Prince of the Hill 9
#9 of Prince of the Hill
"Prince of the hill 9
Two sides of a coin
* Due lati di una moneta*
Tobias
by Kendo Kawabata
"I'm 83 and tired.
I've worked hard since I was 17. Except for when I was doing my national service, I put in 50 hour weeks, and didn't call in sick in nearly 40 years. I made a reasonable salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. given the economy, it looks as though retirement was a bad idea, and I'm tired. very tired.
I'm tired of being told that I have too "spread the wealth" to people who don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take the money Leone, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.
I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "religion of peace", went every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family "honour", of Muslims writing over some slight offence, Muslims murdering Christian and use as they aren't "believers", Muslims burning schools for girls, Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for "adultery", Moslems mutilating the genitals of little girls, all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'an and Shari'a law tells them to.
I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries use our oil money to fund mosques and madrasa Islamic learning schools to preach hate in Australia, New ZeAllend, UK, America and Canada, while no one from these countries are allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia or any other Arab country to teach love and tolerance.
I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate.
I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and they must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant German brush out of a dark alley, grabbed, and stuffed white powder up their noses or stick a needle in their arm while they try to fight it off?
I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of all parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or useful for mistakes, or meet all know they think they're only mistake was getting caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.
I'm really tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and actions. Space I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination all be whatever for their problems.
I'm also tired and fed up with seeing young men and women in their teens and early 20s bedecked themselves in tap choose and face starts, thereby making themselves unemployable and claiming money from the government.
yes, I'm damn tired. but I am also glad to be 83. Because, mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for my granddaughter and their children. thank God I'm on the way out and not on the way in. there is no way this will be widely publicised, unless each of us sends it on! This is your chance to make a difference."
"I am tired" concluded the teacher as he finished reading his exert that he had printed off his computer. Mr Harrington, a rather casually dressed cougar looked up at his students as he slipped the paper on his desk and folded his hands under his chin.
"Bill Cosby announced that and it went onto Facebook" Allen said as he sat behind his desk and regarded each few students in turn. he could already tell which of his students had copied down the speech, and which ones will want. it was sad to see that at least a third of his students wouldn't remember any of this. "It has gathered quite the interesting response, a mixed set of agreements and disagreements" he pointed out.
"Why did he bother ranting anyway? None of that was even remotely funny" Bobby Hill said to his friend Joseph at the space out in the back of the class, neither of them having written anything down. "But he was never funny anyway, and I know comedy when I see it" Bobby pointed out.
"Billy Crystal was never funny" Joseph said, as he looked down at his English book while scrawling his pencil over the page. A rather crudely drawn picture of one of the female students was his centre of attention, although her front anatomy was somewhat exaggerated.
"You mean Bill Cosby" Bobby said to correct him. "But you're right. He doesn't have the comedic styling of someone like Adam Sandler or Russell Brand. now those guys are way funnier" he pointed out, with an air of superiority on his face.
"Now, I do hope all of you are listening and taking down what I was saying" Mr Harrington said as he looked over his class. Most of them looked up when they heard that. "Your homework for the weekend is to write an essay explaining whether or not you agree or disagree with what Bill Cosby said" Allen said, a light smile on his face as he heard the collective groan from the students. "Minimum of 3000 words. no excuses" he said with finality.
"I expect them first thing Monday morning" Allen said as the bell to signal the end of the day was finally heard at that moment. With all of the students vocally expressing their desire to get the heck out of the class, Mr Harrington had to stand up and speak louder to be heard over them.
"Roxis, could you please stay behind?" Allen asked as he looked over at the ronso sitting by the window. "Like a few words with you about your latest essay" he said. The young ronso was today dressed in a tight pair of black jeans and a white shirt that looked as if it had black paint splattered over it. His face was yet another mixture of black and white make up, and he almost resembled a rather scary looking clown.
"You have to stay behind" said a bright redheaded weasel with a mop head at that hung over his eyes like dead rat tails. He was thin and reedy looking, and he spoke like he didn't have an emotional setting. And he didn't seem to have a facial expression either.
"Either get out of my way Dooley, or they will be surgically removing a pencil from your nose" Roxis said with a glare behind his black painted eyes. Dooley said nothing before he simply walked away, his facial expression not changing in the slightest. Roxis shook his head and gathered his things.
"What does Mr Harrington want to talk to you about?" A black-and-white mixed fox asked Roxis as they packed up their books. the fox didn't look at Roxis as he spoke, but his pale white eyes wouldn't have been able to see him anyway.
"Don't know" Roxis said to Toby as the fox stepped away first so Roxis could get out of this seat. "Maybe he just doesn't like the fact I trashed 'associated student bodies' in my last essay." he said as he tucked his books under his arm.
"I guess I'll see you on Monday." Toby said as he picked up his cane from where it lay on the floor and held onto it as he tucked his books under his arm.
