Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 01:26:45 -0700 From: Alex Bright Subject: Broken Facades chapter 5: Knight in Shining Armor Alex Joe, Mark, and Tony quickly turned around to face me and looked surprised as hell to find out it's me who interrupted their beat down of, of..."Brad?" I said, not believing it was him. Oh my God, I thought as I stood there in shock Brad just smiled, then looked like he blacked out. Joe was the first to say something. "What the fuck, Alex man!" Mark then piped in "You better turn your ass around." He stopped what he was saying after Tony gave him a look. Tony stepped forward "Alex, my man, what's up dog?" as he tried to slap me five. "Joseph and Marcus, tut, tut, lets not be so rude, Alex here is our friend." He smiled as he looked at me. I just gave him a contemptuous look. I had always disliked Joe, Mark, and Tony, mainly because they came between Justin and me. But now, dislike could not describe what I was feeling. I had just walked in on them beating the living shit out of Brad...Brad my best...er ... former best friend. When he stopped hanging out with us I couldn't figure why and never tried to. It was mainly because I was having problems of my own. Then, when the rumors, started I quickly distanced myself from him and never saw what he was dealing with. Like I said before, I had problems myself that I was dealing with. But now, seeing him bloody and beaten, it hit he. Was this what it was like everyday for the past three years? Tony putting his arm around me brought me back to reality. He started to walk with me slowly to the door "Yo, dog, me and my boys are just teaching a lesson to the fag." He paused after I gave him another contemptuous look, then said " To Brad. I just need you to leave, so we can finish...ok bro?" Joe then said something to add to my building anger "Yeah, my nigga." Then he and Mark started laughing and high fiving it up like they just scored a touchdown or something. Tony turned and shot them another look "Chill, guys, Alex is our dog. He understands, don't you Bro?" Just as we reached the door Mark said, "He better understand. What's he doing here, anyway?" "Bout to get his ass kicked," Joe said, and started to laugh again. At that point I think Brad started to come to as he tried to stand up, but the pain was too intense and he looked over at me for the first time in over three years. He had a look in his eyes; a look of unadulterated terror and pain. When I turned my head to look at Brad and saw that look of pain and terror, that was it, something snapped. I had enough. There was no way in hell I was going to leave him alone with these assholes. "First of all, this is my classroom," I said as I slowly removed Tony's arm from around my shoulder like he had some sort of disease on it. I then turned and got right in Tony's face. "Secondly; I am not your bro and I'm not your dog. I'm not even your friend. And I'm definitely NOT YOUR NIGGA," I continued as I started to smile. As a matter of fact I have never ever... and I mean ever ... liked your PUSSY ASS!" I said as I poked him in the chest with each word "PUNK ASS!" Another poke in the chest as Tony started to back up "BITCH ASS, ANYWAY!" By now Tony had backed up all the way to Joe and Mark and was shocked that I was standing up to him. "FUCK YOU! YOUR ASS IS MINE," Tony screamed. "Sorry.... I don't do guys," I said with a smile. At that point Tony lost it. He was so irate that he couldn't even speak, and started to shake. Tony turned to Joe and Mark and screamed, "NO NIGGER IS GOING TO TALK TO ME THAT WAY! I WANT HIS ASS NOW!" Joe and Mark just stood there shocked. They had never seen Tony like this before. He was always the cool one who never lost his temper. I looked over to Brad, who was now standing with his mouth open, and said, " I think your boyfriend just asked me out." Brad was now trying to smile and laugh seeing me get under someone's skin again after a long time. However, laughing now obviously hurt him "Arrghh! Remind me not to laugh. Ouch that hurt. Don't worry you can have him, he's not my type," Brad said with a smile "Besides, I'm not into three ways." I didn't start out a big guy. I was always the runt of the group and was always picked on. When I was little I learned how to defend myself in other ways. I learned to crack on people and how to get under their skin. The only person who could beat me at it was Brad. After two and a half years, I finally started to grow. I went from 5'3" to 6'1", seemingly overnight, between the beginning of my junior year to this year, from 80 lb soaking wet to 180, then I added fighting to my arsenal. After the shock wore off, Joe and Mark said, "Bitch! You're fucking dead!" I just looked at them, and with my best Scott Hall impersonation, (I love wrestling...the Rock, Scott Hall, and Kevin Nash are my favorites) said, "Don't sing it.... Bring it". Just as Joe and Mark started to move towards me, the door opened. Everyone froze. "Oh Shit," Brad and I said after we saw who walked in to the room. Tony, Joe, and Mark, after seeing who walked through the door, looked at each other smiled. "Justin!" Brad Alex and I looked at each other and about shit ourselves when Justin walked in to the room. Justin looked around. "What the fuck is going on, here" Alex started to walk over to me to help me stand and Joe, Mark, and Tony walked over to Justin. I said, " Oh nothing, Just." I had not talked to him or called him that in a long time" I mean Justin" Justin started to smile when he heard my voice but quickly remembered where he was. "I was on my way to class when my face ran into their fists." I tied to smile. "Then this lovely