Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2002 23:36:24 EDT From: Jonasthewatcher@aol.com Subject: nomatter how far chapter 1 This is chapter one "What do we know?" email me your comments and tell me what you think. Jonasthewatcher@aol.com If you are under age and shouldn't read this material please don't. No Matter How Far The watchers chronicle Chapter 1 What do we know? When looking at ourselves who do we see, what do we know and when do we need? When people look at us why do they stare? When we look back where do they go? When looking for loves how do we know? Ian as long as I remember had been the All-American boy that he was expected to be. He was tall, slightly muscular, blond, popular, president of his class and he played his role in the Little river high elite. Yet of the many things He was expected to be the main thing he was not. Ian is gay and lives in the constant fear of being outed to his family and friends. Ian's fear stems from his parents' view of gay people in general and his elite crowd that would drop him if they found out. His father had always said that gay people are sick his mother had always backed up his father. Ian's life is completely changed by a Newcomer to Little River high. Will Ian give in to his insecurities or can he control himself in front of Tony? 1:00 p.m. science class A room filled with endless experimental equipment, plants, sinks, and tables and populated by students. The room is crowded by endless conversation while Ian sits in silence wondering about Elizabeth and her sudden outburst. As he sat in silence Tony comes into the room and walks over to the empty chair next to Ian. "Can I sit here?' Tony asks Ian who looks up at him with a nervous look. "Ah sure yeah if you want." Ian "Sure yeah if you want? What kind of fucking Idiot am I? Why am I going crazy over this guy when I just saw him for the first Time an Hour ago. I can't be around him. This day has turned to shit, and it's only half over my life sucks. Ids trade it in for anything else right now. Tony slipped in Next to Ian and again noticed how weird Ian was acting. Ian's nervousness caused Tony to feel uncomfortable. "What's your problem? Tony asks. "Huh what, what are u talking about." "You moving around like you don't want to be next to me. I don't have any type of contagious diseases if that's what's worrying you. "No I wasn't doing that because of you just that these seats are uncomfortable." Ian said trying to hide the shade of red his face had turned. Tony "The people here get weirder by the minute. The same guy giving me that weird stare was again acting weird towards me. I swear these People act as if they've never seen a person from Wisconsin Before. I don't want to deal with this shit here too." Tony farmer hailing from Wisconsin has not gotten used to the small town of little river and its people. Tony has dealt with the Issue of not being able to belong. With his mother a Hispanic and his father a white man Tony was raised with two different backgrounds. This tore Tony apart In Wisconsin he was never white enough for the white kids and never Hispanic enough for the Hispanics. His group of friends was mainly in the same predicament and they never fit in where he lived. Here in Little River he's had a hard time dealing with people that don't seem to hate him. In fact in Wisconsin people blatantly ignored him here people actually acknowledge his existence. He didn't know whether this was a good thing or bad thing. There was also the other thing about him. Tony is also gay, and this was one thing too many so he kept that part of him in denial. He already felt like an outsider in Little River and that wasn't going to help him if it got out. Tony hadn't really noticed Ian's face but as the class dragged on he saw Ian's face and he felt an attraction to Ian. After awhile he was staring. But nothing prepared him for what happened next. Ian stared back and smiled. "My name is Ian what's yours?" Ian asked looking at Tony with a bright expectant smile. Unable to utter anything more than his name Tony answered "Tony". "You are new here right?" "Uh yeah." "Do you need somebody to show you around?" Tony has never experienced this type of hospitality before. He didn't know how to answer, and being attracted to him didn't help the situation. So he came up with the fastest answer he could. "Uh I cant, I have to be home after school." Tony said. "Do you need a ride?" "No I have a car," Tony said as the bell rang relieved by the rise of sound from people moving and talking. Ian "I am so stupid I find out his name only to scare him away. What kind of idiot am I? I wonder what Elizabeth would think if she saw me like this." Tony "That was my chance and I blew it. Why am I afraid of people? It happened in Wisconsin now it is happening here. If I keep this up I'm going to end up living in seclusion." 2:15 p.m. New York City Inside one of many skyscrapers in downtown Manhattan a middle aged man sits behind a big wooden desk lined with pictures papers and files. A younger man walks up through the circular stairway on the side of the office. The office lined by tinted windows and wooden bookshelves that come up to the windows. The younger man sits in front of the man waiting while the older man looks through a file containing the picture of Margaret. The tall slender man with gray hair and aging features sitting behind the desk looks up from the file that he was holding. "Hello, son." "Hello, Father." "Are we clear on what you are supposed to do. Did father brief you properly." "Yes grandfather did." "Good, Andrew, now Look you are supposed to be observing their situation I don't need you getting involved in their lives. At least not yet" "Father, I will do my best." Andrew said looking uncomfortable. "Ok relax, Andrew, Tomorrow you will meet with them. Remember this is important for our family. And I need you to make this work." "I will, Father." "I put extra money in your bank account. Please help them out in any way that you can but be discreet and wait for my orders. Also remember Margaret is the key." Andrew exited the