Lush Life

Chapter 2: Tell and maybe Show.

That same night at the Kruises a knock was heard on the door, just as soon as the same person who knocked opened it.

"Who missed The Great Infamous Alexa?! " the female visitor walked into the house freely, stopping to drop her baggage on the couch and remaining at the spot, staring at the two figures at the dining table.

"I'm guessing no one of course! " She exclaimed, throwing her hands up.

"Welcome home, Alexa, " Mrs Kruise breathed, "how was school? "

"How was 'Military school' , you mean, " She responded crossing her arms and pushing her head backwards as if taken aback, "Military school was great, mum. I enjoyed all the beautiful hardcore trainings and blissful absence of my phone. Thanks for asking. " She gave a sarcastic smile.

"Alexa, we've talked about this..." the older female looked up to the ceiling and back to the agitated teenage girl tiringly, "you did something really bad and it was punishment. "

"Yeah, punishment for an offence. An offence of which you didn't even ask to hear my own side of. "

"Alexa.. "

" And sent me to military school for a whole session and one more academic term as well, what a super mum! "

" I had to, Alexa! You were causing alot of.. problems. You put a boy in coma for a month! What did you expect me to do?! "

"Believe that I did it because he was saying bad things about my dad?! You don't even know what I had to go through in school since dad lost his job! While you were busy trying to cure my dad of his emotional wounds, which didn't go very well, and Matthew here was busy playing around with his robot friend back then. "

Matthew stopped with the spoon halfway to his mouth, raising his head up to look at her. At this point tears were already welled up in her eyes making them glossy. Everything that had happened since the referenced part of his childhood rushed through his mind in a flash of seconds and if it had been anyone else who'd brought up such a reference with that sort of sultry attitude he'd have erupted with anger, but looking at her right now all he could see was his poor little sister bursting with hormones and in need of attention, not scolding or chiding.

His mum sprung up immediately.

"Alexa! you should know better than to..."

"Mum, " Matthew interrupted, "It's okay. Just... leave her be."

The older lady still kept her glare. "To your room, now. "

Alexa annoyingly pulled her bag behind her as she climbed the staircase and as her mother's gaze followed her it softened. When she was finally out of sight, she sighed sadly.

"Matthew, do you think I did wrong by taking your uncle's advice on military school? "

Matthew chewed his last spoon of dinner thoughtfully and swallowed. "They said they were going to"take it heavily" with you if Alexa was still in close residence with their son mum. You were trying to protect her. "

"I know, but she doesn't think that. People in this town can be so sinister... " She shook her head.

"Yes, sinister, " He mused as his mind rovered around the word which he knew was the description of whatever was happening at the Melavreis at that exact time.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Hey, Pete. You were able to get that assignment done?" Lawrence asked as he leaned on the locker near that of Peter Ashes, the school's brightest science student.

"Yes, I did. " Peter rolled his eyes as he picked books from his locker. Lawrence looked back and forth as he spoke, "Where is it then? I need it, it's due today. "

"Oh, just in the wastebin, " he turned to throw a crumpled piece of paper in the bin nearby before giving him full attention, smirking. "You really think I'm one of those nerds who you can meet after school, giving your assignment to do for you and then collecting it in the hallway as early as possible trying your best not to be seen near the nerd. I mean, look at you. Classic jock! We used to be friends back in junior high. But the man's changed ever since you became football captain Law, big time. Well, this nerd here won't be doing that no mo'. Have a great day at school Captain Hammond. "

"Peter, I..." Lawrence's voice shook as he tried to make out the words.

"It's not necessary Cap'n. It's just a necessity of the social ladder. Have a most wonderful day. " Peter waved his hand as he walked down the hall without turning back.

Lawrence scratched his head. He and Peter used to be friends, he and alot of people USED to be friends. But ever since he became football captain he just couldn't reach out to them like usual, it just felt... infradig, for him. With all he had heard about these people, including Matthew, in the locker room, it felt like he had no right to risk his social status associating with them. Matthew was the only exception they'd been friends for years and he seemed to always understand everything he was going through. Peter was right, it was a necessity of the social ladder. He sighed, he felt so fake and stuck between ideals just the same way it was at home. But this was something he knew he could fix; these were his friends and he needed to fix this, social ego or not. He turned to leave completely oblivious of the eyes hooked on him when he heard a familiar cheeky voice utter loudly:

"And that's why you never mess with a Doll's man!"

