Cold Shoulder

Slam! He jumped throwing himself back against the locket upon the sudden noise. It reverberated through his entire body. The lights suddenly switched off and Andre remained still as the hallway grew dark. Man, what is going on? He waited, just to make sure  he wasn’t going to be one of those unfortunate black people in horror movies who die first. Nothing happened though. It was just quiet but still dark. Andre leaned away from the lockers and peered down the hallway of the high school math building, no one was there.

“H-hello?” He cleared his throat not appreciating the way his voice cracked. He wasn’t someone who scared easily but this was almost too much for him. Nothing. The young man clenched his fists in annoyance. “Whoever is playing games with the lights, it’s not funny.”

He turned to continue towards the door leading outside but froze hearing an echoing voice.

“Who said I’m trying to be funny?”

Andre stopped and turned to see a figure standing near the T spilt of the hallway. They were pretty far away but he could see a slim, tall figure, wearing black pants, and a black hoodie, the hood casting shadows over their face. He stood in silence. Um, okay. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but it’s not cool. Turn the lights back on and get to class or to your lunch.”

“You can’t tell me what to do.” The monotone voice snapped. Andre’s eyes widen at the ferocity in the voice and started to rethink his strategy. Who was this kid? People usually respected him being that he was Junior Class President. However, he didn’t want to make someone who may be angry with him, for whatever reason, angrier.

“Look, I don’t know what the problem is but maybe we can talk about it?” He held his hands up in a surrendering fashion and slowly moved towards the other guy. He saw their pale hands clench into fists and he knew he’d have to tread lightly with this one. The young man was in no way a therapist but he’d like to think he had a way with words.

“You want to talk about it? Will you actually be honest for once?” Whoa what? Andre froze in his approach. What is this kid talking about? “Nothing to say? Because you know I’m right.”

“I don’t even know who you are.” The other guy made a noise of disbelief and pulled back his hood. Andre’s brown eyes widened in surprise. “Aaron? Y-you didn’t even sound like yourself.”

“Like you’d know anyway.” Andre countered that he would, they were friends but Aaron wasn’t having any of it. All of his emotions, everything he felt, everything he held bottled up all of these years were bubbling to the surface and he was sick of holding it back. He was sick of just taking it and being silent. He was sick of watching this… this douche in front of him take everything! Have EVERYTHING and not even work for it! How could he even compete with him when it came to anything? “You’re not my friend. You only acted like one because our moms wanted us to be friends! You just needed someone to trail after you, I was the first one, now everyone does it.”

Andre stepped closer. He didn’t like where this was going. The look in the green eyes of his friend made him uncomfortable. Surely Aaron didn’t believe that. They’d been friends since they were kids. Sure, Andre happened to more outgoing, louder and refused to be ignored whereas Aaron was quiet, kept to himself and his sketchbooks but it’s not as if Andre made Aaron be like that. If anything, he always tried to encourage him to enjoy life, the younger boy just refused to.

“I don’t make anyone do anything man. What is this about? What’s going on with you?” He stopped about a couple of feet away from the younger boy and let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. “If this about the other day in the cafeteria… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said. I was just, just mad about everything that happened with Keyanna. She… you know I feel about her and she wouldn’t hear me out, and then everyone was watching and you just sat there and… I know you like her but I shouldn’t have said what I said. You’re my friend.”

Aaron’s eyes narrowed at his continued speech. It was just like everything else he did, fake and full of charisma. It was supposed to draw a person in, make them choose his side, make them understand him even if he’s wrong in the situation. He’s done this countless times, to everyone. He uses silky words to trap everyone, make them think he’s the best thing ever but they were all wrong. Aaron refused to be tricked. Keyanna didn’t deserve to be yanked around by him, she was beautiful and pure. Aaron almost forgot why he was here when he thought of her bright brown eyes, her brown skin and bright smile. From that first day, she wouldn’t let him ignore her like he did everyone and everything else. But… but Andre just had to play Romeo.

“We’re not friends. We never have been!” Aaron felt his anger clawing through him, his jealousy suffocating him, and his loneliness choked him as he stared at everything he could never be. “You hurt her! She loved you and you didn’t even care, you don’t care what you do to people! Keyanna’s nothing but good and light but you had to just get in there and mess it up. You should have seen her face when she found out that you’d been lying and cheating. It broke her. Did you care?”

No! All he cared about was Keyanna understanding his point of view! It didn’t matter. He was wrong!

“Of course I cared, I care about her Aaron. I’ve never cared about anyone the way I do about her. I’m just, I’m stupid. I’m used to everything being easy and she never made it like that. Listen to me!”

Aaron’s eyes were wild, Andre had no idea what was going through his mind but whatever it was, it made Andre look like the villain. “No! I’m tired of listening to you. Of being quiet about all the lies you tell, how you ignore your friends and what they want. I hate being bullied but I can handle it, but what I hate is you always trying to save me!”

Andre reached out to touch Aaron’s shoulder but through quick actions and surprised expressions, Andre was pushed back against a locker. He let out a pained grunt as he felt Aaron’s hands around his neck. Andre was afraid. He’d never seen Aaron like this. His eyes, they were blown wide, he could see his own terrified reflection in them. They struggled, Andre trying to will his body to spring forward, throw Aaron off of him, without hurting him. How did he get so strong? Did he hate him that much? Why didn’t he ever say anything? Aaron was quiet which attracted bullies and if Andre was around, he’d always interfere and even told Aaron to grow a backbone, stop letting this guy push you around but not against him! He struggled for breath, his left hand remained on Aaron’s hands, trying to pry them lose, his right hand pushed at Aaron’s shoulder.

Would Aaron really try to kill him here? Just because he didn’t like Andre interfering with his bullying? Or because he was mad at him due to his… stupidity with his girlfriend, ex-girlfriend?

“A-aron… please.” Aaron’s eyes flickered with realization and he pulled away. Andre gulped air greedily and doubled over trying to catch his breath. Breathing hard, Aaron clenched and unclenched his fists watching as his “friend” tried to breathe. Would he really have? No…?

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Another kind of sort of scene from a current finished novel of mine, it’s kind of in the editing process now but this scene is longer in the book and slightly different but I liked how this one went.

I hope you enjoyed it!