Standing on One Foot

2. Rock Music and Cigarettes

Hello!

Welcome to chapter two! It's kinda short but I felt like it needed to end at a very specific point...

That is all.

Enjoy

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Robbie was lying flat on his back, soaking in the midday sun. There was a cigarette between his fingers that had been half smoked and forgotten about. The buds in his ears played classic rock music – not the heavy stuff like AC/DC, Kiss, or Iron Maiden – although he did like their songs, they weren't for everyday listening. Robbie liked Creedence Clearwater Revival the most out of all the musicians he listened to. Their songs felt nostalgic even though he hadn't been around in that era.

The sun made the insides of Robbie's eyelids look orange. He covered his eyes with his hand, uncovered them, and covered them again. It looked the same as driving past trees at dusk when the last of the sunset was still shining through. When Robbie removed his hand the last time, the shadow was still there.

Gus kicked Robbie's leg. "Oi, whatever you're doing looks weird."

Robbie squinted. Gus was standing over him. His jeans were covered in permanent marker.

"What's all this?"

"My pants? Aren't they sick? I got everyone in my class to draw something." Gus spun around so Robbie could see the back. There was a huge arrow between the back pockets with bold writing that said, 'Enter Here'.

"Have you seen the back?"

"Yeah, rather risqué, but the best art always is. Josh isn't my biggest fan, but I like it." Gus sat down on the grass. He would wear those jeans, as they were, for the rest of the day and nobody would question it. Robbie admired that about Gus – his self-esteem and confidence was so high that he could not be intimidated or embarrassed by anyone. Gus could have worn a bedsheet to school, and nobody would say anything because that was Gus.

"You missed an interesting episode this morning." Robbie didn't say anything, but Gus continued. "Technically it hasn't been confirmed, but apparently there was an incident in one of the junior classes yesterday involving Andre Williams."

Robbie wasn't interested. "He was in another fight?"

"No," Gus poked Robbie's thigh, "someone stabbed him with a pencil."

"I bet he deserved it."

"He did." Hugo sat down. He put down the stack of books that was under his arm and crossed his legs. Hugo dressed like someone who attended a prep school, with the exception of his boots.

Gus leaned forward. "And you know that, how?"

"Do you think I use the library just to read and fraternise with the librarians?" Hugo did fraternise with the librarians. He was good at making people like him, even when he had ill-intentions. He had been removing books – only a couple a month – from the library database and keeping them for himself. Hugo didn't consider that stealing. They were getting more use at his house than they were at the school.

"No, gossip thrives there," Hugo continued. "I eavesdropped on a group of girls who were in the class. They said that Andre had been bothering a new kid since he started, and he never reacted. I guess he snapped, and you know the rest."

Gus wasn't happy with that explanation. "So, who is he?"

"He's called Lex, that's all I know."

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The tone for Robbie's walk home was set by "The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult. The song had a biblical undertone – that fearing the reaper was a waste of time because death wasn't the end of life. There was an 'eternity' somewhere else. Robbie wasn't sure that he believed all of that, but he liked the way the song sounded. He also liked the suggestion that death was insignificant.

Robbie hoped that when he died, people would miss him, but they wouldn't be sad. That's what life is – birth and death.

"We'll have to wait 'til we get further away from school. You've already been in trouble this week." The voice was quiet, and the footsteps were close. Robbie didn't turn around. He kept walking but turned his music off.

"Shh!"

"He's not close enough to hear."

"Still."

"What, are you scared of him?"

"No, but..."

Robbie recognised both voices. They were the Williams brothers.

"But what? You can't start shit and not finish it."

"He really looked like he wanted to hurt me."

"You're making me want to hurt you." Richard shoved Andre. "Little weakling. Look at you still limping."

"Can't we just do this another time?" Andre was getting antsy. "What if he goes to the police?"

"You're scared of the police now? Are you sure you're a Williams?" Richard laughed but he wasn't amused. He put his face close to Andre's, so their foreheads were almost touching. "You are a runt, aren't you?"

Robbie walked faster.

"Don't call me that!"

"But you are one. You're like the one in Maggie's litter. Do you remember? The little one that dad killed."

That was years ago, and Andre was still upset about it. Richard knew this, or course. He knew how to push all of Andre's buttons. Andre let him do it.

Robbie had caught up with the person in front of him. "You're being followed."

Lex looked up. "I know. They're not being very inconspicuous."

"I can walk with you."

"I can handle it."

"Alright."

Robbie slowed his pace and fell back to where he was before – an even distance between the Williams brothers and Lex.

"Trying to be the hero as usual I see." Richard sidled up to Robbie after seeing him speak to Lex. Andre hung back, head down, dragging his feet.

"I never tried to be the hero, Richard. I just look like one compared to you."

"Yeah, and what am I?"

"The villain."

"The villain," he laughed again – that soulless, unamused snicker, "you know, I kind of like that." He put his arm around Robbie's shoulders. It was an intimidation tactic, but Robbie wasn't scared of Richard. "So, mister hero, who's your friend up there?"

"Why're you following him if you don't know who he is?"

"Well, there's something we need to settle with him. I would appreciate it if you just stayed exactly where you are, big boy."

"Do I look like I'm trying to stop you?"

Richard grinned in genuine happiness.

Robbie hoped that Lex knew how to fight.

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Tell me your thoughts, all feedback is appreciated.

See yaaaa