second boy stood in front the restrained boy, inflicting punches to his chest and stomach, getting in the smaller boy’s bruised face.
“Please- you can have my money- just let go!” The boy yells pathetically, squirming.
As Joel got closer he could see the tears streaming down his face in from the torment and humiliation.
“Shut it, you illegal immigrant.” The attacker growls, landing another punch that makes smaller boy wheeze out in pain.
“You're lucky that it’s us and not the government, do you even know what they do to specs like you?” The other boy adds with a wolfish grin.
Joel’s immediately speeds up his pace, shouting at the pair. “What the fuck are you doing!?”
The two boys look to Joel's presence, the taller of the two ceasing his beating to speak. “And just who the fuck are you?”
“None of your goddamn business." Joel spits back, throwing his own backpack onto the floor with a demand."Now let him go.”
“What are you? His boyfriend?" The second teen let back his head in a laugh, still gripping the boy's arms. "I knew he was a little fag.”
The next thing Joel sees is red, and before he knows it he has the cocky prick pressed up against the locker, growling dangerously in his ear, voice low and deadly. “Leave. Him. The fuck. Alone.”
The student freezes up against the locker doors, feet just touching the floor as his suddenly terrified eyes flicker to his accomplice, speaking quickly and nervously. “Fine- Fine, man... J-just chill the hell out.”
Joel lets out a exhale of calm, dropping the whimpering teen to the floor, watching him crumble to the floor with wide eyes. He watches him rise speedily, muttering something under his breath as he runs off with his friend, leaving Joel and the smaller, bruised boy, his body crumpled on the floor like a piece of paper.
Joel turns and kneels beside the other, concern in his eyes as he carefully helps him sit up.
“Are you alright?” Joel asks, holding up the younger boy’s back.
The kid nods silently, picking up his glasses from the ground and slipping them back on.
Joel notices blood drying under his nose, tears staining his cheeks.
“We should get you to the nurse.” Joel decides, rubbing the younger boy’s cheeks a couple of times with the sleeve of his sweatshirt.
The kid nods again and Joel helps him onto his feet, lets the boy use him for support.
Joel picks up the boy’s backpack along with his own, slinging them over his free shoulder as they start on their way towards the nurse’s office.
Joel would explain to Burnie where he’d gone later, as out of character as it seemed he felt like this is one of the times he has to step out of the shadows and help someone.
Maybe he is doing this out of good will, but Joel's currently racing heart probably has something more to do with it.
Reaching the nurse’s office, Joel pushes open the door, letting their bags fall to the floor with a relieved grunt.
The woman behind the desk immediately jumps up, looks appalled at the state of the younger boy.
“Oh God, what on earth happened?” She asks, pushing back her chair and bustling over to them.
“Two guys were beating him up. Please make sure he’s okay.”
“Oh, sweetie...” The woman’s face was a mess of sympathy. “Can you tell me your name?”
“Ray... Ray Narvaez Jr.” The kid replies quietly, face sullen.
Ray. Joel makes a mental note of the name.
“Will you help me get him to a cot so I can go find the nurse?” The woman inquires, looking up at Joel.
“Yeah, sure.” Joel responds.
The woman tries her best to get Ray’s other arm around her shoulders but it proves difficult thanks to her short size compared to Joel, who was already keeping Ray up unaided.
The two manage to get Ray laid down on one of the thin cots, the well-intentioned woman not being much help.
“I’ll go get Mrs. Wilson.” She smiles, patting down the wrinkles out of her skirt before trotting away.
Joel grabs the chair from the other side of the room, pulling it over to Ray’s bedside, sitting down.
“You alright?” Joel asks, trying to make small talk as he drums his fingers against his knee cap.
“Yeah, I’m used to it.” Ray replies, looking to Joel meekly. ”You didn’t have to bring me here, y’know. You can leave.”
“Do you want me to go find a friend or something?” Joel asks.
“My friends are all at another school.” Ray replies.
There’s a pause, Joel looking down at him curiously before the younger sighed.
“I ended up here about a month ago. I was trying to get away from everything but seems to have only come back, and ten times harder at that.” Ray explains, eyes averted.
Joel’s fingers stop instantly before he rests them loosely.
“I know how you feel.” Joel admits, his turn to look at the ground.
“What?” Ray questions, his own head shooting up, squinting his eyes at Joel.
Before Joel could make up an excuse the door reopens, the nurse walking in.
“Hello there, boys. I’m Ms. Wilson. You must be Mr. Narvaez.” She smiles, her eyes traveling from Ray to Joel, raising an eyebrow. “And who would this gentleman be?”
Ray eyes flit from Joel, to the nurse, then back to Joel.
“Um-” Ray begins.
“I’m Joel.” Joel interrupts.“Joel Heyman. I’m new.”
“This must be an interesting first day for you then.” Mrs. Wilson remarks, small smile playing on her lips.
“Yeah.” Joel agrees with his own weary smile.
