Schadenfreude

An Alleyway Full of Future (Quest)

I watched. I never spoke up. I stay to myself. Except for today, when I stood up to the worst bully in all of middle school. For a stray cat.

I walked, with my green hoodie covering my eyes. My short curly brown hair got in my face and I blew it away. 

I slowed, knowing this was normally where Tempest hung out.

I heard clamoring, a few yelps, and cruel laughter around the corner, and I shrank further in my hoodie.

 At least... It's not me...

I sighed. Slowly walking through the hallway, ducking through the crowd of middle schoolers. I cursed my height, being five feet seven, and wearing a large three toned hoodie, I wasn't as inconspicuous as I thought I was. 

[A/N: I can't bring myself to write the word, so, it's a slur towards homosexuals] "Hey, [slur], you think your so smart, sneakin' around like that? Come here, and I'll show you what the punishment for sneaking around FEELS like!"

Tears brim in my eyes. Of course, he was talking to me. Coming out as gay to... A lot of people, meant bullies... Would target you. Bitches. Of course, I couldn't call them that. They, Tempest specifically, would kill me.

Suddenly, the bell rang. Tempest growled. "You. You-- You are meeting me after school. You will learn your fucking lesson. You will not-- not get away with this." He looked me in the eye. His dark hair covered one eye and the other was gleaming with hate. 

I looked at him, and then scrambled into my class.

Last class. It's almost over. I'll run. He won't see me. He CAN'T see me.

The clock hits 3:10. The teacher nods. 

"You may now leave."

The class cheers. I looked down at my feet. Then I grabbed my backpack and slung it over my shoulder. I put my hood up and then walked out of the classroom. I slouched down as far as I could, and hoped Tempest wouldn't see me.

 I tugged on the strings of my hoodie. 

"Hey! [slur]! Get over here!" Tempest shouted across the halls. I looked down and slouched more. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I'm dead. 

People noticed me, and either gave me sympathetic looks, or glared at me smugly. Or didn't care. Most people didn't care. No one truly cared. Even the sympathetic people.

I navigated my way through the crowd, pleading that Tempest wouldn't find me. I heard the bully growl more threats. I started hyperventilating, and then took a deep breath. It's fine, everything is fine. You are safe. SAFE. Safe... 

I pushed through the mob of middle schoolers. The door was so close. I started running. Running, running, running. Fresh air. Safety.

I breathed in deeply, and then heard Tempest's voice yelling, and ducked into an alleyway and pressed myself against the wall. 

I took deep breaths. He can't find me here... please? 

Suddenly, there was a meow at my feet. I looked down and saw a scrawny black cat with white spots. I crouched down to look at it.

"No collar... Hey kitty, do you live somewhere?" I murmured, mostly to myself. The cat meowed pitifully. "You look like a stray... Here... I'll bring you back to my house after I wait out Tempest."

The cat looked up at him, questioningly. "Oh, Tempest?" I asked. The cat nodded, which was a bit strange.

"Tempest is—" I was cut off by a large figure appearing and slamming me into the wall. Despite myself, the way he had me against the wall made me blush. "You were talking about me? Y'know, I don't like cowards. And that's what you are. A—"

The scrawny cat meowed angrily. "Ha, look! Little mushroom boy made a friend with a piece of scrap!" He turned away from me and when he did, I fell and slouched against the wall. I watched Tempest squat down to look at the cat. 

"Oh! It's a stray. Maybe I should... Put it out of it's misery." He picked up the cat by its tail, and the poor thing meowed. 

"NO!" I shouted. Tempest slowly turned to look at me.

"What. Are you. Telling me. What to do?" Something sparked in his eyes. I swallowed. "Don't. Hurt the cat." 

Tempest laughed, and then wrapped his hand around the cat's neck. "What are you gonna do to stop me? Show me pictures of mushrooms and eyes? Like I'll be scared?" Me eyes narrowed. "HAH! I was wrong about you!! You're not a coward! You're just pathetic and defective!"

Stubborn tears threatened to spill out of my eyes, but I blinked then back. "The cat didn't do anything to you." 

Tempest laughed again. "Yeah, but it's dumb! It doesn't have a home, so it doesn't deserve to live. You think—"

"Alright, this is getting annoying. Both of you, SHUT UP!" 

Me and Tempest looked at the cat. Then up at each other. Then at the cat again. "Yeah, yeah, talking cat, get used to it. My name's Atlas. And I need you two to get along."

"I-Is that cat talking— Or is it just me?" I'm not sure who said it, but the look in Tempest's eyes mirrored my emotions exactly: Fear, confusion, and... Anger. He nodded quickly, so I must have asked the question.

The cat—Atlas— sighed. "This is what I get for not introducing myself when we first met."