Thorns

344

Ethan sits in the comfort of his own room - surrounded by the familiar silence. He sits against his bed, knees pulled against his chest, with his math homework in between his legs and body. Tobi lays, stomach down, across Ethan's bed as he watches him do geometry.

A flashback of home suddenly fills his vision. Him and Vik would always do their schoolwork together since they shared a lot of classes. Vik is super smart so he would blast through his work no problem. Tobi would sit beside him and get cramps in his hand from writing so fast while copying Vik's work.

They hear the front door open amidst the silence. Ethan's sensitive ears can hear the crinkling of what could only be a fast food bag.

"Ethan, honey, I've got dinner!"

And he of course was right. Ethan rushes downstairs, his stomach pulling him along. Tobi rushes behind him. Ethan is happily greeted by a McDonald's bag. Tobi, however, is left confused as to what good food could possibly come out of a paper bag with stains on the bottom.

"Alright! Thanks mom!" Ethan grins.

"I hear you had quite the interesting lunch." she says smugly without making eye contact.

"How would you know?" Ethan had a short talk with the principal about the apple incident earlier today. He got reprimanded about how it's not funny to hurt people.

"Your principal called me to give me a heads up about what my son is doing in school." she says condescendingly. Both Ethan and Tobi cringe. Tobi more though. "What do you have to say for yourself young man?"

"I don't know what the principal told you, but, I didn't do that on purpose. I was just eating my lunch when the apple suddenly rolled off the table." Ethan explains truthfully. Tobi can feel guilt swallow him.

"Ethan don't be so stupid." She takes a half-empty ketchup bottle out of the fridge. "Apples don't just roll on their own will without something causing them to. Aren't you taking physics this year?"

"But this one did! Stop calling me stupid, for fucks sake." Ethan hisses. Tobi's eyes widen at the language thrown towards the mother. Tobi slaps his hand over Ethan's mouth.

"Don't you curse at me! Where's your respect?" The mom growls as she angrily slaps the so-called food onto the table.

Ethan is tempted to say, "Gone. Along with yours." But he keeps his mouth shut. Thanks to Tobi.

"Get your mind out of the gutters. You're seeing things boy! Learn to socialize." she scolds. She takes her food into the living room. Ethan takes the bag with his food in it, and follows her. "Stop being an antisocial freak. I'm tired of having you buzz around me like a fly."

Ethan understands what his mother wants. He stands up and takes his food and his no-good self outside to the front porch. The door creaks behind him and the separate glass door slams. Even his own mother doesn't want him. His breathing stops at that realization. He's known this, as his mother occasionally yells at him from time to time, but it becomes more and more real every time.

He hears her cackle at the TV from outside.
~
Josh sits against a tree with his legs stretched out and arms crossed. His shoulders are slumped and his head hangs low. His eyes are closed but he's only half asleep. The sunlight burns his skin yet it feels kind of nice. His eyes sense sudden darkness over him. Perhaps a cloud has covered the sun. His body remains motionless, paralyzed by sleep overcoming him. He hears incoherent sounds in the distance growing louder.

"...dead? No, no silly me. Maybe he's just ignoring me. I know you can hear me, Joshua."

Josh's eyes slowly open in one motion. A recognizable figure stands over him. Simon blocks the sun casting a shadow on Josh while the sun's beams shine out from behind Simon.

"One, don't call me 'Joshua'; it's just 'Josh'. Two, what's so important that you had to wake me up?" he grumbles.

"Nothing's important. I was just lonely and saw you sitting here. So I thought you might be lonely too." Simon explains. His eyes gaze down upon Josh as if asking for pity.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Si?" Josh shakes his head. This kid doesn't learn that they have different interests.

"Did you just call me 'Si'?" The blonde seems to be put off. Josh slowly nods once. "I've never had a nickname before."

"Never?"

"Nope."

"Never, never?"

"Nuh-uh." Simon shakes his head. "But I love it! I wanna give you one. Can I call you 'Jishwa'?"

"No, just call me, Josh."

"How about just 'Jish' then?" he compromises.

"No." Josh can feel his impatience levels rising within.

"What about 'Joshy'?"

"Fine, sure, whatever." He stands up, brushing the dirt off his jeans. "Now if you excuse me, I'm getting lunch."

"Can I come?" Simon asks, not wanting to be lonely again. Josh finds himself more tolerable of Simon if the younger is happy.

"If it makes you happy, Si." Josh does something nice for a change and allows Simon to join.

"It does. Thank you, Joshy." He giggles at the new nickname for his new found friend.