The nurse sits Ray up and starts to inspect his injuries, stopping her hands at the rim of the younger’s shirt and looking to Joel. “Before I can continue treating Ray here, I’m going to have to ask you to wait outside the office, Mr. Heyman.”
“Yeah, sure.” Joel nods, immediately getting up from his chair, glancing at Ray one more time before giving him little a wave. He leaves the room, grabbing his backpack and walking out the office.
Joel slid down against the wall outside, dropping his knapsack beside him.
"Hey, Joel." A voice greets from above.
Joel looks up to discover Burnie staring down at him with a grin.
"Hey there, Burns." Joel returns, giving him a half-hearted wave.
"Where we you? I thought we were meeting on the third floor." Burnie crosses his arms.
"I dropped a little fish here, saw he getting beat up and decided to help him." Joel explains, giving Burnie a little shrug.
"How bad you hurt the other guy?" Burnie questions with a knowing look, his voice low.
"What are you talking about?" Joel demands, arching an eyebrow at the other teen.
"Really, Joel? Remember that guy Kara went out with? For like, what? Four months? How he got a bit too physical with her? How we stole Matt's car, In the dead of night, may I add, and drove all the way out to that asshole’s place to ‘sort things out’? How many stitches did he end up getting again?” Burnie reminds Joel, smirk playing on his face.
Joel shrugged, feigning confusion when in reality he remembers every detail of the event like it was yesterday rather than just over a year ago.
-
Kara had been dating some guy, he had seemed like a keeper, made Kara smile like no one else.
Simon? Stan? Started with an S that’s for sure, Joel intentionally forgot the name, not wanting anything more with the dickward.
The guy was a real Prince Charming, brought Kara roses, the two of them spending a lot of time staying over at his place, watching movies and playing video games together.
They looked like a perfect couple, and acted it too, until one night, Kara came back to the group home sobbing with her makeup running down her face and a quickly bruising mark under her eye.
After several cuddles and hot chocolate later, Kara broke, spilling that they had been driving to the movies for their weekly date when he had suddenly pulled the car off to the side of the road, wanting to have a quick fuck. Kara, who had spent a long time trying to look nice for their date said no, denying him even when his usual emotional blackmail didn’t worked.
He grew frustrated and angry, lashing out and smacking Kara across the face. Betrayed and shocked she stormed from the car, been forced to take off her high heels and run barefoot to the nearest bus stop, getting herself home.
Obviously furious, the boys stole Matt’s car, driving over to her, now ex, boyfriend’s place where they politely showed him what happens when you hurt one of their own.
Most would’ve called the cops, but by the time they had left, the guy was in no position.
-
“You guys were in it too.” Joel argues, looking back down at his lap.
“You almost killed him, Joel. You’re gonna end up killing yourself if you don’t stop being so damn protective.” Burnie quibs, shaking his head with a teasing smile. “Y’know, I have a feeling that you and this so called ‘little fish’ are gonna be real close if you’re already protecting him from the bullies.”
“No, we’re not.” Joel defends, making himself believe it more than making convincing Burnie”
“Maybe I’m just becoming a better person- maybe I did it out of the goodness of my heart.”
“I’ll take your word.” Burnie chuckles, adding. “By the way here, we don’t call them little fishes, they’re called fresh meat.”
The bell rings, shrilling through the semi-crowded hallway, signalling the start of next period.
Students begin to walk hurriedly around him, stepping over Joel’s legs, shooting him small looks as they make their way to their classes.
Burnie leaves with a nod, but Joel doesn’t move until the door to the office opens again, Mrs. Wilson’s peaking around the corner “Joel?”
The raven-haired teen instantly perks up and looks up at the nurse. “How’s Ray?”
“He’s doing alright as he could be. No broken bones but I fear he might have a concussion from beatings to his head. We’re gonna keep him till the end of the day just incase he displays any symptoms. You go on to your class now, I’ll call you down if we need anything.” She replies, smiling.
Joel nods and gets up from the linoleum floor, grabbing his backpack and leaving to head to his third period class: drama.
Joel had been put into the grade eleven one because he didn’t have the ‘proper prerequisites’ for his own grade. He enjoys acting, it was Joel’s way of getting everything out in a way that didn’t involve telling everyone his personal problems.
It was a stress reliever, getting his mind off things, memorizing lines and getting into the character keeping the real Joel from rest of the world. It blocked out the stupid fist fights between Geoff and Burnie, Matt yelling at him for getting in trouble yet again, memories of his parents.
Stepping into the class, he notices another set of doors that lead into a much darkened room with a carpeted floor, contrasting to the tiled floor of the room that Joel is standing in.
The lights in the other room are dim, the carpet a mixed gray color. Looking through the meshed window, the teen sees everyone shoeless and sitting on the floor.
Joel steps into the other room, everyone’s attention suddenly on him. “Um... Hi.”
An aging blonde woman, turns around with attendance in hand and asks in a tender voice “May I help you?
“Yeah- I’m new here. Joel Heyman. I think I’m supposed to be here.” Joel feigns confidence with his explanation, his face beginning to feel hot.
