Online: Chapter One
A sharp jab in the back is the first thing to register. The next thing I make out is my history teacher's annoying voice talking about Lenin. Finally I force my eyes open. The left side of my jaw aches slightly where my hand has been propping it up. Stifling a yawn, I glance up at the clock. Twelve forty five. Ugh, still another forty five minutes of this class.
I manage to stay awake for the rest of history, mostly because I can't afford to get another detention, and somehow manage to survive the next two periods.
"Hey Josh, guess who's got a date with Melissa Ferron?" I hear behind me and turn to see my best friend Darwin grinning smugly. I sigh. Of course he's got a date with Melissa, why not? With his tan skin, short, dark blonde hair, bright green eyes, and toned body, all the girls want him.
I smile back at him. "Nice, man. I knew she'd say yes." Melissa's the female counterpart to Darwin: blonde hair, large cinnamon eyes, the top cheerleader. The girl that all the other girls want to be and all the guys want to bang. I seem to be the only exception; I can't stand how shallow she seems to me. Still, if it's made Darwin happy, then great on him.
Even at nearing seventeen, I've never had a girlfriend. I keep my dark hair a little shaggy but not too long, and my clear blue eyes are slightly almond-shaped. I don't think I'm too terrible looking, but while I seem to be regarded as a fairly nice guy, no girls want me. I've been rejected enough times to know enough to just stop trying. If I know I'm going to be told no, I might as well save the girl the awkwardness and myself the humiliation.
I load my laptop and books into my bookbag as Darwin chatters on about his plans for his date with Melissa. I try to listen, but my mind wanders to a new poem I want to write when I get home.
Darwin and I live in the same subdivision, so we walk home together. I finally get him to shut up about Melissa for enough time to get in a question. "Remember I was telling you about that website Wattpad? Have you checked it out yet?"
He makes a face. "Nah man, I've been busy."
I sigh, attempting to hold my frustration in check. I listen to him ramble on about football, about Melissa, about Call of Duty, and about anything else that pops into his head, but somehow he can't be bothered to check out one Website – the only thing I've asked of him in...as long as I can remember. "Well, could you try and check it out tonight, maybe?"
He stares at me for a moment before responding. "Weren't you just listening to me? I've got practise, and then the date. I'll barely be home in time to cram the English essay. I don't have time for stupid kids' Websites."
I feel like I've just been punched in the gut. Stupid kids' Websites? Wattpad is my life. Every day I'm on there to write my poems, post them, catch up with a few friends I've managed to make, read their stories. Darwin doesn't know any of that, because he's never looked at it, never given it more than a passing thought. Anger grows.
"You can't be serious! I listen to you go on and on about how you're totally gonna bang Melissa, and about how Coach was being an idiot to call that foul yesterday, and about how you beat your high scores, and the party you're hosting this weekend, and all the other crap you dump on me. I listen to all of that because you're my best friend, but you can't give me the time of day when it comes to something I like. I love Wattpad, I love my writing, and yet you won't take five minutes to look at it, to read it, to support me. You're a shitty friend."
His emerald eyes change to mirror the anger in my baby blues. "Shitty friend? God damn it, Josh, just because I don't care about a bunch of dumb poetry, that doesn't mean I have to take shit from you about it. And I won't take shit from you."
Letting the heat of the moment get to me, I take a step towards my longtime friend. "If you can't take shit, don't start it."
Without warning, a flash of movement registers just before pain floods my lower torso like a red hot tidal wave. My vision goes out of focus briefly, but before I can properly see again, my fist is swinging, connecting with Darwin's jaw. I must have taken him by surprise, because the benefit of the shock allows me another shot, aimed at his face, but I miss the second time.
In one swift motion he's plowed me to the ground and pinned my left arm at an awkward and painful angle. He could break my arm with one flex of his muscles, and his weight on my chest makes it difficult to breathe.
I gasp for air as he keeps my arm pinned, letting his full two hundred pounds rest on my upper body. Between him sitting on me and my arm being twisted, the pain is excruciating. This is my best friend – how could he be doing this to me? I try to think back to what I said or did that blew the situation out of control, but as I replay the conversation in my head, nothing strikes me as warranting a physical fist fight.
"Dah....win..." I croak out, stars beginning to swim in the edges of my vision. I've only a few seconds left before I'm sure I'll lose consciousness.
"You've always had this coming, Josh. You know you have." He gives me what I could only describe as an evil smirk. My vision is more stars than sight at this point, and my lungs scream.
A sharp crack and a blinding pain in my chest escort me into nothingness.
A/N: Darwin's overly dramatic reaction was intentional. Will be explained later. Thanks for voting and following.
Toodles
~16SecondsOfNothing
