Two Birds On A Wire

ch 19

"I don't think I can get it done!" Ivan groaned and threw back his head, desperately shaking his arm to get rid of the pain in it. He had been asked to write an essay on the history of Human Kind, as a punishment for fighting in class. It was supposed to be 5 pages long and he was to submit it by noon.

The principal knew that kids would ditch detention. Julian had taught him well. He would have made them run around the school or something but this seemed way more convincing (and torturing).

Ivan looked at Julian and saw him pretending the pen to be a toy car and driving it around. "Dude, are you even trying to finish your essay? It's already 10"

"Who cares" Julian sang and made humming voices, carrying the pen over Ivan's head and wiggling it infront of his face. "He is just going to forget about it after a while"

Ivan raised his brows. "You talk like you have tried ditching all these punishments"

Julian scoffed. "You bet"

Ivan scowled at that. He got up from his spot and stretched his arms. "Dude, my arse feel like they have been kept on ice"

"Do you even have an arse to speak of?"

"Hey!" Ivan sounded offended. "You wanna pick up where we left off last time?"

Julian got up and stretched his back. "Why pick up another fight, bubba?"

Ivan knew that the other boy sounded way too suspicious. And his stupid smirk was not so convincing. Yet, he decided to think that Julian was, for once, trying to do it the calm way.

Ivan gave him a questioning look.

"Let's just go over there and have a breathe of some fresh air" Julian went over to stand beside Ivan as he pointed towards the outdoors of the school compound.

"Where?" Ivan scrunged his nose up. By the split second Ivan let his guard down, Julian pushed the hem of his t-shirt over his head and pulled him to the floor, and immediately ran away, laughing all the way.

"You are good as dead when I get my hands on you, you sneaky lil bastard!" Ivan yelled as he struggled upon his feet and chased after Julian.

***

Julian couldn't help but think that he was the most unfortunate creature on the planet. Every single time he thinks he would get away with troubling Ivan, it backfires and gets him neck-deep in water.

He had had a head start and ran away with all the might he had. But he had bumped into a group of freshmen, looking for some
Mr. Peat, which apparently slowed him down. He had to give them boys clear directions and they just seemed too dumb to understand anything he said that he had to explain it twice.

In the meanwhile, Ivan had caught up and now, he had Julian's head tucked under his arm as he walked through the hallways, with Julian stumbling beside him.

"Dude, let go!" Julian whined for the umpteenth time as he desperately whacked at Ivan's arm.

Ivan shook his head, not even bothering to give the other boy a look.

"Why would I?"

"All the kids are gonna come out of their classes soon. And they're gonna see... And,
... They are gonna make fun of me!"

Ivan smirked. "Let them"

"Let go already, you!"

"Nope" Ivan said, popping the 'p', a smile dancing on his lips. He was enjoying it way too much. He walked over to his lockers, dragging Julian along with him, despite his protests. He took out a pocket-pack of chocolate from his locker and shoved it inside Julian's mouth.

"Eat, my little one" he cooed as he watched Julian's irritated face tucked under his arm. It was oddly satisfying for some reason. "Daddy's here to feed you!"

Julian tried kicking Ivan's shin, only to fail miserably. He spat out a mouthful of harsh words, some Shakespearian curses, only to get whacked on the head.

"Oi, oi! Look who's here! What on Earth are you guys doing!?" Johann's voice rang throughout the hallways and Julian found himself being freed from the tight grip. He felt a strange gust of cold air rush to the side of his neck and he gave Ivan a scowl.

Julian looked up and saw Johann walking towards them with the sloppiest smile, accompanied by Isma and a bunch of her friends.

"Hey Barry" Ivan greeted, and Julian couldn't help but notice the faint drop in his tone. He looked up at the boy and saw him watch him with a slight smirk. 'There goes your reputation', Ivan mouthed.

This guy... He deserved yet another concussion.