The woman’s face is one of confusion before realisation flickers in her eyes. “Oh yes, Joel!”
The tall boy gives her a forced smile, his face only getting warmer when he hears the giggle of girls in the room.
“Take off your shoes and leave your bag with the others so you can come sit down. I’m Miss. Williams. You can join that group over there, the pair by the back of the room.” The woman explains, pointing to the far corner of the classroom where two bored-looking teens sat, paper surrounding them. One boy lay on the floor on his back, the second resting against the wall.
“Maybe you can help them get their perfomance off the ground.” She gave Joel a wink, smiling.
Nodding the teen goes back to the brightly lit back room, taking off his sneakers and putting down his bag on the floor. He returns to the main part of the room and trudges over to where his new drama group is.
“Uh, hey.” Joel’s eyes shift cautiously between the pair, stance defensive.
The two of them look at him and the ginger haired boy, to Joel’s surprise, gives him a grin. “Hey.”
“Sit down.” The other says, his hair the color of light sand, blue eyes soft compared to his, almost demanding, statement.
Joel lets himself down onto the ground, long legs sprawling forward.
“Well, I’m Jack.” The ginger haired boy speaks again, holding out his hand.
Jack slumps off the wall slightly, one leg propped up whilst the other is out, a patchy beard starting to form on his face.
“Joel.” The teen replies, feeling more relaxed as he shakes Jack’s hand. “I like your beard.”
The teen lying down props up onto his elbows, outstretching his own hand. “Hi Joel. I’m James. But you can call me Ryan.”
“Nice to meet you. So, er, where are you guys at with your play?” Joel asks, still feeling a bit skittish, however Jack’s smile and Ryan’s confusing enthusiasm at Jack let him use his cow prop made him feel more at ease, better than any of his classes so far anyway.
Time quickly turns to a blur until the PA speaker suddenly rings through the room. “Can Joel Heyman to come to the Office? Joel Heyman to the Office. Thank-you.”
All eyes turn to Joel again as he slowly gets up, Jack and Ryan calling their goodbyes. He walks to the back of the room to get his shoes on, Miss. Williams not prying into why, much to Joel’s poorly-hidden relief as he leaves the class.
The student climbs down several staircases and wanders until he finds the correct path, following arrows and writing on the walls to find the main office.
He opens a door and a secretary looks up from her computer screen, glasses sat on a button nose. “Ms. Babik is waiting for you in her office.”
A manicured hand points to another set of doors, eyes returning to her typing.
Joel lets out a little nervous breath and walks in the pointed direction, going through into another hallway and finding the plaque ‘Ms. Babik. Head Teacher’, stuck to a closed door.
The worrisome teen composes himself with another shaky breath and knocks on the door. There’s a moments murmuring on the other side of the door, sounds of a chair squeaking back and a pair of heels walking to the door.
The wooden door opens, revealing a middle aged woman holding it open with tight lines engraved into a tired face. She wears a black pencil skirt that mirrors the colour of her hair, an ash top just lighter than the greying strands of hair around her roots. Her face holds a tight and professional expression, one Joel did not want to mess with.
“Joel Heyman, I take it?” She asks, her tone laced with irritation.
“Yeah- I was called to come from class-” Joel replies, swallowing his nerves.
“Come in.” She moves out of the way, her stoney expression matching her tone.
Joel enters the office, seeing he was correct in his assumption that this trip is about Ray.
The walls of the head’s office were painted beige, the floor keeping to the same linoleum design as the hallway.
There’s a couch pushed against a free wall, looking old and tattered, contrasting to the glossy desk Ms. Babik walked towards, pulling out a dark leather chair.
Mrs. Wilson smiles up from the couch at Joel, sat besides a nervous-looking Ray, who is holding ice pack to his stomach.
The older teacher perches herself in her chair before letting out a little cough, sitting up straight and threading her hands together.“Mr. Heyman, I’m sure you understand why you are here today. Mr. Narvaez here tells us that you were defending him? Is this correct?”
Joel nods silently, deciding it was best not to risk interrupting the woman.
“Whilst our security cameras in the West Hall do prove Mr. Narvaez’s explanation, they also show that you displayed quite a deal of aggression towards one of the boys involved in the incident.”
The standing teen waits a few moments to make sure Ms. Babik had finished before defending himself. “I had to, ma’am, they were hitting him.”
“I see. However, you do seem to have a quite a record of assaults with other students.” The woman straightens out some papers in a file with Joel’s name on it, looking back up at older student. “Did these boys provoke you in any other way, Mr. Heyman? Insulting your family perhaps?”
“They only thing they did was attack Ray.” Joel responds, subconsciously playing with his hands.
“Are you sure?” She questions, flipping shut the brown folder on her desk.
Fear begins to bubble up in Joel’s throat, his chest tightening. It’s only his first day and there’s already a chance he’s being thrown out of school. A month is his shortest record and he really doesn’t want to beat it.
