Properly

Chapter 13: Richard's Offer

I suppose my plan worked; the whole avoiding Benjamin's and Owen's text messages and phone calls to teach them a lesson in common courtesy with one another.

Benjamin had sent my not only messages, but he also sent a couple of voice mails. It was honestly repetitive, he apologized for ruining the mall trip and promised to make it up to me.

Owen messaged paragraphs of texts, so there was his shtick. That wasn't what I was concerned with at the moment. It was Dad.

Throughout the whole weekend, I didn't attempt to keep a conversation with him at all. No matter what the topic was, how school was going to our favorite cop show having hysterical moments, I always answered in short or one-word responses.

"Hey Zach, uh... how's Ceramics coming along?" He would ask.

"Fine." I would grunt.

"Did... did your Play-Clay abilities as a kid help you out?" He chuckled.

"I dunno."

There was one conversation we had where I actually said more than a grunt. Unfortunately, it was more one-sided lecturing than the usual joking we had.

Dad proposed he'd make my favorite, sliders. Dad said he'd put lots of tasty, melty cheese and add some chopped bacon that was extra crunchy, just the way I liked it. He kept insisting, and I lashed out.

"I said no! I don't want any fucking hamburger sliders! Can't you see I'm already fat enough?! I have fucking flabs on my goddamn flabs, and you want to feed me that?! How about making us something healthy to eat?! Maybe then, I could actually fit into some pants!"

I stormed off right after. Right into my shitty room with the only notable things of any value being my older model of phone and my textbooks.

I despised those textbooks. They reminded me of the Academy, the thoughts of disappointing my dad, the thoughts of failing the midterms, and the weight of returning to Maywood High to get teased for being too big of a dumbass to handle one semester.

Returning to school that following Monday, I chose to walk. I wasn't able to fall asleep, flipping and rolling myself in my bedsheets all night long. In my mind, I was dreading each week, each day, each hour in the academy for the mid-terms.

During my stroll, I pondered how I could ever manage to continue in such a high caliber school. Money was becoming an issue. Dad left some open mail out on the counter, so I was unfortunately curious enough to see that we were behind on the mortgage. Again.

I kept cursing myself for being such a lingering burden.

"I should get a job," I would always tell myself. But I couldn't. No one would want to hire a fat glob of a teenage raccoon.

Since I was up and about so early, I experienced rare tranquility in the city air. People would often pile into a traffic line in front of Tobagco Academy around 7:45. I was there only 15 minutes early.

Much to my surprise, Richard was seated at one of the benches, along with his bodyguard, Max.
The rabbit had been waiting for me. The weather was cooling down, so he wore a stylish soft red jacket, one that accentuated his defined body and color of fur.

"Hey..." He began. It was awkward already.

"Hey," I answered back.

"So... listen... about what you said on Friday? About Benjamin Mutton?"

"Yeah...?"

"Does he... why does he annoy you? Literally, everyone else in the schools either has a crush on him or just respects his skill in dance. Why does he-?"

"He's not helping me concentrate. Tobagco is like, the best of the best in schools in this city and... I'm just trying to pass these mid-terms, you know?"

"Benjamin distracts you?" Richard wasn't shocked or anything.

"Yeah, he's always trying to eat somewhere or whatever. I don't think he's worried at all." I sighed out.

"Well, it's to be expected from that goofball. He's got money like me but..." Richard shrugged and looked at Max.

Max caught his eye and spoke up, "Truth is, Richard came to a realization dude. He really likes Ben, but damn, if he's kicked out of Tobagco..."

Richard scratched his temple, "I'll be sent to prestigious school overseas. That or my dad will make me return to homeschooling."

"And? What's that supposed to do for me?"

"I'm... I was hoping we could... study together? You, Max, and I could study together? I could teach you through some subjects and you can... help us morally."

I didn't know what else to say. I agreed, but the last thing I would've expected would be hitting the books with the one guy who despised me.

He set the dates when we'd cram, but he offered to hold the sessions at his place. Max jumped in and assured me that Richard wasn't going to do anything, and that he was struggling to pass the midterms as well.

"Richard may have been homeschooled, but he's taking all AP classes and they're eating up his personal time. Doesn't help that he has trouble concentrating on his work either."

Max appeared alright to me. A bit of a goof actually.

"Yeah, I guess that's my problem too. That, plus procrastination."

Max grimaced, "Oooooh shit, that's a bad combination for this class of school."

"Yeah, it's gotten better though. I'm completing my assignments on time at least."

"Yeah... by the way... do you... like guys? I mean, Benjamin is out that he's gay, but are you...?"

Richard raised his ears to this question.

"Well..." I hesitated. It was my first time ever actually admitting to my homosexuality.

"Yeah, I am." But even still, I managed to spat it out.

Max nudged Richard, "Hey, you two should-”

"Shut it." The rabbit socked the wolf's bicep.

I suppose this was when I became friends with Richard and Max. More so than Benjamin and Owen possibly. Nah, those two nutjobs need me to keep them from killing each other.

But it was nice, having two more friends. Ones that would actually help me not only in school, but at home too.