Leis Larsson (boyxboy)

Chapter 4: Learning a few things.

Hammy had been kidding when he'd said it wasn't up to me. I was sure of it. Besides with God on my side I could conquer anything. And that was the whole point of this. I would learn how to stand up for myself if it killed me. I could never be a bad kid. Especially if I concentrated specifically against it. I leaned back on my seat and stared out the window. Mr. Kissinger was dictating a passage from 'The Catcher in the Rye,' which we had to read this year. I'd read it before for English class at my old school so it was hard to listen, so instead I just stared out the window and let my mind wander. I thought about Hammy. He was a few months younger than me and already off to college. It was confounding. All three of them were confounding. But so fascinating. To be a part of them was a temptation I was not ready to dismiss. I wondered if it would matter all that much if I became a bad kid in the process. At least I'd get comfortable in my own skin. And I'd get friends. There was nothing bad about having friends, especially if you really needed them.

I leaned over my desk. I thought and thought and thought. The fact was that I was looking forward to hanging out with Hammy a little bit more. He was nice. And he was nice to me in a way that was different from Leis. While Leis was oddly detached and distant, Hammy became assimilated in the conversation and gave you all the attention of a brain surgeon studying a cancerous tumor. Not that it was overwhelming attention of course, I don't mean that. It's just that he gave you this feeling like he truly cared for your opinion when he placed a question before you. I liked Hammy. But I'd still thought mostly of Leis when I was with him, it was a difficult thing to avoid. My heart had sunk to my knees when Leis had left the table but risen back in place after a bit more conversation with Hammy. And besides all that I was his friend. I had never had a single real friend in my entire life, and now, at the drop of hat, I was friends with three of the most interesting people I thought I may ever meet. I was lucky. I couldn't thank God enough.

When English was over I had two more periods, both of which I was barely awake for. Now that I had people in my life all of a suddenly, class seemed far less important than before. I couldn't wait for the bell to ring, indicating the end of school.

I ran across the hallway with my bag bouncing lightly against my back the instant the bell announced freedom. I didn't know where I was going, but I wanted to somehow find Leis and George and Hammy before any of them left. In my hurry I was not looking where I was going. I ended up hitting quite roughly into a human wall and collapsing to a pile on the floor. The hulk turned around after the fact and reached over to help me up. His head was eclipsing the florescent light behind him.

'Hey' he said, raising an eyebrow. 'You aren't Stacey are you?'

'Uh,' I sighed, holding my aching side. 'My name is Duncan.'

'Sorry.' he frowned apologetically. 'You look like what he described. You know Hamilton?'

'Uh, yeah,' I brightened up.

'Told me to look for Stacey, you know him?'

I nodded, but my head was aching now, and it hurt to nod. 'Yeah,' I got it now. 'I guessed he meant me. 'Maybe he forgot my name. He calls me Stacey.'

'Well yeah,' the Hulk nodded. 'You look like a Stacey. Let's go.'

He led the way and I followed. I made a mental note to be more firm when introducing myself. If I wasn't careful the whole school would pretty soon start calling me Stacey, or Sandy.

We entered an almost empty classroom, except that right there in the middle Hammy was sitting up on a desk right near the window ledge. The minute we entered, his smile extended all the way across his face.

'Found him,' the Hulk announced.

'Thanks,' Hammy got up and gave him a piece of paper. 'Expect a B+ or something.'