Angston High

The In Crowd

Steven R. McQueen as Alex

For the second time in a month, I'd disappeared. I shut myself away from the world. I didn't talk to Alex or Jade all weekend. But best of all, I didn't have anymore dreams about Adam. That was the best thing for me. I decided that I could no longer stand the delicious hot body. I'd lusted over him for most of my life, but just like Jade said, I never had as much face time with Adam. Doing so just revealed his true asswipe of a personality. I just had to find someone else to lust over. Adam, meant nothing to me anymore.
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"So B? Wus up man? I musta called like twenty times. I even came over a couple of times," Alex said as I arrived at the bus stop. I shuddered a little as I recalled last Friday's events. Just like the Friday before it. "I guess you heard what happened from Adam right?" I asked. "Not really. Ryan started to tell me something, but Adam cut him off," Alex replied. "It's kind of a long story. Short version is, Adam freaked out because he thought I was following him around or something so he tried and succeeded at humiliating me in the caf," I replied. Alex looked like he was trying to put two and two together. "So that's what Gino meant," Alex finally said. "What?" I asked, cluelessly. "Well, at the game, Gino came up to Adam and totally bashed him. Called him out for making fun of people and then tried to beat him down," Alex replied. "He did what?!" I asked, shocked. "Yeah. Can you believe that?" Alex replied. Could I believe it? Gino beating Adam up on my behalf? But why? Why on Earth would he stick up for me? "Course, the son of a bitch caused us to lose the game cause Adam got thrown out. Got suspended for a good week. I'd imagine he'd need a week, cause if he came back to school today...." This was all so unbelievable. Gino stuck up for me during the game. Like he didn't care what happened to him as long as he....of course there was no way I could find out anything for sure until Gino and I talked. "What about Adam?" I asked. Was the fucker suspended too? "Well he got off lucky. Probably cause he's captain of the team. He cant play in the next game, but now, he wasn't suspended," Alex replied. I must of had a weird look on my face cause Alex said: "Hey, look, don't worry. I'll talk to Adam. He's not gonna hurt you," Alex said soothingly. He had that right. Adam couldn't hurt me. Cause I wasn't gonna let him. I looked up to notice the bus coming down our street. A bus that would no doubt have Adam on it. "It's okay," Alex said putting his hand on my shoulder. I gave him a weak smile and stepped on to the bus. Tension. That's what the bus was full of. I tried not to look at anyones face, but I didn't need to because I noticed that no one is looking at me. I guess my humiliation, the game, and the weekend did this to them. "Just go back to our regular seat. I'm gonna talk to Adam," Alex said. "Alex..." "Just go okay," Alex said. I half-heartedly agreed and made my way to Alex and my regular seat. Alex spotted Adam who was trying determinedly to look out the window. "Adam," Alex said sitting down. "Alex, was up man?" Adam fakely asked. "What's this thing you and my best friend have going on?" Alex asked. Adam sighed deeply. He had to know something like this would come eventually. "look, Alex, we just don't mesh. I was getting tired of him invading my space," Adam replied. "Yeah he told me that was what was going on," Alex replied. "He did?" Adam asked, dejectedly. "Don't you think it's just a little sad? There's you, the popular captain of the football team with a hot ass girl and all the friends in the world and then there's him, not popular, no girlfriend, nothing. And you think he's some kind of threat to you?" Alex asked. "I....just...." "Adam look at me. I don't want to have to kick your ass alright. Brandon's pathetic enough without you trying to ruin his high school years. Just stay away from him," Alex replied. With one final scowl he got up. Adam sat thinking. He was so right. Brandon really was never a threat to him. And he didn't deserve that. He always knew they never did anything that night. But it was just stress. He had to apologize to him. Somehow....
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I tried as best as I could to stay far away from the places I knew Adam hung. Unfortunately, one of those places is my locker, and Id already failed to turn in three homework assignments because that was where they were, my locker. Sooner or later I was gonna have to go to it and get my books. Adam stood with his locker open thinking. About a lot of stuff. But mostly about Brandon. For some reason he couldn't get him off his mind. It was really weird. Normally, Adam dissed hundreds of losers without feeling the slightest bit of guilt. But now he was feeling remorse for someone who he'd done his best to ignore his entire life. And he'd done a pretty good job too. All those times he was around when he had to talk to Alex. He just pretended like he didn't even know he was there. But he did know. He'd always known. But now it was just weird. Things in his life were really- "Sweetie, thinking hard?" Michelle asked kissing Adam on the cheek. "What? Oh no I was just ah..trying to remember where I put my physics notes," Adam lied. "Look I know you don't want to talk about it, but the game Friday-" "You're right, I don't wanna talk about it," Adam replied, being asinine. "I was just gonna ask how you were feeling," Michelle replied. She snapped back against the lockers and tried to ease up. "You know what you need man," Ryan said, surprising Adam "Beer. Lot's and lots of beer" There was no way he'd be drinking for a while. Not after what happened last time. "Your idea of a good time is always a damn party," Michelle said. "Yeah, the fun parties. Not the ones you like," Ryan replied. "I don't throw boring parties," Michelle objected. "Of course you don't sweetie," Krystal said, appearing out of the blue. Great, Adam thought, they were talking about parties not realizing they are starting one right now. Only this time, Adam didn't want to attend. He was busy before they came. He was looking for Brandon so that he could apologize. "We all know how you feel Adam. Embarrassment, we've all been there before. You just need something to take your mind off of it," Krystal suggested. "I was just saying that. And you think I'm not smart enough for you," Ryan said. "You're right, you're not," Krystal replied. "Uh," Ryan said. Adam isn't paying attention to any of their pathetic rants. Somehow, their problems didn't seem to compare to his at the moment. He was busy before they interrupted, and even more busy now that they were here. It just meant he had to look even harder now. "So anyways, I think Ryan is right. You totally just need to get your mind off of everything," Michelle said. "I have the perfect idea. How about we go down to the lake. Its closing at the end of the month. We could throw like a bonfire party or something," Krystal suggested. "Yeah, I'm so feeling that. A party's just what you need bro," Ryan said patting Adam on the back. "Guys, I don't think I'm up for any more parti-" "Adam, you blew our anniversary off. At least you could come to this," Michelle ranted. Adam knew he wasn't gonna get out of this. He is after all the most popular 11th grader in school. It is his job to be at every party. "Fine," Adam reluctantly sighed. "Let's do this then." Adam shut his locker and made his way down the hall with his friends.
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