Mr. Average

Lydia gives Joel a panic attack.

"What lovely weather we're having."

The familiar squeaky voice yanked me away from my daze, the usual haziness that swallowed me at my lunch period. Only to be cruelly taken away from me via Victoria O'Connor, the only mixed-race student Hellhole High. And she's famous because of it.

"Hm?" I asked, shaking the sleep out of my brain.

Vic was looking thoughtfully out of the tall windows decorating the lunch room. "Right out of a Jane Austen novel or a Twilight book." She mumbled, looking at the rain-coated windows. The grey sky fluttered through it like an unwelcome fat bird.

"Poetically beautiful." I muttered, rubbing the grog out of my eyes.

I heard the smacking of an empty water canteen against jeans and knew it was the greeting call of Kassi Daughtery.

"Kassi!" Called Joleen Williams, another member of our luncheon cluster. Or, more commonly, the LC.

Victoria's gaze shot back from the gloomy day and to her girlfriend, Kassi.

"Where the hell have you been?" She demanded, smacking her book closed.

"Ugh, sorry, Vickey." Only Kassi was allowed to call her that. It was a cute couple nickname. Ew. "I got stuck showing the new kid around."

"New kid?" Jolly (Joleen) perked up, like a dog when someone says "Outside?". Jolly was the only social one in our LC, so she welcomed all to munch our processed lard in the shape of lasagna.

"Yeah, new kid." Kassi sighed, sitting down. "He's average looking." She shrugged. I could tell that was directed to me.

"What's his name?" Jolly asked, offering a bite of her lump of "food", to which Kassi declined.

"Uh... Sam... I think? Steven? Scott? Something with a S," Kassi shrugged.

"Oh, Kassi. You beautiful idiot." Vic hissed.

"I know." Kassi rumbled, slumping. Her head found it's way to Victoria's shoulder. They were the only ones allowed to PDA in front of Jolly and me.

"Joel!" I heard Madison Meadows' free voice coming closer to the table.

"Why are you late?"

Madison sighed, plopping down next to me. "Cheer let out late. I. Am. Going. To. Strangle. My sister."

"Really?! When?" Logan Meadows. Madison's sister. Jolly's cousin.

"Oh, God damn it!" Madison hissed, scooting over so Logan could sit down.

"So, plotting my death?" Logan sneered.

"Not while you're here. Ruining everything just like when you were adopted." Madison bit back.

Madison and Logan were polar opposites. Madison was blonde and always wore hot pink and short shorts. She sucked down Starbucks like it was breath itself. She liked bubblegum pop music and preferred Ugg boots to combat boots.

Logan had dyed black hair, never wore something that was lighter than dark grey or navy blue, sucked down Rock Star like it was breath itself. She liked screamo and preferred burning Ugg boots than combat boots, but hey, she's fine either way.

Jolly just wished they would get along.

Kassi sighed, picking up her head from Vic's shoulder. "Is everyone here now?"

"Nope!" Madison chirped, "Helena's on her way."

Helena Jones didn't care about being on time. She walked as slowly as she wanted, ignoring the frequent hisses for her to hurry. Despite she was almost a foot shorter than most kids in this school. Helena was somewhat of a role model for me. I would give anything to get that lack of caring that Helena possesses. So inspiring.

"I'm here." Helena sighed, slumping her backpack onto the wooden seat and went to get "food" in the cafeteria line.

And this is the LC. The gang. The crew. The mafia.

Joel [me], Victoria, Kassi, Jolly, Madison, Logan, and Helena. Notice something? That's right. I'M COMPLETELY OUT NUMBERED. Unless, of course, this new kid could make a difference.

"So, there's a new kid."

Madison perked, "Really? Have you met him?"

"Kassi has."

Madison swung her head to meet Kassi's gaze, whipping Logan in the face with her blonde tendrils. If she noticed, she didn't show it. "Where is he?"

Kassi sighed again, briefly searching the cafeteria. "Oh, he's sitting with Lola and Zoi."

Figures. Lola and Zoi had their own LC, which I sat with sometimes when there was drama in my LC. They were always recruiting, which I liked because it proved everyone has a chance at getting friends at Hellhole high. Oh, and you're probably wondering why we call it Hellhole High. The real name is "Hello Holly High", which is a hell of an alliteration. Of course, Hellhole High got that nickname practically instantly. What the hell type of name is "Hello Holly" anyway?

I craned my neck and met the eyes of a boy, probably a head taller than me, round face but not too circular. Brown hair, choppy and weird. He seemed to have an extra layer of skin than most, but overall he was... charming. His eyes were dull, yet captivating. He was average. It was refreshing. He offered a smile, reminding me that staring was a thing that existed and I was doing it. I blinked twice, looking down.

"He's kinda cute." Logan breathed.

"Eh, yeah." Jolly agreed.

They looked at me, waiting for my respond. "Yeah, sure."

"You're blushing." Vic squinted.

"What?"

"It is pretty hot in here." Madison said, not paying much attention to anything.

"Mhm..." Victoria mumbled, not seeming convinced.

The others hadn't noticed. They busied themselves with their plastic-- I mean "food" and didn't pay much attention to the new kid.

