Nobodies

“Honestly, one of you could’ve been really hurt,” Jamia mumbles, dabbing at Frank’s stomach with a wet washcloth. Frank lies on my bed, shirt rolled up to his chest, revealing the cuts and bruises from being kicked so many times.
“Yeah, but we’re not,” I point out. I treat myself, smudging peroxide onto the cut on my nose. I cringe at the stinging sensation that immediately takes place.
“What were those assholes thinking?” Jamia wonders.
“They thought, ‘Hey, if Shane hates Gerard and that midget kid, we should too!’” Frank answers, mimicking a deep voice.
I chuckle, agreeing, “Basically, that’s what happened.”
“Well, if they give you any more troubles, I’m going to the principal,” Jamia insists.
“What?” I ask.
“You can’t do that!” Frank protests.
“I can, and I will,” Jamia replies.
“Jamia, if the school finds out, not only will they cease to do anything to stop it, but they’ll tell the jocks, and they’ll, in turn, beat the snot out of us,” I explain. “No one wins in that predicament, Jamia.”
Jamia sighs, running a hand through her bangs. “Well, then what do you suggest we do?”
“Wait it out?” I suggest.
“That’s a terrible idea!” Jamia responds.
“Shit, sorry,” I mutter. “Well, I dunno. I want to avoid a fight, that’s for sure.”
“You want to avoid a fight?” Frank questions.
“Well, yeah, duh,” I reason. “Of course. You don’t?”
Frank shakes his head vigorously. “I’ll fight the; I don’t care.”
“Why in God’s name would you want to fight a bunch of dumb jocks?” I ask.
“Why wouldn’t I want to?” Frank counters. “I can beat their dumb asses into the ground.”
“Violence doesn’t end violence,” I point out.
Frank stands, flipping his shirt back down. He passes me, retorting, “Things in motion tend to stay in motion.”
“Where are you going?” I ask.
“Bathroom,” Frank calls, already on his way down the stairs.
I sit down heavily next to Jamia. I rest my head on her shoulder, whining, “Jamia? What are we supposed to do?”
Jamia wraps an arm around me, pulling me closer. “Well, I suppose it’d be smart to avoid a fight. But at the same time, it’d be nice to support your boyfriend.”
I groan, complaining, “That doesn’t answer my question.”
“Do what you think is right,” Jamia admonishes.
I sit up and look at her, beginning in a serious tone. “Jamia?” I laugh and add, “That may be the most cookie cutter bullshit advice I’ve ever received.”
Jamia deadlegs my thigh, which makes my entire leg go numb. “Gerard?”
“Yeah?” I wheeze, clutching my leg.
“Your nose is still bleeding. You should probably put a bandage on it,” Jamia advises.
I flip her off as I slowly stand, limping to the bathroom.
Frankie’s still in there when I arrive, the door wide open as he relieves himself. I walk up behind him and rub his shoulders.
He moans out a little bit, complimenting, “You’re fucking good at that, Gee.”
“I’m not fighting those kids with you,” I say.
Frank moves out from underneath my hands, flushing the toilet and zipping his pants. He steps over to the sink, washing his hands. “Do what you want to do. All I know is that Ieros stand up for themselves.”
“Well Ways tend to avoid problems until they go away maybe sometimes,” I reply.
“That’s a terrible way to live life,” Frank scoffs. “Always in fear? Praying for a magical solution to problems that will never be solved?”
I sigh, begging, “Please Frank, I really don’t want to fight those kids. I just don’t have it in me. You’d know; you’ve beaten my ass so many times that I’ve lost count.”
“Way to dig that up,” Frank murmurs.
“Frank, it’s just that I can’t do it,” I tell.
“Sure you can,” Frank insists.
“No, I can’t,” I repeat, putting an emphasis on the word ‘can’t’.
“One can do anything they set their mind to,” Frank informs.
“This isn’t a mental thing, Frank. They’re physically bigger and stronger than me,” I explain. “They could probably bench my weight.”
“No, I agree with you. They are physically tougher than you and could physically defeat you. But you give up right away, don’t even try to stand up to them or challenge them at all. You have to stop letting them do this to you. You’re just a little defenseless puppy being kicked around,” Frank says. He shoves me, adding, “It’s time you bite back, Gerard.”
“What are you doing?” I demand. “I recall you getting your ass kicked back there by those dumb jocks, too.”
“Yeah, but the difference is, I tried to fight back. Remember? But when I picked on you, and other kids pick on you, you just fucking take it! Every single time someone disrespects you, you don’t do shit. When are you going to learn to be a man and fucking respect yourself and fight back?!” Frank shouts. He pushes me again, and I stumble backwards.
“What the fuck do you want me to do, hit you!?” I snarl.
“That’s right!” Frank barks. He taps at his jaw, ordering, “Fucking hit me! I doubt that you even have the balls to do it!”
Jamia walks into the bathroom right as I deliver a blow to Frank’s mouth.
He falls to the ground, clutching at his face and moaning.
“Gerard?! What the fuck is wrong with you!?” Jamia asks.
“He told me to!” I answer. I look down at my fist, to see that it’s trembling.
“What the Hell is wrong with the both of you!?” Jamia yells. She helps Frank to his feet, slapping a handcuff onto his wrist. Before I can react, she grabs my arm and places the other handcuff on me. She closes both of the cuffs, ordering, “You two are working out your shit!”
We stand in silence for a moment, Frank staring blankly at his handcuffed wrist, Jamia crossing her arms and jutting one hip out, and myself watching the two. Finally, Frank questions,
“Jamia, you just have handcuffs?” He grins and wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. “That’s kinky.”
“I got them from your bag,” Jamia retorts, deadpan.
Frank goes scarlet, and scuffs his shoe against the floor. Jamia waves goodbye, saying, “Knock on the door when you two decide to grow up and put on your big boy pants.”

Notes

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