A Chance Encounter
Chapter 2
I don’t think about the number much after that. It got shoved in a drawer somewhere, I think. Anyway, I live out the remaining two weeks of summer at home, listening to music and playing online games. It’s honestly very boring, but such is my life.
Then school starts again. Senior year, big fun. Too bad I’m still treated as a freshman. I get stuffed in a locker on the first day due to my size. It sucked, but I laugh so hard at the girl who owned the storage space. She screams and ran when I jump out. Unfortunately, a whole hour passed before then so I have to go to my first teacher to apologize.
“Truant on your first day, Mr. Iero? You are not making a good impression.” She tuts at me.
“I…I’m sorry, Ma’am. I was…held up. It wasn’t my fault.”
“Would you mind explaining exactly what the holdup was?”
My cheeks flame red, “I…got shoved in a locker…”
“Really? Who do you think you’re kidding? At least get a believable excuse.”
“Wh-what? It’s true! They like to pick on me cuz I’m small!”
“Oh, give it a rest! I have an eye witness who says that right before he came here he saw you go out the back way with a pack of cigarettes.”
“Oh, yeah? What student was this? Jared Leto?”
Her eyes narrow, “Yes, actually, and the fact that you know that only proves your guilt.”
I throw my hands up, “He’s the one that shoved me in the fucking locker you bitch! Stop sucking up to him just because his family has money!”
“Mr. Iero, I could have you suspended just for that language. As it is, though, I don’t see the point in suspension. Does kids no good. So you’ll be sentenced to a sort of community service instead. We’re getting a new student next week. One Mr. Michael Way. You will be his guide, seeing as he’s in all of your classes. Until he arrives, you will help the janitors after school. Understood?”
“Are you serious? I didn’t do anything!”
“Don’t make me extend it…”
I just sigh and walk out of the room. God, I hate that woman already. I wonder who this Michael character is. Moving to a new school after the first week? Probably another rich prep like Leto. I don’t think I can handle that. Instead of dwelling on it, I go home and plug in my Les Paul. Pansy is my only real friend, and she helps me write the perfect song. I think I’ll call it… “Fifth Period Massacre.” Yeah, that’s got a nice ring.
…
“Slit your wrists good last night, Iero? Let me see the scars.” Jared’s voice greets me as I walk through the hall.
“Fuck off Leto. Music is my bitch, not some razor.” I scowl at him.
“Ooo, baby’s got bite. Okay, I’m game. What kind of emo shit you listen to?”
I smile. I am so fed up with his bullying, “I don’t listen. I write. And if you had any brain in your tiny pea brain, you could read my fucking Metallica shirt!”
“Oh. I’m sorry. You know, I’d love to hear your music sometime…You don’t get too detailed in the one about getting fucked up the ass, right?”
“Fraid I do. Why? Scared I’ll ruin the experience for you? Or are you planning to jack off to it?”
“You trying to start something?”
“No, you’re confused. You started this; I’m finishing it,” and with that I leap at him. My fist collides with his cheek bone with a smack. He gets a shocked look that really makes me want to laugh. Then his expression morphs to anger.
“You did not just do that.” His fist rears and I’m just able to think oh shit before…someone reaches out and stops him.
“Okay, totally not my place, but quit picking on the dude. His music taste is epic and my brother’s gay so I take offense to your insults,” the person says.
I look behind me to see a blonde guy in an Anthrax shirt. He has on glasses, which makes him look a little nerdy, but who am I to judge? I quote Star Wars on a daily basis. Jared scoffs, “Guess I know who your fuck buddy is now. This ain’t over.” Then he walks away.
“Um…thanks,” I say to the skinny guy.
“No prob. I’m Mikey.”
“Frank. This is going to sound weird, but what’s your last name?”
“Uh…Way.”
“That’s what I thought,” I nod, “I’m your guide. We have all our classes together and if we don’t hurry we’ll be late for the first one…”
We head off down the hall and walk into class a couple seconds after the bell. The teacher gives me a death glare and points back at the door, “Office, both of you, NOW!”
