CHAPTER 1: Made You Look
“Fuck!” he exclaimed, jolted into consciousness by a cold bucket of water on a rather chilly spring morning. “What the hell mom? Why’d you—”
“Did you just cuss in my house Marcus?”
“What? You woke me up with a bucket of water. What was I supposed to scream? Hallelujah?” he said, trying to control his emotions. His soaked white tank-top revealed the meagre figure that laid under it. Nothing too outstanding, but nothing overtly disgusting either. The water on his dark, afro hair gradually trickled down his face that, by the way, was still recovering from a tormenting bout of acne. His pitch-black eyes and pouted mouth showcased an emotion that wreaked of nothing but contempt.
“I wouldn’t have needed the bucket of water if you heard your alarm… that rung seven times. Forgotten why you set the alarm in the first place?” she gestured to the phone on the side table, and the brown folder beside it. Both which were just a couple feet to the right of the bed. “How does your alarm wake up everybody but you?” she said, turning the tables in a matter of nanoseconds. “Let me guess, late night talking…again. Right?”
“I wasn’t talking to anyone” he said, his voice getting a lot lower and starting to sound guiltier.
“Really?”
“So you were up till three in the morning watching po—”
“Mom, please. Give me a break, you caught me one time. Don’t start with that” he said, getting up from his bed. His clothes and bedspread completely drenched in water.
“Pfft. Yeah sure. One time” she said, gradually taking her leave from the room scattered beyond recognition. “You are gonna clean up this room, right?”
“Jesus Mom, its Saturday” he massaged his head. “Can’t I just—”
“Exactly. It’s Saturday. And that’s exactly why you’re gonna clean up this room. Besides, your brother’s coming tomorrow, I doubt this is the perfect way to welcome him back from Re—”
“Jesus mom, could you drop the act for like five minutes? I’m not eight or ten or twelve anymore. Nobody gives a fuck about Ryan.”
“Marcus, you watch your tone.”
“What, because I said fuck for a second? No, that’s not why. You know I’m telling the truth. Nobody gives a fuck about Ryan.”
“Your brother has suffered for years and the least you could do is be there for—”
“Mom, I’m not throwing shade at the nigga or anything, but come on. You’re acting like he’s some saint who hasn’t driven you nuts for the past couple of years. Like what the actual fuck? Everybody has problems and he chose his own method of dealing with his shit. At least acknowledge that and stop pretending like he’s gonna be some convert when he gets out of Rehab.
She held herself back from pouring the remaining water in the bucket, bit her lips to tame her words, and just said. “I don’t have time for this. This room better be arranged by the time I get back. And take out the trash when you’re done” She said, walking out of the room, visibly a wreck.
“Mom don’t take it the wrong way, I didn’t mean to…Ugh.” He thought about hissing or closing the door to his room, but for a second, contemplated the pros and cons. Decided it’d be way better to remain mildly wet… and alive
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You know all those neighborhoods in films that they depict as children running around and playing with each other? Their moms keeping an eye out and their dads either at a barbecue or doing absolutely nothing? This neighborhood was the exact opposite. No close bond shared by anyone, and if there was any bond at all, you’d never know. Couldn’t blame them though, most teens around these parts were like that.
Seeing people from opposite houses conversing was very rare. Maybe by accident at best. But this particular morning, he thanked God for that. Wouldn’t want anyone to see his lean figure dragging out the plastic trash bag with a pair of joggers that was drenched in water. Wouldn’t look like water from an onlookers point of view though.
“Every fucking day got to put up a new act. Ryan this, Ryan that…please?” his mumbling ended with a grunt as he dumped the trash in the tall green bin. “It’s fucking tirin—”
“Hey Marcus” a fluttery, faint voice said, a number of feet away.
Understandably surprised, he tried peering through to see who exactly it was that thought it decent to break the solemn ‘code of silence’ in the neighborhood. As soon as he caught a glimpse of the figure standing a number of feet away, just at the opposite house, the cloak of astonishment gradually lifted itself off his 6’1 stature. It was none other than Vanessa Hughes. His classmate/ sixth grade crush/former best friend/ (perhaps the most important slash) his older brother’s ex. The “Best friend” thing was kind of too strong though. They weren’t that close. At least not anymore.
“Nessa? I mean, Vanessa? It’s… It’s been—”
“A long time” she said with a little smirk. “I see puberty’s had a good couple years with you. You’re taller than I remember.”
“Well—” he let out his stomach a little “—you remember” he said with a little smirk of his own.
“How could I forget?” she beamed an even harder smile. Her plaited locks fell gracefully behind her, and her fragile red eyes didn’t do enough to take away the attention from her bare, soft-looking lips. At least that was the way Marcus saw it.
“So, when’d you… when’d you move in?”
