Shooting Clouds

Chapter 16 (Lance)

I wake up with Aiden plastered to my mind and chained to my thoughts. Did he lie to me? No, he wouldn't do that to me. Maybe he just didn't remember it right. I mean he did hit his head that day. Would one fall cause all that? That must've been his father's room. Why was he in his dad's room? Maybe he was confused after the fall and wandered in there by accident. Wouldn't his dad have found him? Wouldn't he have called the paramedics? Maybe he didn't go home that night. That's the only explanation, unless he was there. And he caused the fall, then he wouldn't call anyone. But Aiden was in his room...naked."

"No!" I yell, ripping myself from my thoughts. "Everything's fine. Aiden's fine." I say, trying to relax myself. I'm making shit out of nothing.

I wipe the morning from my face with a splash of water. My mind keeps drifting back to that thought. I know it can't be true.

After dressing in the usual t shirt and jeans, I grab my bag and head out the door. The school opens its doors for me, unfortunately my classroom doesn't reciprocate the gesture.

I take my seat, tap my feet, and impatiently stare at the clock. Where is Aiden? What if something happened to him like last time. Right before I get up he enters the class. A sigh of relief escapes my lips. He makes his way to the back with his head down and his hair covering half his face. When he sits in his seat he turns to face me and shyly smiles. I smile back, happy that he seems to be okay. His face suddenly changes and his eyes quickly break contact with mine. I turn to my right to see Connor snickering then turn back to see Aiden with his head on the desk, his face obscured from my vision.

"What the hell did you do?" I say angrily at Connor.

"That shit felt like giving you a look so I wanted to give him one."

"Don't call him that." I say defensively

"Why? I'm sure it doesn't care what I call it."

I turn to see if Aiden heard his comment but I can't tell.

I whisper to him, "Stop it, now." applying force to my voice.

"Why are you so concerned about that thing." He says, making his voice louder and clearer. People  start to stare.

I stand up, now towering over Connor until he stands up almost immediately after. I still have him by 2 to 3 inches.

"Hey!" I grab him by his collar. "I said stop. It's not funny."

His mouth moves to my right ear. "Keep this up and people'll think you actually like the freak."

I can hear the teacher's voice but my anger drowns out his words. My fist connects with Connor's jaw so fast I can barely remember throwing it. He falls to the ground and the teacher grabs me before my rage can spill out on his obnoxious face.

"That's enough! Lance, get to the Principal's Office, now!"

I grab my things, look to see Aiden watching with wide eyes, Connor wiping the blood from his lip and declining a kid's gesture to help him up.

Reluctantly, I grab my things and storm out of the classroom.

__________________________________

"I'm suspending you from participating in the first game of the season on Friday." the principal says calmly.

I stand up from the brown leather chair in disbelief. "You can't do this sir! Its my junior year and scouts will be there, I have to play! Not to mention it's a rival game!"

"Well perhaps you should've thought about that before punching your fellow classmate and teammate. I hope you learn your lesson from this. Such actions will not be tolerated no matter who you are, understand?"

With a great sigh I answer "Yes" and exit the office, much calmer and defeated than when I entered.

These were the kind of distractions I was trying to avoid.

There'll be other games, but shit, this one would have been big. My dad's gonna be pissed.