Chapter 3

Rays of the sun penetrated through the open space of a window and into a dimly lit room where a young teen slept soundly. Jeremy grumbled and muttered incoherently as one of the rays hit him directly in the face, rousing him a bit. Letting out a tired groan, he turned his face to the other side to resume his sleep. Seconds later, he was jolted awake when he felt a weight pressed upon him and his face receiving a tongue bath. He chuckled as he ignored the actions of the intruder. This time he felt the licks more intensely on his face. He opened his eyes to see the brown ones of the intruder. His German Shepherd stared curiously back at him.

“Alright, Shiela. I’m up.” He smiled and sat up as the dog hopped off the bed and stretched. 

  Jeremy jumped off and stretched as well when he heard a small tapping sound. He looked around his room in confusion trying to detect the sound when he heard it again. Shiela barked and rushed towards the window. Jeremy looked towards it just in time to see a small pebble connect with the glass. Rolling his eyes, he walked towards the window and peered down at the teen who stood by the sidewalk waving back at him. On getting to the living room, Jeremy noticed no one was at home. However, a plate of waffles stood on the table in the kitchen. Obviously made by his mum before she left for work. He opened the door and at the other side with a mischievous grin stood a slim boy around his age with blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

“Really, Kyle?” Jeremy folded his arms. “Throwing pebbles at my window?”

“Hey, it’s the best way to get your sleepy head up.” Kyle shrugged and walked in. He walked towards the fridge and picked out an apple, munching on it.

“I’m guessing your mum isn’t home.” He looked around.

“No.” Jeremy shook his head. “ You really took a big risk. What if you came just in time to see her drive out?”

Kyle didn’t reply. A thoughtful frown appeared on his face. Ever since the boys were little, their mothers never got along and never wanted the boys to be close to each other. Kyle and Jeremy both never knew their fathers with the story that the men died few months after they were born. But the fact that they were never allowed to be seen together by their mums was still a mystery to him.

“Bro, you should get ready.” Kyle said, looking at his watch. “We have about an hour before school starts.”

Jeremy nodded and trotted upstairs. A shower and then a full belly of waffles later, the boys were out of the house. 

“Well, its that time of the season again.” Kyle said as they walked along the sidewalk. “I’m going to try out for the football team. What about you?”

Jeremy ran his hand through his thick black hair, his dark blue eyes reflecting indecision. He gave an inspecting glance along his skinny frame.

“I don’t know, Kyle.” He said. “Sports is not really my thing. I think I’m better off just observing from the sidelines.”

“Nonsense, man.” Kyle nudged him with a grin. “Don’t knock it till you try it.”

They passed a R.V in time to spot a man step out. His slightly muscular frame defied his age and no one would believe he was in his late seventies. His brown hair which was thick and had a bit of grey at the sides nearly covered his eyes. His well defined chin was covered with grey stubble. He wore a grey hoodie over similarly colored sweet pants and was holding a rake.

“Hey, boys!” He cheered as soon as he spotted them. “Off to school?”

“Hey, Crazy Johnny!” Kyle piped back. “Yeah, we’re… hold on a second…”

Kyle paused as he spotted the rake in the old man’s hands.

“Crazy Johnny, is that a rake with you?” He tilted his head sideways in confusion.

“Yeah.” Crazy Johnny’s blue eyes glazed over with excitement. “Why?”

“There are no leaves around your R.V.” Jeremy pointed out.

“Nonsense, Jeremiah.” Crazy Johnny chuckled at his direction. “I will wait for them. I know these winds well. Very pesky. They have this habit of sending irritating annoyances towards my surroundings.”

“But..” Kyle protested.

“Come on, you little knuckleheads.” Crazy Johnny shooed them off with a laugh. “Off to school or you’ll be late.”

 The two boys shrugged and walked along. Crazy Johnny’s grin faded as soon as they were out of distance. He glanced towards the opposite direction and saw a familiar looking animal strutting towards his R.V.

“Hello, Shiela.” He grinned at the German Shepherd who sat in front of him wagging it’s tail. “It’s been a while.”

The old man and the canine both stared in to the distance to the direction where the boys had walked off. Then a worried look appeared on his face.

“Shiela.” He turned towards the dog. “ You feel it too, don’t you?”

****

“Now tell me you aren’t glad I came to wake you up this morning…as usual.” Kyle smiled smugly as the two boys made their way into the school building. The hallway was jostling with activities as students moved about, getting ready for the beginning of a new week.

“I am not glad that you came to wake me up this morning.” Jeremy repeated.

“Hey!” Kyle turned to him in feigned annoyance.

“What? You said I should say it.” Jeremy shrugged with an innocent smile. “ And besides, you didn’t because I was already awake before you decided to go gung-ho on my window glass. Shiela made sure of that.”

“Why do I find that hard to believe?” Kyle raised an eyebrow at his friend.

“Because you’re Kyle Blake.” Jeremy retorted. “You find a lot of things hard to believe.”

“Well….You got me there. Can’t argue with that.”

The two boys passed a group of nerds who were gathered by a locker, chattering excitedly about a science subject. 

“Well, that puts an exclamation mark on weird.” Kyle cringed.

“Hey, be nice.” Jeremy elbowed his friend with a laugh. “You don’t have to be judgmental about a person’s personality just because you’re different from them.”

“What? It’s just too weird. I don’t see the fun in dressing like the 90’s, wearing an office shirt tucked in ironed pants and wearing glasses the size of goggles.” Kyle said.

“Hey, so long as they aren’t harming anyone, we don’t need to worry about them.” Jeremy said. “Besides, you’re beginning to sound like someone we know and hate…I mean dislike.”

Kyle turned to his friend with a sudden dark look.