Mikey looks freaked, as if he’s never had a teacher yell at him before. I shrug, grabbing his arm and pulling him after me. The office is on the opposite side of the school, so the walk takes a while. When we get there, the principle does not look happy. His hands are folded on the desk and he looks at us with a steady gaze.
“Have a seat, boys,” he says, and we do, “I’m sure I have no need to remind you, Mr. Iero, about our zero tolerance policy. Do I?”
I roll my eyes, “’All fighting on school grounds is prohibited. Personal disputes must be settled off the property. If this rule is broken, severe punishment can be administered’ especially if your name is Frank Iero because you do not fit in with society.” I quote the handbook, adding on the last bit myself.
“Now, Franklin, you are insinuating that we discriminate here.”
“You do discriminate here! Otherwise Jared would be in here too!”
“Jared was in here. He claims the two of you attacked him in the hall, and he has a bruising cheek to prove it.”
“That’s not true!” Mikey speaks up, “Jared was picking on Frankie here, so he punched him. Then Jared was about to wail on Frank, so I stopped him! Jared is just as guilty!”
“Just how was Jared ‘picking on you’? Because he claims that he was minding his own business.”
“Just the usual harassment. Calling me gay, insulting my taste in music. He does it all the time.”
“Why haven’t you reported this before?”
“I’m an antisocial introvert. I avoid controversial situations.”
“Which is why you punched Jared in the face.”
“I snapped.”
“Uh-huh. I also have a report here that you were smoking behind the school a week ago?”
“That’s a lie. Jared shoved me in a locker, so I was unable to go to class. I don’t smoke.”
He sighs, “All right. I’ll deal with Mr. Leto. You both have three days ISS starting now, though I regret to do this on your first day, Mr. Way.”
I sigh, getting up and heading straight for the bathroom.
“Where are you going?” Mikey asks.
“I need a smoke,” I reply.
“But you just said you don’t smoke.”
“And? Stay with me or the ISS instructor will suspect something.” I walk into the smelly room and lean against the wall, lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag. I try not to smoke in school, but sometimes it gets too stressful. Then I remember my manners and hold out the pack to Mikey, “Want one?”
“Uh, no, I don’t…smoke.”
I shrug and finish the cancer stick before tossing the butt in a sink and walking away.
Then school starts again. Senior year, big fun. Too bad I’m still treated as a freshman. I get stuffed in a locker on the first day due to my size. It sucked, but I laugh so hard at the girl who owned the storage space. She screams and ran when I jump out. Unfortunately, a whole hour passed before then so I have to go to my first teacher to apologize.
“Truant on your first day, Mr. Iero? You are not making a good impression.” She tuts at me.
“I…I’m sorry, Ma’am. I was…held up. It wasn’t my fault.”
“Would you mind explaining exactly what the holdup was?”
My cheeks flame red, “I…got shoved in a locker…”
“Really? Who do you think you’re kidding? At least get a believable excuse.”
“Wh-what? It’s true! They like to pick on me cuz I’m small!”
“Oh, give it a rest! I have an eye witness who says that right before he came here he saw you go out the back way with a pack of cigarettes.”
“Oh, yeah? What student was this? Jared Leto?”
Her eyes narrow, “Yes, actually, and the fact that you know that only proves your guilt.”
I throw my hands up, “He’s the one that shoved me in the fucking locker you bitch! Stop sucking up to him just because his family has money!”
“Mr. Iero, I could have you suspended just for that language. As it is, though, I don’t see the point in suspension. Does kids no good. So you’ll be sentenced to a sort of community service instead. We’re getting a new student next week. One Mr. Michael Way. You will be his guide, seeing as he’s in all of your classes. Until he arrives, you will help the janitors after school. Understood?”
“Are you serious? I didn’t do anything!”
“Don’t make me extend it…”
I just sigh and walk out of the room. God, I hate that woman already. I wonder who this Michael character is. Moving to a new school after the first week? Probably another rich prep like Leto. I don’t think I can handle that. Instead of dwelling on it, I go home and plug in my Les Paul. Pansy is my only real friend, and she helps me write the perfect song. I think I’ll call it… “Fifth Period Massacre.” Yeah, that’s got a nice ring.
