“Now tell me you aren’t glad I came to wake you up this morning…as usual.” Kyle smiled smugly as the two boys made their way into the school building. The hallway was jostling with activities as students moved about, getting ready for the beginning of a new week.

“I am not glad that you came to wake me up this morning.” Jeremy repeated.

“Hey!” Kyle turned to him in feigned annoyance.

“What? You said I should say it.” Jeremy shrugged with an innocent smile. “ And besides, you didn’t because I was already awake before you decided to go gung-ho on my window glass. Shiela made sure of that.”

“Why do I find that hard to believe?” Kyle raised an eyebrow at his friend.

“Because you’re Kyle Blake.” Jeremy retorted. “You find a lot of things hard to believe.”

“Well….You got me there. Can’t argue with that.”

The two boys passed a group of nerds who were gathered by a locker, chattering excitedly about a science subject.

“Well, that puts an exclamation mark on weird.” Kyle cringed.

“Hey, be nice.” Jeremy elbowed his friend with a laugh. “You don’t have to be judgmental about a person’s personality just because you’re different from them.”

“What? It’s just too weird. I don’t see the fun in dressing like the 90’s, wearing an office shirt tucked in ironed pants and wearing glasses the size of goggles.” Kyle said.

“Hey, so long as they aren’t harming anyone, we don’t need to worry about them.” Jeremy said. “Besides, you’re beginning to sound like someone we know and hate…I mean dislike.”

Kyle turned to his friend with a sudden dark look.

“Please don’t even compare me with that douche bag. I’m nothing like him.” He growled.

“Easy, man.” Jeremy raised a hand. “I would never do that. I’m just trying to pass a message here. I mean no harm. You know that.”

Kyle brightened a bit.

“Yeah, I know that.” He smiled softly. “It’s just the thought of that guy drives me insane.”

“I wouldn’t blame you. We both have our fair share of terrible experiences with him.” Jeremy rolled his eyes.

They reached their lockers which were coincidentally right next to each other and opened it, taking their books out.

“So have you considered the football tryouts yet?” Kyle asked.

“Are we still on that?” Jeremy groaned, pulling out a large book from his backpack and placing it into his locker. “I told you I’m better off watching from the sidelines.”

“Right. I might as well give you a cheerleading outfit with a ‘J’ printed on your shirt and a pair of pom-poms. Then you can cheer me on as I score a touchline.” Kyle guffawed uncontrollably, holding his friend for support.

“Hilarious.” Jeremy snorted, swatting his friend’s hand away. “Highly amusing. What even gave you the idea to try out for football anyway? I thought you hated highly physical sports?”

“I don’t know, man.” Kyle parted a loose blonde hair that was matted to his forehead to the back. “I’ve been feeling great recently. You know, like the power of positivity is within me. I’ve also feel like I can do anything. Like I can rule the world.” He laughed.

“You had me going from the beginning and you were making sense..” Jeremy smiled.

“…Until you spoilt it with your final sentence.” He frowned.

Kyle chuckled in reply and the two boys resumed unpacking. Their actions were interrupted when they heard the faint group of footsteps beside them and a feminine voice they recognized so well.

“Hey, Kyle.”

Jeremy groaned and covered his head with the hood of his sweater as the two boys turned around. Facing the boys were a group of cheerleaders in pink matching outfits. Their captain who called out to Kyle, stood out from the rest with straight blonde hair with sparkling green eyes, pointed nose and thick pink lips all on a heart shaped face. Her shapely body was balanced well on well defined legs.

“Oh, hey Lucy.” Kyle greeted casually.

“I was just passing by with the girls and we couldn’t help but overhear you say you want to tryout for football.” She grinned as the girls behind her giggled.

“Yeah, I said it.” Kyle folded his arms. “Is there a problem with that?”

“No. Not at all.” She shook her head. “I just wanted to wish you good luck. It’s about time we saw someone different. You know, something new.”

Kyle and Jeremy glanced at each other with confused looks and then back to the girls.

“Anyway, good luck.” Lucy said and then turned to her friends. “Come on, girls.”

The cheerleaders walked away and Jeremy sighed. The whole time Lucy never even spoke to him. Not even a look was spared his way. It was like he was invincible. Ever since he had met her, he had tried everything to get her to talk to him. Well, everything except man up and talk to her. He just couldn’t see that happening. That was Kyle’s thing. Kyle was talker and he was the observer. That was the difference between them.

Jeremy glanced at his friend. What did Lucy actually see in him? The two boys were both similar in stature: lean. But Kyle edged him a bit in muscular definition. A strange feeling overwhelmed him. Could that be what….

“You see that?” Kyle elbowed him out of his thoughts. “That’s what happens when you decide try out. You get the attention of girls.”

“What are you talking about?” Jeremy stared at him blankly. “You always had Lucy’s attention since time immemorial.”

“Well…” Kyle began.

He never got past that word as a sudden force knocked him over with his head colliding a bit against the open door of his locker. He staggered a bit and spun round to meet the intruder. Meanwhile, Jeremy’s face turned pale with dread as the two boys stood face to face with a group of towering pounds of muscle.

A group of teens dressed similarly in the school football jackets stared at the boys in malicious glee. The one who had bowled Kyle over had the most evil grin and his curly flaming red hair; freckled face with stark grey eyes and crooked nose accentuated his demeanor.

“ Hank.” Kyle growled silently. Jeremy meanwhile stayed close to him and casted cautious gazes at the group

“So, shrimp. I hear you want to try out for football.” Hank grinned wickedly. “As what? The water carrier or mascot?”

The jocks laughed loudly at his statement. Jeremy tugged at Kyle’s hand for them to leave but Kyle surprisingly stood firm.

“No, as a player.” Kyle reaffirmed. “You heard right.”

“Do you have a death wish, shrimp?” The smile vanished from Hank’s face. “You really want to take that risk? There’s no place for people with frames like yours. I mean, come on, there’s a reason I call you shrimp.”

Hank turned his attention to Jeremy and the latter blanched.

“Good thing your shrimp-in-arms here gets the idea because I didn’t hear him say the same.” Hank said.

More laughter from the boys. Kyle clenched his fists tightly. Jeremy saw this and quickly tugged his friend again.

“ Come on, man.” He whispered. “Let’s go. They aren’t worth it.”

“No.” Kyle growled at him to his shock. He then turned to Hank.

“I will say it one more time.” He said aloud to the red head. “I am joining the football team. As..a.. player”

“Wow.” Hank turned to his friends. “He is really serious.

He then turned back to Kyle. Kyle didn’t flinch on seeing the bigger guys heated gaze.

“I hope you better fill in an appointment with the nurse.” Hank leaned forward and whispered darkly. “Because you will visit her on your first day of training. Piece..by..piece.”

Hank quickly pulled back and smiled innocently to his colleagues.

“Come on, guys.” He called. “Let’s go train on how to break bones.”

Laughter rang through the hallway as the jocks made their way out. Jeremy held his chest to steady his heartbeat and then turned to Kyle. Kyle however didn’t show a bit of fear. Instead he showed something that Jeremy hadn’t seen in a while.

Intense rage.