Cold As Ice

Chapter six

On Tuesday afternoon, I got in a bus to go to the Eichelberger's house. I rang the door bell and a man opened the door. Probably the father. He smiled and let me in the house. ''Come in, Derek. Jeremy's in his room.'' he said. I smiled and walk to the ginger kid's room, removing my stupid red coat. I always keep my tuque on. I knocked on the door.

''What?'' said a voice from the other side of the door.

''It's me! The obnoxiously amazing guy that knows french!'' I said.

''Urg, come in faggot.'' I opened the bedroom door. The ginger kid was on his bed with in laptop.

''Hello.'' I said with a smile. ''Are you ready to learn some français?''

"What kind of accent is that?" he asked

"French Canadian."

''Like if I care.'' he said, pushing his computer away. ''I have an oral presentation in two weeks.''

''About what?''

''I have to write a poem.'' he said. I sat on his bed.

''Can I sit, or will I spill gay germs on your bed sheets?'' I asked.

''Shut up and help me.'' he said, tossing a paper at me. I read it and translated it for Jeremy.

''So you got to write a poem.'' I explained.

''Uh! You don't say?''

''Yeah I say!'' I replied as sarcastically as what the ginger said. He rolled his eyes. ''You can chose the topic.''

''Chosing topic? Easy, hockey.''

''You could have chose ringette.'' I said.

''Meh, I'm not really into girly sports. Girls shouldn't play sports, they should make sandwiches.'' he replied.

Oh no he didn't. He did not insult women and the second best sport in the world. ''Excuse, me.'' I said, pissed off. I threw the paper at him and got up. ''YOU are NOT insulting women. My little sister is in right to play sport like SHE wants. SHE should NOT be in the kitchen making food for her lazy ass boyfriend! You're such a Conservative!''

''Don't freak out, I was only joking.''

''I don't mind helping an homophobic. But you god damn Burger King should accept that girls are human too!''

''Relax, faggot.''

''I'm not helping you.'' I said, turning my back to him.

''Come on, you dingus, if you don't help me, you won't have the money.'' he said.

I stopped walking. I didn't really care about the money, but I needed it since I was going to university soon. ''Quit calling me names.'' I said.

''I don't know your name.''

''Derek Taylor.'' I said.

''Full name?'' he asked.

''Derek Taylor.''

''Don't you have a middle name?''

''Nope. Now, I want an apology.''

''For what?''

''For your mean comment about girls and ringette!''

Jeremy sighted. ''I'm sorry that I insulted women and ringette.'' he looked at the paper. ''Can we get working now?''

I walked back to the bed. ''So you said hockey, right?''

''Yeah.''

''How are you gonna write about hockey in a poem?''

''Well I don't know! That's why you're here.''

''No, I'm here for the French. Chose the topic, do a brain storm and get writing.'' I said.

''Roses are red, violets are blue, hockey is great, Maple Leafs I love you.'' he said. ''There, made a poem now translate it.''

I rolled my eyes and took the paper. ''It says an Italian sonnet. Do you know what it is?''

''Yeah, I'm not that stupid.''

''So you admit that you're stupid.'' I said.

''Ah, just shut up.''

''But if I shut up, I won't be able to help you.'' I replied.

''Just..... be quiet!'' I stayed silent. I looked at the ginger kid. His blue eyes, gazing at the paper. His pale skin made him look like a ghost and put his freckles in values. Small nose, small mouth. Pink lips and unnaturally straight white teeth. He was wearing a white shirt with a green tie. He had black pants and white socks. ''Stop staring at me, you freak.'' he said.

''Urg, you're such a baby.'' I looked at him in the eyes. ''So, have you though of anything?'' I asked.

''No. I don't even know what hockey is in French!''

''Hockey. Hockey is hockey.''

''Great. Now what should I talk about?''

''I don't know, you find out. Find your ideas and I'll help you after, ok?''

''Whatever.'' he said, taking his laptop. He opened a blank page and wrote the title of his poem. Hockey.

''Ok, now just think. Think about how you feel when you slide on your skates. How you feel when you score. How you feel when you win, when you lose-''

''I never lose.'' he said.

''The Basking Sharks won against your team.'' I pointed out.

''I never said the team never loses. I never lose. When I get out of the arena, it's always 'Oh! What a great performance you gave Eichelberger.' Every game. ''

''Then how do you feel about that?''

''Powerful, better then the others, invincible, proud of myself.'' he said.

''Aren't you proud of your team?''

''No. They're all worthless. It's because of them if we lose.''

''You can't play a game with one player.'' I said.

''Oh, I could.''

''Of course.'' I said, putting my hand on his knee.

''Don't touch me, faggot.'' Jeremy said, moving his leg.

''Oh no! I just infected you with gay germs!'' I ironically said, putting my hand on my chest.

''Such a Drama Queen. Just like my brother.'' he mutter.

''You don't seem to like your brother. Jaydon, right?''

''He's always sick and reading. He sucks at being a human.''

Jeremy kept on thinking about new ideas, but nothing came. Of course he had no ideas! How could you possibly write about a sport that imply team work when you can only think about yourself?

When I got home, it was 6pm. My family was eating Lasagna. I sat at the table, kissed Thomas's cheek and ate. Thomas told me he had finished his homework and that he was going to study for the math test. I replied with a nod and kept on eating. Penelope explained her day at school and asked if one of her friend could come over tomorrow. My parents said, of course, yes. I had a feeling that this friend was a boy. Could my little sister fall in love that soon? So many thoughts! She's so young! I'm such an overprotective brother. Just like Thomas is for me. I knew that if I let him, he would hold my hand all day long, just to be sure that I wouldn't get in trouble. It was cute but annoying at the same time. When we were younger, he wasn't that much of an overprotective guy. But when I got 13 years old, it's like if the world changed. When I came out, it got even worst. He would tell me to call him if I needed help, if I wasn't home by 6, he'd call me and he would literally freak out if I had a little scratch. Worst then my mom! Although, I really liked Thomas. Such a cutie but with loads of secrets, like his nightmares.