Oceanspray

Chapter Three

A/N: Chapter song: Revive - Hands Like Houses. (Best.)

Also, this chapter is dedicated to PassionInFlames, because she was the author of the first boyxboy story I ever read, and I fell in love with it. She's not really active anymore and hasn't been for over a year, but her stories still hold a place in the boyxboy section of my heart.

Chapter Three

Adrian

“Oh my god,” Melissa exclaimed in a relieved sigh, “I thought I was going to die.” I gave her an exasperated look. She noticed and straightened her back. “You cannot tell me that you thought that that bio midterm was easy.”

I scrunched up my nose, not wanting to admit that I thought exactly what she said.

She glared at me, knowing exactly what I thought.

“You’re such a nerd, Adrian.”

We walked down the emptying halls to my mother’s classroom. It was the Friday before the week of winter break. Students were rushing about, trying to leave in haste. We typically had half days the whole week of midterms and final exams. Students were eager as ever to start their week-long vacation.

As for me, I was feeling my boredom set in already. My family and I usually didn’t go anywhere for vacation. If it was summer break, we would go visit my grandparents in London, but that was the extent of my travels. My mom said that saying home was relaxing for her. I didn’t blame her for it though. She used to suffer from pretty intense anxiety attacks; she likes staying in a place that’s familiar to her.

“Are you doing anything for break?” I asked conversationally as we continued towards my locker. I pulled out any textbooks I thought I could use to get ahead while putting away various notebooks that I wouldn’t need until the resumption of classes.

Melissa snorted quite rudely in response, and I rolled my eyes.

“Do I ever? My dad can barely function as a human being, and I’m a poor, broke high school student with no job. I can’t afford to go anywhere.”

I nodded, letting her ramble about her dysfunctional family. It was kind of sad to see a family so torn, but I guess when you grow up in that kind of environment, you just get used to it. Melissa seemed to handle herself well—her brother too. One can only take so much stress though, so whenever she went on her little rants, I let her. It was good to get it out of her system before she punched someone in the face—again.

I smiled lightly as I shut my locker and saw her vibrant violet tipped hair flying around her face like a mad woman. She caught my smile and scowled at me.

“Whatever,” she finally huffed.

We walked to my mom’s classroom to see her packing up the last of her things. She smiled sweetly at us and lifted her bag onto her shoulder.

“Are you joining us for dinner tonight, Melissa?”

“Duh,” she replied. “Fridays are Jake’s girlfriend night.”

She shuddered, making a face of disgust. Jake was her older brother. They got along rather well, but always seemed to disagree on the girlfriends he picked. From what I’ve heard from Melissa, they always seem to be more promiscuous and drain him of what little money their family had. She knew that Jake wasn’t one to sleep around, but she always wondered with the choice of girls he chose.

My mother smiled again and ushered her out of the classroom to the car. Melissa climbed into the backseat while I sat shotgun.

“How were your midterms?” my mom asked as we pulled out of the parking lot.