“Please don’t even compare me with that douche bag. I’m nothing like him.” He growled.

“Easy, man.” Jeremy raised a hand. “I would never do that. I’m just trying to pass a message here. I mean no harm. You know that.”

Kyle brightened a bit. 

“Yeah, I know that.” He smiled softly. “It’s just the thought of that guy drives me insane.”

“I wouldn’t blame you. We both have our fair share of terrible experiences with him.” Jeremy rolled his eyes.

They reached their lockers which were coincidentally right next to each other and opened it, taking their books out.

“So have you considered the football tryouts yet?” Kyle asked.

“Are we still on that?” Jeremy groaned, pulling out a large book from his backpack and placing it into his locker. “I told you I’m better off watching from the sidelines.”

“Right. I might as well give you a cheerleading outfit with a ‘J’ printed on your shirt and a pair of pom-poms. Then you can cheer me on as I score a touchline.” Kyle guffawed uncontrollably, holding his friend for support.

“Hilarious.” Jeremy snorted, swatting his friend’s hand away. “Highly amusing. What even gave you the idea to try out for football anyway? I thought you hated highly physical sports?”

“I don’t know, man.” Kyle parted a loose blonde hair that was matted to his forehead to the back. “I’ve been feeling great recently. You know, like the power of positivity is within me. I’ve also feel like I can do anything. Like I can rule the world.” He laughed.

“You had me going from the beginning and you were making sense..” Jeremy smiled.

“…Until you spoilt it with your final sentence.” He frowned.

Kyle chuckled in reply and the two boys resumed unpacking. Their actions were interrupted when they heard the faint group of footsteps beside them and a feminine voice they recognized so well.

“Hey, Kyle.”

 Jeremy groaned and covered his head with the hood of his sweater as the two boys turned around. Facing the boys were a group of cheerleaders in pink matching outfits. Their captain who called out to Kyle, stood out from the rest with straight blonde hair with sparkling green eyes, pointed nose and thick pink lips all on a heart shaped face. Her shapely body was balanced well on well defined legs.

“Oh, hey Lucy.” Kyle greeted casually.

“I was just passing by with the girls and we couldn’t help but overhear you say you want to tryout for football.” She grinned as the girls behind her giggled.

“Yeah, I said it.” Kyle folded his arms. “Is there a problem with that?”

“No. Not at all.” She shook her head. “I just wanted to wish you good luck. It’s about time we saw someone different. You know, something new.”

Kyle and Jeremy glanced at each other with confused looks and then back to the girls.

“Anyway, good luck.” Lucy said and then turned to her friends. “Come on, girls.”

 The cheerleaders walked away and Jeremy sighed. The whole time Lucy never even spoke to him. Not even a look was spared his way. It was like he was invincible. Ever since he had met her, he had tried everything to get her to talk to him. Well, everything except man up and talk to her. He just couldn’t see that happening. That was Kyle’s thing. Kyle was talker and he was the observer. That was the difference between them.

Jeremy glanced at his friend. What did Lucy actually see in him? The two boys were both similar in stature: lean. But Kyle edged him a bit in muscular definition. A strange feeling overwhelmed him. Could that be what….

“You see that?” Kyle elbowed him out of his thoughts. “That’s what happens when you decide try out. You get the attention of girls.”

“What are you talking about?” Jeremy stared at him blankly. “You always had Lucy’s attention since time immemorial.”

“Well…” Kyle began.

He never got past that word as a sudden force knocked him over with his head colliding a bit against the open door of his locker. He staggered a bit and spun round to meet the intruder. Meanwhile, Jeremy’s face turned pale with dread as the two boys stood face to face with a group of towering pounds of muscle.

 A group of teens dressed similarly in the school football jackets stared at the boys in malicious glee. The one who had bowled Kyle over had the most evil grin and his curly flaming red hair; freckled face with stark grey eyes and crooked nose accentuated his demeanor.

“ Hank.” Kyle growled silently. Jeremy meanwhile stayed close to him and casted cautious gazes at the group 

“So, shrimp. I hear you want to try out for football.” Hank grinned wickedly. “As what? The water carrier or mascot?”

The jocks laughed loudly at his statement. Jeremy tugged at Kyle’s hand for them to leave but Kyle surprisingly stood firm.

“No, as a player.” Kyle reaffirmed. “You heard right.”

“Do you have a death wish, shrimp?” The smile vanished from Hank’s face. “You really want to take that risk? There’s no place for people with frames like yours. I mean, come on, there’s a reason I call you shrimp.”

Hank turned his attention to Jeremy and the latter blanched.

“Good thing your shrimp-in-arms here gets the idea because I didn’t hear him say the same.” Hank said.

More laughter from the boys. Kyle clenched his fists tightly. Jeremy saw this and quickly tugged his friend again.

“ Come on, man.” He whispered. “Let’s go. They aren’t worth it.”

“No.” Kyle growled at him to his shock. He then turned to Hank.

“I will say it one more time.” He said aloud to the red head. “I am joining the football team. As..a.. player”

“Wow.” Hank turned to his friends. “He is really serious.

He then turned back to Kyle. Kyle didn’t flinch on seeing the bigger guys heated gaze.

“I hope you better fill in an appointment with the nurse.” Hank leaned forward and whispered darkly. “Because you will visit her on your first day of training. Piece..by..piece.”

Hank quickly pulled back and smiled innocently to his colleagues.

“Come on, guys.” He called. “Let’s go train on how to break bones.”

Laughter rang through the hallway as the jocks made their way out. Jeremy held his chest to steady his heartbeat and then turned to Kyle. Kyle however didn’t show a bit of fear. Instead he showed something that Jeremy hadn’t seen in a while.

Intense rage.