"Yes, I see them." Roxis said as he sat back on the desk and watched the slender fox make his way out of the class with the rest of students.
"Hey Toby, what did Harrington want with Roxis." Toby heard from nearby as he found himself in the hallway outside the classroom. His ears twitch towards the sound before he turned towards it, and he knew who the voice belonged to. A lion hybrid teenager was already standing outside, next to a flamedramon with blonde hair.
"I don't know. Roxie said thinks he might have something to say about his last assignment." Toby said with a light shrug.
"Guess will find out later." Alex the hybrid said as the three of them headed towards a nearby row of lockers where Toby's lock was allocated.
"So, what are you to up to this weekend?" Toby asks as he felt his locker. Most of the students had combination locks on the locker doors, but since Toby was blind and wouldn't have been able to read it anyway, he was permitted to have a padlock. The key was kept on a string on his talking watch.
"I have to suffer." Gielle said as he slumped against the side of the locker." Uncle Hank rented a square dancing video and declared that we all watch it together 'as a family' soap my night tonight is wasted" he said as he simply shouted at the horrific prospect." Aunt Peggy is going to do her own voice commentary on the voice recorder again I bet." he added.
"She does her own voice commentary?" Toby arcs as it looked his locker door and felt around his books.
"Yes. She kind of ruined Die Hard when all she said throughout the whole movie was how much better Kurt Russell would have been in the main lead." Gielle said. A very visible shudder and a collective groan of distaste emitted from all three of the boys.
"Well, dad and I are going to watch a movie tonight as well." Alex said as they weighed Toby to collective Spencer's lock." I finally managed to get a copy of the Lordi movie, 'Dark Floors' ."
"So, that's all you guys are going to do on the weekend? Just watch movies Toby asked as he pulled an iPod from his locker. Once he had all his things you close the locker door and slid the padlock into place.
"No. Dad is going away to a conference this weekend, so Gill is coming over to stay tomorrow morning." Alex said. Toby missed it completely, but Gielle flushed slightly to the way Alex was looking at him when he said that.
"Well, I hope you guys have fun together." Toby said as he placed one if his ear buds into his ear and clicked the iPod on and started to select a song. Once again he missed Gielle blushing, but he also missed Alex giving him rather sneaky and rather obvious lick of his lips to Gielle.
"Well, mums got work to do on the weekend. Order of the arrow business again." Toby said as he found the song he wanted. "Here, take a listen to this." he said as he handed one of the earbuds towards Alex.
Alex took the bow out and placed into his ear, and Toby pressed the button on his iPod. A very familiar song began to play in Alex year, and he sighed a little as he had already heard it.
"Yes I know that song. It's the Sephiroth song" he pointed out.
"Yes, but what does that part sound like?" Toby asked as a grin began to spread slowly over his face. Alex took another listen to the song, but of course the song was in Japanese, and he had no idea what any of the words were meant to say or sound like.
"I have no idea what they're saying." Alex pointed out.
"It sounds like they're saying 'Feely feely verily, very very itchibi' " Toby said with a smile on his face.
"It's meant to sound like that?" Gielle asked in surprise, having never heard such a weird sounding phrase. Alex was about to comment, but a look crossed over his face as he appeared to be thinking about it. It only took a moment or two before he pulled the bite out of his ear and growled little in annoyance.
"Great." he said." That's all I can hear now." he said as he handed the bud back to Toby. "Next time we go to paintball, I am going to shoot you." he said.
"You haven't yet." Toby said with a grin. He had been waiting a while to do that, and he wished that he could actually see the look on Alex's face.
"Does it really sound like?" Gielle past as Toby picked up his backpack from its shelf and the three of them started to head out of the hallway towards the exit with the other children.
"Well that's all be hearing in the song now when it reaches that part again." Alex said, although he couldn't help but smile as to how Toby had just managed to get him. "So, what does your mother have the arrow this weekend?" He asked.
"Same thing as you guys. Movie night" Toby said as they exited the hallway together. Alex and Gielle's lockers were in the other part of the school, so they had to cross past the front of the parking lot to get to them.
"What is she showing?" Gielle asked as they moved through a large crowd of other students.
"Castaway, and then a couple of episodes of Man vs Wild." Toby said. "To get credit for our survival badge, we have to point out how many times Tom Hanks would have died on the island, and whether or not Man vs Wild is either brilliant or just stupid. "
"That sounds like a challenge" Alex admitted as they walked across the tarmac. "How are you supposed to get a badge if you can't see in the wild anyway?" Alex heard Gielle ask behind him. It was a question he had often wondered himself.
"I still have to be able to identify edible plants and be able to survive on my own." Toby said. "It's very easy to get lost when your blind." he added.
"That makes sense." Gielle said as he looked over the parking lot and saw Bobby heading towards his mother's car. Peggy was waving her arm at Gielle as if she was sure he couldn't see her from that distance. He groaned a little, knowing that tonight was most likely going to be a very long one.
