Social Norms (Synacky)

Prologue

Brian didn’t really like the new kid.

Sure, Zacky had been going to Huntington Beach High for two years now, but in Brian’s mind, he was still the new kid. He was weird, didn’t hang out with normal kids, people thought he was gay. He formed a band called Society Down the first month he moved to Surf City, and already he had quit it, formed another one, and quit that band, although Brian didn’t know the name. Typical for the unsuccessful bastard. Zacky could hardly write a riff, the poor kid. Supposedly he’d picked up the guitar when he was thirteen, and neither of his parents had musical backgrounds. Compared to Brian, Zacky was nothing.

He noticed Jimmy hung out with Zacky often, which sorta rubbed him the wrong way. He didn’t want his best friend hanging out with a loser like that. Jimmy was crazy and wacky and sometimes scared kids because of his demeanor and style, but he wasn’t a wimp like Zacky was. But he’d see them sometimes, Zacky laughing with that smug little grin at one of Jimmy’s jokes, and Brian would never admit it to anyone, but he was a tad jealous. Well, maybe a lot jealous.

It wasn’t like Jimmy liked Zacky more or anything. He still sat with Brian at lunch and they jammed together after school and stuff. But it just grated his gears when Jimmy stopped to slap Zacky on the back in between classes, or called out “See ya tomorrow!” to the little shit as he left after school with Brian.

Okay, maybe he hated the fucker.

He was happy when Zacky started hanging out with Wendt, ‘cause the kid was weird too and Jimmy didn’t like him. That kept Jimmy away from Zacky, and his reputation at the school wasn’t ruined for hanging with the fag. It was just Brian and Jimmy and occasionally Matt and they’d talk about forming a band of their own and how cool it would be, and they’d hang out at each other’s houses and steal beer from Brian’s dad. That was the way Brian liked it.

He didn’t want any of it to ever change.