Song: Suicidal Thoughts by Josh A and Jake Hill
All Token could feel as he walked through the ailes of the store were the cold, hard glares of everyone, or nearly everyone at least, watching him closely. It was sad that this was something Token was getting used to.
Sighing slightly, he tried to ignore this feeling of their stares, and did what shopping he had to do. His parents had asked him to go to the store to get some missing ingredients to finish dinner, so that was all he was doing. Nothing more, nothing less. So why couldn't everyone understand that?
It also wasn't uncommon for Token to constantly be watched by police officers when he went out. That was just how it was, really.
Token went down a few aisles, carrying a basket. He ended up putting in milk, butter, bread, pepper, and shredded cheese. He was stared at still as he walked up to checkout.
After putting everything up on the counter to buy them, Token took out the money his parents provided him. The cashier looked him up and down a bit, almost as if examining him. Token, however, paid no mind to this.
"...That'll be 10.82." The cashier said. She looked as if she were getting ready to defend herself. But for what? There was no danger here.
Token nodded and handed her a 20 dollar bill. She took it hesitantly, and it almost seemed like she was trying to avoid touching his hand. This kinda bothered Token.
Once handed his change and his bag, he put the receipt in his pocket and walked out. He walked back to his house, since there wasn't much of a distance from here to there.
As he walked, Token could hear people whispering. He couldn't tell what they were saying, but he knew it was about him, as he saw them pointing and looking at him. Most of them seemed like newcomers to the town.
It wasn't so much the stares that bothered Token; what bothered him was the whispering. In all honestly, it just made him want to die even more than he already did.
But oh well, he guessed.
It wasn't all that much better at school. Not many people approached Token, typically, besides his group of friends. Just like always, it was mostly whispers, and people trying to sneakily point at him, but making it all too obvious anyway.
Token sat down at his desk and took out his binder for this particular class: algebra. He could barely hear the talking of the people around him.
"Dangerous"
"Stolen"
"Convenience store"
"Robbery"
"Money"
"Hey Token," Clyde walked right up to him, "You heard about that robbery people are talking about?" He asked, more quietly now.
"Yup." Token said with a sigh.
"And how everyone's-"
"Yes, I know that everyone is blaming me for it, even though I wasn't even around the store at that time." He said that a lot more coldly than he meant to; not to mention, a bit louder than intended.
Everyone now stared over at the two boys. Clyde, feeling humiliated and scared, felt tears welling up in his eyes. He scurried over back to his desk and put his face in his arms.
Token looked down, embarrassed, but not as affected by it as Clyde was. He swore that that boy could cry over anything. But, it was rare, really, to see Token cry. Only if he was in a lot of pain was that Token has cried in front of someone; hell, this had only happened once. This, in a way, made the two opposites.
Trying to recover from what just happened, Token took out a pencil and waited for class to start. Again, he kept ignoring the stares, and even the whispers, somehow.
Whelp.
Just a typical Friday.
"Hey!" Someone now yelled in Token's direction, who was just trying to make his way back inside.
Oh joy.
This was one of the most racist kids in the entire school.
"What do you want, jackass?" He grumbled, not even looking in Jacob's direction. He was still walking at his normal pace.
"Wait up, nigga!"
Token could throw up at the use of that word in this school. He cringed and sighed heavily as he stopped walking. He wanted to punch Jacob right in his dense, ignorant face. But, he knew he couldn't.
Don't give in to the stereotypes.
Slowly, Token turned to Jacob, looking beyond pissed.
"What do you want?"
"Well I just had a question." Jacob scoffed. "You don't have to be so pissy about it."
"You don't fucking use that word like that, dumbass."
"Well why not?" Jacob asked. "Mrs, Haggas said it while we were reading that book... What was it?"
"Huckleberry Finn?"
"Yeah, that one."
Token sighed heavily. "She wasn't saying that in a derogatory way, she was reading something from the past." He said rolling his eyes. "There's a huge difference."
"Whatever, nigger-boy."
Trying to resist the urge to batter him right in the jaw, Token walked away with his fists clenched in his pockets.
"Hey, wait up, I never got to ask you my question!" Jacob yelled and ran after him.
"What?!" Token yelled, snapping slightly at his classmate's persistance.
Jacob was a bit taken back by this. "Jeez, calm down, dude..."
"Well?" Token asked bitterly. "What's your question then?"
"I'd keep it between you and me, but..." Jacob started to say slowly. "...Did you rob that convenience store Wednesday...?"
That was it.
Token couldn't handle these accusations any longer.
Instead of answering with a sense of respect in his voice, Token spoke with his fist.
And his fist slammed into Jacob's face.
Over.
And over.
"Token!"
The sound of his mother scolding him was the worst thing a young man could hear.
"You did what now?"
"I punched a kid..." Token mumbled, looking down. His school bag slowly slumped down his shoulder and he took off his shoes, full of shame.
"I'd never dream that no son of mine would get in a fight!" Steve said, disappointed and angry.
"I'm sorry, Mom, I'm sorry, Dad..." Token muttered, looking down.
He hated that he had gotten down to this level, too, in all honesty. So, although he was grounded for a couple days, he didn't fight his parents on it. He felt he kinda deserved it.
But, then again...
What was Jacob's punishment for all of this?
