Calvin

Friday September 22 2017

2:42pm

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"Over here dumbass."

And there she is.

"Ashton, she's over-hey! What are you doing?" Jeez this guy.

He's pointing at one of the decorated lockers for someone's birthday. He bouncing on the spot while looking between the pictures on the wall, that stupid ass grin on his face. "Look look! That's me, I'm in one of the photos!" He beams.

I can't help but sigh dealing with the kid who has the absolute shortest attention span. "Come on, Iz hates waiting." I tug at his sleeve trying to pull him in her direction. It takes a couple tugs until he finally starts walking with me.

"Hey," I wave to Iz.

She looks back and fourth between me and Ashton, her eyebrows raised. She gives Ashton a couple once-overs, as she usually does with new people. "Hey. Ashton, yeah?" She points at the boy.

"The one and only," he grins. I have to nudge him a little for being too idiotic so early.

This whole thing could go so many ways. Most of which end in me never wanting to show my face in front of either of them ever again. Great.

Ashton holds out a hand, "I've heard much about you from our mutual friend here, Cal." He gestures to me.

She raised her eyebrows at me yet again, grinning. "Cal?" She chuckles, taking his hand for a somewhat awkward handshake.

Fucking hell. "Didn't I just tell you to never call me that?" I huff, punching him in the shoulder.

"Nope," he replies, punching me back before starting to walk towards the door. "Now let's get going! Come on, come on!" he marches forward, swinging his arms exaggeratedly to match his ridiculous walk.

"Is he always like this?" Iz whispers to me.

"Sadly, I think so," I sigh. I watch Iz for a second to gauge her reaction.

Huh.... strange.

Ashton bursts out the door jogging forward before coming right back, slightly out of breath. "Where are we going?"

Iz point to the left. "That way."

"So-"

"Lynwood!" Oh shit.

I can hear Zach's obnoxious laugh behind me. Right behind me.

Crap.

He grabs my backpack, yanking me backwards. I stumble trying to keep myself from falling, but he uses his grip on my bag to shove me to the ground. I let out an embarrassing yelp as I hit the hard concrete.

"Hey, come on." I hear Iz say. "Fuck off guys."

"Ha! Need your girlfriend here to save you, huh?" James mocks.

"I-I uh," I stutter like an idiot.

Zach leans over me, the heel of his boot digging into my stomach keeping me in check. Though honestly it's not his foot keeping me in check, it's his psychotic laughter, ape-like build, his dull eyes. He moves so it's his knee in my stomach to lean even lower, grabbing me by the collar to lift my head slightly off the ground so we're nose to nose.

"Lets have some fun Lynwood," he smirks, his glaring eyes giving me shivers.

I can't believe this happening now of all times. Oh god, why do these apes have the worst timing! I stare are the undone buttons of Zach's uniform shirt unable to look him in the eye. Ashton's probably thinking I'm such a coward. I guess he wouldn't be wrong though.

Ugh, no matter how many times I've been punched in the face, I don't think I'll ever get used to it. All I can do is brace for impact I guess.

But then suddenly Zach isn't towering over me anymore. Suddenly, I'm up on my feet as if I was never on the ground in the first place. Suddenly, I went from about to get beaten the shit out of, to watching Ashton bump chests with Zach aggressively.

What the shit. Just. Happened.

"What the fuck Ivers? Getting in my way on the field, and now here?" Zach grunts. "You're just another little shit nerd, you know that? You think you're so much better than everyone else, I don't know what the coach is thinking even letting you play."

Zach shoves Ashton hard making him stumble back, but Ashton is back in Zach's face in no time, gripping his shirt.

"You wanna fucking go Ivers?!" Zach yells before throwing a punch.

Shit, this is all my fault. What is wrong with me, getting Ashton in this. He should have to be fighting for me. I'm so fucking stupid.

I don't want to watch.

I look away, focusing my vision on the scrapes on my hand. I hear them fighting. I can't tell what exactly going on, but I don't think I want to know. Zach's yelling shit that I can't comprehend but Ashton isn't saying anything. Oh god, is he hurt badly?

Damnit! I gotta see what's happening.

"Fuck..." Zach's panting, wiping blood from his nose.

Ashton... seems okay?

"Fuck off Genney, seriously. I don't know if you think you're cool by doing all this shit, but it's just messed up. Why don't you use this time to practice instead of constantly complaining about how much better I am than you." Ashton gives Zach one last shove, making Zach stumble back.

Zach looks like he's about to explode, yet all he does is let out a loud grunt and starts walking away. Walking towards me. Fuck!

Zach bumps me with his shoulder so hard I fall over again, landing on my ass. Ouch.  Zach pauses beside me, glaring at me without even turning his head. "Fuck you Lynwood. You better be prepared for next time," he says through his teeth before finally leaving.

Hold it, did that really just-

"Need a hand?" Ashton's suddenly in front of me extending a hand unsettlingly casually, with an even more unsettling smile.

"What the fuck..." I mumble. "What the fuck, just happened."

I think I'm having something like a panic attack right now. Zach is walking away, more like stomping his anger away, and Ashton's here all fine and shit like nothing happened!

"What, you weren't watching my amazing skills? I feel hurt." He chuckles like it's nothing.

I continue to stare blankly at him. I turn to Iz, my eyes most likely looking like they're about to burst out of their sockets.

"Iz..." but she looks just as dumbfounded.

"What?" Ashton asks like the oblivious idiot he is.

"Dude..." is he serious?

"Hey, what? Should I have not? He's an complete dick, he deserved more than that." He crosses his arms, obviously annoyed. Oh god, Ashton angry is not a pleasant sight. He scrunches his face up, his eyes become thin slits, and he's biting his lip so hard he's probably on the brink of breaking skin.

