Chapter 1
She looked at me.
"What?" I asked, while we both looked away blushing, neither of us wanting to answer the question I had just asked.
My name is Atticus Matthews, and honestly, I'm a pretty unattractive guy. I had dark brown hair that was swooped left over top, parted on the right, and shaved underneath. The hair was just like pretty much every other guy in the history of West Plains High School. That was maybe the only normal thing about me.
I wasn't even well known around my school. Nobody hardly even knew I existed unless I was doing something to tick someone off, which I was apparently always doing, even if I didn't realize it. If anyone was built entirely out of flaws, it would be me. My eyes were two different colors. Not like the super pretty ones you see on the internet or on a cat, with green and blue or blue and brown. My eyes were a super dark brown and bright, bright gray/hazel. My build was terrible, I was literally a stick. It may seem like a blessing to some, but I was way too small. I can hardly eat anything without it causing extreme pain, and I couldn't explain it if I tired. I didn't want to be this small, I was born this way. Almost every piece of clothing I owned was too big, but that may have been a result of my family having a huge shortage of money, pretty much all the time. I had a huge bandage on my nose from where it had recently been broken. I almost always had some kind of brace or something on me, I was always getting hurt or bullied. If someone can't find me, they shouldn't worry, I'm most likely being bullied or hurt. They wouldn't care anyway. Just a few of the joys of being Atticus Matthews.
It didn't really matter. I was a loner and I was grateful that I didn't have to answer questions or worry about if my friends would like something. All I need is my brother Sean. I don't care, I don't need friends to be happy. Well, I didn't care.
It all started last week.
1
I had bumped into Cole Mason in the courtyard. "Watch where you're going! Oh, it's Addie," he said in his deep, menacing voice. He had called me that way too many times.
"Don't call me that." I mumbled in response.
"What did you say, punk?"
"Uh....nothing."
"I wanna hear what you said, Addie."
"I SAID DON'T CALL ME THAT!"
I spun around struck him square in the face, sending him falling to the ground with a thud.
Everyone stopped in their tracks. I had attracted looks from the entire campus.
"You want to play that game? Alright then. You don't know where, or when, but you've got it coming. You better sleep with one eye open Atticus Matthews, because soon, you're going to get something you'll never forget."
He walked away and everyone returned to their normal, noisy high school lifestyle. I was scared, this was Cole Mason in his full form. I don't think I had ever pissed someone off worse.
Continuing to class, I heard various remarks, with people saying things like:
"He's way too pissed to wait and plan something good."
"He's got it coming soon."
"He's not gonna forget this."
"His life is probably going to be terrible from here on out."
As if my life was good now. It was already pretty shitty, and it was about to just get worse.
I rushed to my engineering class, trying to ignore the stares and murmurs. I had just punched out the star quarterback, who also happened to be the biggest bully in our school. At least he was to me. Everyone in the school knew better than to disrespect Cole Mason, and out of all the people, I was the one to punch him. Me. I was scared for my life, but also felt a sense of pride. I knew I was about to be tormented for the rest of my life, but I was now seen somewhat differently. I was actually seen. I wasn't just another bundle of atoms put together to take up space in a hallway. I was the kid who punched out the star quarterback. So I thought.
As I sat down in Mrs. Jones's engineering class, I looked behind me and saw two new things.
One: Cole Mason looking madder than I'd ever seen.
Two: A beautiful new face looking at me.
I was so starstruck I couldn't even think about Cole. This girl was like, the entire definition of hot. She had bright, fiery red hair that was layered, rested on her shoulder, and was parted to the side. Her face was delicate and light. She had a small cluster of freckles on each cheek and piercing blue eyes that would make a robin's egg jealous. I didn't realize I was staring until she said something.
2
"Um, hi." She offered.
"Oh! I'm sorry." I said, quickly turning back to the front.
The teacher wasn't there yet. It was rare for a teacher to be late, but not Mrs. Jones. She was hardly ever here on time. This was the one time I wanted her to get here, because this was just giving Cole more and more time to come over here and chew me out like he usually does.
But he didn't. He didn't come slam his hand down on my desk like usual and start yelling profanities at me from every which way. He didn't come and belittle me until the teacher came in. When I turned around he was just sitting there. But he looked different. Instead of his normal smirk, his face was contorted into a huge scowl. I didn't know it at the time, but he was actually trying to keep his cool. I turned back to the front, nervous.
"Hey, excuse me?"
It was the girl behind me.
"Yeah?"
"I think he wants you."
She pointed to Cole.
"Oh."
"Punk." He said as he stood and began slowly walking toward me.
I looked to the door, repeatedly hoping I'd either wake up right now, or the teacher would come in the door.
"Cole, I can explain."
"Explain what?"
His smirk was slowly returning.
"Um......."
Then, before I knew it, I had been punched. I blacked out.