"Hey, there's your mom." Alex said as he took a hold of Toby's cane and pointed it in the direction he saw Toby's mother. Gielle looked over in that direction and was somewhat surprised to see the standing next to a very large four wheeled Hummer covered in dark green camouflage paint.
"your mother drives a Hummer?" Gielle said in surprise, as it wasn't the usual car that Toby's mom usually drove. He thought for a moment maybe she had gone and bought it that morning.
"No, but my dad does." Toby said as a smile spread across his face. "This means that he's visiting this the weekend. I'll catch you guys later." he said as he heard his mother talking in distance, and he followed the direction of the voice looking very happy.
"Toby's father drives a Hummer?" Gielle asked as he looked at the sheer size of the vehicle.
"That's because Toby's father is the Commander of Fort Burke, the army base outside of town." Alex pointed out. "Anyway, come on. Lets go get our things. Quicker we get this afternoon over with quicker morning will come around." he pointed out.
"Mom!" Toby said happily as he was close enough for her to see him.
"Hi Toby." she said with a smile across her face as she stopped talking to the other fox behind the Hummer and went down to grab her arms around her son. they gave each other a very affectionate squeeze against each other, neither of them really caring if anyone saw their public display of affection.
"Well well well, you are growing up too quickly there sport." says a male fox with a smile on his face. He looked like a much older version of Toby, with the same black and white mixture of fur on his body. but his hair was cut very short, and was almost hidden underneath the bright green army cap.
His uniform was perfectly pressed, and was decorated with several large medals. he stood upright, almost as if he was standing in line with the rest of the army recruits. But the smile on his face was a genuine one, and it seemed to break the entire delusional formality that he was pulling off.
"Dad. I'm so glad you could make it." Toby said as he disengaged from his mother and turned towards the bigger fox.
"Frank actually managed to get the entire weekend off. No meetings or tactic appraisals or whatever it is he does out there. It's just us three for the weekend" said Toby's mother as she watched her son and his father hug tightly.
"Well, you know I don't make promises I can't keep Karen." said Frank as he gave his son a rubbing on the head, slipping his fingers through Toby's long hair. "Especially to my son." he added.
"I know dad. I'm just really happy you here today" Toby said with a smile at them, even though she couldn't see him. "But what about the Arrow meeting tomorrow night?" he asked.
"Not enough can make it this weekend, so we rescheduled it for next week. So this means that we have the whole weekend to ourselves, as a family" Karen said with a smile.
"You know, you're due in for a hair cut soon." said Frank as he inspected his sons long hair. "Sometimes I can't believe you don't get mistaken for a girl. Maybe if we just cut it to maybe half an inch long?" He said with a toothy smile.
"Over my dead body." Karen said with a smirk on a face as she placed her hands on her hips. "You are not taking him to the base just to let that Bill Dautrerive cut my sons hair." she said in a rather mockingly playful tone of anger.
"Oh trust me, I would not that Bill near our son either." said Frank with a smile back. "I swear that man has mould on his feet and that he hasn't brush his teeth since high school." Frank said as he rubbed Toby shoulder and then open the passenger door of the hummer.
"Let's not spend our time talking about that second-rate idiot barber." Karen said as she left her son take the front seat beside his father. She never drove one of those on road monsters of a car in her life, but she never objected to Toby sitting up front with his father in one.
"So, where are we going tonight?" Toby asked as he managed to sit himself in the front seat without any problems. He slid his backpack behind his feet and collapsed his cane into a short stick before wrapping the seatbelt around his chest. "We usually go out to eat when you come around dad" he pointed out.
"Well, I was thinking iHop." Frank said as he slid into his seat, while Karen got into the back of the car." I do like the chicken finger and waffle combo." he said as he slid the key into the ignition.
"We went to iHop last time, and the time before that." Karen pointed out as she fixed her own seat belt." Perhaps something a little different this time?" She said.
"How about Popeyes? I like their biscuits." Toby said as he looked up.
"I have no problems with that." Frank said as he turned the key in the ignition and the beast of a car roared to life. He was very careful to manoeuvre through the car park, although he had to hold for it at several stupid teenagers who thought it was funny to run across in front of him.
"Well, I suppose I can put up with chicken again for dinner." Karen said, although she had to smile when she saw how happy Toby looked.
"Popeyes it is then." said Frank as he pulled out of the school parking lot and onto the main road.
"So how was school today?" Karen said as she addressed her son. "Anything interesting happen today?"
"No not really." Toby said as he stared straight ahead, although he wasn't watching the road. "I have some Italian homework to do over the weekend, and Mr. Harrington wants us to write an essay about a rant Bill Cosby made on Facebook." he said.
"A rant from Bill Cosby?" Frank said. "Huh, in my day we just had to do essays on Ronald Reagan." he pointed out as he carefully drove the enormous car down the road.
