My Brother From Another Universe

12: The Plan

School seems even more suffocating than ever now that I have to walk through the hallway with a smiling face and act like all is well when all I really want to do is bang my head against a wall and scream out my frustration. I have not been in the best frame of mind all through the weekend and it doesn't help matters that I have to be around so many people.

For the first time in my life, I didn't want to go to school. Travis had to drag me out of bed and give me a pep talk before I could even muster the strength to get prepared for school. So here I am, in school, making my way to my locker, but without the usual enthusiasm.

"Cheer up, friend, you can't be gloomy all day," Travis says.

I scoff as I stop by my locker and open it, only to slam it back shut right after.

"Easy there, don't take out your frustration on the locker, it did nothing wrong."

I scoff again and open the locker once more, searching for the textbooks I would need for the first two periods.

"Is there anything I can do to cheer you up? I hate to see you this way."

Quite frankly, nothing can possibly cheer me up at this moment, not even my favorite food or favorite TV show. However, the only things that could cheer me up right now is finding my invention or seeing Wyndy.

"Let's just go to class," I reply instead as I take my books out of the locker and shut it. As soon as I shut my locker I see Chris walking towards me. Great. Just when I thought today couldn't get any worse.

"How are you, Avan?" He asks as he approaches me.

"Never been better," I deadpan and turn to walk away but Travis is still standing there so I gently tug his arm.

"Hola Travis," Chris greets.

"Hola Chris."

"So Avan," Chris says at the same moment his hand reaches for my shoulder, forcing me to look back at him. More like glare back at him because how dare he think it's okay for him to touch me?

He ignores or would I say dodges the daggers I'm shooting him with my eyes and continues talking anyway. "I heard your invention got stolen and I just wanted to say I'm sorry about that. I know the amount of time and sweat you put into perfecting it and it hurts to know that it's with some lousy thief somewhere who wants to take credit for your hardwork. I really do hope with everything in me that you find it and even if you don't, don't beat yourself up about it, you can always compete and have your chance in the contest next year."

The more he speaks the more enraged I become. I push his hands away from my shoulder and turn to face him, glaring at him squarely in the face.

"Next year? You want me to wait for my chance next year after spending eight months of my life working on that invention? That's not fair, now is it?"

"Bro, don't take it the hard way, I'm just trying to encourage you."

"I don't need your fake encouragement or sympathy, just leave me the hell alone," I snap.

"Woah, Avan." Travis is taken aback by my outburst but Chris just smiles and I am overcome by the urge to punch him in the face.

"It's okay, I understand how you feel."

"No, you don't! You can't possibly understand how I feel so don't act like you do. For all I know you might just be pretending to be sympathetic."

"Avan!" Austin interjects. "How could you even say that?"

Unknown to me, Austin and Wyndy have been standing by and watching the exchange between me and Chris. Wyndy looks genuinely surprised, she has never seen me this angry before and I can tell that she's shocked.