The West and East Pole

Chapter One

Leon Brex hated Middle School. He hated loads of things, but these two years seemed to be the worst of his life. Its wasn't the math tests, or the six classes he had to run around the campus to get to each day. It wasn't the cafeteria food, even though is was terrible, or the piles of homework he had to complete each night. His biggest problem was other kids. He didn't hate them, and they didn't hate him. The other eighth graders loved to make fun of him.

 Leon wasn't morbidly obese, nor he was skin and bone. He was average height for his age, with blond hair the color of sand on beach no one has set foot on, bright blue eyes that rivaled the sky, and a necklace accompanied by a silver moth.

 But the kids had to make fun of something, and that something was his personality. He was no loner. Sort of. He loved people, making jokes, being loud and apart of a group, but people didn't want to be apart of him. Some found him embarrassing, others annoying, and most fun to laugh at. He always laughed with them, even though he knew the real reason they laughing. He knew he only reinforced their taunts, but he also knew they got a good laugh out of him, and he hung on to that. 

It was in seventh grade the name calling started. It seemed as they got older, the meaner they became. Over the years they picked up things from movies, parents, and older kids. But where are they going to use this expansion of vocabulary. Why on that crazy loner. Stupid, idiot, retard, gay. They just kept coming and Leon had no idea where it came from, and why all relayed onto him. People don't really understand how cruel kids can be. 

Leon only reinforced this behavior by playing along. He liked the games, until they got meaner, but he didn't want to be the one to spoil the fun so he took the hits. Some probably didn't even realize what they where doing was wrong. But the ones that took it too far knew exactly what they where doing.

He remembered the first time it happened as clear as day when he was in seventh grade. No one knows what happened that day. No one except him and Scott Parly.

"I swear I had it Mrs. Vinnly. I don't know where its gone, I put it in my binder this morning, I can recall seeing it in science." Leon said panicked. History was never his favorite subject. It was hard to focus on something he had little interest in.

"I'm Sorry Leon, I really am but your word isn't good enough, you can still earn some credit if you turn it in tomorrow. Grab an extra if you don't find it at home." said Mrs. Vinnly. He left the classroom taking the history assignment he had completed the night before. He remembered slipping it into his folder this morning, and seeing clearly as he looked for a science paper. His grade was a low B and he really didn't need it going down at the time. But at the end of the day he looked on his phone to see his history grade as a C+. 

"Damn it" he breathed. Seventh grade was hard on him enough, and it scared him how they said eighth grade would be even tougher. 

The following day he discovered where that assignment had gone. After history Scott Parly approached him. Scott was a little shorter and more broad shouldered than he was, with dark brown hair, sun tanned skin, and nearly black eyes. That day, Leon recalled he had a dark grey jacket along with a red shirt with some sort of clothing logo, and blue jeans that had the knees ripped up. Scott sat next to him, he payed attention in class but still had a weak grade. 

"Hey Leon." he said, "So I heard yesterday you lost your homework.". As he said it, Leon recognized a tone in his voice he couldn't quite make out what it meant.

"Umm...yeah what happened." Leon asked. How did he know. I was alone with Mrs. Vinnly.

"When you went to the bathroom, I realized I forgot to answer a question so I barrowed it and forgot to give it back, here ya go anyway." The paper Scott handed back was crinkled. Leon remembered neatly putting it his homework folder. And the real alarm was that when he went to the restroom, his folder was tucked neatly into backpack, and the backpack was closed. Leon knew what he did was on purpose. That is what he recognized in Scott's voice. Enjoyment. But, this kind of enjoyment was different. It was an enjoyment of hurting others. 

Leon was stunned. Why the fuck had he done this. What did he do to deserve this. Was this fun for him, tormenting others. But all those thoughts would come later. In the shock of the moment he looked up from the paper and towards him.

"Oh, I was wondering where this went. Thanks." said  Leon. His voice reflected nothing of what he was feeling, something Leon later would be very good at. Scott gave him a look. Amusement, that he was so dumb not to realize what happed. Disappointment that he didn't react. Ever since that day on seventh grade, others would torment and tease him, and while no one was as bad as Scott Parly on that day, it still left a scar.

Leon was great at moving on. Guilt, regret, was never a thing for him. His philosophy said once it happens, it happens, no use in doing anything if you can't rewind time. Except on that day with Scott, no matter how much he tried to let go of what happened he just couldn't. He had never known some one to do something like that to a person just from fun. Torment a person for their own enjoyment. What did he get out of it. Why do it on him. Why hadn't he told an adult. Why didn't he retaliate. But that was a year ago, and this year was a start. 

School was always a rollercoaster for him. At the beginning of the ride, you would climb up a slope and things look pretty good up there. Your at the top, and then your not. Your rock bottom, and then you curve up again, never getting quite as high as you where before. 

By the time where kids his age were now, everyone had found their own niche. The popular girls would hang out here, the books worms there. Even loners seemed to group together. He was an outlier with no one like him. And though it seems like his life is pretty crappy he's adapted to it. The taunts are white noise. Kids that stole his food don't have much food to steal from any more. And now he's decided things are fine the way they are now. 

But back to eighth grade. Its late fall, so school is already set in motion. He's memorized the locations of his classes and gotten used to the work load. During falls and winters he walks home. The school gets out at three, and Leon usually gets home by four thirty. Southern California is set as a sunny movie where everyone wants to live, but reality is always duller. The summers are the worst. Its always to hot, and when you get hot you sweat, and when you sweat you get sticky and feel yucky and horrible. It's no movie you would want to be apart of. But some days are nice. Late fall through early spring feels the nicest. The walks from home to school are calming. Its gives him time to recall and take away what important things that happened that day, leaving the rest behind. He could always count on home to put him in a good mood.

He walked in the house, it was empty of course, his parents always worked late. A two story at the end of a cul-de-sac. He dropped his backpack by the door. A long walk with a heavy backpack such as his puts strain on shoulders. Today could have been better for him, but he's had worse. The only thing on his mind was the computer. Homework could come later. He had to work on math, science and English, but those things where not important. The thing that was most important at this time was his computer.

He dashed up stairs, passing his brother's room. His brother wasn't home and wouldn't be for a couple of months, but he would be home. He would be home. Leon swung his door open, the room hasn't been clean for three weeks now. It's not that he was some slob, he just decided he would put things away later, and later hasn't come yet.

He kicked off his sneakers, and swung into his desk's chair. Booting up the P.C he was excited. In the time when he played on the computer, the world around him didn't exist. Adults say if you find a good book, you disappear into that world and forget about what's going on around you. They don't seem to realize you can get the same result with a good game. RPG, first person shooter, adventure game, any genre was good enough for him. The day faded into mist while he played, a moment where you forget the world exist, where you exist, and that's the best feeling you could ever get.