"Okay, okay. I guess you're right..." I didn't realize Zach was such a dick to Ashton too.

"'I guess'? What do you mean, 'I guess'?!" He booms at me.

"Shit man, of course I know he needs his fucking head checked, he's a complete psycho!" I reply, a little annoyed he's yelling at me.

"He been pushing you around since when, you were a sophomore? Freshmen? Did you never say anything?"

He's suddenly getting all serious and I think this scares me more than him annoyed. Of course I know he's right. I guess I just... didn't want to make a big deal out of it. I can handle it, they've never broken one of my bones or made me want to stay at home. It's rare for them to actually beat me up, it's usually small things like tripping me or bumping me in the halls, so my parents don't notice. They mostly just enjoy watching me embarrass the shit out of myself. I don't get a black eye every week, okay?

I can handle it.

"Because..." But I can't say that to Ashton. He won't accept an answer like that.

"It's just... it's not as bad as you think okay? Sure, I complain like it's the end of the world but it really isn't. I get your mad cause he's an ass to you during practice too, but why are you getting so worked up about me? No offence but you're actually such an idiot for punching him."

He turns to me, his head tilted sideways and his eyes squinting.

"What the fuck is wrong with you man?" He looks genuinely confused which pisses me off even more.

"What the fuck is wrong with me?! You punched Zach fucking Genney, and you're asked what's wrong with me? I'm just asking, if you've really wanted to do that, why did you do it now and not anytime before."

He looks down at the ground. "You-"

He sighs, ruffling his hair. "I..."

He chuckles, looking back at me, the corner of his lip tilted slightly upwards. "You're dumb."

I really don't understand Ashton. I guess it was just one of those 'spur of the moment' things. At least he doesn't seem angry anymore.

He offers his hand again and I take it this time. I smile as his stupid grin returns to its rightful place.

"Let's stop getting all serious and arguing, our friend over there seems a little uncomfortable." He gestures to Iz with his thumb.

Oops.

Her arms are crossed and she's glaring right at me. "Nice one, cap." Shit.

"Sorry," I chuckle.

"Let's just get going, I swear, if we miss Luke and Alex's shift and we don't get our free shit, I will murder you," She points at me accusingly as she talks through her teeth.

"It wasn't just me! It was Ashton too!" I'm pointing at him now.

"Excuse me mister 'oh but I just need to print this one thing please'" She sneers.

"That was one time okay!"

"One time my ass!"

"Okay, okay, if you guys really don't want to miss whoever you're talking about, why don't we get going instead of pointing fingers?" Who would have thought Ashton would be the one to give the sensible suggestion.

"Yeah, yeah you're right," I laugh.

"Whatever," Iz huffs, but at least she's smiling. "Okay then. This way!" She points.

"And we're off!" Ashton cheers, marching along stupidly.

"What's the place called anyways?" He asks not too long after we start walking.

"Icecream Junction," Iz replies, but puts a hand up to stop Ashton from talking again. "Before you say 'it's called Icecream Junction, why are we going there for frozen yogurt', they sell frozen yogurt too, and it's some really fucking good frozen yogurt, okay?" She gives her trademark look of 'I'm asking you if you understand, but if you say you don't you're dead'.

"Got it, got it," Ashton chuckles, smiling at me. "By the way, why do you call Cal cap?" He snickers. Damnit!

I elbow the asshat in the ribs, "I told you not to call me that!"

He puts a hand over the place I elbowed and groans while laughing. "Ow! Meanie!"

"You're such a child!" But I'm giggling too now.

"Really though, why do you call him cap sometimes?" He asks again, pretending to wince when I bluff a punch to his shoulder.

"That my friend, is a story for another day." Thank you.

Suddenly Ashton stops walking and gasps extremely loudly, making me flinch.

"What?" I groan.

"She called me her friend! Fuck yeah! Haha! Your other best friend says I'm her friend, that's ultimate approval!" Holy  shit. He starts jogging, more like hopping, and waving his fists like a child.

Hey wait-

"What do you mean, 'other best friend'?"

He stops bouncing to face me directly with that stupid ass grin.

"I'm talking about myself of course!" He says, pointing at himself with his thumb.

"When did I ever say you were my best friend?!" I have to yell because he keeps running forward like a lunatic.

"Don't act like you don't want to be best friends! Now come on you two, you guys are so slow!" He yells back, not even stopping.

Iz leans in as we continue our regular-people-pace of walking. "How did you manage to pick the absolute weirdest fucking lunatic in the entire school?"

"I didn't."

We keep walking and I finally spot Ashton leaning against a bus stop, panting of course because he ran all the way.

"Got tired?" Iz snickers.

"Why'd you stop?" I chuckle. I obviously already know his answer.

"I don't know where to go," he practically mumbles, his face a little red either from running or embarrassment.

"Idiot," I hit him in the shoulder before starting to cross the street with Iz. "Stop running ahead when you don't even know where to run ahead!"

"Whatever Cal!"

"Fuck you!" I shove him but he just laughs, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't laughing too.

oh

"If you guys keep shoving each other we might not make it in time for free frozen yogurt!" Iz calls from a little ahead.

"Sorry!" We yell back in unison, making us give each other a weird look. But the weird look just turns into laughs and we had stopped walking at that point.

"Fuck you guys, I'm getting my free food, don't start complaining to me about paying for your shit cause you were too busy publicly embarrassing yourselves!" She purposely yelled the last part.

"Come on dumbass!" I say before running forward. "Hey, no fair!" He yells, but it only takes a second for him to catch up.

Somehow, we ended up running the rest of the way there.