Date: Sun, 22 Apr 2001 00:59:03 -0700 From: David Stolowitz Subject: Sublimation- chapter 1 (high school) Hello everyone. This is my first shot at fiction here on the nifty archive. Usual warnings- technically you shouldn't be here unless you've turned 18 and consequently been whacked with a magic wand and gained knowledge of your own anatomy. If you live in a locality that happens to be a conservative prison, they probably wouldn't be too thrilled with you reading stuff here either, but hey... they probably wouldn't be thrilled with you reading anything besides the bible. Feel free to tell me how I'm doing or offer some tips- send comments to stolowitz@msn.com Sublimation Chapter One There are 2 ways to earn influence among people, but Andy Radke knew only one- fear. It was the tyrant he had grown up under, and the only sure way he knew to protect himself. An 18 year old beginning his senior year, he was physically imposing as well as psychologically. Andy was 7 feet tall and sturdy for his height. The word lanky would never get within 2 miles of him. There was little fat on his body, and his thick muscles had been sewn tightly to his form by years of aggressive bodybuilding. His skin was bronze from tan, and shifted to a more red shade under exertion. Soft blonde hair the color of lightning grew from his head. His eyes were a dark blue, with lines in his irises that some said flared like fire when he became angry. If not for his disturbing aura, many would have found him quite attractive. His physique was pefect, and all too many girls made the mistake of assuming his relationships would be the same. "Player" was probably too soft a term for Andy. He had it worked down to an art. Like an expert fisherman, he would cast his lure out to girls, who would swim in circles for him. They would get too close, and he would pierce them, in every way one could be pierced. The mental traps and the terrifying aggressive sex he forced upon the girls served well to keep them silent about him after he was through with them. The damage he inflicted didn't matter to him. they were simply distractions. Tools to keep up his reputation and reinforce his superiority. Andy didn't realize that there was something wrong in the way he had sex. He understood sex to be an emotional release- a way to remember that he was dominant and to pour out his frustrations into others. Andy was completely blind in matters of love. Unbeknowst to him, he was about to hit a large brick wall. The first day of school was a wonderful opportunity for reinforcing his position. The day started out when Andy and his associates (he really didn't think of them as friends) drove up their jeep into the school parking lot. Andy spotted a group of students praying by a flagpole. Ah, the Jesus Freaks. They were always good for a laugh. Jeep blaring with the music of hate, he pulled up in front of the group. "Hey Bible butts! Read a fucking Hustler magazine! It'll do you good!" he yelled. Most of the students tried to ignore Andy- it was a largely ineffective tactic, but the best they knew. "And let us not enter into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Andy continued, enjoying himself. "No really! Cock for the ladies, pussy for the guys. that'll give you more heaven than your fucked up god ever could" Mark Eldredge, the eldest in the group, finally responded to him. "It sure hasn't done you any good". "Maybe not, but you wanna know someone that has done me good? Your sister!" Andy laughed and drove off. Mark fought to hold back his tears of anger and humiliation. His sister had been foolish enough to fall for Andy, and now he had to suffer for it. His friends hugged him and assured him that everything would be okay, that God would protect them, but it wasn't okay. It woudn't be allright again until Andy paid for what he did to Lisa. After rocketing into a parking place and nearly nailing an oncoming mustang, Andy parted with his cohorts and got his locker assignment. 500 even. The combo was 10-10- 20. it sounded like one of those annoying phone commercials. Ah well, at least it would be easy to remember. Hopefully, he would also get an easy locker partner. Andy swam his way through the densely packed halls towards his new locker, greeting the popular and harrasing the have-nots as he went. He arrived at his new locker and started to fuss with the dial. Andy's locker happened to be a corner locker right next to a classroom. The foolish design of the doors ensured that all it took was a little oversight and the door would whack someone in the face. Jason Reed happened to be today's unlucky contestant to not check before throwing open the door. "OW! FUCK!" Andy spurted as the door whacked the back of his head. "Andy! Oh Shit! I'm sor.. Ughh!!!" Jason retorted as Andy grabbed him by the neck and held him up against the locker side. "What the fuck do you think you're doing asshole?! Why don't you stick your ugly face out a little farther and check before you throw open doors!" he yelled. Most of the people around were too busy trying to find classes to pay attention. The others knew what to expect of Andy and weren't stupid enough to chant and risk becoming a target themselves. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to." "The hell you didn't! Thought it'd be great to get some shits and giggles out of whoever's got this damn locker, didn't ya? Well, maybe you'll think twice next time, you little mother fucker!" "Give the guy a break- it was an accident". Andy turned to see who had been stupid enough to chastise him. The kid that greeted him was new and unique. Reality rippled a little and Andy let go of Jason in his distraction, who promptly ran off. "Damn, he looks amazing" Andy thought to himself. Whenever he would encounter attractive guys, Andy would interpret his reaction to be jealousy. Usually it worked just fine. Andy would quickly grow angry at the guy and he would have additional inspiration to be bigger, faster and stronger. But it just wasn't working now. There was something about this guy you just couldn't get out of a gym. He was 6 feet tall, which was a lot closer than a lot of guys came to Andy. His skin was smooth and beautiful; a color born in some distant sunset that died before it could be discovered. His hair was the deepest jet black. His eyes looked like they