Dedicated to MajenBeos02, Babyalex34, Cvstina
________________________________________________________________________________Eight years and Eight months ago, Mason, age 10
August 1, 2010, 5:30 pm, Mason's POV
"What is wrong with you!" Santiago yells, and I cringe and try my hardest not to start crying. I've embarrassed him. I know that. But he cannot think his embarrassment equals mine. I genuinely believed the boy wanted to help.
"I'm sorry," I whisper, and Santiago fists his hands. He then inhales and exhales slowly before unfurling his hands.
"Explain yourself," Santiago demands, and I swallow.
"We were changing out of our gym clothes... and I moved toward the locker rooms. One of the athletes pulled my shirt and told me I was going the wrong way. I couldn't see over their heads... I promise." I whisper, trying not to start sobbing. Santiago sighs and locks his jaw but still motions for me to continue.
"He said I was about to enter the girl's locker room, and then he nudged me into the 'right' locker room. The showers were already going, so the steam had built... I don't think their filtration system is up to code." I add, and Santiago glares at me. I press my lips together, realizing I went off-topic again.
"I started changing. I didn't want to shower because of what happened at Mulberry Academy." I say softly, remembering the first school I was expelled from. Santiago thought it would be better if I went to an all-boys school because I was awkward around girls. He said that my constant flinching was off-putting. But at Mulberry Academy for Boys, the boys in the shared bathroom convinced me that everybody jerks off in the shower. They then made me do it in front of all of them. I did not want to, and when I started crying and said I wanted to ask Santiago, they called me a snitch, and I got my first beatdown against the hard bathroom walls.
"Earth to Mason," Santiago grumbles, and I hold the inside of my lip into my teeth. Santiago insists I look slow when I bite my lip, and this is the only way I can hide it from him.
"While I was changing, the girls came out. They called me a pervert, and no one would listen when I tried to tell them he told me to come into this room." I whisper and then look up at Santiago, seeing he looks unimpressed.
"That kid claims you went into the locker room by yourself. He is the headmaster's son. How can you not realize they would never believe you over him?" Santiago says, and I shrug, then tense, knowing he hates that mannerism, too.
"I did not think of that." I quickly add to cover up the shrug, and Santiago sighs again.
"What am I supposed to do with you?" Santiago asks, and I shake my head, 'I don't know. This is the sixth school in one and a half years. The one before this one only kept me so long because I could think in circles around the other students. But after I accidentally offended the soccer team captain, my days became so intolerable that Santiago had to pull me out. And that was saying something because he ignored every black eye, but something about them breaking my ribs made him transfer me.
"I don't understand how you can be so intelligent but not understand simple hazing. They aren't picking on you because you are naïve and gullible. They are picking on you because you are two years younger than them." Santiago explains, and I nod, 'I like when he explains why. Because then I can fix it, make myself fit in better.'
YOU ARE READING
Singing Robin (Part 2)
General FictionThis is the Second Book after Wilting Violets We have new names, roles, and rules. Pieces of an old puzzle but not a board to fit them on, and we are working differently than before. For the first time, the Monsters that sit below our skin are allow...