That all brings me back to today. The day of my return. Like anyone would notice or care.
I sat down in class and saw the angel sent from God again. She was so beautiful. I didn't notice it because I was doing the same thing, but she was staring at me.
3
"What?" She asked.
We both looked away, blushing.
"I don't think we've met. I'm Riley Summers."
"Atticus Matthews."
"Is your nose okay? I know it must have broken after last week when that happened."
"Yeah."
"Don't worry. He got suspended."
I didn't have the heart to tell Riley that being suspended wouldn't stop Cole from bullying me.
"Okay." I responded.
"Class, I'm proud to announce the arrival of a student we've been missing is back."
Me? Did they really care about me?
As soon as I felt the slightest sliver of hope, all of that came crashing down.
"Cole Mason, our star quarterback, is back from his suspension at West Plains High!"
The entire homeroom burst into cheers while Cole made his grand entrance, me trying to disappear completely into the background.
"Atticus?" I heard Riley say from behind me.
"What?" I said a little too harshly.
"I just wanted to tell you not to worry."
Not to worry? I can't do that like she can. This is the same kid that broke my nose and vowed to do something worse. When Cole vows to do something "bad," he means bad. He once gave someone a 3rd degree burn with a cigarette lighter for stepping on his toe in the crowded hallway. I punched him out. There's no telling what he'll do to me. Knowing this, the words that spilled out of my mouth shocked me.
"Okay. Thanks." I replied before I even knew what I was saying.
I knew this morning was probably the luckiest I'd ever actually get. Riley most likely wouldn't even try to speak to me again.
Anyway, while everyone was focused on Cole's return, my mind wandered off to thinking about what nerds like me were always thinking about. The slim chance of us having a prom date. Not like I would. Just like every dance I had ever been to in junior high and in high school, I would be the only person to be completely alone. No groups of friends, much less a date.
4
"Mr. Matthews?"
Mrs. Jones's voice snapped me back to earth.
"Yes?" I replied sheepishly.
"If we could please stay focused, please?"
"Yes Ma'am."
The rest of class I paid attention. She droned on as usual and told us what to write as she went over her power point that nobody understood but took notes on anyway.
"As I was saying yesterday, I will be assigning group projects to come up with an assistive product of technology. You will be using a complete cycle of the Engineering Design Process to build and present your item."
From the back of the room, I heard someone shout, "Do we get to pick our groups?" and also cries of "Can I work alone?" Until someone else shouted the question I had been dying to ask.
"Can I work with the new chick?"
It was Cole Mason.
"Not after you asked me like that, Mr. Mason."
Yes! I still had a chance.
"Now, if you guys will pay attention, I will read off the groups. The groups are:
Cole and Kitty
Sarah and Haley
Ben and Mark
Alex and Vanessa
Atticus and Riley
Nicole and Scott....."
That's when I stopped listening. Me and Riley? Score! I may get ridiculed for being paired with the new "Hot Chick", but I still got to be paired with someone who actually somewhat liked me for a change.
Just then the bell rang and everyone rushed out the door except me and Riley.
"Looks like we're paired together, huh?" She said enthusiastically.
"Yeah." I said, returning her smile.
"Wanna work at the park? It's really nice out."
"Yeah. Sounds great!"
'
5
I continued the day with a smile on my face. I had only one friend throughout the sixteen years I had lived and he was my brother, Sean. I mainly lived with my brother and it could get lonely. My entire family except me and my brother lived in Africa because of my father's job as a paleontologist, and my brother was always either on a date or at a frat party, so I basically never interacted with a human who actually liked me.
"So....need a ride?" I asked Riley before I zoned out in thought.
"Well, kind of. I was going to hang with my girlfriend, but I can cancel to work with you." After saying this, she winked at me.
What does a wink even mean? Does she like me? Does she have a twitchy eye? Was it accidental? Did she just hate her girlfriend?
Wait... Girlfriend?
"Oh. I didn't realize you had plans. We can work another time if you want." I offered.
"No!"
She was practically yelling at me.
"No, sorry. It's just that I don't really like her anyway, and I'd really like to hang with you."
"You don't like her?"
"Not really."
"Why don't you break up with her?"
"I tried. She won't let me. She guilts me into staying."
"Well I'm not going to pry. Let's head to the park, yeah?"
"Okay."
She pulled out her phone, I assume to text her girlfriend, and followed me out to my muddy black jeep with the doors taken off.
"Wow."
"It's a piece of junk, really."
"No...It's wonderful. I've always wanted one."
"You want to drive?"
"Really?"
"Well, yeah. I don't mind."
I held out the keys to her.
"This is awesome! Thanks, Atticus!"
She grabbed the keys, hugged me, and jumped into the driver's seat of the car.
6
"I've never seen someone so excited to drive my jeep. It's gross, I need to clean it really bad."
