Ansel Westbrook

Ring, ring, ring. I groaned and struggled to turn my alarm off. Then I just lay on my bed in self pity and regret. Monday it is Monday. I pulled myself out of bed and shuffled to the dresser. Kill me now that means I have to go to school and face people. 

Normally I would not be this against going but yesterday I stopped Jacob from beating up Raven, which in turned led Raven to beating up all the guys Jacob brought. I opened my dresser and pulled out a sky blue T-shirt. Then opened the second to last drawer and pulled out a pair of jeans. I slipped them on along with underwear and socks I had already laid out. I looked in the mirror connected to my bedroom door and sighed. Half of my hair was flat the other sticking up in precarious and angles. I did my best to flatten the later but gave up after a minute and instead ruffled the other side o match. Then I walked out of my room. 

The tan walls of the hallway looked gold in the morning sun. some of the paintings hung blazing with light. I made my way down the spiral staircase to the living room. The grey couch a oddity to the white chairs placed next to it. I went around it past the fireplace in front of the couch. My feet slapping the redwood floorboards. I slid into the kitchen and jumped a little when I saw Raven eating toast at the kitchen table. 

His eyes on me and I already felt weak at the knees whether from fear or his sheer gorgeousness I could not distinguish. “Are you going to keep standing there and staring or go eat.” Raven asked in a board tone. I feel my face heat and turn towards the refrigerator. “I made you some toast with avocado, if you want it it's on the counter.” I swung around to finding him looking at his toast like it was very interesting. “That was very nice of you.” I grab the toast from the island and take the seat across the table from him. 

The toast was not in fact just avocado it had sprouts, salt, pepper, other herbs I could not distinguish, an over easy egg under all of it. My mouth started to water. I took a big bite avoiding the yoke, you know save the best for last, and almost sighed at how good it tasted. I glanced at Raven but he continued to ignore me. Fine be that way I thought to myself. I quietly finished my toast, then stood up and put my dishes in the sink. I turned to Raven who was still at the table. 

“So why are you up so early?” I asked him. He looks at me. “Maudie said I had to go to the flower shop today.” “Oh well good luck.” I offer. “This is going to suck.” He says miserably. “Oh and that nurse lady made lunches for everyone. It's in the fridge.” Then he goes back to munching on his toast. I open the fridge and find the lunch Lyria had made for me. It was in a brown bag with my name on it. Two other bags identical to mine were in the fridge with the names, Maudie and Raven on them. She must have found out about Raven from Maudie. I glanced at the clock on the stove and almost did a double take. I had spent almost a hour eating breakfast I had to go or else I was going to be late. 

I ran to the door and took my backpack off the hook and grabbed a green fleece jacket from the closet. I slipped on my tennis shoes, pulled my backpack on over the fleece and turned to Raven who was watching me. I swear he reminded me of a panther watching a bunny trying to decide whether to kill it or play with it. “Tell Ms. Maudie I left for school.” I don't wait for him to respond I open the back door and stepped outside slamming the door behind me. 

The crisp October air hit my face the moment I shut the door. It was not so much cold just the fresh feel of a morning, the leaves which had been tinted with color a couple weeks ago had gone to full blown golden oranges, blood reds, and daisy yellows. I walked on the side of the gravel road listening to the birds sing, along with the sudden clash of sound when a squirrel ran on the leafy ground to the nearest tree. The walk was peacefully serine just what I needed on a Monday. As I came upon the town I took different streets I had not been on. Oak Lane and Lily Place, till I saw the park. Joggers and walkers enjoying the morning also lined the streets and ran on the paved trail in the park. I eventually passed the park and stood in front of the school. 

The building was brick and old some of the red from the brick fading and crumbling making the grass beneath look rusty. I scanned the crowd of people streaming into the school. Now was the time when Jacob and his cronies usually came to bully and insult me. Maybe Jacob learned his lesson and will leave me alone. I thought to myself. Yeah right. That's like me getting a B in English. I continued into the building. Red and yellow lockers lined the hall. The buss of talking already defining. My first class was Celsius on the third floor with Ms. Smith, and of course my locker had to be on the other side of the building on the first floor. 

I continued through the flow of students going to their classes. As I got closer to my locker I felt eyes on me and people whispering. Paranoia I thought to myself, is an awful thing. But when I got close to my locker I saw my intuition was right. I walked to my locker where I saw papers taped on it. When I was in front I forced myself to read them. The first sign was one word big and bold FAGGOT. I closed my eyes, breathed, and opened them again; other words we also written and they weren't nice either. Along with disturbing images and drawings. My senses rained in and I felt the eyes and heard the whispers of people as they passed. I was suddenly a deer in the headlights. My eyes started to water and burn. I should have expected this. Jacob would never leave me alone after humiliating him. I can't be here he will kill me. 

I back into the throng of students and start to get bumped and jumbled around. I needed to get to the door. I pushed through the throng for what seemed miles till I was at the main entrance doors. I pushed through and stumbled into the sun, at that moment the second bell rang. I was skipping for the first time, well not really. The sun was beating on me the chill this morning was gone and I was hot. I started to walk and decided to go to Maudie's shop she would at least get it, and if not I could fake being sick. So I started the trek to the other side of town.