Olympus Drive Book 3: According to Plan

Chapter 6

Sol

"So how did you get suspended?" my mother asks, tiredly. I was not anticipating her picking me up. I was expecting my dad who would have started asking questions about my new shirt and instantly forgotten I was suspended. I called Detective Stamos but he said my mom intercepted him and told him she was doing it. So now she's here. And I don't actually have a good answer to her question.

"I---" my mind flashes to not a half an hour earlier:

I flew against the bathroom sink, the force of his punch surprising, even now. I flipped, catching myself by one arm and bringing a foot up to kick him in the chin. Axel fell, not expecting my blow to come to so quickly. He always thinks he's the fastest thing in the room. He's usually right.

"Enough now?" I asked, breathing heavily. I was bloodied and suitably riled, my wounded pride somewhat repaired. 

"Who taught you to fight?"

"You have met my sister."

"Yeah well she fights fair," he said, slugging me. I blocked his punch and moved to twist him into a headlock. He elbowed my stomach and I kicked his legs from under him.

"Life's not fair. Are we done?" I asked, wiping my face.

"Yeah, good fight bro," he said, and we embraced quickly.

"Yeah, good fight, bro," I said, as we walk out of the bathroom, "Homo though."

"Yeah definitely homo, bro," Axel laughed, as we walked directly into Mr. Menon who was coming to look for us, as luck would have it.

"I ah---" which would she like less? The fact that I literally walked into the principal, disheveled, saying 'homo bro' or that I started a fight in the bathroom to make myself feel better? Sadly neither. Neither is good. Okay I should have thought through this. And she's still staring at me. "That weird kid---the one sitting in the Principal's office flipping me off through the window—was rude to Luna this morning you know I---" 

"The question was rhetorical, Sol, when they call me they tell me what you did," she says, tiredly.

"Ah," I say, wincing.

"Yeah, come on, get in the car, you can explain to me why you were hugging and establishing your gayness with somebody you just beat the crap out of."

"I actually have no idea how to explain why I was doing that."

"Do you like him?" she asks, as we walk out to the car, "Is that what this is?"

"Lucifer no—"

"Stop swearing like your dad it's more upsetting than if you actually just cursed."

"I don't like him-- we don't even like each other."

"I thought you and Felix were best friends? I thought you had a date tonight with that girl from band?" she says, tiredly.

"I don't. She didn't show up to school, and Felix and I hardly hang out since he's cool with Troy and his friends," I say, shaking my head. We used to get on in middle school. He's having fun being popular now. The Rhea kids are never popular. We lurk in the shadows.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Sol, I know it isn't easy," she says.

"What isn't?"

"Being you—growing up---" she sighs, as we get in the car, "But why do you have to make everything ten times harder on yourself?"

"I don't know," I sigh, looking out the window. It's starting to rain. I wonder what my dad is up to.

"Please. For once can't you just---try to handle rejection or upset-ness the normal way?"

"Without breaking every window in the house or getting in random fights to force myself not to use my powers because when I do I can't control it?"

"Yes," she sighs, "For me?"

"I'll be normal," I say, not necessarily planning on it.