"Atticus, for three years I've gone to boot camp and watched people ride in and drive the grossest jeeps ever, and I longed to be the one driving, feeling the wind. You can't go wrong with a jeep."
"You've watched jeeps at boot camp?"
"I go to a boot camp every summer and go to the military home base everyday because I want to be in the Navy. Since it's for the Navy, they don't let me drive."
"Wow. That's insane, Riley"
"That I want to be in the Navy?"
"Yeah. I love it,"
"Well, thanks."
She shot me a huge grin and I noticed for the first time she had purple braces plastered across her top row of teeth.
As she pulled out of the parking lot my phone began to play it's ridiculously annoying ringtone.
Cole.
"Hello?" I said timidly.
"Hey punk. Meet me at the spot, okay?"
The spot was a broken down abandoned house that was right next to fourth street. From his cold, hatred filled tone, I could practically hear the smirk that was most likely forming on his lips.
I looked at Riley. "I can't."
"You can and you will."
I sighed. "What do you want me to bring?"
"Cigarettes."
"Fine."
I hung up the phone.
"Hey Riley, I have to bring something to my dad. Can you pull over to the nearest gas station?"
"Yeah, sure. What does he need?"
"He's helping renovate that creepy house on Fourth street and I told him I'd bring him some allergy medicine."
I hated lying to her, but I didn't have much of an option.
7
"Isn't that street like super sketchy?"
"Yeah, but you can stay in the car. It won't take long to get it to him."
"Okay."
We pulled off at the next Tiger-Paw and I ran inside.
"I need one pack of Tobs."
The girl behind the counter looked at me strangely.
"I.D.?"
I gave her the fake I.D. given to me by Cole and she carelessly gave it a once over.
"Here."
She slid the package across the counter, and I stuffed it into my pocket before paying and rushing back to where Riley was waiting.
"Alright, Fourth Street, then the park, correct?" She asked as she backed out of the spot.
"Yeah."
We drove in silence to the house that looked like a shed that had been burned down halfway and stopped.
"I'll be right back, okay?"
"Okay."
I ran across the lawn and rushed into the strange building.
"Cole!" I yelled.
"Shut up, you little punk!" He clamped a hand over my mouth, "We can't go ruining my rep now, can we?"
He smirked and pinned me to the wall.
"Listen, I know you've got that girl out there. Just warning you, ruin my chances with her, you ruin your chances of being alive. That chick is mine."
Even though he had me pinned to the wall by my throat with his arms, he removed his bony hand from my mouth as if he expected me to say something, and I lunged for the chance.
"Her name is Riley, and if your head wasn't in space, you would realize that sometimes a girl wouldn't want to go out with someone like you and be tormented like every other girl who has an empty enough mind to actually even hang out with you. Also, just some information, Cole, Riley has a girlfriend. So neither of us are gonna get what we want."
He looked at me with so much more hatred than I even knew was possible to see on someone's face.
"You thought you had it coming before didn't you? You thought you were in for it? You just crossed the wrong line, Atticus Matthews."
8
I watched as his fist moved swiftly through the air until I felt the impact in my ribs and fell to the floor.
As I lay clutching my side, he kicked me the same spot and before long I could feel hot tears sting my eyes.
"That's probably the least amount of pain you'll ever feel from here on out, okay Addie?" His expression was so unreadable I couldn't tell if he felt upset, angry, or if he was happy to see me in the floor in so much pain.
Cole grabbed me roughly by the waist and stood me against the wall, then searched my thin green hoodie until he found the Tobs.
"That's not what I asked for."
"You asked for cigarettes."
"Yeah. You got the gross ones."
"Those are what I always get you."
"Well I changed my mind." He smirked.
"Sorry."
"Just get out, and sleep with one eye open, punk."
He shoved me out the door and I ran to the jeep.
"Sorry, that took forever." I said to Riley as I buckled the seat belt.
"It was only like 5 minutes." She said, clearly confused.
Only five minutes? "It felt like forever." I laughed. "I hurt myself kind of bad and my dad gave me one of 'dad talks' about becoming a man."
"Well, I haven't had one from a father, but my mom gives me speeches on being a woman. Does that count?"
I laughed, genuinely amused this time. "Sure that counts. Why not?"
She chuckled and we rumbled along to the park in a comfortable silence.
As we worked on our project, we learned more and more about each other and realized that we had a lot in common with each other. We both had a very limited family. We both went through bullying at one time or another. We both despised Cole Mason. We both liked girls and boys. We learned so much about each other, that with all of the talking going on, me and Riley hardly got any of our actual project done. The sun was just setting when she surprised me by swiftly putting her lips to mine.
"That's how you shut a guy up and get an A on a project." She said after pulling away with her eyebrow cocked at me.
I kissed her again.
9
"That's how you get a girl to not care about her grade a month before the project is due."
We kissed again, and it lasted until dark.
It was the first time I had actually felt someone else love me.