Sweetness

Mr. Townes

Against the grain should be a way of life
What's worth the prize is always worth the fight
Every second counts 'cause there's no second try
So live like you'll never live it twice
Don't take the free ride in your own life

School assemblies are just amazing...
My arms are crossed against my chest and my legs are crossed tight to keep the breeze from going through my jeans, but it hurts. It's fucking freezing and almost the end of winter but I'm afraid of spring and summer.

"Especially assemblies where they tell you what you need to do now, in year 12, before you know any profession that you are interested in spending the rest of your life in...and eventually be miserable for the rest of your long, wannabe sweetness filled life." A voice responds to my back seat mumbling. I didn't think it was audible... I turn around to face the one person who I do not loath at this god forsaken school. Seamus Townes, my other one true friend through thick and thin, but what the hell is he doing here?

"You're meant to be a tradie. What are you doing here?" I ask while almost drooling at the site of this fine specimen of a man who is standing proud in a slim fitting, shiny blue suit, "and in a suit might I add" I grin and so does he with his little chuckle. He kisses the top of my head with one hand behind my neck and whispers "this is all for you, little Lottie" and with a wink he straightens up, buttons his suit into place and smiles as he strides happily to the front of the assembly. All eyes are on him and they deserve to be. His black, usually messy curls are hidden in a surprisingly well preserved 'man bun.' His shoes are shined and a beard is growing. Where would this rock be, that I have been living under for me to not notice his dramatic change from boy to man?

Everyone is clapping, the girls are checking Seamus out from head to toe and the boys are whispering about how they want a suit like that, all except one. His baby brother, but no surprises there. Seamus is the favourite. Their parents favourite. Coach's favourite. Every teacher loves Seamus and even the grumpy old canteen woman, Mrs. Frangie, she gets flustered once Seamus gives her his cheeky little smile as she places extra change into his hand. All he does is strike up a conversation with her, unlike everyone else in this hell hole. But there are multiple reasons why he is everyone's god.
Theory Number One: he's Mrs. Frangie's toy-boy and if anyone were to mess with Seamus, they would have to go through her 40kg bust and her 60kg arse, all of which sag into the core of the Earth. Rumour has it, she is the reason why the Earth is on an axis. She looks like a bit of a dinosaur too.
Theory Number Two: Seamus loves to kiss the teachers and students arse. He looks like a hard-arse bad boy but is really just a nerd who will do everyone's homework and goes to choir every Monday at lunch, even though he's finished school.
Theory Number Three: He is only famous by rumours made by his brother. Jack portrayed Seamus to be a drugged-up, looney who does nothing good for the world and is trying to make a right from all his wrongs. A 'wannabe Saint' if I recall correctly.

The truth is that his brother, Jack, is a pain in the arse and the rebel of the family. Since their parents split a while ago, Jack changed and has a vendetta against anyone who looked at him. Seamus has saved Jack from getting his head kicked in, multiple possible thefts and out of suspension multiple times, even explosion. But always made him face his detentions. Seamus calms him down and tells him to take a walk to calm down, where he would kick things and punch a few walls. The true Neanderthal.

"Thank you, thank you. It is good to be back at my home away from home and see all your smiling faces" Seamus's honey sweet voice stops my train of thought. There he is, front and centre, all eyes are on him and his blue shiny suit. He hates it, whenever any attention is brought his way he turns shy and stutters but right now, he's lapping it all up. When did this change occur? Where have I been?

"No one knows what they want to do at this age, am I right?" everyone cheers in response
"I had no idea what I wanted to do at eighteen either, trust me. Some of you may know certain versions of what I was doing at eighteen and some of you know exactly what I was doing at eighteen," he smirks at me with his loveable cheekiness
"I dreamed of being on top of the world, one way or another. I wanted to do something that would make a change and now I have fulfilled that dream. That need to help someone. I joined the Air Force and did my training as an engineer and I am posted to the U.S. but I also am a carpenter on my time off from being an engineer overseas" everyone is sucked in. Hook, line and sinker.
Now... this is why I fell for Seamus. His ora is so powerful and enticing it would make any self-centred, stubbornly narrow minded arsehole to change their mind. Unfortunately for me, Seamus was away during my crush on him and if it was meant to be, it would have happened but it didn't and I have learned to live with it. It was a minor crush that left me crying for two days until I saw him but everyone goes

"He's a fine young man, lass but don't forget that you can't have your cake and eat it too" a clear voice from behind me says in a describable mock tone
"Give it a bone, I have no idea what you're talking about anyway" nothing makes me more furious than his way of making anything sound vile
"You know exactly what I'm talking about and you know it's true and there is nothing you can do about it" I feel a tight grip on my right arm, Seamus save me
"Get off me you fool. There is nothing for you here, everyone is transfixed on Seamus now get lost"
"Oh look at you, little miss tough girl. Who taught you to be like that? Him? I'll take that from you in an instant" this stomach wrenching whisper is making me nauseous, this is not going to end well.
I turn to face Jack, who is now fully conscious of the 'tough girl' I have fully become. Fists are clenched and the table has turned. It's my time to fight and nothing will stop me.

"Listen jerk off, there is nothing I wouldn't do to you to make you squirm and beg for your mother, okay? No one would stop me either because you are a bully and a degrading and relentless little prick. You used to be a good person Jack. Where did that go? Now sit your arse down, listen to your brother and applaud him for trying to make a difference to our lives" his face was red, it looked like he had an extreme case of bee stings. The veins in his neck were protruding out of the skin like a blue box amongst a subtle white back drop, which be his skin. The only thing was that, he wasn't the mad man with the blue box. He was the monster trying to kill the mad man with the blue box. He cowers, leaving the building.

"Lottie, are you okay?" Seamus's hazy chocolate brown eyes stare at me, wanting to know the truth of the actions that played out before the whole year level, not just me
"I'm g...good. I'm f...fine. Tired" my body is shaking now. Shit
"Mavis, talk to me...please" he places a soft but sturdy hand on my waist. People are watching, this isn't good
"Not...ttt...not here"
"Let's go"
He takes my hand and I get to touch his brittle yet attractive textured skin. I have missed his touch, his voice, his aura that he brings... the only thing that can calm me in times of dire need. Leading me through the corridors to his car, he opens the back door and I crawl into the back of the wagon, onto our blanket. The tingling in my arms begin and my feet are tapping like Morse code. I can hear the car being started and we're moving.
My head spins and my breath short. Legs are uncontrollable as they're shaking uncontrollably and the stinging in my thighs are back. The car chokes as he forgets to change gear properly but we stop. I'm already too far gone for soothing music and Seamus knows it. I hear another voice as Seamus slams his door but my vision is blurred, my breathing is quicker and my stomach in knots.

"Seamus..." is all my raspy voice can create.

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@covers_101 made the cover, thank you!

If Today Was Your Last Day - Nickelback