Secrets Aren't Made Slowly

Simply Another Customer

John POV: John didn't have the opportunity to relish in his calculus accomplishment for long, for the next day Mr. Holmes stood before the class and announced that most grades were so pitiful that he couldn't dare put it in the grade books, for fear of his horrible teaching methods being exposed to the school board. And so now John's one hundred wasn't all that meaningful points wise, however he knew now that spite could take you to great heights and that knowledge alone was enough to help him keep his head up proudly as he sat in his desk, staring down Mr. Holmes as if daring him to make another move. It seemed to have become an intricate game of chess between the two of them, and yet together they seemed to need each other. John needed his hatred of Mr. Holmes in order to succeed, and Mr. Holmes needed John in order to make challenging and mind boggling tests for future generations to suffer through. It was an odd sort of codependent relationship, and for the oddest reason John was starting to appreciate it. Hate was the most agonizing sort of bond, and yet he felt that despite their strong feelings of dislike towards each other there was a bond forming all the same. It was an odd concept, really, to start to appreciate someone you despised, and yet as John stared at Mr. Holmes and as Mr. Holmes stared right back, the mutual dangerous flashing in their eyes almost warmed John's heart. It was good to have an enemy. After school John went down to the park with Irene and Jim, for they were going on the pretenses of 'skipping stones in the pond' all while they simply on the empty docks with their feet in the water, smoking cigarettes and watching as the crystal water was disrupted with ripples as they stuck their bare toes in.
"I think I'm going to need to visit that dealer you mentioned the other day, Victor?" John admitted, sitting rather uncomfortably on the edge of the dock as his two acquaintances were taking up most of the space.
"Ah yes, I'm sure you'll enjoy him." Jim teased, taking a breath before releasing the white smoke to the air, watching as it was blown away into the wind and into the atmosphere above.
"Well I intend on paying cash, if that's what you're suggesting." John snapped.
"Oh poor Johnny, too modest to be economical?" Irene teased, prodding John in the arm a little bit roughly, for he almost tottered over the edge of the dock and into the water. Thankfully he kept his balance, and yet Irene giggled as if she was going to save an even harder shove for later.
"Yes, in fact, I'm not really into doing that with some guy I barely even know. In fact I'm not really into doing that with any guy." John admitted finally, staring into the water thoughtfully.
"You're not gay?" Jim wondered, looking over at John curiously as if he was learning something new every day.
"No of course I'm not gay! What made you think that?" John nearly growled, for suddenly he felt as though he was being somewhat attacked.
"Oh well, I just sort of assumed I guess." Jim admitted with a shrug.
"Well I'm sorry to disappoint." John murmured, to which both Irene and Jim laughed, as if John had said something completely hysterical.
"Oh don't worry honey, you're not my type." Jim assured, however he continued to chuckle as if John's defensiveness was almost adorable.
"So it would seem." John agreed, continuing to dip his feet in the water, for it felt good on this warm afternoon.
"If you want to find Victor he usually lingers down in the ally by the drug store, however he's rather timid of new costumers so just mention us." Irene suggested, to which John nodded.
"That's so sketchy." John admitted with a little laugh, and Irene just sighed heavily, looking towards Jim as if looking for permission or something. Jim just sighed heavily, nodding ever so slightly and keeping his eyes fixed on the pond. Irene then turned and pushed John as hard as she could, and this time he fell into the water, falling flat on his face into the shallows, standing knee deep in muck as he tried to escape. His cigarette floated carelessly away as he stumbled out, frowning at the two as they continued to laugh, and yet John knew that he couldn't dare do anything back to them. To be honest those two scared him more than anything in that pond. 

 "Mom, I'm going out again tonight. I need to drop by town, pick a few things up for school." John muttered as he sat at the dinner table, trying to keep his gaze on his food so that his parents couldn't notice the lies that were underlying in his gaze.