"I still remember when he did stand up." Karen said with a smile on her face. "He knew how to make any story funny." she added.
"You two met at a Bill Cosby performance didn't you?" Toby asked." Wasn't that back when you were just a recruiting officer dad?" He asked as it looked over at his father.
"Yes that's right." Frank said not, as he started to remember the event." I just finished work, and I really wanted to get out of the office. So when a couple of workmates told me they had an extra ticket to go see Bill Cosby live, I didn't say no."
"And I was half dragged there by my friend's." Karen said with a smile on her face as she remembered as well. "It was a hen's night for one of my girlfriends, and she thought it would be fun to go see him. I kind of didn't want to go, because I had plans for the next day, but they managed to talk me into it."
"It was just my luck that we had seats together." Frank said as he pulled up at a stop light. The big car still continue to growl like an animal, even though it was simply sitting idle. "We verily even looked at each other as we waved the show to begin."
"Although my friends thought it was funny to be sitting right next to the group offers from the army." Karen admitted with a smile on her face. "They kept thinking that the boys were on shore leave, and they wouldn't stop giggling over it." she admitted.
"I remember a lot of laughter before the show began." Frank said with a smile on his face.
"And then what happened?" Toby arcs.
"Well we were about halfway through the show." Frank said smile. "Bill Cosby was talking about how his wife went into labour and stood up in the stirrups." he said as he began to chuckle from the memory. "And it had everybody in stitches, and then I remember something splashing me in the face." he said.
"When Bill Cosby shouted out that his wife wanted Morphine, I was laughing so hard I actually hit your father in the face with my drink." Karen said as she smile to the memory. "Your father looked so shocked, like someone had just hit him."
"Well, in a way they did." Frank said with a smile as the light turns green and it urged the high forward. "My mother was so embarrassed, trying to wipe up the mess with some... What was it... a potato chip bag?"
"I couldn't stop apologising when I realised the bag was plastic." Karen said with a smile as Toby began to laugh at that.
"So, I said it was no big deal I would just go the washroom and clean myself up." Frank said with a smile. "So I got out of my seat and started heading to the washroom, and then I realised that your mother was following me."
"I just wanted to make sure your shirt was alright and that there were no hard feelings over the accident." Karen pointed out.
"Well, she followed me all the way to the washroom and would have gone in with me if I hadn't told her it was the men's room. So she stood out there while I went in and took off my shirt and rinsed it out, but the soda had stained it so putting it back on was kind of pointless." Frank said.
"When he walked out without his shirt on..." Karen said, a light flush playing over her face. Frank was the only one who saw it, because he was looking into the rearview mirror at her. He couldn't help but smile as he remembered how speechless she had been.
"Well, let's just say that we ended up exchanging numbers that night." Frank said with a smile.
"And then you two started dating?" Toby asked. Karen nodded in the back seat.
"That we did son." Frank said. Toby sat back in his seat, thinking about what his parents just said and wondering how it all would have played out. Of course he had no idea what his parents even looked like, but it was nice to imagine it even if his imagination would have been different from how everybody else's was.
It only took a few minutes more for them to arrive at the Popeyes building. Thankfully the Humvee was not so big that it took up more than one car park space, and once the monstrous car had finally settled the family exited the big green beast.
Toby didn't need his cane as his parents held his hands as they crossed the parking lot, but his mother took it anyway. She never went anywhere without making sure her son had everything he needed.
The interior of Popeyes was not overly big, but it did have that same sort of atmosphere about it that all fast food outlets seem to have. One legged tables, one legged chairs, the same colour on every single wall, and waste bins by the door.
there weren't many people in the diner that afternoon, only a couple of people sharing a table and another couple with two children sitting in the back of the restaurant. The smell of hot chips and deep-fried chicken filled the air, and it made them all rather hungry just to stand in the door away.
"Hi. Welcome to Popeyes. may I take your order?" Said the smiling female Wolf behind the cash register at the front counter. Frank fled his family up to the counter and they stood together as he pondered the menu.
"We'll take the twelve piece family pack." said Frank after a minute of thinking about it. "And for the sides will have a side of fries, a side of potato and gravy, and a side coleslaw." he said. "And three drink cups please." he added.
"Not a problem" she said as she gave him the price.
"Karen, you and Toby go sit down and find a seat. I'll bring it over when it's ready." he said as he pulled a camouflage print wallet from his pocket and opened it to take the money out. Karen nodded as she held on to Toby's hand took him to the drinks dispenser first. They filled their cups with their choice of soft drink. With their cups full Karen led Toby to a table that was free by the window.
"I can't believe dad's here for the whole weekend." Toby said with a broad smile across his face. "It's been so long since I had any time with him." he added as he ran his hand over the table to see where everything was.
