Field - ★ - Brance

- Part Thirteen -

(References to Part Six)

Vance had left Bruce's house to get to school. Normally he wouldn't care about being in class but his father had been scaring him. He felt a bit bad leaving Bruce without notice so he decided to just leave him the rest of his cigarettes.

Vance chuckled to himself. "Yamada smokes. Never expected that." He entered his class and spent most of the time clicking his pen onto the desk. He was slightly hungover and the nausea was irritating to say the least. Class was nearly impossible for Vance. Even if he decided to show up, it felt like a sea drowning him. Like the waves where keeping him down, restraining him from moving anywhere but his desk. Why would he pay attention to that?

He let out a relieved sigh as the first bell rang. He left his class and slammed his only notebook into his locker. For some reason he did miss Yamada. It felt lonely without him. 

Vance went into the bathroom. Not to actually use it, but instead he sparked up a cigarette and stood against the wall. Most people in school knew not to snitch on him and teachers normally didn't enter the bathrooms so it was kind of ideal. He glanced as he heard the door open though.

He expected some wimps but instead Craig and Michael entered. Not that they weren't wimps to him, just a bit tougher than the rest. Vance clenched his jaw as Michael walked up to him with an angry look, glaring him in his blue eyes. "That fucking Yamada knocked out Craig! Didn't you hear?" He complained to him. Vance swiped Michael's spit droplets off his face.

"Why should I care?" He snarled back. "He completely embarrassed Craig! Just look how ugly his face is now!" Michael spat out again, pointing at an awkward looking Craig who just glanced down.
"He's always that ugly. I don't see an issue." Vance huffed. The two friends gave each other a confused look. "Michael says you and Yamada are like, good now? That's not true, right?" Craig sheepishly asked.

Vance glanced down. He knew if he replied honestly they'd think less of him, but Vance truly didn't care about his reputation. Especially with these guys. He never put on an act to make people fear him, they just did. So it wouldn't change much. "Shut up." Was all Vance answered.

Michael laughed. "Seriously? That faggot?" He snorted, nudging Craig's shoulder to try to get him to laugh along. "Don't pretend like you're any better." Vance growled back, switching his eyes between the two to make clear what he was implying. 

Before either of them could react Vance took his nearly finished cigarette and smashed it into Michael's shoulder. He flinched and groaned out in pain, reaching for the place it had burned him. Vance huffed again and left the bathroom. 

___

Bruce had been awake for a bit. He decided to go around town with his bike. He had grown incredibly bored. Being alone was not like him, he was so social for a reason. He loved talking, not about anything serious. Just talking brightened him up. He didn't like being known though. 
He always made sure to put up walls. He wanted people to know him but not to know him.

He entered a small grocery store. He greeted the cashier who just looked at his bruised face in a questioning manner. It was a small thing but it still irritated Bruce. He furrowed his brows and walked around, glancing over everything. After grabbing a candy bar he paid and got out of there.

He turned around the corner right as he bumped into someone. He started muttering up an apology which was quickly interrupted by some snickering. Bruce looked up just to see out of all people he could've ran into, he bumped into Michael. He looked around, hoping to see people out but school was still going on so the streets seemed deserted.

 Michael towered over Bruce while smirking. "Look, I don't want any trouble-" Bruce started rambling, but Michael hushed him in a mocking tone. "You think I care about you?" He laughed.
Bruce raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "You realise we only beat you up because Vance said so, right?" He said with a smirk.  

Bruce tilted his head. His face didn't show much, but his mind was racing. Michael interrupted the silence. "Wait," He snorted. "You actually thought Vance was your friend?" He overdramatically laughed, tilting his head back. Bruce's ears became a bit red out of embarrassment. He watched as Michael kept up his laugh for uncomfortably long, and after deciding he had heard enough of it he turned around and turned the corner.

He ran. He kept running. He didn't think much while running, he just felt numb in a way. As soon as he got home he unlocked the door and ran up to his room, crashing the door into frame. He climbed onto his bed and sat with his head between his knees.
There was no crying, his father always said that was only for girls. Also he didn't want to.
He wasn't sad. Or angry. He just felt like an idiot. He unwrapped his candy bar and removed his head from his knees, eating it while staring at his empty desk. 

___

Michael cackled as he walked back onto the school property. The last bell has already rung, he just watched the crowds leaving. As soon as he saw Vance he pulled him aside.
"What the fuck?" Vance snarled. Michael wrapped his arm around Vance, laughing a bit.

"Hey man, you got a bit angry earlier!" He exclaimed in a happy tone. Vance pushed him off and huffed in an annoyed manner. "What do you want, Michael?" Even if it didn't seem like it, Vance was loyal. He did care for his friends. Even Michael, who he had known for a few years. 
It wasn't a great friendship, just an understanding that they weren't enemies. But that was a lot to expect from Vance in the first place.

"Me and Bruce talked!" He started, with a slight giddy tone. Vance furrowed his brows and looked at him. "What did you do?" Vance asked. Michael playfully put up his hands. "Woah, nothing bad! Just got him off your back. You should be thankful!" He said in a light-hearted tone. But Vance knew that wasn't good at all. He didn't know what happened but he didn't expect Michael to tell him. 
So he just turned around, ignoring his friend calling out for him.

He walked towards Bruce's house. A quick pace in his steps. As he was about to cross a street a van raced by him, almost running him over. The black van smashed its breaks and Vance started yelling at a strange looking man leaving the drivers seat.

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