had been carved from glaciers- they were the most gorgeous and captivating blue that Andy had ever seen. The effect of his eyes and hair was like stars at midnight. His features were soft, and yet he radiated a unique strength. A black sleeveless shirt drew attention to his arms and chest; creased with muscle and sinew, and yet not large or bulky at all. His body was captivating to Andy- compacted power. "Hello?" the boy asked, drawing Andy back to the real world. Oh yeah. this guy had interrupted his fun. Too bad he had to cream him now. "And just who the hell do you think you are?" Andy snapped "Your locker partner?" the boy replied. Oh. joy. Andy groaned. The boy stuck out his hand for a shake. "I'm Seth. Nice to meet you" Andy thought it was a neat name, but he laughed at him nonetheless. "Seth! Ha! That's the most fucking queer name I've ever heard!" To his surprise, Seth laughed along with him. "It is pretty unusual, huh? Ah well. I'm kinda stuck with it." Seth smiled. and what a killer smile it was. Andy felt his heart flutter a little. what the hell was going on? "What's your name?" Seth asked. "Andy. And no more questions, I'm not in the mood for this cheery bullshit." "Fair enough" Seth replied, opening the locker and putting away some things. "Hope you feel better Andy. See ya around." And with that, he left. Andy's first period went in one ear and out the other. Not that it mattered much: it was the usual guidelines, overviews and intial homework; nothing that couldn't be reviewed at a later time by reading a sheet or two. It was the distraction that was different. Andy spent the whole period thinking about Seth. Twice he tried to shake him from his mind, but with no luck. He found himself full of questions, and it disturbed him. Where was he from, and why the hell would anybody want to move here? How could he be so calm and nice when someone was giving him shit? And what was it about his body that was so unique? "This is so fucked up. why the hell am I giving this little bastard a second thought?" Andy silently pondered as the bell rang. Three more periods passed by with the same confusion. Finally, the lunch bell rang, offering a small hope for some relief. Andy had decided that he had to find Seth and talk to him. He wasn't sure what he was going to say, but he figured he'd eventually intimidate him and then he could relax. Nick James, one of Andy's "buddies", called to him from across the hall. "Andy! We're waiting to go off campus! You commin?" "You've been able to drive for a year! Take yourselves!" Andy responded. Nick gave him a confused look. "Allright man. if you say so. See ya after school". Nick headed towards the car, wondering why Andy had declined to join them for the first time in 2 years. Rob Szolas was having the best day he'd ever had in high school. He had been depressed at the beginning of the day at the prospect of being so alone for another year. And then, out of the blue, this incredibly cool guy had sat next to him and befriended him. Seth was like some kind of angel! They had passed their 2 periods together talking about all kinds of things. Seth had listened with patience and interest while Rob extolled the virtues of Japanese anime, role-playing games, and his secret crush on Amanda Wells, a beautiful and kind girl outside of Rob's caste. The two boys now were enjoying sandwiches out in the courtyard. "I just don't think she would go for me Seth. I have nothing to offer her" Rob sighed. "That's not true Rob. You have more to offer her than a lot of the guys here. Why are you so hard on yourself?" Seth asked. "It's. it's everything about me. I don't fit the type" "Okay Rob. For a few seconds, screw what everybody else thinks. What do YOU think of yourself?" Rob shrugged. "Well, I got thinks I like and things I don't". "Then be proud of the things you like and see if you can't change the things you don't like. But don't go too far" Seth suggested. "Like what?" Rob asked "Don't get worked up trying to change something you absolutely can't. Like your genes" Rob smiled. "Thanks Seth. You're a great pal" Rob's smile turned to fear when he saw Andy coming towards him. "Oh shit" "What is it?" "Andy Radke. The biggest, nastiest guy in the school. He can make my life hell if he feels like it" "Don't worry Rob. I won't let him pick on you." Andy strolled up to to Seth and Rob. He was annoyed to see Rob hanging out with Seth, though he wasn't sure why. Rob quivered a little. "Don't piss your pants Szolas. I got more important things to do today". This brought some relief from Rob, but not much. Seth smiled at Andy. "Nice to see ya Andy. Make yourself comfortable". Andy sat up on a ledge slightly higher than the other two. When you were on top, you couldn't get too comfy. "Why did you move here?" Andy began "For some new experiences" Seth answered calmly. "Ha! What kind of experiences would you find in this boring shithole of a town?" "Oh, you'd be surprised" Seth looked out over the students scattered around the lunch areas. "There's potential and opportunity all over this place". "Where do you live?" "Promise not to TP my house?" Seth joked. "I'll consider it" Andy responded coldly. "My house is the only one left up on 42nd street" "So that's why they didn't bulldoze that place along with the rest," Andy thought to himself. "You live in that old piece of crap?" he asked. "Yeah, it needs a lot of work. But I'll get it fixed up" "What? Your parents make you maintain your house?" Seth smiled again, which was becoming more and more unnervingly attractive to Andy. "You could say that. I'm emancipated, so I live by myself". Andy was shocked. Living by yourself was a dream he had reserved for future fufillment, but having it shoved on a guy at an early age didn't sound so great. Rob was the one to ask. "What happened with your parents?" "My mom died of childbirth complications. I put up with all my dad's crap for a long time, but finally I couldn't take it anymore and I got the judge to give me freedom. My relatives have all graduated". "Graduated?" "From life". Andy had never heard death be put that way. It sounded like an appealing thing. Strange. Seth had been through so much and yet he took it as a grain of salt. It was an incredible show of strength unlike anything Andy had ever seen. Maybe he could learn from this guy.