"Well, you do know that your father is very busy." Karen said as she sat back in her chair. "He does have an entire base to look after, and it's quite a line of work from someone of his age." she added.
"I know that mom." Toby said as he sat back once he found where the salt and pepper and napkins were located on the table. "I know he's very busy and I know he doesn't get time to get away from the base all time so I'm really happy I can spend the entire weekend with him and you." he said with a smile.
"It's good that you understand what's going on." Karen said smile to her son, unable to help but admire the maturity that he had someone so young and with his condition. But then again he had always surprised.
"All right, here's dinner." said Frank as he walked away with to the table with a bright orange tray laden with hot fresh food. "Mind your hands." Frank said as he made sure Toby didn't have his hands in the way as he slid the tray in front of them both.
"Let me just go to the bathroom real quick." Toby said as he could already smell the food in front of him.
"Here is your cane." his mother said as she pressed the cane against his hand. Toby took it with a nod as with a flick of his wrist the cane extended to its full length. His mother pointed him in the direction of the bathroom and he made his way over, his stick tapping on the ground as he found his way.
"Well, we have a few minutes to ourselves." Frank said as he sat down in his seat and began to distribute even portions of the food into the paper packets. "I really have missed actual food. you won't believe how bland some of the crap is they serve at the bases dinner."
"I can imagine what that food is like." Aaron said with a smile as she allowed Frank to dish up the food. "You took me there once, and you made it into a date." she pointed out to him. "I cannot remember a lasagne that tasted so bland." she said with a smile.
Frank nodded with a smile as well, as he remembered as well the rather 'interesting' date that the two of them shared. It had been a dinner for two, in his office. And the food had been served from the bases diner. Although the food had been on par with what the grunts were eating, so there was really nothing special about it.
"Yes, I do remember that day." Frank said as he finished distributing the food into portions. "Now, speaking of dating, I do want to talk to you about that." he said.
"What do you want to talk about?" Karen said as she picked up a piece of chicken with her fingers."I'm not dating anyone." she pointed out.
"That's what I want to talk about." Frank said to as he picked up a chicken wing. "You're not dating. I can't recall a single time when you have ever mentioned anybody that you have dated besides me." he said.
"That's because I haven't found anyone worth dating yet." Karen said as she took a bite of her chicken. "You have to understand, I can't date anyone unless they feel the same way about Toby as they do about me." she said.
"Karen, do you remember why we decided not to get married?" Frank said to her as he took a bite of his chicken. The two of them ate their mouthful of chicken before they decided to continue talking.
"Yes, I remember what happened." as she took a bite.
"Karen, we have only been dating for a while before I got called out on a two year tour of duty." Frank said to her. "You called me up while was way due to tell that you tested positive for pregnancy" he said to her.
"I remember that." Karen said to him as she put down her piece of chicken. "It was a really difficult time for me then, finding out I was pregnant and I was by myself." she said to him.
"And you know I was happy to learn I was going to be a father." Luke said to her as he picked up a drumstick having finished his chicken wing. "But, I didn't even get to see my son until I came back from my tour." he said.
"He was one." Karen said to him.
"I know." Frank said to her. "And he didn't know who I was. I was just a stranger to him at the time, and I was home for barely two weeks before I had another six months tour handed to me." he said.
"Frank, it was hard back then." Karen said to him she looked at him. "Working for the Order of the arrow and trying to raise a son by myself, I honestly didn't have any time for dating." she pointed out to him. "And honestly, there weren't too many men interested in a single mother with a young blind son."
Frank nodded as he finished his drumstick and then picked up one of the biscuits. He split it in half and dipped part of it into his mashed potato and gravy. He took a bite of their and sheeted a few times before he swallows and continued to talk.
"Karen, that was why we decided we couldn't marry." Frank said to her. "Working in the army and trying to raise a family, people think it is easy to handle both of them. But it's not. You just can't raise a family and work in the only and not expect one or the other to fail." he said to her. "You needed a husband and father to stick around long enough that he could actually be part of your lives more than I can." he said.
"But Frank, you're a his father. I can't take that away from him " Karen said to him. "If I started dating... I just don't want it to seem like I'm trying to replace you."
"Karen, you can't exactly call it replacing when I haven't been there enough to be replaced." Frank said to her.
"I know that Frank." Karen said to him as she picked up another piece of chicken. But she held it in her hand rather than eat it.
"So what's holding you back?" Frank asked her. "Karen, Toby is 14 now. He's growing up into a wonderful young man, I'm sure it that if you did start dating he would actually understand." Frank said to her.
"I think he would to." Karen said to him."I just don't want to disappoint him." she said.
"Karen." Frank said as he reached over the table and placed his hand on hers. "We are not married, we are not dating, and I'm not around enough to be anything more than a typical divorced father." he said to her. "This is the first weekend I've had in three months to actually spend with my son and his mother." he said. "And it was two months before that I had a weekend. And another month before that." he said.