Joel knows for sure that Matt will be disappointed in him, even if Ms. Babik just phones up with a warning. He’ll go off on one of his lengthy tangents, that the group jokingly title as ‘fatherly rants’. He knows he should just brush it off like the rest of them, but Joel wants to make not only Matt proud, but Kathleen as well, they were second parents to him and he didn’t want to let them down.
As worry and fear overcome Joel’s system, the only visible sign of his internal struggle being the bottom lip between his teeth, Ray sees Joel’s silence and looks to Ms. Bablik, deciding this situation he was not going to stay quiet in. “He’s telling the truth, Miss. He really did try shouting at them, but it didn’t work and I doubt anything would have. They just kept hitting me. He did the right thing, I promise.”
Joel looks up in surprise at Ray’s wavering voice, the teen’s cheeks stained red.
“Are you certain, Mr. Narvaez?” Ms. Bablik asks in confirmation, lifting up a pen to scribble down notes for a report.
“Absolutely. If Joel hadn't of shown up when he did, I would be in a worse state than this.” Ray replies, forcing himself to look directly at the woman.
The teacher goes icly silent for a moment, eyes looking to Ray and Joel as she made up her decision, letting out a little sigh. “Alright. I’ll let this slide, Mr Heyman, but you must realise that violence is never acceptable in my halls, and should be, a very last resort.”
Joel immediately nods, relief washing through him.
“...And, Mr. Narvaez, please do get better soon. Your art skills are needed in a few months for the Art Festival.” Ms. Babik keeps her stoney expression but her eyes soften, looking back to Ray
“Of course, Miss. I’m already working on a couple of pieces.” Ray smiles sheepishly with a nod..
“Just make sure you don’t push yourself too much, take a few days to off from working to heal, won’t you?” The beginning of a smile tugs at the corners of the woman’s thin lips, bringing her hands back together.
“I will, Miss.” Ray responds, Mrs. Wilson helping him stand.
She dismisses the two boys outside alone for a moment, asking to speak Mrs. Wilson breifly about Ray’s injuries.
The pair stand out in the hallway, awkward silence filling the air.
“What time is it?” Joel asks, trying to break the ice.
“There’s ten minutes till the end of third period. I’m probably gonna have to go back to the Nurse’s Office.” Ray replies, looking from his watch to down the hall.
Joel nods, slipping his hands in his pockets, trying to think of a response.
“Y’know, It’s- It’s, er, my first year at my second school already and I was starting to think I’d have to move again…” Ray lets out a little uncertain laugh, looking at the floor as he holds his icepack. “My grandma tried really hard to get me into this school- I just wanna to do something to make her proud, something to say thanks for everything and- well, I guess what I’m trying to say is… Thank-you, Joel, you really saved my ass earlier and I- I guess.”
“Wanna meet up before school? Like- I, er…Just so I can see if you’re doing any better and stuff. You’re just a little fish and I have to make sure that you’re alright.” Joel blurts, feeling embarrassed as soon as the words leave his mouth.
“That’s sounds good, where d’you wanna to meet?” Ray stifles a giggle, smiling at Joel and wondering what the hell a ‘little fish’ was.
“My locker- it’s by the art room and near the side doors of the school, the doors are on the right side of the blue door.” Joel explains, cringing internally at how bad he was at giving directions.
“I know where that is.” Ray half-lies, deciding to just wait outside the art room, cheeks slowly turning redder than they already were.
“Good, I guess I’ll see you then?” Joel replies, his own face beginning to blush at his own awkwardness.
Mrs. Wilson exits the office and smiling at the pair, saying hello to Joel and starting to walk back to the Nurse’s Office with Ray, the small teen glancing back and leaving the older with a small smile.
Joel cursed himself, the desperate question of ‘Want to grab a burger later?’ still on the tip of his tongue, the raven-haired student fearing of sounding either too forward or too casual.
He simply smiles lopsidedly back, keeping his mouth shut and shamefully watching the younger boy’s behind as he walks away.
Questions flutter through Joel’s mind, the red of Ray’s cheeks and the final sliver of a smile playing on repeat.
-
The day ends after Joel’s English class, the teen walking both ways outside the Nurse’s Office several times before swallowing nerves and pride, opening the door.
The woman behind the desk looks up in surprise, giving Joel a smile. “Oh, it’s you. Hello, there.”
“Hey. Is Ray here?” Joel asks, faking an air of confidence.
“Yes, he is, but they are talking to Mrs. Wilson currently. They’ll be out shortly.” She replies.
“Could I wait?” Joel requests, Kathleen’s scolding voice of ‘manners’ suddenly running through his head. “Please.”
“You may, but please be quiet.” She nods towards the plastic chairs, returning to her computer screen.
Joel murmurs a ‘thank-you’ and closes the door behind him softly, deciding to rest against it instead of taking a seat, the only sounds of that of a clicking mouse and a guttural heater.
The second door finally opens, Mrs. Wilson coming out with Ray, and to Joel’s surprise, a third person.