office and again looking through his files George Marcus sheds a single tear and looks out of his window at the sun disappearing behind a cloud and says, "What have we done." 2:30 p.m. Little River High parking lot. Jen and Jessica have been sitting inside of Jessica's car and both seem to have found common ground with each other. Jen has lost some of the affects of the alcohol she consumed and has found comfort in just talking with Jessica. "Jessica, I'm sorry that I said those things earlier about you." "Yeah, I'm sorry too." "Look I'm having a rough time right now and I don't really have anybody to talk to. All my friends are either interested in my money or their own problems." "Yeah, seems that way. Maybe that's why you don't like me. I stay away from your type of people they don't seem to grasp the reality that everybody else lives in." "Yeah, you can say that again." "Jen? I'm always here when you need to talk to me you know." "Really?" Jen happily hugs Jessica. Even though before she was jealous of her now she feels that Jennifer is her true friend. Her first true friend. Jennifer Perlich has been lonely her entire life. Her mother and father gone on constant business trips has left Jennifer to fend for herself. Though money is provided she'd rather have her parents there. She can't remember her parents being there for anything important in her life. She longs for someone just to acknowledge her existence. She is not getting that from her boyfriend Ian and her supposed friends only like her for her money. Afraid of telling people the truth about herself and thinking that she is truly alone Jen turned to alcohol. Jessica Devin's only goal and dream is to leave Little river and pursue a Journalism career. Her parents had put her up for adoption when she was three. A couple that adopted Jessica had given her the entire acceptance and love that they could give, but Jessica needed more. She needed to know where she belonged. For the past three years Jessica has searched for her real family. The truth was closer than she thought, but do they want her to know it? Her very open disposition had gotten her a lot of friends, and anybody that met her wanted to be a part of her circle. Her very perceptive mind had helped her to become a journalist in Little River Highs newspaper. She knew that Jennifer was hiding something from everyone but she couldn't quite place a thumb on it. As Jen and Jessica sit in Jessica's car Margaret Della walks across the front of her car out to the parking lot. Jens eyes are glued to the figure in front of her as she walks out of the parking lot. Jen noticed How skinny she was and how her clothes didn't fit right. But the one thing that got her attention was that Margaret had the most beautiful face that she had seen. Jessica looks over to Jen as this happens and instantly realizes what she had suspected. Jen is a lesbian. About to say something Jen stops Jessica as she nods. As Margaret Della crosses the parking lot she is hit with the same inner sadness that she has been living in for as far as she can remember. She wanted desperately to belong. She wanted to live her life without worrying when her family was going to eat. Today she was going to apply for a job at the local fast food restaurant against her mother's wishes, but she knew that she had to do or her mother was going to collapse at work. And maybe just maybe she would have enough to spend on herself. As she walks out of the parking lot Matthew pulls up next to her in the car that his parents just bought him. Margaret looks at him with tears on her eyes and starts to run away. Her long black hair flapping in the wind she turns a corner at the end of the street. Matthew Weir had left a simple life with good friends a good family and a good lifestyle. That all came crashing down when his brother died. Unable to deal with his death his family began to self-destruct. Matthew turned to drugs that eventually led him to try and commit suicide. A year after he went through rehab his family tries to be there for him, but the pain and anger between them is still there. Matthew blames himself for his brother's death. Of all his friends that stopped talking to him Margaret has always been there for him. She was the only one there and he feels that he owes her for this. His greatest lost was Ian's friendship. They had grown up together but after Matthew's brother died he was one of his friends to stop talking to him, but Matthew loves Ian and his heart is broken every time he sees him. 3:00 p.m. Tony is headed home unaware that Ian is following him, but to Ian's surprise he lives two houses away from him. And this brings a smile to Ian's face. Tony steps out of his car and looks up at his new house. And says "Maybe I will like it here." "Maybe you should." Ian says startling Tony. "Where did you come from? You asshole You scared me." "Oh I'm sorry I just wanted to give you a neighborly hello." "And what a great way to do it" Tony says sarcastically. "Yeah I live two houses away from you. The white one on the corner is mine." "Yeah I live here." Tony said nervously wondering if this was some sick coincidence. "Do you want to come in for a drink or something?" "Yeah sure." 4:00 P.m. Elizabeth Brady was once the popular queen of Little River High school, but when she found out about the schools elite favorite pastime she wandered from their ways. Her decision left her without any friends with the exception of Ian. Her parents had argued with her about not socializing with the right people. Their arguments led her to rebel. She always felt that her parents had liked her brother Robert better than her. Even though they were twins he was treated differently at home. Today her life had reached a terrible peak. She had lost the most important person in her life and that was too much for her to bear. Elizabeth stood at the railing of the Towns Bridge. She knew this was permanent, she knew she wouldn't recover and yet her decision was made. One tear left her eye and for the first time in her life she truly felt free. With the Wind flying through her hair she flew.