"Frank, I know how much you work you don't have to remind me." Karen said to him as she felt his hand on others.
"Karen, you need a husband, and you know I will always be Toby's father, but he needs a man in the house for when I'm not there." he said to her.
Karen nodded as she slipped her fingers between his and squeezed his hand. She knew that Frank was right, and she understood everything he had told her. It was the same thing he told her every time they spent time together, that she needed to find someone, in the sense, 'better' than he was.
"Karen, whoever you end up dating or get together with, I know you'll make the right choice. And I'll support you all the way." Frank said to her with a smile.
Karen was just about to respond when Toby suddenly appeared at the table and the two of them have kept their hands together as Toby sat down. There was no reason to pull apart just yet couldn't see what was going on anyway.
"Sorry I took so long. There was someone in there." Toby said as he found his seat and shortened his cane so he could slide it over his lap.
"It's all right son." Frank said with a smile as he felt Karen let go of his hand. "There's still plenty of chicken left over." he said to him.
"I hope you didn't eat all the biscuits again." Toby said to his father with a smile on his face.
"Well, that's one thing you and your father do have in common." Karen said with a smile. The three of them all couldn't help but chuckle to that is they stopped their talking and began to eat their food before it went fully cold.
Roxis
"So, you wanted to speak to me?" Roxis said as he sat on his desk and let his English teacher walk up to him. He didn't seem overly concerned about what his teacher could possibly have to talk to him about, nor did it looked like worried in the slightest.
"Yes Roxis, I wanted to talk to you about your last assignment you handed in to me." Allen said as he sat himself on one of the opposite desks. He had few papers in his hand, and it was obviously the assignment he was talking about.
"So what's wrong with?" Roxis asked as he sat there with his books and his pencil case in his lap. Allen sat back and picked up one of the papers and looked at it for a few moments before he spoke.
"Do you remember what the assignment was about?" Allen asks him. Roxis is nodded but he didn't say anything. Allen decided to say it for him. "The assignment was to pick a story, could be any paperback novel or comic book or a TV story on whatever, and then explain to me your opinion of it."
"I did" rocks said flatly. Allen nodded to him as he looked down at the sheet of paper again.
"Well, you handed in the assignment on time, and the assignment was about the associated student bodies comic series from back in the 90's." Allen said to him. "And, from what I gathered from how you wrote it, you really didn't like it in the slightest."
Roxis didn't say anything for a moment before he shrugged his shoulders back.
"You wanted my opinion and I gave it to you." Roxis said simply. Allen said nothing for a moment as he regarded the Ronso before him, and he did have the impression that the boy simply didn't care. regardless though, he continued.
"Associated Student Bodies, and why they are nothing more than stereotypical crap." Allen read from the title. He wasn't even kidding. That literally was the title that Roxis had put on his papers. "I have to admit, in all my years of teaching no one has ever given a title like that." Allen said to him. Roxis did not look impressed nor did he look like he cared.
"Associated student bodies was created by a team of artists and writers who seem to have nothing more than boredom on their hands during college. The entire series follows around Daniel Keene and Marcus wolf, and their so called 'journey' through college as seen through the eyes of a gay.
"However, the entire story series seems to revolve around the fact that Daniel is discovering his sexuality. In the beginning, there is really no indication that Daniel is in fact gay. But given the attitude of his religious father, we have to believe that Daniel is indeed straight. So really, in a way the entire series is nothing more than a straight to gay fantasy being played out for the readers."
"I do like that opening part." Allen said as he looked up from the papers. "To be honest, I never really considered that kind of scenario actually playing out, but it might have been just me." He said.
"Well it is like that." Roxis said to him. "Can't be a gay in a gay comic unless everyone in there is gay at least once." he said. Allen nodded to him, and then continue to speak, although he chose a section that was a bit further down.
"Every character in the series, apparently plays a vital role in the stories. However, when you consider the yearbook edition and the apparent two 'lost' chapters, the main artist points out that there is a theme to these chapters. So, taking that into consideration the characters are not there to fit a story, but rather to fit a theme."
"Marcus and Daniel are the only characters we truly get some sort of development. Although series does claim to focus around a group of students, we really don't follow anybody's story aside from a couple of mini chapters for each character. It is only Marcus and Daniel that we are with from the beginning to end."
"You seem to give the impression that you really didn't like the characters all that much." Allen said to Roxis as he stopped reading. "I especially like this line you put down when you are describing Daniel." Allen said as he went back to reading.
"By this point in the series we are led to believe that Daniel is in fact the token good guy. He is the innocents viewing of gay in the world, but he is also naive and inconsiderate at some points. Aside from the fact that he has yet to tell his father and his family anything, he does display how inconsiderate and thoughtless years towards David.