She was an older woman, grey hair tied back in a low, messy bun. Height wise, she’s the smallest in the room, rounded glasses perching on the edge of her nose. She clutches to a walking stick, stance a little wobbly. Joel notices she had a striking resemblance to Ray.
The teen’s arm is tucked under the lady’s arm, adding to Joel’s theory of her being Ray’s grandmother.
“Ray, tell your grandmother I say thank you for me, please”
Ray looks down at the elderly woman and speaks confidently. “La señora Wilson dice gracias”
Joel eyes widen, surprised by how fluent Ray was, vaguely recognizing the words as Spanish.
Ray’s grandma gives Mrs. Wilson a smile and a nod before Ray begins to help her to the exit, trying not to wince at the pain when he notices Joel standing there.
Ray smiles, blush already beginning to creep back “Hey, Joel. I thought you would be home by now.”
“Just making sure you’re alright.” Joel responds, mentally hitting himself for not coming up for better excuses, this one was definitely getting old, fast.
“You really care about those you save, Joel. Not even Superman would do that.” Ray jokes lamely, letting out a small huff of a laugh.
Joel nervously chuckles along with the other, growing worried as thoughts of Ray starting to think he was creepy plaguing his mind.
Before Joel could leave and wallow in a pit of sorrow and embarrassment, Ray’s grandmother suddenly speaks up. “Ray, ¿quién es este joven?”
“Se trata de Joel, Él fue quien me salvó..” Ray explains quickly, smiling at Joel’s clueless face
The older woman’s brown eyes light up, letting go of her grandson’s arm and letting the hook of her walking stick slide down her rising arms as she pulls Joel into a hug, her arms holding him as tightly as her aging bones would let her. Panic, followed by confusion and red cheeks explode over Joel’s face as he pats awkwardly at the woman’s back, looking to Ray.
Ray lets out a little giggle, about to help Joel out before his grandmother begins talking again.
“¡Gracias por salvar a mi nieto usted! Él es mi bebé y yo sería muy, muy molesto si yo fuera a perderlo. Él es el único que me queda de mi hija. ¡Muchas gracias!”
She lets go of her hold the confused teen, cupping Joel’s face and kissing his cheeks, nodding happily and hobbling back to her grandson.
She hooks her arm around his, signalling that she’s ready to leave.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Joel.” Ray smiles, laughing one last time before giving him a wave, saying a final goodbye to Mrs.Wilson, who too was grinning in amusement alongside the office worker.
As the pair walk out of the office, heading towards the front doors of the school, Joel can already hear them talking away, the Spanish words lost on his ears.
Mrs. Wilson goes back into the other room, Joel waving an awkward goodbye to the woman behind the desk before he exits the office himself, letting out a long huff of air.
Outside, resting against the wall by the entrance, is Burnie, shit-eating grin spreading over his face upon seeing Joel.
Joel saunters up to the other, pulling his bag up further up his shoulder. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you.” Burnie answers honestly, knowing eyes looking the dark-haired teen up and down.
“How did you know where I was?” Joel questions, raising an eyebrow.
Burnie shrugs. “Shot in the dark.”
“Bullshit, why do you need me? The real reason?” Joel’s tone borderlines on irritation, pushing hands into his pockets.
Burnie pushes off the wall. “To get your ass, Geoff is picking us up.”
Joel lets out a groan. “Did he steal the car, again?”
Burnie lets out a sigh. “No, at least not this time. He actually has the minivan. Now let’s get going before Geoff leaves our butts here.”
“I fucking hate that minivan.” Joel continues to groan, starting to the follow Burnie.
“Suck it up, Joel. Everyone does. Even people who don’t live in the house hate the minivan.” Burnie responds, pushing through the first set of the door that lead outside.
Joel nods in agreement, the two teens leaving the building.
Joel immediately spots Matt’s silver minivan by the doors, the thing almost parked on the sidewalk. Geoff waves from the driver’s seat, Gus in the back.
The minivan itself was not only falling apart but, as Geoff blatantly put it, ‘you can’t pick up ladies in this piece of crap. Possibly small children- but not ladies.’
Rust was spread under the doors and they had re-painted it silver a total of five times, mostly because of accidents and one run in with a couple of drug dealers in the middle of exchanging goods which ended up the van having one of the tires popped and, of course, the paint being redone.
The windows in the far back were only capable of being opened a tiny bit, the middle windows covered in duct tape whilst the only windows not fucked-up beyond repair were up in the front, the air conditioning busted up far beyond repair.
Gus notices the two other boys approaching and yells through the slightly open window “Hey, guys!”
“Why are you in the back? Like the far, far back? Isn’t it permanently reserved for this idiot?” Burnie asks, jerking his thumb in the general direction of Joel.
Before Joel could protest Gus explains “Geoff thought it was funny if I did along with you guys, he keeps saying how he’s the only ‘parent’ in this fucked up family, so we all have to sit in the back.”
Burnie rolls his eyes and goes to the passenger seat, hand opening the door.“Whatever.”
