All Bad Things Must Come to an End

You're Never Gonna Fit in Much, Kid

I walked straight out of the front doors of hell, the school lawn was desolate, only a few students scattered here and there because everyone already left. I proceeded to walk to the sidewalk and throw my hood up on my head, partially due to the biting winds that signal the coming of winter and partially because I would like to avoid anyone attempting to approach me. It's kind of a sketchy area, and if you look like you fit in, people leave you alone.

The street is a little busy but rush hour hasn't started yet so I can cross with no problem. The wind freezes my toes, my thin socks and old converse don't do a great job of keeping me warm. I just concentrate on the familiar cracks in the sidewalk to get my mind off of how cold I really am.

I'm just passing a Seven Eleven that usually marks about eight minutes before I get home when I see someone's feet stand and stop right in my path. Keeping my head down, I step to the side thinking he just accidentally got in the way but he mirrors me. It's obvious that he's doing it on purpose so I lift my head to make eye contact and see what I'm up against. This guy is only a little taller than me, maybe two inches but he is quite intimidating, can't be much older than me either. He looks at me with a sly yet large smile. He has a nice smile.

"Hey kid. Headed home?" His voice was nice but I could tell something was up.

"Uh, yeah."

"Would your mommy mind if you ended up being a little late?" He sweetens his tone even more when he says this and I really know I'm in trouble.

"Uh, yeah." Which is a lie. She doesn't care but what else am I supposed to say?

"Well she's gonna have to-" he gets cut off by another guy showing up, a little taller, gawky but strong. He's wearing black boots and a leather jacket, looks like someone up to no good just like the guy who showed up first, but I found him to look strangely attractive.

"Pete what are you doing. He's in high school. You've just got to pick on everyone. Don't you?" I'm relieved he's not here to terrorize me too.

"Yeah, uh I mean, no we were just talking, Gee." The guy called Pete responds.

"Yeah sure," the other guy says. "Sorry about this guy, he's got no sense in that little brain." This sentence is directed at me but he looks at the Pete guy with a face you would make talking to a three year old. Pete scowls back and glances away. I start my way on the sidewalk again but as I'm walking past, the taller guy grabs my arm, not roughly but enough to tell me that I'm not getting away. "Where do you think your going, kid? I won't kill you like my friend here might have but I do have a few questions. Where do you go to school?"

"Uh, Belleville High." I respond in a shaky voice.

"Oh! I've got a kid brother who goes there, I think, if he hasn't dropped out," I found it strange that he wouldn't know whether or not his own brother is still in school, "Anyway, Michael Way, know him?"

"Um yeah actually, he's a friend of mine, I guess."

"Kid you shouldn't be guessing with who your friends are. Is he your friend or not?"

"Yes. My only one, I guess."

"Aw poor little high school dirtbag, only one friend." Pete jumps into the conversation and the other guy shoots him a glance that says 'shut up'. Pete smiles lightly, puts his hands up in surrender, and takes a step back. It really surprises me that this other guy, Mikey Way's brother of all people, would be associated with the Pete guy, walking around looking threatening and scaring the living sh*t out of teenagers like myself.

"Well, who cares about school anyway. Some of us just don't belong and I can guess you are one of those too. Why don't you join me and Pete? Actually, that's not a question. Come along for the ride kid, we've got something great planned for tonight. Something I've always dreamt of doing. I know of a few other people who have tried but, just to say it simply, they're dead now." And with that we are walking away from the sidewalk, past the Seven Eleven, and I guess I'm not going home tonight.