Better Than Words

Prologue

Mica stared at himself in the mirror and said, "Wow, I look like shit." As he touched the small scar under his right eye he frowned. He hated that scar. He had more scars than the average 15 year old boy, but this one was by far his least favorite. He covered it with makeup as best he could, but he still knew it was there and that was all that mattered to him. To Mica, that scar was just a reminder of the soccer team throwing him hard into the lockers last year, and the pool of blood that stained the floor to this day.

He tried to get that thought out of his mind as he threw on some clothes for the day, a black t-shirt and some jeans, then headed downstairs to the kitchen. He waved to his sister sitting at the table eating a bowl of cereal. Jewels was 12 and the most popular 7th grader at their school, she was destined to be prom queen and she knew it. Mica was nothing like her, but they were very close. Jewels was a completely different person at school, she won't even admit that Mica is her brother, but in the privacy of their own home they are best friends. She waves back and he sits down at the table next to her. He turns to face his mother, "Good morning, mom."

"Mornin', grump" Mica's mom says back. She has always called him grump. Or something equally as embarrassing. Well, it would only really be embarrassing if he had friends to laugh at him for it. Mica is a bit socially awkward and prefers books and video games to friends. He is perfectly content with that, unlike his sister who feels the need to find out about high school parties and make him go to them with her. It's torturous to watch your baby sister bump and grind on the dance floor with guys older than even you, but knowing you can't do anything to stop it because you are a 5'3", skinny, 15 year old boy who can't even manage one push-up and the guy trying to fuck your sister looks like he belongs to a biker gang of body builders. Try saying that 5 times fast.

"I can't wait for school today!" Jewels exclaimed next to him. He didn't know why. For him, school was actual hell. Between the soccer team and the constant mental effort he had to put into doing work and staying focused, he could hardly catch a break. He groaned and slammed his head down on the table, his floppy brown hair falling in his face. He really needed a haircut.

"Why are you so excited for a day full of gossip, home work and cafeteria food?" he asked, "That sounds pretty shitty to me..."

"Language!" his mother scolded him from the stove where she made scrambled eggs. He wasn't sorry but he still apologized. He felt like that's what he was doing most of the time. At school if he forgot to turn in his work, "So sorry, Mr. Finigan," and then when he somehow managed to step on some asshole's shoe, "So sorry, Susan," and even when he didn't do anything but exist, "So sorry, (to whom it may concern)".

But of course, he had to go to school sometime. He hugged his sister goodbye, letting her get in her friend's mom's car and drive away before leaving the comfort of his home. He walked the five blocks to the building with a sick feeling in his stomach. He really didn't want to go. Monday's were always the hardest, just when you had finally escaped, your own mother pushes you back into the cage full of hungry lions, ready to rip you to shreds with their claws and teeth.

He reached the building in time for home room and tries to enter the classroom quietly. Of course he fails(this is Mica, after all). He trips over literally nothing and faceplants. He groans in pain and stands up, walking over to where everyone is circled up and staring at him. He plops down in a chair next to some girl(he thinks her name is Abigail?) and stares at his lap in shame.

"Fairy lost her wings?" one boy says from the other side of the circle, making everyone laugh. Mica whipped his head up at the boy. He knew exactly who said it too: Oli Gates, captain of the soccer team and the worst bully of them all. Oli wasn't the one who pushed him into the lockers last year, but he was the one who tormented him constantly because he is gay. Mica didn't understand it, he never dated anyone and he kept to himself. He wasn't broadcasting his gay. He wasn't bothering anyone.

"Fuck off, Oli, you piece of shit!" Mica yelled as he stood up from his chair. His face turned bright red, but he couldn't help it.

"Mica, sit down," Their homeroom adviser said in his gruff, monotone voice. His name was Mr. Collins and he was the most boring person ever to walk the face of the planet. He turned his attention to Oli, "Please stop harassing your fellow classmate."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Oli said, crossing his arms over his chest. He then smirked and looked up at Mica, "Tell your mom I said hi."

The room was filled with 'ooo's but Mica had a comeback for every occasion, "Oh yeah sure, I'll also make sure she knows how much you hope to get that little thing of yours up this time too!"

Mica smirked and Oli looked like he had just seen a ghost. Nobody had ever gave a comeback he couldn't counter. He was positively puzzled. He opened and closed his mouth as if he was trying to say something, but no words came out. Mr. Collins told them both to settle down and Oli crossed his arms and pouted in his chair. Mica would pay for this later. The only good thing about him and Mica sharing a schedule was the fact that he always knew where his prime target was. Whenever he wanted his personal punching bag, he was within arms reach.

When the bell rang for first period, Oli got up and stormed out of the room, angrier than the Incredible Hulk trapped in a beehive. He had Geometry first period and he was a little excited. He was really good at math, but he couldn't let any of his friends on the soccer team know that. They would make fun of him the same way they made fun of the nerds. But Oli wasn't a nerd, so he didn't deserve to be made fun of. Oli kept a lot of things from his so called 'friends'.

He couldn't tell them about how he visits his grandmother at her nursing home and reads her the same book every time. He couldn't tell them about how he played the Ukulele, because the Ukulele was for girls, not big strong men like him. He couldn't tell them about how his mom killed herself when he was 8 and that he found the body. He couldn't tell them how he got the long scar across his back, no matter how many times they asked it just hurt too much to relive that memory.

He sat down next to his girlfriend once he got there and kissed her on the cheek. Rosemary and Oli had been dating for almost two years now, but Oli didn't really love her like he said he did. He didn't even like her. She was annoying and needy and always made him spend money on her. He didn't want to be with her, but they didn't start dating because they liked each other, so why stop now? At this school, dating someone was a status symbol, it had nothing to do with actually liking someone.

"Hey, Oli-kins!" Rosemary squealed and kissed Oli on the cheek as well. "I am so happy you're here!"

Once Rose started talking, she didn't stop. Not even when the math teacher told her to, not even when she almost choked on her own spit, not even when Oli turned away from her and started to do his work. She just kept talking. Right up until the bell rang and Oli practically ran away from her.

Oli had almost forgotten how mad he was at Mica when they locked eyes in the hall. He smirked and marched his way over to the short, frowning boy. "Hey, dipshit, care to have a chat in the bathroom?"

Mica laughed, "Hey, asshole, that almost sounded gayer than me."