Felix grimaced at the thought, his smile fading through the joke he was planning to spring. “Never mind.”
“Okay, Felix.”
Silence arose between them, only interrupted by the sound of the buses beginning to rumble, ready to leave.
“Oh, crap!” Felix shouted, running to grab all of his things. “I gotta go now! Bye Theo!” Felix yelled, picking up courage to kiss her cheek, bolting towards the bus and barely making it on.
Felix actually got a seat today! Although, someone had to sit with him. Cyan sneakers.
“Hi there, Corey. . .” Felix recalled his name, waving kindly.
“Shut up.” Corey grunted, gesturing with his fist.
“Sorry, if you don’t want to talk I won-”
“You got my friend in trouble.” Corey growled.
“You’re friends with that Brutus kid?” Felix asked, cringing in horror as Corey nodded.
Fingering the coal black leather seat, Felix stared out the window, feeling cool air whip against his heated face.
“Ack-!”
Felix yelled out as his shirt collar was violently tugged down.
“Listen up, ketchup boy.” Corey snarled, shoving Felix’s body away from him, “You touch Brutus, you won’t be able to move your head to get hit by my fists. Kapesh?”
“Ka. . posh.” Felix breathed, eyebrows raised in confusion.
‘Ketchup. . .?’
“Felix Ketchup-the most popular ketchup in all of Australia.” Felix read off of a computer screen.
“Great. How did Corey know that. . .” he moaned as he pushed away from the computer, twirling around four times in his swivel chair before coming to a stop.
“FELIX, IAN AND I NEED THE COMPUTER!” Anthony yelled from the TV room, where Spongebob danced across the screen.
“For what?”
“Oh, well, cause, um, Anthony needs to look up somethin’.” Ian replied, eyes glued to Spongebob’s open mouth as a high-pitched screaming sound emitted from the TV.
“Too loud, guys. What do you need to look up?” Felix asked, leaning onto the computer room’s door frame.
Felix’s eyebrows knitted together as Ian and Anthony stared at each other, locked in a silent battle.
‘Are they. . .communicating telepathically?’ Felix thought, staring.
“We need to use it so we can find ladies on Facebook,” Ian smiled brightly, like it was normal for an eight year old to want to date women who were most likely over his age.
“Hot chicks!” Anthony announced loudly, making Ian fall off the couch in surprise.
“Ian, that wasn’t very smooth.” Anthony sighed, wagging his finger at him and shaking his head disappointedly.
“You need to ask mom first.” Felix said between violent bursts of laughter.
“Aw. . .” Anthony murmured, sinking in lower into the couch cushions. “. . .You can. . .go without me dude. . .I’m. . .fading. . . comfortable. . .” Anthony murmured as he sunk deeper into the couch.
“ANTHONY!” Ian shrieked, jumping up on Anthony’s body. “WAKE UP MAN! DON’T YOU DARE DIE ON ME!” Ian screamed, shaking Anthony’s shoulders.
“IAN! I JUST-I WAS-I JUST-ASLEEP!” Anthony yelled, pushing Ian off the couch roughly. “Good lord!” he yelped.
“Ah-ha-how. . .” Ian groaned, pointing a finger up at Anthony’s body from above, “Child abuser.” he whispered fleetingly, waving his arm around for the guffawing Felix to hoist him up.
Wincing in pain as Felix bent down, Felix grabbed his pajamas from last night from their crumpled state on the floor and tossed them on his bed.
“. . .I’m, too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my bed, too sexy for my blankets. . .” Felix sang as his shirt joined the pajamas on the bed.
“That’s beautiful singing there, Felix.” A sarcastic voice called from the doorway.
“COLBIE! How many times have I told you not to come into my room when my shirt is off! I know you want these rock hard abs,” Felix murmured, gesturing down at his stomach with his ribs poking out, “But sneaking up on me? Low! SHUN!” Felix shouted, shoving his palm in her direction and turning away.
“Your ‘abs’ would look better without the bruises.” Colbie snickered a little. Felix found himself grinning a little, too. He looked back at his sister in the doorway.
“Well, let me get dressed, okay?” Felix asked, looking at his smiling sister. “And i’m not happy with you. For both what you did to me, and sneaking up on my abbs.” Felix gestured to his stomach.
