Post by Macaulay Vermilion on Nov 19, 2017 9:57:58 GMT -7
"You almost done with my history paper, Mac?" came a voice behind him.
Macaulay, with both hands holding onto the shoulder straps of his backpack, turned back in the flood of exiting students. Jerome stood there with a couple of his buddies, a small smirk on his face. Jerome had actually asked Macaulay to do this a few days ago. He needed to stay on the football team, and with his shifts at the factory and the fact that there was more air than brain inside his skull, his grades needed some help. Macaulay was not about to get into that though, even if he seemed like a small, easy target. He was grateful at the moment that they were still inside the flood to kids heading home, so he was able to smile back and wave one hand at Jerome. "Haha, good one Jer," he said, then turned forward again.
There was some mumbling and chuckling behind him, the latter of which definitely wasn't coming from Jerome. Jerome probably didn't like "Jer" coming from Macaulay any more than Macaulay liked "Mac" coming from him. Well, that probably wasn't true. Macaulay was an easy going guy, and plenty of people called him Mac - friends, family, guys from the war sometimes. But Jerome was none of these, just some kid trying to take advantage of someone with the brains he lacked.
Although Macaulay was trying to look relaxed on the outside, he was tensed for retaliation - and it came. He sensed rather than heard Jerome lurch forward, and in the same moment ducked down and around. Jerome stumbled past him and into some other kids, eliciting a laugh from several. The kids were starting to thin out as they went there separate ways, and this wouldn't work for much longer. Macaulay straightened and resumed walking as if he'd just paused for a moment to tie his shoe.
"You wanna fight?" Jerome asked, starting toward him again.
Macaulay laughed and shook his head, moving away a little but not much. "Nah. Come on, Jerome, I'm a stick. Everyone here knows I'd lose, and then you'd have a broken stick and still no one to do your history paper." A few more laughs came up around him, and it seemed like people were sticking nearby to see how this would play out. When a few seconds passed and Jerome didn't say anything, Macaulay risked a glance over. Jerome had deflated a little, thrown off by Macaulay's apparent lack of fear of him. In truth, Macaulay was afraid that Jerome would just rip him in two, as plenty of kids could at school, but jokes and laughter were all he had to fall back on. It seemed like he might have avoided a beating though, so Macaulay lifted his hand in a wave. "See you tomorrow, Jerome," he said, then started to turn from the crowd to head toward his own house.
At least everything had worked out today. One day, he was sure, it wouldn't.
WC: 502
Tag: Open to anyone!
Macaulay, with both hands holding onto the shoulder straps of his backpack, turned back in the flood of exiting students. Jerome stood there with a couple of his buddies, a small smirk on his face. Jerome had actually asked Macaulay to do this a few days ago. He needed to stay on the football team, and with his shifts at the factory and the fact that there was more air than brain inside his skull, his grades needed some help. Macaulay was not about to get into that though, even if he seemed like a small, easy target. He was grateful at the moment that they were still inside the flood to kids heading home, so he was able to smile back and wave one hand at Jerome. "Haha, good one Jer," he said, then turned forward again.
There was some mumbling and chuckling behind him, the latter of which definitely wasn't coming from Jerome. Jerome probably didn't like "Jer" coming from Macaulay any more than Macaulay liked "Mac" coming from him. Well, that probably wasn't true. Macaulay was an easy going guy, and plenty of people called him Mac - friends, family, guys from the war sometimes. But Jerome was none of these, just some kid trying to take advantage of someone with the brains he lacked.
Although Macaulay was trying to look relaxed on the outside, he was tensed for retaliation - and it came. He sensed rather than heard Jerome lurch forward, and in the same moment ducked down and around. Jerome stumbled past him and into some other kids, eliciting a laugh from several. The kids were starting to thin out as they went there separate ways, and this wouldn't work for much longer. Macaulay straightened and resumed walking as if he'd just paused for a moment to tie his shoe.
"You wanna fight?" Jerome asked, starting toward him again.
Macaulay laughed and shook his head, moving away a little but not much. "Nah. Come on, Jerome, I'm a stick. Everyone here knows I'd lose, and then you'd have a broken stick and still no one to do your history paper." A few more laughs came up around him, and it seemed like people were sticking nearby to see how this would play out. When a few seconds passed and Jerome didn't say anything, Macaulay risked a glance over. Jerome had deflated a little, thrown off by Macaulay's apparent lack of fear of him. In truth, Macaulay was afraid that Jerome would just rip him in two, as plenty of kids could at school, but jokes and laughter were all he had to fall back on. It seemed like he might have avoided a beating though, so Macaulay lifted his hand in a wave. "See you tomorrow, Jerome," he said, then started to turn from the crowd to head toward his own house.
At least everything had worked out today. One day, he was sure, it wouldn't.
WC: 502
Tag: Open to anyone!
