Desolation Row

Three

Ray and Patrick stood outside of Redwood Drive High School. "I can't believe they're actually making us do this," Patrick muttered.

"She said we'd live," Ray said. "I'm starting to doubt her."

Patrick pushed his friend in front of him, forcing the taller boy to enter the school first. They walked down the hallways as Patrick looked over the map of the school.

"We're supposed to go down this hallway," Patrick said, forcing Ray to turn abruptly and start down a hallway.

"What room?" Ray asked. Patrick spun him into a classroom to the right. "This one."

Then moment they stepped foot into the room, they knew that the whole school plan was a mistake. There was a group of students at the back with desks flung sideways. Two sat on top of the desks, their backs against the wall, with one's arm around the other. Another two were at their feet, throwing food into each other's mouths, laughing when they missed and cheering obnoxiously when they didn't. The rest of the class was doing their own thing, but it wasn't educational.

"You must be the kids from IPH, right?"

Ray looked up, seeing the teacher standing up to come over to them. "Uh, y-yes sir," he said.

The teacher looked taken aback by Ray's statement. "Sir?" he asked. "Well, that's a first. I'm, uh, Mr. McCracken, if we're being fuckin' fancy here."

The group of IPH kids froze for a second. They were expecting bad, but not swearing teachers.

"So, find seats, I guess," McCracken said. "I'm gonna have something ready in, like, five minutes, so just give it some time."

They sat down, nudging a few desks together. "What is this place?" Patrick whispered. "A practical Hell," Josh muttered. Tyler swatted his arm.

"He's right, though," Jamia said softly. "We've been in here for less than thirty seconds and already the teacher's swearing at us!"

"Well what did you expect?" Ryan asked. "We knew this wasn't like Inland Pike! I wonder what lunch is like here..."

Patrick opened his mouth, but he was interrupted by McCracken. "Alright," he said, "So I've got a plan. You've all got internet access at home, right?" The regular class laughed. "I was just kidding. I don't know if the IPH crowd gets jokes like that at school, so. Anyway, I want you all to do a project on culture. Everyone knows about culture, right? Yeah? Great. I'll be pairing you up."

Once McCracken started calling out pairs, they could see why. He was trying to pair up kids from the same areas.

"Frank and Gerard."

The kids on top of the desks cheered to themselves before the taller one shoved his tongue down the other's throat.

"Pete and Bob."

Two scowled at each other, and a skinny kid in between them looked confused.

McCracken went down the list. Ray started to realize that there was an odd number of both groups of kids. He just prayed that he'd be with someone he knew.

Then, he was the only kid left from IPH.

"Mikey and Raymond."

"Oh Hell no!" The kid from earlier who'd looked confused jumped up. Frank and Gerard jumped up behind him, ready to defend.

"Hey, sit down, you three," McCracken snapped. "You got a problem, see me at my desk. Now, everyone meet up with your partners and... go nuts."

Mikey and Ray were immediately at McCracken's desk. "You can't expect me to work with-" Ray froze. "Um, someone I don't know."

Mikey scowled at Ray. "Look McCrack-head, I'm not working with this cock-pocket."

"Language, Baby Way."

"I told you not to call me that."

"Do I give a fuck? Hell. No. Suck it up, Baby Way."

McCracken lit a cigarette and opened the window.

"Um, are you supposed to do that?" Ray asked timidly.

McCracken blew smoke into the boy's face. "No." Mikey smirked.

"Listen, sir, I don't think-"

"I don't care what you think, new kid number eight hundred and seven. You're paired up with Baby Way. End of story. Get to work."

"Where the fuck are we even supposed to start?" Mikey asked.

McCracken shook ashes from his cigarette onto Mikey's jeans. "I warned you about that mouth once already. Again, and I'll burn you."

Mikey leaned forward, close to McCracken. "I'll use this mouth for good, then," he said, winking.

"Shut up, Baby Way."

"Call me Baby-"

McCracken placed the end of the cigarette on Mikey's arm. "Hey, fuck you, cooch-tang!"

McCracken rolled his eyes. "Pick a culture, literally any culture. Write a paper, make a poster, some shit, I don't care. Just get it done and get it to me."

"W-What's our deadline?" Ray asked. Mikey nearly slapped him.

"I don't know, end of the month?"

Mikey grabbed Ray angrily by wrist, shoving him into a secluded corner.

"Listen to me, Roy-dick, I don't like you. You don't like me, so don't pretend to. Don't fake anything. You fuck with me, I fuck right back. Don't think I'm working with you on this damn project that we all know is bullshit because McCrack-head doesn't know how to do his job. And-"

"You were with them."

Mikey fumbled for words for a split second, which he hoped no one had noticed. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"You were one of the kids who were throwing things at us. You know something almost hit me, right? That could have seriously hurt me!"

"Why did I even let you talk for this long? Yeah, I almost hit you. Key word almost. I didn't hurt you, so stop fucking whining about it. Whatever. We aren't fucking working together, and that's it."

"Can you even form a sentence without swearing?"

"No, fuck you."

Mikey spun on his heel and walked back to his group.

"You sorted him the fuck out, didn't you, Mikes?" Frank asked.

"I just said what needed to be said," Mikey said. They laughed at him.

"I just don't want to see him anymore," he continued. "I mean, have you taken a good look at that motherfucker? He looks like a hairy pussy with that shit going on."

"Ew, Mikes," Pete said, laughing. "That's fucking gross."

"He sure is right though!" Gerard said. They howled with laughter.

Ray rolled his eyes, taking his seat again. "Are you okay?" Patrick asked. He grabbed Ray's wrists and started to massage them. "What'd he say to you?"

Ray sighed. "Just saying things like he wasn't going to work with me, and that I shouldn't mess with him. As if I would. Anyway, he was the guy who threw that brick at me, Patrick."

Patrick glared at the group, then shifted his gaze back to Ray.

"We can't just let them sit. They'll just keep taking pride in themselves, they'll keep thinking they're better than us."

"What do you mean?" Jamia asked.

"We're going to prove them wrong."