The Barefoot Violinist

Defiance

Cory walked down the hall to the music room. That little bitch has really given the fuck turd some confidence, he smiled, thinking to himself. He hadn't forgotten how they'd embarrassed him in front of the school. Although, if he looked at it now, he probably deserved that beating. Actually, he would have done the same for one of his pals.

Walking closer to the music room, he heard the sweet moan of a violin in the distance. His brow furrowed. Nobody at school could play like that. Everybody knew that the school band sucked and couldn't keep it together long enough for one song. Peeking through the small window in the door, he was amazed to see Bennett playing.

Glued to the floor, he watched in awe as he played. His body moved like an extension of his instrument. He couldn't help but notice the change in Bennett, the way he held himself as if he was listening to something that the violin is saying. His eyes closed and a smile on his face as he kept playing.

Cory stayed where he was, not knowing why. This was a completely different person that was playing in front of him. It felt like this was the first time he'd actually seen Bennett, or the real Bennett and not some scared, snot-nosed, wimpy kid.

Somehow the music seemed to fill a part of him that he'd ignored for so long. A part of him that he didn't have the courage to look at. The longer he listened, the more he seemed to become entranced. All he knew at that moment, was that he wished that the music would never stop.

After a while of listening, he gently pushed the door open. Bennett was still standing with his eyes closed, the most beautiful smile on his face as if he'd just discovered all the secrets of the universe. Cory noticed a warm glow that seemed to emanate from him, that seemed to be drawing him in. Clearing his throat, he noticed the immediate slump in Bennett's shoulders as he opened his eyes and spotted Cory.

Anger flooded through Bennett as he looked over, seeing Cory's gaze intently focused on him. He had to help the person who had made his life a living hell. Now he stood in front of him, with a strange look on his face. Bennett gently put his violin away, his back toward Cory, prolonging the action to avoid speaking to him. Finally unable to put it off any further, he turned to Cory with a resigned look on his face.

"How do you want to do this?" Bennett asked sharply, flinching at the anger in his own voice. "Shall I just do it and you can read it through for the oral presentation?" he said not looking up at Cory. It was strange to have Cory in this space he thought. The only place where he could be himself at school was now invaded by his bully.

"Eh, yeah sure." Cory agreed, only half listening to what Bennett was saying. This was the first time that he'd actually spoken to the kid or even really looked at him. Before he could say anything else, Bennett grabbed his bag and violin case and left the room. Cory stood for a while, mulling things over, before leaving.

That evening, Bennett sat down and completed the assignment, hoping that Cory would have enough brain cells to sell the project to the sub. He didn't have much hope and was tempted to do the oral presentation himself. Closing his books and shutting down his laptop, he felt satisfied that the assignment would get a perfect score, as long as Cory kept his big mouth shut about who did it.

--

The next day, he wondered how he was going to give the assignment to  Cory. It wasn't as if he could just hang out at his locker, waiting for him. He'd probably be admitted to hospital if he ever tried anything like that. With this in mind, he waited at his locker, as Cory had to pass Bennett's to get to his own.

Now let's just hope that I don't get beaten up before class, he thought grimly, not very hopeful. Right at that moment, Jake came by and pushed him hard into his locker, causing his eyes to water. Before he could right himself, his feet were kicked out from under him, so that he was laying sprawled on the floor. Jake laughed and kept walking, while students stopped to stare at Bennett, without doing or saying anything.

Slowly getting up, he picked up his books that were strewn over the floor. He chanced a glance up, seeing a pair of trainers coming to a halt next to him. His eyes briefly met Cory's, thinking that another beating was to follow, instead, he looked at Bennett with a slight frown. Bennett however, just wanted the process to get over with.

"Can you just beat me up already?" he asked in resignation, having picked up his books, trying not to look Cory in the eyes. A beating was due anyway, so he might as well get it out of the way, Bennett thought morosely.

"What?" Cory asked in surprise. He didn't expect this.

"Can you just get this over with, so that I can get through the day in peace? I really don't have the time to stroke your ego today." he was angry. How was he supposed to get this moron to pass English if he was going to get beaten up every day? 

"I'm not going to do that," Cory said quietly, looking at the defiance and hatred clearly written on Bennett's face. This was the first time that he got to look at Bennett close up.

"Here's the assignment." Bennett shoved the paper into his hands. "I think I should  do the oral presentation and we can say that we both worked on the written assignment."

"Did you do this last night?" Cory asked, looking at the assignment in his hands, surprised that it was done in one evening.

Instead of answering, he shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to prolong the conversation with Cory. "Can I go now?" he asked, still looking at the floor as if something interesting was taking up his attention.

"Eh, you don't need to ask my permission," Cory said, looking at Bennett with a frown.

"Sure." was all that he said, before making his way to the music room. Once the door had closed behind him, he let out a slow sigh and picked up his violin. Happiness, he thought as the first sounds filled the room.

Cory still stood with the assignment in his hands, watching Bennett walk away with his head down. What was it with this kid, he wondered with a frown. Somewhere at the back of his mind, he started to feel guilty, but before this thought could take hold of him, he shrugged and moved off to his locker.