Problem Children

Chapter Twenty Eight

There was not a Monday on Earth that Angus despised more. Slinking through the hallway from class to class, every student in their own little world; none of them anybody he wanted to see. Teachers in their own ways welcomed him back, Angus returning a silent nod. The other students stared at him. He didn't like it.

Art class was lonely. Amid the friendliest group of kids in the whole school and yet he felt no companionship. The seat across the room, the one his eyes never left, was empty. Neighboring students had begun to use it to store excess supplies. Soon the whole table top was covered in pencils and paper. He didn't like it.

Lunch was the worst. His eyes scanned the room as he stood in line. No sign of the friends Hannah sat with was produced in his examination. They must have been the first to know. Imagine! Three silly girls he couldn't be bothered to remember the names of found out before him. He scoffed to himself. He was jealous of people he never knew.

His table of theater troops were easy to spot, or hear rather. Being the loudest, most boisterous group he'd ever been with. He debated whether or not to sit with them. It rang true that they weren't familiar with him; maybe they'd leave the topic untouched. Yet, if they kept up their out-of-performance characters, the whole cafeteria would hear of their discussions. Angus would hardly make it out unscathed.

Gripping his tray he made his way out of the kitchen, looking for an empty table. The populous school never had a student without friend, and every chair was occupied. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Johnny. Johnny saw him right back. Something about the way Angus' eye was no longer as bruised and bloody as before got on his nerves. He turned to talk to his pals who sat around him, Susan right at his side.

The group of boys started laughing, Johnny once again giving him a glance. Susan's face was sympathetic. Pushing his shoulders back, he stared ahead and walked past them, intending to sit by the window, with a much quieter circle of pupils.

Out of seemingly nowhere a stone of some sort hit the back of his head. His feet flew out behind him, his face connecting with the floor. A few seconds later he looked up, his lunch scattered in every direction. Surrounded by stares and laughter, he picked himself up. An orange rolled out from behind him, something that hadn't been on his tray. Shooting glares at every soul laughing at him would take too long, and he decided to leave in humiliation.

He wished Malcolm were there.

The young blonde stood up to stop him. "Angus," she called, but she was stopped herself by the boy next to her. He stood up instead and walked in Angus' footsteps.

"Hey, fruitcake!" He called. Angus kept walking, his brow furrowed. "I said, hey!" Johnny sped up to catch him by the shoulder and force him around. "What part of 'stop' don't you fuckin' understand?" Angus was greatly sized down by the other boy, yet he wouldn't show any fear. He refused to.

"I get the picture, Johnny, I'm leaving." Angus turned to leave when he was shoved to the ground. Once again he was picking himself up the ground, his audience growing.

"What fun would that be? Who could I push around if you're gone? Speakin' of which, it seems you've been gone a lot last week. Sure missed ya'. What kept you away?" Johnny asked with a jack-o-lantern grin. Angus clenched his fist, one more insult away from wiping it off. "Go on, shortie, tell everyone why you were gone last week... Tell them!"

"Fuck you!" Angus yelled in return.

"Johnny, leave him alone!" Susan shouted. Angus gave her a half smile, grateful and proud that she was sticking up for him. "He hasn't done a thing to you, leave him alone!"

"Shut up, Susie, I've got this handled. He's done more than you think," Johnny spat, still looking down at Angus.

"Nothing that could be helped," Angus replied baring his teeth. "Johnny, may I talk to you?" he asked gesturing behind him. "Somewhere away from a crowd."