Random one-shots

The story of Cornelius Guard

*Warning, suicide is mentioned in this story.*

"Hey, whats wrong?"

"Nothing"

"Tell me!"

I knew what was wrong. But I wanted to hear it from him, just to make sure. "That guy over there," he finally admitted "At the dinar. He made a joke about...about my jacket"

I knew it. I knew it. James had saved up for ages to buy that jacket. His parents hadn't given him any pocket money, so he had to work for the money. And what didn't go to paying the bills, went to that jacket. James built up all of his courage to wear it in public today. I could understand it might look a little odd, a guy in collage wearing an Adventure Time jacket, but it meant so much to him. And there was no way, no way, I was letting one doosh knock his tower of courage down again.

"Which one?" I asked. James sulkily gestured to a Asain guy sniggering behind the counter. "Alllllright" I hissed and begun to walk over there.

 "Hazel, Don't! He's.....it's not worth it" James trailed off, tugging a sleeve. I knew what he was going to say next. It's okay, Hazel. I'll just take it off and go get a refund. It's fine. I never wanted it anyway.

I knew a lot about James. We had been friends for as long as I could remember. We were almost swapped at birth, what with out brown hair and green eyes and all, if our parents could be believed.

"Don't worry. I'm not gunna beat him up" I pulled free of his grip on my jumper and walked over to the counter. "What's up, sweetheart?" he said when I walked up. Ehh, gross. "I only want to tell you a story" I said smoothly. He raised an eyebrow at the woman behind him. "Alright. Fire away"

"Have you heard of a man called Cornelius Guard? No? well, he was on the news a few days ago. Canada, or someplace. A real good guy. A wife, two good kids. Good job. Good life. Good watch."

"Wait, good watch? As in tick tock?" the guy butted in. "Oh, congratulation. You learnt simple English. Yes, that kind of watch. it was given to him by this mother as a child. I was a Micky Mouse watch. You know, with his hands as the clock hands? Classic"

"So set the scene. Our  Cornelius is about to go on his lunch break, when some ass yells some joke about his timepiece as he passes. And  guess what our great, happy Cornelius does next?" The guy shrugged "Goes and has lunch?" He guessed. I looked him straight in the eye. "Wrong. He goes up to the top floor and jumps out a window."

The colour from the guy's face drains. "See," I continued "Cornelius wasn't having such a good week. His wife was threatening divorce and the children were sick. He couldn't see a way out. But Cornelius was such a good hider of his feelings, nobody new. That one guy was making a joke, but it tipped him over the edge,"

The man had no words. But I did. "You made fun of my friend over there. Think about it next time, okay? You never know somebody's situation."

As I turned to walk away, the woman behind the man whispered "Geez, what a bitc-" but she never got to finish her sentience, because my fist had made contact with her jaw. She went sprawling acros the counter, but I grabbed her by her collar and pulled her out, so she was facing me. And what a bloody, bruised face it was. "You never know somebody's story" I repeated "But I do know there is ice in that fridge over there." I growled "Go get some" 

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"You said you wouldn't beat him up." James said later that day. "And I kept my promise" I pointed out. After a moment silence, he said "It was nice of him to give us this ice cream for free, huh?"

There is no such person as Cornelius Guard. I made him up. But it is true that you never know a person's story. Today somebody made fun of my friend's bag. I didn't know at the time, but if I did, I would have hammered him into the ground. There is always some truth hidden is lies.

If anybody ever makes fun of you, feel free to tell them the story of Cornelius Guard.

Without wax, Oddsocks8.