“It had to be done.” Colbie shrugged, but Felix could see worry held in his eyes.
“Oh yeah. SHUN.” Felix growled, grinning.
“Well, alright, but that was quite the song you were singin’.”
she chuckled to herself, leaving to go to her room. Felix slammed the door and continued to get undressed.
“Bleep bleep bleep!”
“Gah, Mom set an alarm clock?” Felix said, rising from his bed with a rat’s nest on his head. Felix quickly grabbed a brush and slid the brush through his tough knotted hair twice in his version of, ‘brushing his hair well’. He looked at the calendar next to his bed and saw it was Friday. Instantly, he took the brush, held it like a microphone , took a deep breath, and sang,
“It’s Friday! Friday! Gotta get down on Friday!”
“Felix! Shut up!” his sister shouted from her room. Felix put down the brush and got dressed, blushing in embarrassment. He hadn’t meant to sing it that loud.
He ran downstairs, snagged a pancake, grabbed his lunch, and sat on the couch to watch television. But, it was already on.
“WWE SMACKDOWN!” Ian and Anthony screamed in unison.
“Guys! Why are you watching wrestling?!” Felix asked loudly, walking over to the couch.
“Watch with us!” Anthony clapped his hands.
“Yeah! Yeah! Come on, Felix!” Ian shrieked, throwing a few punches Felix’s way.
“No.” Felix answered, taking the clicker from his brothers. He switched the channel to Cartoon Network and sank into the couch.
“OWWWW! Felix broke my arm! Daddy! Daddy! It hurts!” Ian bawled.
“What?! I didn’t even touch you!” Felix shouted in protest.
Their dad ran into the room and looked around.
“Okay, what’s going on?” he demanded, looking towards each of his sons.
“Well, we were just watching Twinkle Star Finds Santa on PBS and then, Felix came over, hit my arm, and then took the clicker to watch an R rated movie! He just switched it to Cartoon Network as you were coming over.” Ian cried.
“Felix, don’t hit your brothers. Let them watch their show, it’s perfectly fine for them to be watching PBS.” his dad sighed, handing the twins the clicker. As their dad walked away, he gave a look to Felix that said, “R Rated movies? What?”
Anthony stuck his tongue out at Felix and gave Felix the “Loser” sign as Ian grinned slyly. Felix sighed and got up. His brothers were evil. . .
“So, class, what we have learned today is: can someone please give a summary of what we learned?” Mr. Sharpe asked, eyeing Felix who was dozing off. No one raised their hands, only stared at Felix’s snoring figure.
“Hmm. . . Okay, Felix!” he called pointedly.
“Huh. . .whazum?” Felix said.
“I asked for you to tell us what we learned today.” Mr. Sharpe raised an eyebrow. Felix quickly looked at his watch. Fifteen seconds before the bell!
“Oh okay, so- Ack!” Felix started, then began coughing madly.
“So sorry, so what I was saying is that-” Felix started again, but the bell broke off his sentence and Felix was able to leave. He smirked to himself as the teacher sighed exasperatedly. Theo walked up to him.
“Wow Felix! That was actually really smart!” she laughed. “Cool little trick. I’ll definitely try that sometime.” Theo smiled, running her
hand on the lockers as she walked.
“Yeah, I was kind of in my own world. So I had to think of something quick.” he smiled. “I’m a genius. Don’t wear it out.”
“And Felix. . . What you did yesterday when you got on the bus. . .” Theo trailed off, her hand stopping it’s pursuit of every locker in the school. Felix’s face drained of color and he looked at Theo.
“I-I don’t know I just. . . thought maybe it was a new way to say goodbye. . .” Felix said awkwardly.
“Oh, okay.” Theo said. “Well, we’re not in the same class, so I guess this is a goodbye.” she smiled a little. Felix blushed a lot and felt his face turn red. Was she asking him to do that again?! He kissed her cheek like he did before and they both went their separate ways.
“So. . .” Theo started, nibbling at a turkey and cheese sandwich.
“So. . . What?” Felix asked.
“I don’t know. What do you want to talk about?” Theo took another bite.
“Why are you wearing flip flops?” Felix laughed.