Before he could open the door Geoff, slams it back shut jokingly. “Get in the back, Burns.”
“Geoff, I know it’s a joke, but I’m tired and we’re not five years old. C’mon let me sit in the front.” Burnie complains, the sun starting to beat down on his back.
“I’ll put the dress on again.” Geoff warns, eyes serious as he grins.
Joel stops opening the door to the back seat briefly, rolling his eyes. “Oh fuck... Not the dress.”
-
Last time Geoff picked Burnie up, he had stopped halfway, burst into a burger joint, the tie of his uniform already pulled off as he strode into their washroom, surprising everyone by exiting soon after in a pink floral dress.
The wind picked up as he was walking back to the van, the entire restaurant seeing Geoff’s boxers as the wind lifted the dress upwards, much to Joel and Gus’s amusement.
He immediately drove the guys up to Burnie’s school, getting out of the car and waiting for the teen to arrive, occasionally the dress fluttering up in the continuing wind, Geoff leaning suggestively against the car, Joel and Gus close to wetting themselves in the back.
-
“I don’t care. Can’t I just sit in the damn front? It’s a billion degrees out here and I had fucking gym last period.” Burnie argues.
“Just sit in the back, it’s only ten minutes away, dude. It’ll be funny as dicks.” Geoff says, trying to convince the other with a grin still wide on his face.
“Fuck, Geoff- you’re just like a mom.” Burnie growls.
As soon as the words escape Burnie’s mouth the air feels tense as it does hot.
Burnie’s eyes go wide and he quickly apologizes “Oh shit... Fuck, Geoff, I’m so sorry, man. I didn’t-”
Geoff cuts him off, his tone awfully calm. “It’s alright, Burnie. Just get in the car.”
-
Way before living in the his current care home, Geoff had lived with various foster careers, not staying in one for place for more than a few months at most.
He had been in the system since he was three, fuzzily remembering his birth mother, the vague image getting overlapped and overlapped by the different foster mothers until he got to the point where he couldn’t even tell the difference anymore.
By the time he was living with Matt and Kathleen he was smoking pot and popping ecstasy, spending more time on the streets with ‘friends’ than in school, only occasionally turning up to classes so he could stir up trouble, just wanting some attention and overall just silently feeling abandoned by everyone.
The pair gave Geoff a heavy ultimatum: if he cleared up his grades, got his act together and tried to find better people to hang around with, they would track down his birth mother so Geoff could has some proper closure.
The teen immediately complied, and at a quick pace, desperate to meet the only family he felt connected to at the time.
Geoff went from Fs to As and Bs, never touching a joint or pill again, becoming closer to the others in the house, ditching his old friends altogether.
The day came for Geoff to meet his mother, Kathleen helping him get ready.
They had organised to meet at the local diner, Geoff literally bouncing in his seat the whole drive there, clutching excitedly to the steering wheel all the way.
When he arrived, he got a table by the window so he could watch her arrive and begun his wait.
He waited, and waited, and waited, eventually the diner closing up for the day, his mother still a no-show.
She didn’t even call.
She just left Geoff waiting.
The devastated boy was forced to leave, getting back into the van and letting out a sniffle, soon followed by an explosion of tears.
One call later and Matt walked the thirty minutes by foot, driving Geoff home, the boy laying down on the back seats, crying.
A week later, when Geoff’s pain was finally beginning to numb, a letter was sent to him which only ripped the wound back open, knife turning not only from her standing him up, but also the pain from his childhood.
The contents of the paper are still a mystery to everyone in the house, Geoff refusing to let anyone to see it but him, but from the mumbling in his sleep and dropping comments on how he was a mistake and how his mother never wants to see him again, they could guess on the contents.
Recently, Geoff had picked up drinking, his intake slowly becoming a habit.
-
Burnie gets in the front seat and Geoff drives off, the tense air from outside coming inside the van.
Geoff begins the drive to Kara’s school, Burnie muttering. “You know you never needed her, right?”
Geoff jerks quickly, pulling over to the side of the road, taking the keys out of the ignition, fury pouring from his mouth. “Fuck you.”
He throws throws the keys at Burnie’s head, not caring where they hit the other boy.
“What are you doing?” Burnie asks bewildered as the two in the back, looking from the keys that are resting against his thigh to Geoff who is about to open the car door.
“I’m fucking walking.” Geoff growls, getting out and slamming the door behind him in pent-up rage.
Joel undid his seatbelt and slides open the van door, following Geoff speedily as Gus and Burnie stare from the van.
Getting close enough, he grabs Geoff’s coloured arm hastily. “Geoff, please. Just chill out.”
Geoff pulls his arm from Joel’s hand, getting in the taller teen’s face. “Why should I?”