It was Grace and soon enough after some students had moved to a corner to watch he could see her, with her large posse behind her as they conversed proudly with the school's most revered blogger, Sheila Travres; owner of "Sheila's Wall Blogspot ". From the corner of his eye he could make out another familiar figure in an all-black attire walking proudly down the aisle from the opposite direction of the hall. He turned.

"Hey! Matt, what's up?!" He called to him loudly. Matthew turned his head to his direction, raising an eyebrow to show his surprise at the loud call. He walked over to Lawrence.

"Was that a jock call or someone's feeling loud today, Law?" He gave a small surprised smile.

Lawrence gave a low laugh. "Just calling a bro Matt. How're you doing today?"

"I'm just being the same guy you know, and you? "

The words hit him immediately as they were said ; "just being the same guy you know". The exact opposite of what he felt he was right now. Matt probably didn't know it but those words were bullets fired at his confused shell of a guy. "I'm, good, " he uttered assuringly, "you got any idea what's happening in the state of N.O.H (New Oastine High)? "

"Not in the very least... " Matthew replied, finally noticing the multitude of students in the hall either being immersed in their phones or watching Grace talk with Sheila.

"Hey, Can I see your phone? " He asked a student. The guy came closer to him showing him the pictures on display on the screen. "Pictures of Kelsi asleep in her lingerie?! " He looked at the guy astounded.

"You didn't know bro? Been on the internet since last night, Grace done told us to wait on her social media timelines for something big yesterday. " The guy was smiling widely, his hand to his mouth as he spoke, "check this one out! Haha! Makes you kinda happy Mr Swanson extended the closing date! She's kinda hot tho... "

Suddenly Kelsi rushed past them down the hall, crying. Matthew turned and walked down the hall in her direction. She'd gone into the ladies room, he made to go in when a hand pushed him back.

"The same place, just not the same time Kruise. What do you want to go in there for? Ask for her nudes? The pics weren't enough huh? " Dave spoke, laughing out with some of his teammates behind him.

"Get out of my face David! "

"Or what Kruise? You'll steal our kidneys? Oh wait, you'll probably steal our hearts. That's more expensive! "

"Dave, leave him alone. " Lawrence spoke. He had just arrived at the scene. Matthew and Dave however were still staring daggers at each other.

"I said, Leave him alone! " Lawrence roared.

"S'cool, S'cool," Dave spoke, smiling smoothing Matt's jacket, and started to back away as he spoke "Hey, Lawrence, Martin's growing a beard, you should come check it out, he's in the locker room."

Matthew turned and went into the ladies room. He could hear sobbing from one of the cubicles. He went into the cubicle beside it, closed the door and sat on the toilet seat.

"Hey." He spoke.

"Kruise? What- what are you do... " the girl's sobbing voice answered him.

"Followed you into the ladies room and not to say I told you so, instead I'm saying... Sorry. About the pictures, everything."

"No. You did tell me so. But I was too stupid to listen or believe. I was caught by her charismatic charm..."

"And popularity." Matt cut in.

"Yeah, and popularity." She sniffed, cutting off another piece of tissue paper to blow her nose into.

"Why... Why did you think she did that though?"

"Not what I think. What she told me. She said it was because I had been "canoodling" with Justin, Catherine's boyfriend. "

"Oh," Matthew remarked. Justin Easthern, obviously the son of Thomas Easthern was a rockstar at the school and was currently on tour despite the fact that schools was currently open. "Well, were you? "

"No. Before Justin left the school for his your just after exams he organized a house party at his band's mansion here in New Oastine. He invited me to a drink at the balcony and we talked. Yes, I was smiling and blushing. I mean which girl wouldn't when she was near a popular musician?"

"I won't." A third feminine voice came from the other cubicle beside Kelsi, "you're a woman baby so you should have pride, eventually he's just human like you! And you of all people should know that to girls like Catherine, blushing near a guy counts as canoodling hon."

"Yeah, I- I should've known." Kelsi spoke, her head in her hands, before throwing them up. "But it's alright tho, it'll all fade out of the atmosphere and everything will be normal in a couple of days or weeks, right?"