"When David takes Daniel to a leather bar, doing the stereotype of days listening to the Village people on the way, they are in the bar are no more than five minutes before Daniel simply goes up to a much bigger lion, and leaves with him. He forgets all about David and leaves him behind without a second thought. Not once in the rest of the series does David and Daniel actually talk about it. I find this ironic that Daniel is apparently willing to sleep with David's mate Vince after the fire eaters event, but he is unconcerned about leaving David behind at the bar."
"I have to admit Roxis, this was a very good point that you made." Allen said to him. "I can honestly say that not many readers would even pick up on this." he pointed out.
"Well, its true." Roxis said to his teacher. "Daniel is an inconsiderate prick that we're meant to idolise through the whole series." he said.
"Roxis, please mind your words. Feel free to say what you like outside the classroom. But I am still your teacher." Allen said to him. Roxis said nothing as Allen continued to read.
"The rest of the characters don't really do anything to really advance the plot. For example, Vince basically walks around in the background wearing tighty whities most of the time, or is in David's lap. We know nothing about him except that he is on the track team and considers himself Mrs. David.
The antagonistic rich boy wolf, which we don't really learn the name of, basically hates Marcus but we never learn why he feels that way. And in issue five, he simply goes out of character and submits to him.
Tiny acts like a mental retard most of the time, and seems to be perfectly okay that his apparent boyfriend Ricky is a cross dressing slut who lusts after the only seemingly straight guy on campus. And then there's the Timon clone who is constantly ranting about gay rights but never about the right things. And his catchphrase seems to be nothing more than 'Don't call me Timmy!' which happens at least once in every issue." Allen continued.
"Can you get the point?" Roxis said as he looked up at his teacher. "I don't want to have to catch a late bus because you're taking forever to tell me why you want to talk to me." he said.
Allen put down the papers and stated himself on the desk as he folded his hands in his lap. He looked at his student for a few moments, and then smiled to him.
"What I was going to get to, is that you are one of the most interesting students I have when it comes to the English essays that I set." he said to him. "I thoroughly enjoyed reading your views on this essay, and I was surprised with how much passion you actually put into it."
"What?" Roxis said, looking quite surprised to actually hear that from his teacher.
"Roxis, you are amongst a few in this class who actually seem to want to get their opinion across without trying to please me in what they say. Plus, I think you are the only student I have ever met who has shown me exactly why he hates this popular series." Allen explained to him.
Roxis did not know what to say to that, and he had no idea that his teacher had actually been in favour of his essay from the start. Truth be told, he had been expecting to get an F or it.
"Are you surprised that I actually have given you an A+ on this assay?" Allen said as he handed the papers to the Ronso. Roxis took the papers from his teacher and looked at the top of the first paper. there was a big red A+ written on the top, along with the words 'well done'.
"An A+?" Roxis said in surprise.
"Like I said, I wanted to hear your opinion. I didn't want to hear you tell me what you think I want to hear. Honestly, you have no idea how many of these students tried to tell me how good something is by saying only 'Its a nice story'." he said with a grin.
"I...wasn't expecting this." Roxis admitted, finding himself slightly at a loss for words.
"Roxis, I want you to keep up this good work." Allen said to him. "I want to keep hearing your opinions. I want to know what you think. This next essay, tell me exactly what's on your mind. Sucking up to your teacher is not a way to get through this class, I want you to actually work for it." he said.
"Well...thanks." Roxis said as he couldn't help but feel a smile on his face spread out. "I...wow...I didn't think you liked it." he said.
"I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with your views on that comic series." Allen said to him. "I'm just saying you expressed your opinions well enough to me." he said to him. "You deserve that A+." he said.
"Thank you Mr. Harrington." Roxis said to him. He was still reeling slightly from the surprise that Mr. Harrington actually liked his essay. Allen smiled to him as he stood up, running a hand through his long hair.
"I just want you to keep up the good work Roxis. You can leave now." he said as the cougar turned to walk back to his desk.
Roxis picked up his things and held them under his arms, but he held his essay in his hand as he continued to look at it as he walked out of the room. It was still surprising to him that he had actually received an A+ with this essay. But the proof was written in bright red right on the top in front of him.
The hallways were mostly empty by now, with only a few students hanging around to gather their things. There was no teacher in sight, and safer one or two students, Roxis pretty much at the Place to himself. As each student left, the door banged open and banged shut, the noise a little louder as the hallway got a little more empty.
He made his way over to his locker, and spun the combination dial. He was still smiling, actually feeling good about himself after that talk with his teacher. The rest of his teachers didn't seem to like his opinions on any subject, and he wasn't doing quite so well in the other classes.
"Why can't the rest of the teachers be like him?" Roxis thought to himself as he stuffed his unneeded books into his locker and pulled out his homework the weekend. "Why bother asking for my opinion if they don't want to hear it?" He said to himself as he stuffed his books into his bag.