“Because I know Burnie fucked shit up and you know he’s a fucking idiot who can’t keep his damn mouth shut! I know you’re mad at your mom. Hell, I would be too- but like Burnie said, you’re part of this family, the same as me, the same as anyone. You’re the one who brought this family together, you almost took glue and stuck us to one another. For God’s sake, you put Burnie and Kara in that damn friendship sweater, you even put me in there! What I’m trying to get at is, I know you’re having a hard time getting over your mom, but you’re gonna have too. You’re not alone anymore, so stop fucking acting like it. We all have our baggage and we’re all trying to make it work.” Joel rants, grabbing holding the other teen’s arm firmly again.
Geoff looks at Joel before pulling him into a hug. “He’s a fucking, fuck, fuck.”
Geoff lets out a quiet sob, Joel feeling the vibrations coming from Geoff’s chest.
“A-are you alright?” Joel asks pathetically, his chest beginning to tighten.
Joel was the worse person in the world when it came to crying, especially when there wasn’t someone Joel could specifically blame for it.
Their tears made Joel get this feeling in his chest, as if someone were twisting and putting knots in his ribcage, making it hard for him to breath, screwing with his, already poor and lacking, decision making, hence why sometimes he gets into fights when he sees someone cry.
Geoff lets go of Joel, releasing a final sniffle and wiping the tears from his eyes and face with the back of his hand before setting back into his usual calm demeanor. “Yeah. I’m fine.”
Joel knows better, but stays silent, knowing Geoff is just sticking his feelings back into the hole where he usually kept them.
“Wanna go join the idiots back in the van?” Joel asks, jerking a thumb backwards.
“Yeah, I guess...” Geoff responds, being to trudge back.
The two teens reach the van and sit back in their respective seats.
Geoff meets Burnie’s gaze momentarily before swiping the keys from his grasp, igniting the car back to life.
Joel closes the door behind him and they drive off.
By the time they reach home, Geoff goes straight to their bedroom, closing the door without saying another word.
Joel knows what’s wrong, he knows what Geoff is doing. He throws his black and white knapsack on the couch and walks to the guys bedroom.
Kara looks over to Burnie and asks “What’s wrong?”
“It’s not a big deal. Joel will call us if he needs anything.” Burnie replies, not telling Kara the truth.
It’s sadly common for them to lie to Kara, it wasn’t because she’s a girl although, more that she’s their little sister and they want to protect her at all costs, even if that means telling a white lie once in a while.
Joel opens the door to find Geoff curled up into a ball on his bed by the window with that damned letter in his grasp, holding it close to him the way a child would hold a stuffed toy.
“Geoff.” Joel says, stepping into the room.
The room is large, with beds for Burnie, Gus, Geoff and, Joel.
Burnie and Gus shared a bunk bed whilst the other’s hand singular, the walls painted four different colours, for each boy in the room, after weeks of bickering over which colour they wanted the walls to be.
There was orange for Geoff, red for Gus, light blue for Burnie, and a darker blue for Joel. It’s supposed to be an indicator for which corner of the room is there’s. Half of the room where the door is, is split into separate parts vertically for which bunk is theirs. The light blue on top and the red on the bottom of the wall, showing that Burnie has the top bunk and Gus has the bottom.
Geoff’s part of the room was by the window, his portion on the right hand side whilst Joel had the left.
Joel grabs drags a chair to the end of of the other’s bed and sits in front of Geoff, looking direct.
“Geoff, please.” Joel begins in a whisper.
“Please what, Joel? I’ve been trying to keep the last fucking seventeen years of my life in a box with the lid tightly sealed and all you fucking people keep on doing is opening it up and acting surprised when I fucking snap.” The teen growls, laying on his side and facing away from the taller.
“You don’t need to seal it up! We’re a family, Geoff! How many times have I woken up in the middle of the night screaming, huh? It’s not like we’re gonna abandon you! You bottle it all up and pretend to be strong, but you know as well as me, you’re not. Please, Geoff. Matt even said that you can see go seem some councilor or a therapist or some shit. It won’t cost the home a cent, and dude, c’mon, they even have free snacks. If you don’t want Matt or Kathleen, you know I’d go for them- I’d go and wait in the that damn waiting room and eat those fucking free snacks and steal all the pamphlets and hand-out condoms they own so we can have a laugh on the way home and put them under Gus’ mattress- just like you did with me. You took care of me in my darkest hour, man, you made me stop cutting.” He pauses, rolling up his grey-coloured uniform slacks to reveal lumpy scars on his knees, left behind by sharp scissors that once cut his skin.
Geoff actually sits up, lost for words as Joel continues. “Just give the word and I’ll go with you, you know I will.”
Geoff nods, not speaking in fear of tears. He let go of the paper, shuffling forward to wrap an arm around Joel’s shoulders pulling him into a bear hug.
“Thanks, Joel.” Geoff finally says, voice muffled by Joel’s shirt covered shoulder.
“No problem.” Joel replies, hugging the other teen tightly.
Geoff releases Joel and stuffs his letter into the top drawer of his messy nightstand before laying back down on his back, staring at the ceiling.
“What will it be?” Joel asks, the laying student’s eyes sliding back to him.
Geoff sighs before responding. “If you come with me, I’ll go. We can go Friday. I have work all this week.”