“Umm. Not sure now’s the right time. Not sure here’s the right place either. Can I come over later though?” He could literally feel his heart pumping out his chest and he prayed to any gods that existed that she wouldn’t catch a glimpse of it.
“I mean… Ummm… I’ll need to talk to my… I mean sure. Of course you can come over. Maybe…”
“Seven?” she said, her eyes lit up a little.
“Seven’s perfect.”
“Alright then” she gently closed the mailbox. “Hope your bed’s gonna be dry by then though” she remarked as she walked away. Her night gown revealing her delicate figure as she made her way back to her house.
“Dry by then? What the? Ohh” it finally clicked, and that was probably the most red-faced moment in a while, he thought to himself, as he hurried back home to get a change of pants. Wonder why he didn’t just change it before he came out.
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“And that’s the synopsis. Pretty sure you’ve already read the—”
“Mr. Boaz, I don’t know if you’ve—”
“Please. Just call me Marcus” he smiled as he adjusted his seat so the laptop camera would get a better view at him for the video call.
“Okay Marcus. I don’t know if you’ve read through the books we’ve actually signed and seen their quality but umm—”
“Of course I’ve read through ma’am. In fact, I’d say I had to double on the quality of my work because of the level of expertise I saw on your platform.
“Really?”
“Of course ma’am” he said with a smile. Still buoyant and audibly hoping for the best.
“Well” the smartly dressed female on the other end said after a couple seconds of tense silence, “I’m sorry to inform that umm, your book doesn’t match our standards.”
Those words hit like a jackhammer, and for the first time in a long time, he was too stunned to speak. “Sorry?” he got a little closer to the mic and system likewise. “Ma’am, these are 67 chapters I put my heart, soul, effort and time into and you’re really gonna tell me that—”
“I’m sorry Marcus. But you’re a young writer so I’m sure you’ll bounce back in no time.”
“Oh. Okay. I think I get it now. Is this because it’s not about werewolves and that shitty vamp—”
“Goodbye Marcus” the middle-aged spokesperson said, ending the call in no time.
He felt like throwing his laptop at something. Like punching someone. Like breaking something. Rejection hits hard the first time round, but this was the Seventh platform that rejected his book. The twelfth time he’d been rejected all in all. At this point, it felt like they were rejecting him to be honest. And he’d felt a lot of that through the years.
He buried his face in his palms and gradually ran his hands through his stiff afro. Nobody saw it, nobody saw through the entire act, but it kind of felt like his life was slipping through his very hands. And there was nothing he could do to save himself.
“So much for the fucking alarm.”
Chapter 2: Eventually"How's the salad Vanessa?" She asked, with a mouth full of cabbage"It's actually really good Mrs. Boaz. The whole dinner is just… breathtaking."And she wasn’t lying, much to Marcus’s relief, he was the one that cooked it. The last time the two females were in a room together, things really, really didn’t g soo well. It was nice to see they’d probably buried the hatchet. For now…"Is that so?" She sounded a little different this time, like her attitude had switched up a little, and Vanessa would be on the receiving end of it. Marcus seated just between the two, noticed it and suddenly choked on the spaghetti he tried to quickly gobble down."You okay honey?""Marcus are you oka–" "Don't touch him" Mrs. Boaz replied, now in a mood that had fully taken a turn for the worst. "Tell me something Vanessa" she tried calming down, "why exactly did you come to Phoenix? Of all the city’s you could’ve moved to, why did you come to the one city where my family moved?""Mo
Chapter 3: Let It GoNot sure enough credit is given to the serene city of Phoenix. I mean sure, it wasn't the richest city, but it wasn’t the poorest. It wasn't the most beautiful, but it wasn't the ugliest either. It was just... there, I guess. But at the same time, it felt so peaceful. So loud yet so quiet. So, exhilarating yet calming at the same time. It was during afternoon drives like this, one really appreciated the little things this peaceful city joyously gave, but from the look on Marcus's face, the city could burn down to its very last atom for all he cared. "Now we've talked about this okay. I don't want any unnecessary fights between you two today. Your brother's finally getting out of therapy and–""That's what you said last time ma"She sent a heart-drilling look in his direction through the rearview mirror. Luckily for him, he was staring aloofly at the majestic trees, as they etched closer and closer to their final destination."Like I was saying, he's finally getti
Chapter 4: You’re DeadThe night was unrelenting. And as much as he wanted to say he could care less about the little tussle with his older brother, he couldn’t prove it. His eyes just refused to slam shut as he laid on his bed that was uncomfortable all of a sudden. In his words exactly, “It sucked”. If his body and mind wouldn’t allow him to have some shut eye, then he’d force himself to sleep. That always worked. Just a couple strokes here and there, and the blanket of sleep would cover him as soon as the deed was done. But as soon as Dawn arrived, it was a whole new Melodrama."Mom? Mom?" He kept bellowing through the house, checking any and every door he came across. "Mo– you're still in bed?" He looked astonished at his mother who was in no hurry to get up from her bed this Monday morning. "You do know that I have school today, right? And I'm the one who wakes up late ayy?" he mutteredStill taking her time with every movement, she slowly sat up on her bed, not even glancing at
