Explosion (Kellic)

The kid

My body stung all over, like a thousand fire ants were biting into my flesh. And it was totally freaking me out that I didn't even know what had happened. I cupped my hands and held them under the water, bringing the pool up to my face, I rubbed my eyes. Slowly over the course of about five minutes I cleared them of the substance.

I blinked blearily, letting my eyes adjust to the bright fluorescent lights of the bathroom. I looked around and then screamed again. There was blood flowing freely down the drain of the tub-all of it coming from me. I surveyed my chest, finding words cut into my pale skin. The wounds were reddened, some were scabbed over and stood out enough that I could read them quite clearly.

Fake. Weak. Fag. Liar. Idiot. Useless. Waste. Broken. Worthless. Coward-

I closed my eyes; stopped reading.

This was completely new. It was like they'd marked me. I shivered in the warm water, then turned to grab the shampoo, setting about cleaning myself.

Forty-five minutes later (half of that time being me just standing under the water) I turned the shower off and climbed out.

I didn't know what I was supposed to do. How I was supposed to feel. Did I mope? Did I ask a million questions that I couldn't get the answers to? Did I play some solitaire? I had no idea. I had no idea what to do after something like that. I didn't even feel upset. I was just numb.

So I wandered.

My house was actually rather large and I still hadn't really had the time to check out the place in the three days since I'd moved to Brook Meadows. There were tons of closed doors leading to different part of the house. I headed for one that was near the tv, turned the knob but found it locked. I frowned, tried another door. That one didn't work either. Of course my parents wouldn't let me actually go anywhere. At least I had the kitchen, living room, bathroom, and my room. Maybe even the bathroom upstairs by my room. I didn't know, though.

I somehow ended up in the kitchen, searching through the cupboards for something to eat. Of course, there was nothing.

Something buzzed to my left and I spun towards the noise. The screen of my phone lit up with a new text message, several more below it. I unlocked my phone, seeing that it was 6:43. Woah. I was out that long?

I opened my messages, going over to Mike's, the one with all the notifications. I tried to hide my disappointment at not having anything from Vic, then told myself to shut it, smiling instead at the name Vic gave Mike.

Mike-The-Idiot - 3:20

hey man just wanted to check on ya

- 3:21

u noped outta there pretty fast just wondering if you're chill

Mike-The-Idiot - 4:45

yo just checkin in

- 4:45

you all good man?

Mike-The-Idiot - 5:38

my mama's wondering if ur coming sooooooo

- 5:39

pls text back

Mike-The-Idiot - 6:00

-_-

Mike-The-Idiot - 6:43

?

I sighed, hating how he asked me twice if I was okay. The last thing I wanted was for him to worry and then go digging. I typed back a quick reply,

Me - 6:45

Oh crap, sorry. We went out and then I had to shower. Could you text me your address?

The reply back was almost instant,

Mike-The-Idiot - 6:45

omg words!

- 6:45

well come pick u up where u at?

Me - 6:45

Meet me at the school?

Mike-The-Idiot - 6:45

cmon man im not gonna stalk you

- 6:46

wheres your HOUSEEEEEEEEE

Me - 6:46

Tbh I dunno. We don't have a mailbox yet so I don't know the number or anything . . .

- 6:46

I'll be at the school in ten. See you there!

I didn't wait for a reply, I just grabbed my charger and stuffed it in a bag along with a few clothes I found on the floor. Without even checking to make sure they were sufficient choices, I jogged back down the stairs, forgetting about the pain in my body. I felt so light and airy. Like an angel food cake. I was about to hang out with real people! I made me a little nervous but I really had nothing to worry about. My parents couldn't get to me. All I had to do was stay quiet and be myself. That seemed to work before, hadn't it? I mean why would they want to hang out with me if they thought I was annoying?

Unless they were going to mess with me.

I stopped dead in my tracks. It had seemed odd that Mike had wanted to be my friend so soon. I mean, I wasn't really friend material. And I couldn't even communicate with them properly. I was just another mute kid who everyone probably thought was emo. And wasn't I? I mean I'd never actually cut myself but it looked like I had. My parents thought it would be a pretty good disguise. And I listened to that kind of music-hell I made it. Plus, yesterday when they were doing their music I was basically fangirling. What a complete emo freak.

I sighed, thinking about turning back. But then again it was probably best to just get it over with sooner rather than later. At least do it while I didn't have to worry about coming home to my parents. If they killed me then so what? And if they didn't and decided to continuously mess with me I'd figure something out. Honestly it couldn't really be worse than what my parents had done to me today.

As I walked up to the school I lifted my shirt a little, sighing. The cuts still stung but it was easy for me to forget about them. What wasn't so easy was the pain of the bruises. My ribs were pretty sore and I found it difficult to take deep breaths.

I stopped at a stone bench outside the school and sat down, pulling out my phone for something to do. It made me wonder why my parents had even given me a phone. Was it just for appearance's sake? Or did they actually want me to have it. I didn't even have their numbers so it wasn't like they could threaten me or anything while I was at school. I didn't under-

BEEP BEEP

I shouted, jumping like two feet off the bench. I heard Mike's laughter as he got out of the passenger side to greet me. "Sorry man. You know, it's funny. The first sound I've ever hear you make and it's because Vic's a prick." He chuckled again.

I laughed lightly, standing and waving the issue away. I actually thought that it was pretty funny. We walked over to the car and the back door opened for me from the inside. Jaime's face was right there, leaning over a kid in a carseat situated in the middle.

"Oh yeah," Mike said, "this is Jaime's cousin Charlie. He's-"

"KELLY!"

Oh my gosh! I knew this kid! It's been forever but I definitely knew him. He was supposed to . . . to die. He had leukemia but it looked like his hair was recently able to be growing back, like he was done with chemo for a little while. It was short and fluffy, the same black as my own hair, but not nearly as long.