knight in shining..." Alex then said, "don't push it ...Brad" Right about then Tony looked at Alex and me and said, "My man Justin.... Well, Well, Well, Looky here, it looks like its now four on 1 and a half." Justin looked puzzled and asked, "Could someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" I looked at Justin and started to tell him everything that happened up to this point "Well, Neal and Bob wanted to know if I did threesomes, then Phony tried to turn our little threesome into a foursome." Alex smiled and said, "Don't you ever quit?" I just looked at him and giggled. "Oh. I forgot my Black Knight..." Alex interrupted. "Don't push it." "Don't worry Just...We were just talking to Fag boy, then I guess his new boyfriend here got jealous and wanted to join in." "Oh,, that was a good one Tony, I'm going to have to write that one down. And to think you didn't even need Joe Bob or Bill Bob to help you with it," Alex snapped back. "Oh you and your boyfriend are just so fucking funny, but guess what? Now that my best friend Justin is here, you and your boyfriend are through. Right Just?" Tony was smiling smugly. Alex and I were in a daze, and Alex looked crushed. He and Justin never fought, I mean never. Come to think of it, I never had either. Alex looked really pissed off when it seemed that he would have to fight Justin, his ex best friend. Alex I could not believe Justin was going to take their side, and it totally pissed me off. "Well, I guess the can, just turned into a six pack...Let dance!" Maybe a good ass kicking will finally knock some sense into him. "Tony, this isn't a good time. I just saw Mr. Shore coming down the hall. If we get caught it means no football," Justin said as he looked at me and Brad. I think he saw that Alex was pissed off and was ready to fight. "Shit...thanks Just...thanks for looking out," Tony said as he and his cronies left. Before he went he said, " This is far from over Fag.... you and your boyfriend had better watch your backs." I looked at Brad and asked, "Did you hear something? I though I heard something?" We laughed together and looked at Justin. He looked like he was about to crack up. Tony regained his composure left quickly after staring at me for a moment. I had a smile on my face when he went. As he was walking through the door he stopped, and with out turning around said "Yo Alex, I wonder what are the brothers are going to say about your new boyfriend." He then turned around and started to smile. My own smile disappeared with the realization that my troubles were far from over and that I was alone again. "See you around, O," was all I heard as the door closed, then laughter. Justin had an 'I'm sorry' look on his face at what Tony had said. One thing I learned about Tony was that he had to always get the last blow, and with that last jab he had met his goal. It stung, and stung deep. After Brad was sure it was safe, he gathered his stuff and walked to the door. He stopped, turned and smiled, then walked out the door. I yelled to him, "You're welcome." Brad turned, still smiling, and said "You're not a very good dancer. Two left feet." "See Ya Later?" I asked. Brad just smiled and walked out of the classroom. Justin then turned to me and said, " Damn! Why won't he fight back? Why does he put up with all that shit?" I turned my head, looking around the room to see where that voice was coming from. "Is someone talking to me?" I walk over to a seat. Justin follows as he says, "You know I was talking to you Alex, " with a smile. I again look around the room "There it goes again. That voice sounds like...shit I know I've heard that voice before just can't place it." Justin's voice is now a little agitated "Come on Bro..." I snapped back coldly. "I'll tell you like I told your, Friends, I... am...not...your...Bro!" Then under my breath, "You stopped being my bro along time ago." Justin was furious. "Me? Fuck you! You're the one that stopped hanging with me. What, did the brothers keep asking why you were always hanging with that white boy? Is that it? Is that why?" He got in my face. I was still pissed at the incident, so I got right back in his face and shouted, " YEAH ... AND YOUR FRIENDS NEVER ASKED YOU WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS HANGING WITH THAT NIGGER?" I pushed Justin in the chest. I wanted to fight him. I was still looking for a fight. I wanted to hit him ... hit him for all the pain he caused me the past three years, for not standing up for Brad, for choosing to protect that asshole, Tony and his goons instead of kicking their asses for what they where doing to Brad. "Isn't that right, Just? Just and the good old boys...RIGHT... BRO?" Justin just looked at me, shocked. "Just like I thought," I said softly and turned away. Other students started to enter into the classroom, and I start to walk away when Justin gently reached for my arm to stop me. He gave me a wounded look and quietly said, "I would never ever say that about you, or be around anyone that would say that about you Alex." "Well, then I think you need to take a long hard look at your current friends, bro." I continued to move to the back of the room. When I got there the teacher, Mr. Shore, walked in. He saw me and smiled. "Mr. Nelson, I'm glad to see you back in class after a week off." The class laughed as the late bell sounded, and the beginning of hell started all over again. "Mr. Nelson, I would like to see you after class, please." Mr. Shore finished putting his books down on his desk, then pulled out his lessons for the day. "Great. Just perfect." I slouched into my seat, feeling everyone's eyes on me. (c) 2001, Alex Nelson Posted: February 5, 2001.