Chapter 5: Miss Johnson"So did you get the–""Nope. Rejected me for the seventh time man.""Damn. That's cold." "Yeah, but it's cool. Pretty sure the next one will–""That's what you said last time Marcus. And the time before that–" Devon settled into his seat just behind Marcus's. "Yeah well it's not like I can be for sure whether or not a platform is gonna accept it. They all have shitty standards." He brought out his books and laid them on his desk."Yeah, well after seven tries bro, don't you think the problem isn't the sites?""And what's that supposed to mea–""Hey guys!" A cheery voice echoed, just beside Devon. Her bob hairstyle drawn back behind her ears were complimented by her intriguing set of blue eyes. She worked those "cat-like" set of glasses, and though she didn't look or dress like a nerd, hanging around with Devon and Marcus was nerd gang territory. It was GIA certified. She was one of them."Oh, sup Alicia?""Hey Pretty lady" Marcus said, just glancing at her fo
Chapter 6: The Six Most Dangerous Words In Schooling History“Straight A Student and former school prefect, He dropped the post in grade ten because, according to him, sports was his calling. The football team to be exact.”“And how’d that work out?” Vanessa asked, tray in hand, as she moved through the cafeteria with her entourage behind her.“Come on Devon, do we really need to do this rig—”“No. Let him speak Marcus. Go on.”“Well, he’s currently the captain of the football team, and let’s just say—”“Oh, he plays soccer?” she innocently asked. Marcus, Devon and Alicia all sent a stern, almost demonic look in her direction as they all took their seats on a free table. “What? Did I say some—”“Don’t call it soccer. Ever. It’s football.”“But—”“Period” Marcus said, firm in his resolve.“Whatever. Go on Devon.”“The Phoenix’s have gone on five separate tournaments since Jeff became captain. They’ve won four out of those five. The only reason they didn’t go five straight trophies was
CHAPTER 7: Venom and Lawsuits“What’s the hurry pimples? Where you going in such a rush?” He said with a devilish grin on his face.“Come on now Mitch. We don’t have to do this. Not here. Not right now. It’s closing time. Can’t we just postpone this to tomorrow?” Trying to plead his case, he glared at the characters and figures that walked past him like he was transparent. Maybe in fact, he was. I mean, if not for Ryan when he dropped him off, and Vanessa in the cafeteria, it was pretty safe to say, close to nobody really acknowledged his presence in this school. And now that Ryan wasn’t here, and Vanessa was probably already in the bus, no one, and I mean absolutely no one, was gonna distract Mitch from getting down to business now.“When I’m done with you, just hearing my name will send shivers down your spine” He cracked his knuckles just before clenching his fist. A few characters stood by to watch the fight, but there was still nobody there that could help him escape a looming as
Chapter 8: It’s Complicated“Well, would you look at that? You haven’t killed each other yet” she said, walking down the stairs on hearing her two sons walk into the house. “How was school?”Marcus looked in no mood at all to conversate or share pleasantries. I wouldn’t blame him. The situation he had on his hands was definitely one that needed tenderness. If his mom, or even worse, Ryan found out, hell would be too small to contain the kind of deep shit he’d be in. So, he needed complete focus. He just sprinted up the stairs and past him mom like she wasn’t even there. “Marcus. Marc—”“What’d you do this time?” She looked back at an emotionless Ryan.“You know your son Ma. Do I even need to do anything before he’s pissed off?” He walked past his mom and towards the dining. “Got any snacks? I’m starving.”“Wait up. We need to talk” she limped down the remaining steps and towards her son, who already had a banana halfway down his throat. “What happened to your leg?” He managed to sa
Chapter 9: For the Night“Well I’m the owner of the car, so I’m pretty sure whatever it is, I should know about it.”“Okay… well umm… there’s this party—”“No.”“Hold up, you haven’t even heard the full thing.”“I don’t care about the full thing Marcus, you’re not going and that’s final.”“But—”“Don’t argue with me on this one. I said no. And that’s it.”“Uggghhh. Sometimes mom, you just make me want to—”“What’s going on here?” Ryan walked into the mix, his hands dripping water.“Well… your brother, who has never ever liked humans in general, has the sudden urge to go for a party. Later tonight if I’m not wrong” she looked back at her younger son who had rage and frustration nailed into one overwhelming facial expression. “Of course it’s later tonight. Do you kids think I was born yesterday or something? I know what happens at parties like that.”“And what’s the problem with that?” Ryan said in a split and sudden moment of agreement with his supposed archenemy. “Wait…what?” Mrs. Bo