Chapter Seventeen
Standing outside the high school, Orsen bit his lip and avoided eye contact with anyone who looked his way until he saw Dale, Matty, and Devon.
They came over to him and Dale gave him a shoulder hug.
He’d seen some of the boys do it, so figured it was how they greeted each other.
Matty and Devon did the same, and he followed them inside.
The hallway was bustling, and he hid behind Dale, who smiled and winked at him.
“You’re in all our classes, so don’t worry.”
“Did you get assigned a locker?” Matty asked.
“I think so.” He held up a piece of paper. “One five six.”
“That’s near me.” Devon pointed down the hallway.
“I need to grab some books, so I can show you where it is.” Orsen followed him, then found his locker.
Checking the note, he used the code to open it, then stared inside.
Empty, like he’d expected. “Don’t worry.
By the end of the day, it’ll be full.” Devon nodded his head down the hallway. “First class is English.”
“Oh. Great.” Sure, he’d improved with Santino’s help, but he was still way behind everyone else.
“What’s the problem?” Devon frowned at him, then his mouth opened. “You’re behind.”
Orsen winced. “A little.”
“Don’t worry about it. They’ll have a program in place for you. Johnson is behind as well. His family moved here from the city because the school he was in was shit. He’s doing good now.”
“You’re being nice to me.”
Devon grinned. “I told my mom about you. She said to be nice to you because you had a rough time. We know about Ambrose. I think you’re brave. I don’t know if I could have done what you did.”
“You don’t think you can until you have no choice.”
“Ready?” Dale asked as he and Matty stood next to him.
“As I’ll ever be.” Orsen cleared his throat, then straightened. “Let’s do this.”
“That’s it, and fuck anyone who messes with you.” Matty grinned.
Devon slapped him on the back and steered him toward the classroom. As he walked in, the noise dimmed, and he slowed. “This is Orsen. Be nice.” Dale tugged him over to a table and pointed to a chair. “You sit there, and Matty and Devon will sit behind us. We got your back.”
“Quiet, everyone! Yes, we have someone new. Get over it and get your books out. Page eighty.”
Inhaling, Orsen opened the book the teacher—Miss Garson—gave him and stared at it. “Don’t worry. Anything you don’t know I’ll help you with.” Dale nudged his shoulder. “You can do this.”
By the end of the day, Orsen was exhausted, and his brain hurt. Dale dragged him out, chuckling at the look on his face. “It wasn’t that bad.”
“You’re used to it,” Orsen groused.
“Hey dumb bitch!” Orsen turned, saw some greasy-haired kid grinning at him. “Yeah, you. You should have seen him in history. Didn’t have a fucking clue.” A few kids around him laughed. Orsen knew it would happen, but he’d hoped to have a day or two to settle before it started.
Straightening, he shouted, “Who are you calling dumb? You looked in the mirror?”
The kid’s face hardened, and he clenched his fists. “I should kill you for that.”
“That’s what he said, and now he’s six feet under. Try it.”
“What the fuck?” The kid stepped back. “Are you threatening me?”
“This kid is that stupid?” he murmured. The kid threatened Orsen first. If high school was going to be like this, then Orsen wouldn’t be coming back.
“Yeah. Pretty much.” Dale shrugged.
“First, you threatened me. I reminded you of who I am and what I’ve done. Leave me alone.”
“And who the fuck are you? No one here’s got a fucking clue except we all know how fucking stupid and ugly you are.”
Orsen took a step closer, ignoring Dale’s muttered, ‘don’t.’ “I’m Orsen. Maybe you know my dad. His name is Ambrose. Or was. He’s dead now.”
The kid took a step back. Orsen ignored his name and Ambrose’s being whispered. Knew that if they didn’t know now, they would soon enough. He hated that people knew what had happened, but if it meant it stopped idiots like this one, then it served a purpose.
“Orsen. You okay?” Orsen looked at Cody. “Thought I’d come and pick you up.”
“Thanks. These are my friends. Dale, Matty, and Devon.” Orsen pointed to them as he said their names. “This is Cody.”
Cody smiled. “Yeah, that Cody.”
“You’re the Sheriff’s… you’re young and he’s—” Dale snapped his mouth shut.
“Hot. Yeah.” Cody arched an eyebrow.
“My sister thinks he’s gorgeous. Says it’s a shame he’s gay…” Matty trailed off, swallowed, then plastered a fake grin on his face.
“Shame for her, but not for me.”
“I didn’t mean…I mean, what...”
“I’d stop while you’re behind.” Cody smiled, then threw an arm over Orsen’s shoulders.
Looking at the kid, he shouted, “You finished or does Orsen need to kick your ass all over school?” The kid opened his mouth, then closed it.
“Wise decision, and here was me thinking you were a dumb fuck.” Walking away, he pulled Orsen along. “You coming?” he asked the other three.
“Thanks for coming.”
“I thought we could go to the tea shop. They have new cakes. Some lavender thing I want to try. What about you three? Want something to eat and drink?”
“That would be nice Mr… er…”
“Just Cody, Dale. I’m not old enough for the mister stuff yet.” Cody winked at Orsen, then ran his fingers through his black hair. “TJ thinks I need to get it cut, but I like it slightly longer.” Cody tugged on Orsen’s long strands. “Not too sure about you.”
“It needs to be cut, but I don’t want to sit in some salon while they whisper about me.”
“We can go together, then. That will really give them something to talk about,” Cody chuckled. “We could even talk about our men and watch their little beaks get all flustered.”