“I don’t really know, just put something random on!”
“Yeah, well it’s dead Fall. Your toes are freezing off?”
“No! I’m fine, I guess. Hey, well what’s up with the sneakers, huh?”
“Sneakers? It’s normal to wear. . .” Felix trailed off.
“And flip flops are normal to me!”
“So sneakers aren’t normal to you?”
“Well, no. Sneakers are normal.” Theo shrugged.
“Haha, we’re talking about shoes. That sounds too much like the popular girls who have like what, fifty different pairs of shoes?” Felix said, trying to get Theo to laugh. She did: Mission accomplished.
“More like a thousand!” Theo burst out in laughter.
“This lunch looks gross!” Felix said, making a face at the mossy green slop on his tray. He poked it with his fork, then pushed the tray away.
“Ew I don’t want it! Hey! The trays are even styrofoam! Last year they were plastic and nice.” Theo added.
Just as Felix was about to make fun about another thing in the cafeteria, a group of boys walked over, Corey leading the pack of devils. He held a football in one hand, hitting it menacingly with the other.
“What’s going on?” Theo whispers desperately.
“Hey there, Felix? Who’s your girlfriend?” Corey sneers, smacking the football harder.
“She’s not my. . .” Felix trails off, blushing.
“Oh really? You guys look really cute together. Two losers!” he laughed. Felix can’t find any words to spit out. Theo just stared, with a disappointed look in her eyes. Felix stared at the ground, biting his lip.
‘I can’t let them throw Theo under the bus.’
“Don’t say that about her. . . I’m the only loser.” he called, knowing Theo’s reaction. Surprised but sad. She’d probably chew him out for it later.
“You just figured that out? Well, I really hope we go outside today, ‘cause you’re gonna die.” Corey grinned, squeezing the football with his slyly smiling demonic companions.
Corey and his gang finally left to go scream at a pink-haired girl. Out of the corner of Felix’s eyes he can see Theo opening her mouth like she wants to say something but instead closing her eyes and wringing her hands on the table.
“Everybody shu- I mean, be quiet!” a lunch lady screeched into a microphone.
“Sheesh, you don’t yell into a microphone. . .” Felix mumbled just loud enough so Theo hears. He looks up to see her smile at him a little bit.
“If you want to go outside today, cleanup!” The lady screamed, a high-pitched whine coming from the microphone afterwards.
“Felix, go outside. Everyone else is!” Theo smiles.
“Can’t hear you. Ears are shot.” Felix groaned, sticking his fingers into his ears.
“Felix.” Theo sighed, pushing his hands from his ears. “Go outside or it’ll just be more fuel for Corey.”
“But they said they would kill me!” Felix said, his hands going to his neck.
“They’re not gonna kill you.” Theo murmured in concentration. “Just maul your pride.”
“They’re gonna hurt me at the least!” Felix hissed.
“Come on,” Theo grumbled, taking Felix’s arm and dragging him out the door.
Man, that girl is strong.
“Hey look guys! There he is!” Corey simpered, keeping his eyes on the bedraggled Felix.
“See! See! Theo! Turn around! Turn around!” Felix screeched, pulling towards the door to the school and hanging onto the handle.
“No! Face them, Felix! You have to! Please! You can’t let them do this to you anymore. . . because it hurts me to see you so sad.” Theo said, sincerely. Felix put on a gameface.
‘Theo’s right, what am I if I keep getting hurt and bullied? It’s all the same, everyday. And most of all. . . I don’t wanna hurt her- What am I even saying. Felix, shut up! Walk over there. I can’t. Yes I can. No. . . I can’t. You’ve got the guts, go!’ Felix thought, conversing with himself. ‘I don’t know why i’m acting so afraid all of the sudden, I need to do this, now or nev-’
“Hear ye! Hear ye! I, the great and powerful come with great fortune! Candy!” A little voice screamed, interrupting Felix’s thoughts.
‘Oh no. . .’ Felix’s eyes grew wide, as he looked on top of a hill. ‘What are they doing out of school?!’
“One dollar a piece!” Ian shouts, with a Payday gripped in his hand, waving it around. A hoard of kids came running to his brothers with spare change jingling in their sweaty palms. “A lot of kids bring lunch money, but never use it on lunch because the lunches are disgusting. They use it on the vending machines usually.” Felix shrugged.
