chapter 5

 Eight months before... 

"Hey, Dean, what's gotten you all worked up?" My closest friend, Tyler Stuart, asked. We were walking to school, as usual—just a stone throw from where we live. 

Like most people, we've lived here practically all our lives. Tyler and I became buddies during elementary school, right after we fought for a trivial issue, I really can't remember. Since then, we've been thick as thieves. Always together, it was so bad, we were known as brothers. Being an only boy, well, I was ecstatic. But the downside is, Tyler has five brothers. He was the youngest, like me. 

One thing about Tyler, though, he's the stuff jocks are made of. Raven black hair that falls into his eyes, usually done on purpose. A face so handsome, I call it beautiful. I've been teasing him about it since we were kids. 

He also has that body that I couldn't hope for even if I spend a thousand years in the gym. But he was my friend. I might be on the downside of plain, but I was proud to be myself. Tyler always has girls all around him. The truth is... He hates it. Major hate. I have a feeling he's into boys but no proof. I had to kill that feeling, no matter how many times it resurfaced.

"So, care to talk about it?" Tyler said, some strands of his hair falling into his eyes. He just swatted them away, like a pesky annoying fly.

"I thought you loved your hair," I said, trying to distract him from the question I had no answer to yet.

"You're just jealous you don't have hair like mine. Would go with your face," He said, obviously teasing me, thoughts of the question forgotten. So naturally, I played along.

"Haha, that's so funny. I almost peed myself while" laughing" at the joke you just made," I said with the straightest face I could muster. Then simultaneously, we looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"You should have seen your face, so scrunched up and weird looking" Tyler mimicked me in between gasps for air.

"You should have seen yours too, I almost choked on my laughter," I said while mimicking an overly concentrated expression on my face. It was too much for both of us. We both fell clutching our bellies, choking and gasping for air.

"I think I just shit on myself," Tyler said with the best poker face I've seen. All trace of laughter gone from his face. I burst into another fit of laughter, uncontrollable, tears rolling down kind of laughter.

"Okay, dumbo, time to head to school, or we'd be late," Tyler said, standing up, then giving me a hand. I took it, righted myself, noticing I've stained my clothes. An unavoidable circumstance, I guess. I looked to Tyler, and he was as impeccable as always, not one stain on his body.

"Some people have all the luck," I mused silently. 

I walked with him, the occasional tease and banter between best friends. It was.. Normal. Real. Unlike the weird feeling, I've been feeling lately. Coupled with a vivid and graphic imagination, well, let's just say, I prefer routine for a change. Before I knew it, we were already at the front of the school. 

As usual, the girls made a beeline for Tyler, and no matter how evasive he was, they found him. It was a blessing and a tremendous curse. No privacy. I headed to my few "friends" because naturally, we were only friends because of the school we were in.

I hated socializing but being honest, and I just had to in order not to be among the misfits, the geeks, nerds, and whatnot. I wanted not to be a part of any crowd, a lone wolf. But I realized, they're the most vulnerable. A lone wolf has no pack as is easily spotted and killed. Well, same with high-school. Here at Everton High, only the strong survive. The bullies reign supreme.

"Hey guys, how are you doing?"I went around shaking everybody lounging around, most of them, a look of indifference on their faces. I wasn't fazed. To be accepted, you have to blend in, which I did. Oh, I did very well.

"Dean, class!" Marilyn breezed by me, not even sparing me a glance.

"Ah, well, there goes the bell. Time to head to class," I said aloud, lost in thought... Again! This was happening too frequently, and since it's one year to my senior year, I needed total and absolute concentration. No time for dawdling and overthinking. First-period calls.

"......which causes the molecules to contract, thus forming a.. Where are you coming from young man?" The teacher asked, obviously a stickler for punctuality. 

I do not know how I forgot that tiny detail. I've been thinking about so many things recently, and by the look of things, it does not bode well for my results.

"I lost track of time sir, I'm sorry," I said in a bid to placate him. Mr. Rutherford, even with all his flaws, was a very understanding man.

"Make sure it doesn't happen again. Go sit over there." He said, motioning me to the only unoccupied seat. 

My seat partner was Brianna, her brother Brian was ill and couldn't make it to school. Which was good news, since Brian was her twin, hulk of a guy, with a mean personality to boot.

Brianna was a lady of few words. But her countenance radiated something outside the ordinary. She was exotic looking, with no friends, and no interest in making one. Her brother was like her personal bodyguard of sorts. Two siblings. No friends, no interest in making friends, yet known by the whole school. 

Something wasn't adding up, and I knew I had to find out what it was. It might be my only chance. I braced myself and went to sit beside one of the most beautiful girls I've ever laid eyes on. Hypnotic beauty. One thing is for sure, though, I'm going to get answers even if I have to act like a fool for it.