TRUE- REVAMPED

Chapter 1--

(4:00 pm)

They didn't even laugh, not this time.

He'd done it again. 

He kept his head down at his dirty converse as he pushed open the main entrance doors, emitting a dry 'squeeeeak' as they let him out

Kids murmured and gasped as he walked by, but he payed them no mind... or he TRIED to. 

He knew he was a bad-grades-student, he knew he had a reputation with the teachers, and he knew DAMN well his parents were gonna have a chat with him as soon as he neared the car. 

You could tell they were agitated as he walked up, dropping his bag in the trunk and getting in the backseat.

A few moments of silence, and then his father sighed. "Four."

He took a sharp breath in, and exhaled. "Yeah?"

"This is the THIRD time this month. What were you THINKING?"

Four didn't respond.

"Well?"

"They were... they..." He gasped exasperatedly and put his hands to his temples.  "They were bullying. I had to... stop them."

It wasn't the truth, but it wasn't exactly a lie.

"If you do this again, you'll go to juvie."

Four shuddered. 

"I'll... try not to." He muttered.

You could tell he wasn't telling his dad something, but his father knew not to push him in this state. "Fine. We'll talk later."

The car ride was eerily silent, only adding to the anxiety of the situation, but was disturbed by a punctual buzz from Four's phone.

The text read 'thx'.

He knew who it was from- of COURSE he knew who it was from- his confusion didn't stem from who, but HOW. 

How did that poor little variable get his NUMBER?

He pushed it aside, leaving that situation for later, and looked up to the rear-view mirror where his father's eyes were fixed. 

"What's for dinner?" he asked, attempting to distract himself.

"Leftovers." His dad nonchalantly replied.

Of course it's leftovers. He thought. 

It's always leftovers.

(5:30 pm)

[dinnertime]

He sat at the table, avoiding both of their gazes and focusing primarily on the pile of hamburger helper laid out in front of him like it was pulled out of somebody's intestinal tissue.

It tasted good, sure, but holy shit, it wasn't pretty.

His mother put her hand on his.

"Whatever you're going through, we-"

She was interrupted by a guttural snarl that came from Four, and she stiffed. 

Four looked up to see them.

"I'M SORRY I WAS TRYING TO PROTECT MY CLASSMATE." He said snidely, and pushed the chair in, storming upstairs.

EARLIER THAT DAY

(2:00 pm)

As four walked down the Arts hallway back to his class, he heard a loud, repeated, bang- coming from an ensemble room. 
He put it off for a bit, but the noise was soon accompanies by muffles shouting and crying.

Peeking into the room, the blue algebrailen's eyes SHOT open at the scene.

A red number three was repeatedly slamming the poor variable's head into a concrete wall.

For a minute he sat there, stunned, unsure what to do. Three was his friend... hurting his... other friend? He hoped this wasn't because of him, that would cause so much more trouble. 

Should he go in? 

He couldn't decide whether to Rick it all or let this little one get hurt or killed. 

He didn't like the answer he chose, but he couldn't just... ignore it. 

He ran in, his terror besting him, and screeched, a high-pitched, ear-breaking noise that surprised both of them, the three dropping the yellow X.

The three made it maybe two steps before falling unconscious on the floor, three feet in front of them.

The x was merely dazed or dizzy, - Four couldn't tell if it was from the attack or the screech- and seemingly terrified. 

"For fuck's sake, are you okay?" He said, the most amount of concern he'd shown anyone since he'd moved here a month ago.

They didn't respond, and looked up at him, almost asking, 'Me?'

"Yea... yeah. Thanks... for the... help. I guess." They murmured, their voice soft and high, shaky from adrenaline, fear, and what Four could tell was sleeplessness. 

Four softly picked them up, and took them to the nurses office. 

The poor kid seemed numb, and Four knew for a fact this hadn't been the first time people has been seen by four- or stopped, even,- abusing and ruining this one little X.

NOW

(5:50)

A soft knock on the door interrupted his 'angsty jam session' as Summify said. 

He believed it had no right being that accurate.

"Come in?" he murmured after hastily pausing his music.

His mom walked in and handed him his homework.

Then left, with no comment, question or.... statement.

"Fuuuuck."

He sighed, and turned to his voice-automated-speaker.

"Ziggy, What variable goes best with four?"

A few seconds of silence, and it responded.

"Sorry, I don't know that one."

"Dumbass." He grumbled and fell into bed, not even bothering to brush his teeth or do the homework his mother had handed him mere seconds ago. He'd gotten his hopes up that it would say something else, but could you really trust these things anymore?

Besides, the real answer was the one he had pushed away to forget about 'for later.'