…
“Slit your wrists good last night, Iero? Let me see the scars.” Jared’s voice greets me as I walk through the hall.
“Fuck off Leto. Music is my bitch, not some razor.” I scowl at him.
“Ooo, baby’s got bite. Okay, I’m game. What kind of emo shit you listen to?”
I smile. I am so fed up with his bullying, “I don’t listen. I write. And if you had any brain in your tiny pea brain, you could read my fucking Metallica shirt!”
“Oh. I’m sorry. You know, I’d love to hear your music sometime…You don’t get too detailed in the one about getting fucked up the ass, right?”
“Fraid I do. Why? Scared I’ll ruin the experience for you? Or are you planning to jack off to it?”
“You trying to start something?”
“No, you’re confused. You started this; I’m finishing it,” and with that I leap at him. My fist collides with his cheek bone with a smack. He gets a shocked look that really makes me want to laugh. Then his expression morphs to anger.
“You did not just do that.” His fist rears and I’m just able to think oh shit before…someone reaches out and stops him.
“Okay, totally not my place, but quit picking on the dude. His music taste is epic and my brother’s gay so I take offense to your insults,” the person says.
I look behind me to see a blonde guy in an Anthrax shirt. He has on glasses, which makes him look a little nerdy, but who am I to judge? I quote Star Wars on a daily basis. Jared scoffs, “Guess I know who your fuck buddy is now. This ain’t over.” Then he walks away.
“Um…thanks,” I say to the skinny guy.
“No prob. I’m Mikey.”
“Frank. This is going to sound weird, but what’s your last name?”
“Uh…Way.”
“That’s what I thought,” I nod, “I’m your guide. We have all our classes together and if we don’t hurry we’ll be late for the first one…”
We head off down the hall and walk into class a couple seconds after the bell. The teacher gives me a death glare and points back at the door, “Office, both of you, NOW!”
Mikey looks freaked, as if he’s never had a teacher yell at him before. I shrug, grabbing his arm and pulling him after me. The office is on the opposite side of the school, so the walk takes a while. When we get there, the principle does not look happy. His hands are folded on the desk and he looks at us with a steady gaze.
“Have a seat, boys,” he says, and we do, “I’m sure I have no need to remind you, Mr. Iero, about our zero tolerance policy. Do I?”
I roll my eyes, “’All fighting on school grounds is prohibited. Personal disputes must be settled off the property. If this rule is broken, severe punishment can be administered’ especially if your name is Frank Iero because you do not fit in with society.” I quote the handbook, adding on the last bit myself.
“Now, Franklin, you are insinuating that we discriminate here.”
“You do discriminate here! Otherwise Jared would be in here too!”
“Jared was in here. He claims the two of you attacked him in the hall, and he has a bruising cheek to prove it.”
“That’s not true!” Mikey speaks up, “Jared was picking on Frankie here, so he punched him. Then Jared was about to wail on Frank, so I stopped him! Jared is just as guilty!”
“Just how was Jared ‘picking on you’? Because he claims that he was minding his own business.”
“Just the usual harassment. Calling me gay, insulting my taste in music. He does it all the time.”
“Why haven’t you reported this before?”
“I’m an antisocial introvert. I avoid controversial situations.”
“Which is why you punched Jared in the face.”
“I snapped.”
“Uh-huh. I also have a report here that you were smoking behind the school a week ago?”
“That’s a lie. Jared shoved me in a locker, so I was unable to go to class. I don’t smoke.”
He sighs, “All right. I’ll deal with Mr. Leto. You both have three days ISS starting now, though I regret to do this on your first day, Mr. Way.”
I sigh, getting up and heading straight for the bathroom.
“Where are you going?” Mikey asks.
“I need a smoke,” I reply.
“But you just said you don’t smoke.”
“And? Stay with me or the ISS instructor will suspect something.” I walk into the smelly room and lean against the wall, lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag. I try not to smoke in school, but sometimes it gets too stressful. Then I remember my manners and hold out the pack to Mikey, “Want one?”
“Uh, no, I don’t…smoke.”
I shrug and finish the cancer stick before tossing the butt in a sink and walking away.
8/11/13