'Unexpected Feelings'(Sal×Travis)

potatoes and softball

Travis

Lunch has been a fucking nightmare so far, and to make matters worse, they don't even serve proper food today. Just mashed potatoes, and pudding.

Next period is PE, I have that with Sally face, maybe we have dogeball. Smashing a volleyball in his face seems like good payback for the trouble he got me in.

Let's just hope no one mentions my bruises.

Sal

"Why am I in trouble for something that church boy did," I say, frustrated.

"Dunno dude, just glad he's in trouble too."
"Oh yeah, that was kinda shitty,"

I check my phone for the next subject, it's PE. My face goes sour.

"It's PE isn't it, Sal?" Ash exclaims,

"Yeah.." she knows me too well

Larry turns to me as he walks over to Kim to get his lunch.

"No way, me too,"

That makes it slightly better.

I jog over to Larry and grab a tray, a spoonful of lukewarm mashed potatoes is slapped onto my plate, and kim signals for me to move. Where is my pudding?

"Hey, Kim, where's my pudding," I ask, trying my best to sound polite.

"We're out." She bluntly stated, rude.

---

I enter the locker room, and warm, sweaty air hits my face. Gross. My bag hits the floor with a muffled 'plop'. I spot Travis sitting across from me, he's putting on a white shirt, and is wearing knee hight shorts. I never really noticed, but he looks really skinny, almost malnourished even.

I quickly averted my eyes quickly when I hear the thump of the heavy hardwood door. Larry walks in and sits next to me. I see him and Travis make eye contact. Larry glares at him, and the blond boy looks visibly nervous.
The teacher blows on his whistle, communicating the softball match is starting. Larry is up first, he swings the baseball bat at the ball and hits it with the force of a thousand suns. The ball didn't go particularly high, but it sure went fast, and hit the iron fence at back of the field. His long legs ran from base to base, nearly made a homerun, while the opposing team chased the ball.

I'm up next, and I too, swing the bat as hard as I can, yet the ball barely makes it 15 feet. And I run as fast as my little legs can take me. Barely made it to the first base.

We ended up winning the match.

---

Detention just ended, they couldn't reach my dad, and Lisa calmed down after Larry explained the story on the phone.

I'm putting my books back into my locker, and meet up with Larry at the gates, we walk home together, it's getting pretty warm again, it's getting closer to spring.

I mean I'm not complaining, I hate the cold.

We arrive at the apartment, and we take the elevator to the 4th floor.

"Ten bucks my dad isn't home," I say

"What, no, we both know he probably isn't,"

There goes ten bucks.

The key makes a satisfying click as it turned, the door opens with a creak. It's silent, except for the TV, Gizmo sits in front of it, mesmerised.

Theres a note on the counter, it's from my dad.

"Alright Larry, where's my money." I laugh out.

"What did I just say!" He exclaimed, before breaking into laughter.

We make our way to the basement, where the smell of Lisa's cooking can be smelled from underneath the door, it's curry, her favourite.

Larry opens the door and Lisa greets us with a smile.

"Ten more minutes boys," she loves cooking, when she is, you can always hear the smile in her voice.

"Alright mom, we'll be in my room." Larry says, "wanna play on the super gear boy?"

"Don't you have homework," I say jokingly.

Travis

I'm in detention right now, Sally face and Johnson both got lucky, their parents don't care enough to get mad.

I really hope my mother picks up, my body tenses up with every beep of the teachers phone.

"Hello, miss Phelps"

My shoulders relax, I might get out of this without a second beating.

I begin with making some homework, but after 20 minutes, I just give up. I don't understand a single thing, why Is math so darn difficult.

About half an hour later, the teacher told us we could leave.

I make my way over to my house, mother saw me arrive, while looking through the window. She opens the door for me.

"Travis, honey, pleas stop getting into fights, you'll only get in trouble."

"I know mom, I'm sorry," I mumble.

Sally face just makes me feel sick to my stomach, what else am I supposed to do.

"I'm just going to do my homework, I'll tell you about today later." Iove my mother, I really do, she makes me frustrated sometimes when she just stands there when my father.. hurts me. But I always tell her about my day, she's the only person who truly cares about me.

I take of my shoes, and tiptoe upstairs, I enter my room and sit down at my desk. I pull my laptop from underneath a stack of books, and take my math textbook out of my backpack.

Most of my homework consists of me looking up explanations to the countless mathematical problems I don't understand, the rest of the subjects takes me nearly just as long combined.

A good two and a half hours later I'm finally finished and head back downstairs.

"We're eating pasta, dear."

"Thank you mother." Father isn't home yet, I mean, I'm not complaining, it's never peaceful when he’s around. And I  kinda wanted to ask my mother something, I can't do that if he's here.

My mother says a short prayer, and we start eating, well, my mom does, I'm not really hungry, I might eat a bit, before father comes home.

"Hey mom, I have a question," I poke a meatball with my fork.

"Ask away sweetheart," she smiles,

"There's this kid at school, who I really... dislike, because my stomach makes a turn everytime I see them. Like I wanna throw up. And I don't know what to do with it, because getting in fights with them feels wrong." It's difficult to explain how I feel, but I think this captures it pretty well.

"Oh Travis honey, you don't hate her, you're in love. Tell me, whats her name"

In love! No that can't be, Sally face is a boy, thats wrong!

"Umm.."I stammered, I have to make something up quick.. wait-

"Her name is Sally." Thats a girl's name right?

"Oh what a wonderful name, I'm proud of you Travis," proud of what, I'm a sinner.

I hear the sound of keys ratteling outside, if I had any appetite left, It's all gone now.

I gulp as my father, Kenneth Phelps, walks trough the door,

"Hello father," Hope that wasn't too quick.

"Hello son," He pauses too look at my mom "Aby." His voice is cold, and heartless. I don't think tonight will end well.

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You guys won't like the next chapter, or maybe you will, I dunno.

-Micha