“Felix!” Anthony called, noticing the head of messy blonde hair that belonged to his brother. “Hey, do ya wanna buy anything?!”
Felix just rolled his eyes and yelled back.
“What are you doing?!”
“Just getting some cash, my brother!” Anthony shouted while throwing a jumbo bag of skittles in the air, making the rainbow candy rain down on the people below.
“My brothers.” Felix explained to a blinking Theo in a low whisper.
“Ah.” Theo let her breath go out in a rush.
“Here you go.” Felix heard a musical voice chime.
“Wha-COLBIE WHY ARE YOU HERE?!”
“Oh, hi Felix!” Colbie laughed, her blonde hair flying as a green skittle beaned her on the head. “I’m here for a school project. We’re generating a graph for the candy that students like most,” Colbie laughed, “And it looks like skittles are winning.”
“. . .You took them out of school?” Felix facepalmed, letting his hands droop to his sides.
“Nah, they had a half-day today. Besides, they’re getting really popular with the crowd!”
“RISE TO THE TOP OF THE WOR-OR-LD!” Ian yelled as he stood on two boy’s shoulders, waving a pair of chopsticks around like a wand.
‘Where did he get those?!’
“AMERICA!” Anthony replied to Ian’s yelling as he too was lifted onto student’s shoulders,
“AMERICA DON’T YOU CR-”
Anthony toppled to the ground as a football connected with the side of his head and didn’t move, slumping onto the grass as his eyes rolled up into his head. He was dropped. . . it didn’t look like an accident to drop someone so light.
Felix could only hear Colbie’s scream, his own heartbeat magnified, beating slowly in his ears. He could feel grass under his feet as he ran towards his brother. It didn’t seem real. Everything felt so dead at that moment except for Colbie and a distant laughter erupting. Fragments, random memories of his brother flashed in an instant as he heard laughter, red and dark. His vision was cracked and jagged like pieces of glass. He couldn’t see, he didn’t know. His flesh crawled and he stalked towards the noise.
Corey’s face bounc
ing across his vision, their laughter growing louder in his ears. Blood red streaks flew past his eyes as he took a step towards his fallen kin.
Felix opened his mouth in a scream as his vision went completely red and dissolved into darkness.
“Felix.”
“Wake up, Felix!”
“We need you!”
“Felix, please wake up!”
“Please. . .Felix. . .”
Felix’s cerulean eyes opened to a sterile ceiling.
“W-what. . . where is this. . .” Felix moaned, sitting up and watching his surroundings. A white curtain hung to his right and to his left was about three feet and then a wall. He was laying in a white bed with light blue sheets. Felix’s mom stood by his side.
“Mom. . .?” Felix whispered.
“Good morning. How are you?” His mother asked shakily, putting a hand over Felix’s.
“Yeah, I’m fine, just tired.” Felix said, just remembering the past events that had occurred. The thump of a small, young body fall to the ground with screams and laughter.
“Why would there be laughter?!” he thought, imagining his poor brother laying on the grass with his eyes wide. His broken thoughts came together like puzzle pieces, snapping into place.
“Corey.” Felix breathed, with rage bustling around his mind.
“Mom, where’s Anthony. Is Anthony okay? Mom! Tell me! Tell me!” Felix pleaded, struggling to sit up. His eyes widened as a white flash of pain ran down from his side as he fell back.
“Shush, Felix. Lie down. . .Anthony is. . .Felix. I know you’re not in the right position or condition to tell me what happened, but the doctors need to know.”
“Well. . . Colbie was doing a project and needed to see what was the most picked candy or whatever.” Felix began to explain.
His mother nodded in recognition. “So it was on your playground field. Continue.”
“She had Ian and Anthony helping, probably because they were so cute or something. And a crowd formed around Ian and Anthony and Anthony was dropped and then some ball hit his head and his eyes were open, but he just sat there. And then, I went over to him and just passed out I think.” Felix said, struggling to remember.
“Okay. . . Anthony is alive, though. I pray to God it will stay that way.” his mother sighed, creasing her hair up the way Felix knew it to be whenever she was nervous.