“Friday sounds good.” Joel smirks, getting up to give Geoff a hi-five.
“Thanks again, man.” Geoff smiles, putting both arms behind his head, settling down into a more relaxed rest.
Joel nods and drags the chair back to the foot of his bed, accidentally speaking aloud. “Lots of people have been saying that today.”
“Wait, what?” Geoff asks, raising an eyebrow and looking back up at Joel.
The taller teen looks over to Geoff, opening his mouth and closing it again before shaking his head. “Nevermind.”
Geoff moves his arms away from behind his head and props up on his elbows and asks “Did you fight someone?”
Joel turns back around. “No... well, yes... maybe? Kinda?”
“Give me the straight answer.”
“I just stopped a couple of guys from beating on this other guy: Ray.”
Geoff’s attention perks, sitting up against the backboard of the beard as a shit-eating grin flies across his face. “So, this guy you defended has a name? I thought when you help people they remain nameless?”
“Fuck off.” Joel replied, letting out a groan.
“Is he cute?” Geoff asks, eyes flashing knowingly.
Joel narrows his eyes as Geoff continues.
“Aww, c’mon, this how I make myself feel better. Give me some details.”
“He’s alright, I guess. It’s not like you’ll be attracted to him.” Joel argues, crossing his arms. “Besides, you have that thing for that girl next door.”
“Don’t talk shit about Griffon.” Geoff defends, looking subconsciously out the window to the house next to them.
“So, this girl you stalk has a name? I thought when you stalk people they remain nameless?” Joel mimics, mocking Geoff’s earlier statement.
Geoff flips him off, tone still teasing.“Shut it. So are you asking this guy out or are you gonna chicken out like normal?”
“Why do you even think I'm even interested in him?” Joel asks.
“Because you never ask for names. You fight and move on, so I’m assuming he has to be pretty cute.” Geoff responds
“Don’t make fun of me.” Joel growls, his expression turning mad, knowing deep down that Geoff is right.
“I’m not making fun of you, I know what love feels like” Geoff defends.
Joel lies down on his own bed, the springs squeaking under his weight as he flops backs.
He intertwines his fingers behind his head, giving in. “Fine then, Mr. Romantic, how should I get Ray to go out with me?”
“Ask for his number tomorrow.” Geoff simply replies.
“What if he doesn’t have a phone?” Joel begins to make up excuses out of worry, turning his head.
“Why wouldn’t he?” Geoff questions, raising his hands incredulously.
“Neither Gus or Kara have one, the chances are likely.” Joel continues, rubbing his thumbs together behind his head.
Geoff lets out a sigh. "Stop being a pussy and ask the kid out”
“I could say the same about you and Griffon.” Joel mutters to himself.
-
Griffon, the septum-pierced chick that lives next door, was often the subject of Geoff's daydreaming fantasies.
Her bedroom window lines up almost perfectly with the window in the boy’s room. Geoff even trading sides with Burnie and Gus so he could get a better look at her through the windowpane.
Most days after school, when Geoff isn’t working, he sits there and waits for her to get home, watching her silhouette change through closer curtains, hiding himself as she reopens them, both wanting to remain invisible from her forever and catch her eye.
All he knows is a name, the non-uniform school she goes to just outside the area and her hobby, which includes her being outside with a chainsaw, cutting wood into fantastical sculptures, which, incidentally, Geoff finds super cool- and hot as dicks.
-
“What? Knock on her door to be met with a girl way out of my league and her uptight parents? What the fuck would I say? 'Hi, I stare at you through your window a lot. Will you go out with me?" You have it a lot easier, dude.” Geoff rolls his eyes, sarcasm venomous in his voice.
“No I don’t, he's probably straight considering my luck. I'd have more luck with his grandmother, she seemed to like me more than he did..."." Joel mused, moving his hands to his stomach.
“You met his grandmother? Damn, stop moping, you’re already halfway there.” Geoff points out, jerking a finger in Joel's direction.
“She was just grateful for me saving her grandson is all, but seriously though, he's straight."
Geoff looks back up at the white plaster of the ceiling, before back to Joel. "Let’s just settle it like this; we’re both after someone that we think we can't get, whether it’s through being being a bit of a creep or sexual orientation. So we might as well say 'fuck it' and give it a shot, right? What's the worse that could happen?"
“You just admitted to being a stalker.”
“Shut up, Heyman. It’s not that bad- If you keep making fun of me, I’m gonna have to stop giving you dating advice.” Geoff tries to sound upset, letting out a chuckle.
“Oh, I'll be missing out on so much." Sarcasm drips from Joel's tone, the taller throwing a pillow at Geoff’s head.
Geoff curses and throws the pillow back, Joel laughing and looking away from his friend to the ceiling, actually considering Geoff’s advice. Joel hopes feebly that the worse case scenario stays tucked in his head and doesn't turn into a gut churning reality.
Feeling slightly more equipped for the next morning, Joel smiles to himself, looking forward to seeing his little fish again.