_~_~_

After the agonizing four hours that followed the-- ahem-- interesting lunch period, it was finally time to go home. I saw the new kid in 8th period-- science. We were talking about reproduction. He was blushing the entire time, and no one understood why I was constantly chuckling. Everyone thought it was because the teacher said "p***s", but that was when the new kid blushed most, so it kind of evened out.

I dropped my bag at the door. My parents were at my Aunt's wedding in Nevada, so they'll be gone for a few days. My dad said to worry if it was over a week, and this was only the second night. He also said that the kidnappers would take Mother first, and he would be okay. He said that's the most important part. My mother smacked him.

I halted, listening for some hoarse, loud laughter. It greeted me almost instantaneously. My brother, Finn, is home. Great. He usually had a friend over, causing earthquake causing laughter. It scared out little sister, Lydia, as well which was even more perfect. He always shut us out when he had company, causing hell around the house for everyone but him.

I groaned, slamming the keys down and marched to his door, knocking once but swinging the door open anyways. "Finn! Can you take it down a notch or--"

Green eyes greeted me. My brothers eyes were brown. A pinch of panic rippled through my heart, but then I realized those eyes belong to a familiar pale face with a jaw that looked like it was sculpted from godly marble, with perfectly smooth, soft brown hair and a muscular bod, usually wearing a tight black shrt and skinny jeans, like today. It was Finn's friend from college, Adonis.

Adonis looked at me, his eyes flashing as if he were a kid in a candy store. He fixed his slouch, a smirk creasing his lips. "Joel!" He chuckled as I returned a similar look. Adonis was attractive, but that definitely didn't mean I liked him. My feelings for him were confused, but definitely not as strong as his were for me.

"Adonis..." I trailed off, not even trying to sound enthusiastic about seeing him.

"What were you saying, Joel?" Finn asked, not noticing the look between Adonis and I.

I shook off the daze, "Uh... Can you guys try to be quieter?"

Adonis' eyes flashed, a hint that he suspected a false innuendo in my speak.

Finn shrugged, "Sure." So oblivious.

Dumb ass.

"Okay, well, I'm going to check on Lydia."

"I'll come with you." Adonis said, standing.

Ugh.

"Sure, Adonis." I sighed, "Didn't know you were a family man."

"I love kids." Adonis shrugged.

Damn it. He knew that was my weakness.

We walked out, Adonis closing the door behind us, leaving a very confused Finn alone.

I sighed again, spinning to face him. "What?"

"You didn't text me back last night."

I groaned loudly, restraining from punching his lights out. "Christ, are you fourteen?"

Adonis gestured, "You're only 16."

"That's a whole 735 days, Adonis." I sighed yet again, probably setting off a world record. "And you're 19, you can find plenty of guys who want you to take them to this dinner you'll never shut up about. You don't need to waste your time with a junior in high school."

"Ugh," Adonis began, looking up at the ceiling. "I know about the plenty-o'-fish B.S., Joel. But I want to take you to this dinner I'll never shut up about." He offered a weak smile.

I sighed again, my lungs are either loving or hating me right now, if I wasn't busy looking at the new kid all 8th period I'd probably know which one. "Adonis, I don't want to go to dinner with you."

Adonis slumped again, "Fine. Tell me if you change your mind..." He trailed off, sounding like a kicked puppy, which always made my heart hurt. I don't know why I constantly turned Adonis down, 3 years wasn't that much of a difference, so it's not that. I guess my heart just doesn't belong to him. I've known I was gay for a while, so it's not that either.

A shrill, ear-splitting scream shook the house, both Adonis and my glare shot up to Lydia's room, but I was already storming to it, feet flinging behind me. "JOOOEEELLLL!!!!!" The scream flew to my ears, but one of my ankles twisted beneath my shin, causing me to yelp and fall to the ground, only to be rescued my Adonis' muscular arm. I looked into his captivating emerald eyes, and knew for certain that I had the tiniest feeling for him, but I pushed it down. It would never happen.

I murmured a "Thanks" and continued my run to Lydia's door, swinging it open. "Lydia!! What happened?!" I shouted, frantically looking for blood, or a robber, or anything out of the blue.

Lydia's scream evolved into giggles, raising my confusion.

"Can you tuck me in?"

I sighed heavily, pushing my sweaty hair away from my face. "Lydia, I think you gave me a... panic.. attack..." I heaved, crouching down. My lungs felt like raisins, only bringing up familiar bile. I felt petrified. My breaths were doing no effect, despite my constant inhaling and exhaling.

"Adonis!" Lydia cried, jumping off her bed and to my side. "I'm sorry! I was just playing!"

"It's.. okay." I heaved, feeling lifted up, instantly knowing by the tough grip that it was Adonis. I managed to hook my legs around him, curling into his neck. Finn tended to Lydia's needs. Adonis set me on the couch and hurried to the kitchen and fills a cup with tap water, dropping a few ice cubes into it and rushed back, handing it to me. I took a gulp of the water, finding my way to his lap, curling into him like when he was carrying me from Lydia's room.

"I saved your life." Adonis whispered, his neck vibrating as he spoke, giving me comfort.

"Shhh," I coaxed, feeling the edges of sleep cloud my vision. "I don't feel like having some debts on my plate right now."

Adonis chuckled, patting my back.

This was going to be tough to deal with tomorrow.