counting the stars and scars

~chapter numbero dos~

*Vic's POV*
"Don't deal with idiots, he'll think...." I hear Kellin talking to himself, quite loudly too. I can't help but wonder who this "he" was. Could it be me?
"Kellin, did you say something?" The teacher's voice boomed down on poor Kellin. He immediately turns ghostly white and clammy. His chest starts moving up and down very quickly. I know what this will turn into if the teacher doesn't leave him alone.
"No. I-I-I didn't." He replies, clenching his fists tight to keep from going over the edge.
"I could have sworn you said something about dealing with idiots?" The teacher kept pushing. I want to go up and start screaming at him to stop. What does he have against Kellin to make him feel like this? Oh, fuck it. "I didn't hear him say anything. If you think otherwise, that's fine, but he says he didn't so why cause unneeded drama and push it?"
The whole class falls dead silent and everyone's eyes are pinned on me. The evil teacher just stares at me, making me feel a little uneasy. His face turns bright red and his white mustache twitches with fury. I keep cool, though, not letting my unwavering stare falter for one second. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, he clears his throat and goes back to reciting the school rules, all of which are the same as any other school. I decide to check on Kellin while he's distracted.
"You ok, Kellin?" I whisper so only he can hear me. He gives me a grateful and sad look while answering "I am now, thank you."
The bell rings and without hesitation everyone picks up their things and heads for the classroom door. The teacher doesn't say anything to me or Kellin; he just scowls at us until we leave. I have a feeling Mr. H and I aren't finished yet.
"Vic, hey, wait!" Kellin's high-pitched yell emanates from behind me, placing a big smile on my face. I stop and wait for him in the surprisingly empty hallway. "What's up?" I say.
"I just wanted to thank you again for helping me out back there. I get really... nervous when I'm in the spotlight." He looks down, as if this is something to be extremely embarrassed about.
"Don't worry about it. I used to be the same way. I still am at times, but that's a story for another time." I avoid the subject, not wanting to get too personal too fast.
"Ok. So I was wondering if you maybe wanted to come over after school today. I'd really like to hang out." He half-asks, half-states, looking at the wall behind me. I really want to, but I'm scared people will start talking. Dude, he's a person who wants to be your friend. Fuck people. Go.
"Yeah, that'd be fun. First I have to drop my brother off at home though, then I'll come over." I say, smiling a little at him so he feels a little more relaxed. We swap addresses and phone numbers then head to our classes.
The rest of the day is pretty fun. I sit with Kellin at lunch and meet his friends Tony, Jaime, and Justin. I call Mike over when I see him and he and Tony hit it off pretty quickly. Jaime and Tony are Mexican, like Mike and I, so we have quite a lot in common. Kellin keeps looking over at me when I talk to Jaime, and that makes me wonder if he is jealous. When the bell rings after what seemed like five minutes, the rest of the day appears so much longer than it really is. All I want is to hang out with Kellin again. Something about him just captures my attention and begs for more, like my very soul wants to know all of him. And I intend to give in to that need.
I meet Mike at the car like we had planned that morning. It's still August, so it's still really hot outside, especially in the afternoon when you're in direct sunlight wearing all black. When Mike finally exits the school, saying goodbye to a girl in a tube top and a miniskirt by hugging her, I sigh in awe of him. How could he be my little brother but get so many more girls than me? It must have everything to do with his personality. He's always been the outgoing one, while I'm more laid back and quiet.
"Hey, Vic." He says, getting in the passenger seat of the car. "Hey man."
"So, you and that Kellin kid, huh?" He says, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't know what you mean." I fully understand what he's getting at, but I want him to say it.
"You're like going out or something? You did see the way he was looking at you, right? Pure love and adoration. And you just met the guy today, right? Damn, you're smooth.
"You're one to talk. I saw you hugging that slutty-looking girl when you came outside. Is she girlfriend material or are you just going to fuck her and leave?" I try my best to change the subject. He, unfortunately, doesn't buy it.
"Dude, have a better opinion of me. I'm going to fuck her, but I'm going to call her the next day. Anyway, are you interested in him or what?"
"I just met him, Mike. Maybe in time, something more than friendship will emerge, but for now I just want to get to know him. I'm not saying I wouldn't ask him out, but just not right now."
"Oh my, gosh Victor has a crush on Kellin! Kellin and Victor! Kelvic... Vellin... Kellic. Yeah, Kellic! Oh em gee my brother has a crush!" He bounces up and down in his seat while clapping his hands like a little girl getting a Barbie. When I tell him that, he just does screams Kellic louder. I speed up a little bit to get home faster and see Kellin. I know that just proves Mike's point, but right now I don't care.
As soon as we're home I kick Mikey out of the car and instantaneously pull back out into the road to head to Kellin's house.
*Kellin's POV*
"Shit." I walk into the house and again, it's a complete mess. There are beer bottles all over the floor, dirty dishes in the sink, fresh cigarette stains in the couch and carpet, the milk has been left out for God knows how long, and the house smells like dog poop and smoke. "Oh fuck no." It's 3 o' clock now, and Vic is supposed to be over here at 3:15. There is no way I'm going to let him see this.
I run down the hall to my room and light a candy-cane scented candle to get rid of the cigarette smell. I then go back to the kitchen and put the moldy food away in the trash, and then take it out. I rush around and clean up all the beer bottles and cigarette buds off the floor. Suddenly I hear the doorbell ring. The house is still a pig sty. Shit fucking hell. I open the door just a crack and stick my head out.
"Hey." Vic stares at me with a questioning look on his face. "Uh... My dad is asleep on the couch and I don't want to wake him up, so can you just go down the far window and get in that way?" I seriously hope that he doesn't get creeped out and leave. "Oh, ok, sure." He replies, much to my relief. I close the door and run down to my perfectly tidy room, blowing out the candle and hiding it in my desk drawer. I don't want Vic thinking I'm an absolute freak. He knocks on my window and I open it, helping him climb up into my bedroom.
"Wow." He says, looking around my room. I have Linkin Park and Foo Fighters posters covering my walls, a microphone and a keyboard in the corner next to my bed, a bookshelf with my stereo on it, my desk with my laptop, and a mirror hanging from my door. It's nothing truly impressive, but when his eyes settle on my keyboard and my microphone, I know we'll have a lot to talk about.
.
A/N ily Amber your the like best friend everyone wants so yea this story is dedicated to her-a