"Nah. Those pictures are on the internet. They'll be shared and memed for months to come. Even though the principal gets the initial post to be taken down." Matt spoke. After noticing the brief silence he spoke again, "I just have to be real, it's the truth."

"A guy boldly in the ladies room huh? That's pretty darn real isn't it? " The third voice spoke humorously.

"Of course," Matt responded, giving a small laugh as he moved his fingers over the tissue paper holder.

"I guess that makes you a "ladies man", get it?" The voice from the third cubicle joked, laughing.

"Yeah. " Matthew laughed out loud. And they both started laughing.

"Um... Hello, injured lady here." Kelsi interrupted their laughter, "I'm surprised you guys can still joke in this situation. Well, I'm the one with dirty pics out there." She sighed.

"Actually, not to sound out of the picture or anything but inspite of the crazy poses and things they smeared on your head, you look sexy in those pictures." Matthew spoke, giving a crack of a laugh.

"Huh?" Kelsi moaned.

"Yeah boys will be fapping on that stuff for months to come so in other words, you'll be getting even more secret admirers as you will attention." The voice added, laughing as well.

Kelsi couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

"You guys.. " she spoke, "but what about my parents, and social life?" Her voice showed she was ready to go back to her sad mood at a negative answer.

"They'll do what parents do. And your true friends will stick around. " The third voice came again, the owner shrugging as she spoke in her cubicle.

"At the end, it's just a highschool incident. And I know you've watched enough highschool movies to know when you stand confident through a bullying phase you become an iconic cornerstone. " Matthew spoke cracking his phalanges' joints.

"Exactly! It's just a highschool incident you can either laugh at or live in fear of. Your choice hon." The voice concurred. "Also I didn't know alot of guys watch varsity movies... " The person added teasingly.

"Of course they do, I for one know that I do." Matthew smirked.

"You guys are right. Thank you for making me laugh through my tears, I'm unspeakably grateful."

"It's nothing. You're welcome." Matthew and the mystery person responded in unison. A brief silence followed.

"Wow." Kelsi uttered in surprise.

"Yeah, wow. " The third voice said as well.

"What's your name?" Kelsi asked.

"I'd have loved to stay as the mystery voice in the cubicle, but I love being known. I'm Claire, the new girl."

"Oh.."

"Yeah, and him... What's your name new Varsity-movie lovin' friend?"

"I don't think he's there anymore, " Kelsi laughed, "must've left since when I thanked you guys."

"Wow, without even saying goodbye? That's... " Claire spoke, feeling a bit let down "Weird. "

"Yeah, I thought so too and still do. But one thing's sure; he isn't a bad person. "

"Oh, that one's for sure. I'd just like to... know him in person. "

"His name is Matthew Kruise. You'll probably know him by face pretty soon."

"In this huge school of doppelgangers and cliques? I doubt." Claire laughed.

"Nah, this one isn't a Don Quixote. He always stands out from the crowd. " Kelsi assured her, staring at the door of her cubicle thoughtfully.

Suddenly the door opened and Claire appeared, holding out her hand smiling. "Well, that's for later. But what's important right now is that you're alright. Right?"

"More than alright. " Kelsi spoke, throwing her hair back and tossing the last tissue away before taking her hand. "Thank.."

"No. " Claire put an olive finger to Kelsi's lips, "The only way you can truly thank me is by raising your chin up and striding out that door with swag. Can you do that for me? "

Kelsi smiled. "Surely."

"Alright, now let's go milady." Claire held her hand as they approached the door.

And so it was that a connection was made in one of the most unlikely places, the restroom of New Oastine High. Meanwhile in another part of the school, Lawrence Hammond was trying his best to change his mistakes and false personality he felt he had developed towards his friends. And in another hallway, one of the several running through the walls of the school, Matthew walked past a door before freezing to a stop and moving back to confirm if what he'd seen was a hallucination or not. It wasn't, because as Matthew looked through the net put as a view through the door he saw something new to the school, something that had seemed to only be a rumour sifting through the school. There in the classroom, two students were bent over a table, inhaling a powder that looked grey inside the dimlit classroom. He didn't need to be told what the powder was or who the second student who had raised his head up because he knew. That was Hype; the newest, most popular hard drug in New Oastine and the student was one of the most academically revered in the school;

Peter Ashes.