“My mom hates the gossip. She said they all need to find some excitement in their lives.” Dale kicked at a stone as they walked along the sidewalk. “She’s happy you’re back, Orsen. She used to give me those little mini cakes for you. I don’t know if you remember.”
Orsen screwed his face up, trying to recall his time in school. “They had icing on the top.” Smiling, he nodded. “Yeah, I do now. I used to be so excited when I got one. Some days that was the only thing I ate.” His smile faltered, then Matty nudged him and smiled.
“Don’t think like that now. I’ve never been through what you’ve gone through, and thank God for that, but you’re in a better place now and you get to build your own home!
” Matty grinned. “How exciting is that? Your own place where you can live how you want to. Have friends over and BBQs and late nights.”
“TJ and me are your first guests. Or is that second after Santino?” Cody wriggled his eyebrows.
“Who’s Santino?” Dale asked. “You haven’t mentioned him before.”
“He’s my boyfriend. He’s older than me.”
“So what? My dad is twenty years older than my mom. Still going strong, too, that’s why I wear headphones to bed.” Devon mimed throwing up. “Don’t want to hear them going at it.”
Orsen giggled, then grinned at Cody, who had a huge smile on his face. “I have no complaints.”
They walked along the sidewalk until they reached the tea shop and Cody opened the door and held it open for the four of them. “Right. What do you want?”
Orsen stood in front of the cakes, seeing the one Cody had mentioned. A soft lilac frosting with what looked like lavender petals on top. It looked pretty and Orsen wanted to try it. “Can I have one of those as well?”
“Tell Sherri your orders.” Cody handed over his card when they’d all ordered, and they found a table in the corner where they could all fit. “I’m so looking forward to this cake. The lemon slice was nice, and so was the orange one.”
“Do you come here often? You know all the cakes.” Dale sipped his soda.
“I come with Toni.”
“Oh, I know about this. My mom told me the bitches were talking about it.” Dale narrowed his eyes. “I think it’s cool how you all care about each other. Ted’s family broke up and they all hate each other. He can’t wait to turn eighteen and leave home.”
“Yeah, some people need to remember the kids in all the shit that happens. Carter is my uncle, so we’re family in a way, which gave those bitches plenty to gossip about. The way I see it is, if they’re talking about me, then they’re leaving someone else alone.”
“I think it’s either you or Orsen.” Devon shrugged. “Sorry.”
“I knew it would happen.” Orsen exhaled, then sat back in his chair. “I didn’t want to do it.”
“If you hadn’t, we wouldn’t be friends again. We’re all sorry it happened.” Dale looked around the table. “Ambrose. Well, you know what he was like.” Dale trailed off with a shrug.
“I know. Can we not talk about him? I’m trying to move on.” Orsen gave them a closed-lipped smile. “I’m back in school and making new friends.”
“No worries. Did you see the homework Parks gave us? How are we supposed to get it done by Monday? It’ll take me that long to understand the assignment!” Matty groaned. “Save me now.”
“We should get together one night and do it, or we can do a group chat,” Dale suggested.
“Hey guys. I could get my mom to cook for us and we can have a sleepover at my place.” Devon’s eyes brightened when the cake came over. “Hmm chocolate.” Devon took a mouthful, then groaned. “You’ll be there too, won’t you, Orsen? I can let my mom know.”
“You have to come. It’ll be fun.” Dale looked at Orsen and Cody’s slices of cake. “I should have got that.”
Orsen glanced at Cody, who smiled and nodded. “Sure. Let me know when. I have a date on Friday.” He felt his cheeks heat up when the three of them all ‘oohh’ at him. “Shut up.”
“I broke up with Sana.” Dale ate another bite of his cake. He shrugged and said, “I knew it would happen.”
Matty pointed his fork at Dale. “Bet she’s back with that jock, Freak.”
“Freak? Who names their kid Freak?” Orsen glanced at Cody, then the other three.
“That’s the good name. His older brother is called Road because he was conceived on the road.” Dale shuddered.
“What? Road?” Orsen’s mouth fell open. “I, er, what?”
“Yeah. That was my reaction. Don’t you think he’d make some shit up for when he’s asked about his name?” Dale grimaced. “I wouldn’t tell anyone the truth.”
“Me neither,” Cody grunted. “Can you imagine the look on their faces? Poor bastard.”
“So you have a date, Orsen?” Dale waggled his eyelashes. “Gonna get laid?”
Orsen fidgeted in the chair. “I don’t know.”
“You have, right… Oh. Forget I asked.” Dale winced. “Sorry.”
“Have you?” All three nodded, and Cody just sat back and grinned. Orsen pulled a face at Cody, then said, “All of you?”
“Dude. We haven’t been stuck in a cabin in the woods. Now you’re out, you can get all the ass you want. I’m bi, so I get to try out both.” Devon grinned. “Best of both worlds.”
Cody burst out laughing, then slapped Devon on the back. “I think I like you.”
“Good, because when I break the law, I can get you to sweet talk TJ into not arresting me.”
“You’re planning on breaking the law?” Cody arched an eyebrow.
“I’m a teenager.” Devon rolled his eyes. “Of course I’m going to do something stupid. It’s the only time I can get away with it.”
“I’ll put in a good word for you.” Cody shook his head. “This is going to be fun.”
“Orsen. Give me your number, then we can arrange the sleepover,” Devon said as he pulled his phone out. Orsen looked at Cody, then smiled. He had friends. After all these years, he had friends. Life was good.