Ken Loves Barbie, But Does Barbie Love Ken?

Sugar Sweet

I hadn't seen Brenda a lot since the encounter in the hall. Jackson told us to not trust or befriend them, because they were 'evil' and ruined his life. We reluctantly agreed, but how could I pass up the opportunity to talk to her when we were ushering the crowd into the auditorium? I mean, she literally walked over to me.

"Um- Ken Thompson, right?"

I grimaced. Everyone always thought I was stupid Ken Thompson.

"Uh- I'm not Ken Thompson but my name is Ken, yes."

I rubbed the back of my neck, and for some reason she was really trying to butter me up according to Jolie. Her reasoning behind that was Brenda fiddling with the sleeve of my shirt and batting her eyes. Well, Jolie's always right.

"Um, have you by chance seen Jackson?"

Yup, Jo was right. She was trying to get something out of talking to me, and that happened to be Jackson.

"Uh... No?"

She gave me a blank look, clearly seeing through my lie.

"Ken-"
"Ken!"

Jolie tugged me away, putting her arms around Timothy and I's shoulder. I in turn out my arm around her waist.

"Guys, stop being friendly!"

She hissed, giving me the evil eye.

"We have to think of Jackson! He clearly doesn't like these guys, and they're like snakes in the water!"

Jolie sighed.

"I'm a bit disappointed honestly, they do seem really nice... And shit, it'd be nice to have a friend that's a girl and not you two dumbasses."

I chuckled.

"Aw, I love you too Julia."

Timothy snorted, giggling.

"Now let's try not to let me get swept away again."

He suggested, grinning.

"No promises Timmy.'

I teased before we all turned to the REDs.

"Jackson isn't here."
"Jackson hates you guys."
"Jackson is in the bathroom."

We all said something different, and Jolie face palmed. Just as Exer raised his thick eyebrows to ask a question, Jackson came up behind us before immediately darting away, in suit getting chased by the REDs and knocking us over like dominos.

My side crashed against Jolie, who squashed Timothy. We all sat up shaking our heads before trying not to die by getting trampled by the mob of students.

•~-----------------------~•

After a while, Jackson had kind of befriended the REDs, therefore giving us access to them. Timothy would immediately hang out with Ron, talking about Russian metal and raspberries. Hey, Ron, Russian, raspberries.

Jolie chatted to Brenda, and I kind of stood there. I noticed David looking at me, so my eyes flitted over to him. He had a judgemental squint on his face, glancing at me, then Brenda, and when he realized I noticed him he started talking to Exer.

The next time I saw him, he wasn't his proud, happy self. He was a crying, bundled up mess on the floor. David had bruises and cuts all over his face, and knowing there were so many people here, I couldn't imagine how David felt. Probably even worse. He was sobbing, clinging to Brenda like a life support. She was clearly upset too, well at least by judging the tear tracks and smudged mascara.

I tried to keep on a happy face to cheer him up, but the blonde could've cared less. Brenda stood to get him hot chocolate even after David had clung to her arm, not wanting her to leave him.

"D-David the chocolate will cheer you up."

She sniffed, wiping her eyes before going into the kitchen, leaving David alone on the floor. He looked... Miserable. I slid off the couch and sat next to him. He was shaking.

"Hey David... Exer's gonna get here soon man."

He just gave me a look and tugged his hair.

"Woah, buddy let's not do that."

I pulled his hands away from his scalp and tugged the sobbing boy into a hug, murmuring words of comfort. His crying lessened, eventually just becoming an occasional hiccup against my shoulder.

"Hey, look, there we go!"

I smiled supportively.

"You're doing great David, I promise everything will be okay."

My voice came out soft and quiet, David sniffing.

"But will it..? I lost my Dad... It's such an awful feeling, knowing he's alive and uncaring when he used to love me! I- he used to be one of my favorite people... Taking me to Disney, playing football with me- I wanted to be just like Dad..."

My heart broke for David as he whispered to me, voice trembling with a fragility like glass. Entrusting me with the secrets of his life, the fragile glass frame holding his memories ready to shatter as a spiderweb of cracks split and grew across the surface. Why he was telling me all of this, I didn't know. Maybe to just get that poison out of his system, maybe because he forgot I wasn't Brenda he was talking to.

"David... I'm so sorry this happened man..."

I squeezed him tighter before lowering my voice.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

David sniffed, face still burrowed in my shoulder.

"Not even Tim and Jo know."

I added, and that must have peaked his interest.

"What?"

I kept hugging him.

"I know how it feels to get insulted by someone you love. It happens a lot. Please, don't give up. I promise life is going to get better, no matter how many times people call you weird or if you're unable to make any friends until you're seventeen-"

Oh shit I'm describing myself, change tracks, change tracks!

"Look, what I'm saying is you're very brave David, and even though it's difficult right now it's good you cut those toxic people out of your life."

David blinked at me for a second before sniffing, wiping his nose on the back of his hand.

"T-thank you."

I could tell he was still trying to be the tough brother, but I just gave him a soft smile and returned to Timothy and Jolie.

~•--------------------------------•~

After a couple of weeks, I would see the Millers in the hall, Brenda glued to David's side as he wandered around aimlessly, like his body was on autopilot. He reminded me of a wind up doll, nothing behind the eyes as he did normal things. Jolie kept fussing about schedules and how I better have the same one as her and Timothy, and to get Miss Wendy to put us together if that wasn't the case. Pfft, that doesn't matter though, I defenitly have their class, no question.

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