The halls were empty by the time he finished gathering his things, and it was only his footsteps that echoed in the empty space. he was in absolutely no hurry to leave, as he knew his bus wouldn't leave for a bit longer. And even if it did leave, he had money for a taxi.
He left the hallway and headed to the exit, slipping his essay into his English book. He put a hand on the door and stepped outside into the bright sunlight. The open parking lot was slowly emptying of students and cars, and the last few buses were still in place.
Roxis could not see Alex, Gielle, or Toby anywhere in the parking lot though, and he lost his smile when he realised he would he heading home alone again. With a light sigh he brushed his bangs from his painted eyes and headed to the last bus at the end of the parking lot.
The bus he had to take was in better condition than the others, although it was smaller. The simple fact was that it was not a public bus to use, but rather it was a private bus. The bus belonged to the exclusive area of town known only as Arlen Heights. It was a gated community for the rich.
It seemed ridiculous for such a bus to exist when only less then a handful of students actually used it. But then, the rich were unlikely to share anything with the lower class people. Roxis walked up to the bus, but he was stopped by an Asian looking fennec in expensive looking clothing. Behind him was a group of boys, who were always following him.
"Where do you think you're going, goth boy?" said the asian fennec with a smirk on his face as he stood before the bus with his arms crossed over his chest. The boys behind him smirked as well and stood behind him, trying to act tough.
"Move it Chang." Roxis said to the boy. Chang Wassonasong was the son of Ted Wassonasong, the owner of Nine Rivers Country club, an all asian golf and leisure club. Chang thought he was special, although most would argue what the definition of 'special' that was used to describe him meant.
"Or what, gothie?" Chang said with a smirk as if he had said the most original insult in the world. "What are you going to do about it? Derail the Chang-Train by hitting me with your mascara?" he said with a smirk.
Roxis said nothing as the boys behind Chang smirked and chuckled like their group leader was the funniest man on earth. He did however, slide hand into his backpack and withdrew a sharp looking black pencil.
"It's not eyeliner or mascara, Chang." Roxis said as he held the object in his fingers. "But I'm not afraid to stab you in the face with it." he said flatly.
"Oooh, i'm so scared." Chang said with mock scaredness in his voice as he wiggles his hands in front of him in mock terror. The boys behind him ooohed and cringed as they mocked the ronso as well.
"And you're so tough, trying to scare me with a group of idiots to back you up." Roxis said flatly. He wasn't threatened or intimidated by a rich kid and his loser lackeys at a school bus stop.
"You think the Chang Train isn't tough?" Chang said as he gestured to himself. "Oh, I'm tough gothie. I'm tougher then you." he said with a smirk on his face as the boys behind him chuckled.
"I think you're a rich boy loser, who's about to get stabbed with a pencil if he doesn't get out of my way." Roxis said as he looked annoyed at being held up. The boys behind Chang laughed as they stepped up behind their leader, all trying to look intimidating towards the teenage ronso.
"Well, maybe the Chang-Train needs to run over you." Chang said as he cracked his knuckles together. "If you eat some dirt, I might let you go with just a beating." he said. Roxis did not back down as he simply slipped his backpack from his shoulders and dropped it o the ground as he held just his sharp pencil in his hand.
"If you think I'm so easy to beat up, why don't you do it by yourself?" Roxis said as he clenched his fingers around the pencil in his hand. Chang and his group started to advance, when the horn on the bus was very loudly and very quickly pressed multiple times.
"You always better get on the bus right now, or driving off without you." the bus driver, a Doberman in a very smart looking suit promised all the boys on the side walk. "That goes for you too Chang, and you can deal with principal Moss by yourself." the Doberman promised.
Chang and his group of friends stopped advancing towards the ronso as the bus drivers threat held words. Chang's father might have been one of the richest people in Arlen and could probably donate an entire school wing from the change in his back pocket alone, but even principal Moss would get Chang into trouble if the boy wasn't careful. Chang seemed to consider whether or not it was worth beating up the boy in front of him, but he eventually relented when the bus driver honked the horn again.
"Next time, when you're all alone, I'm going to make you eat dirt" Chang promised Roxis with a point of his finger at him. If he thought he looked intimidating, Chang was disappointed.
"You couldn't get me to eat dirt even if you're all alone." Roxis said back to Chang as he picked up his backpack and slung it back around his shoulder. He gave Chang a push to the chest as he moved the boy out of the way and climbed onto the bus.
The bus driver allow the other boys on, but he gave them each a dirty look since they were the reason they were running late. But the rich spoilt always did not seem to care that they were running late, or that they were the cause of it. The bus drivers shut the door to the bus and pulled away from the curb.
Roxis sat back on the back seat of the bus and just simply staring out of the window as he watched the neighbourhood pass by. He blatantly ignored Chang who was sitting a few rows ahead of him, and that just seemed to further the anger of the spoilt weasel.
The bus travelled across town towards the area everybody considered 'the rich part of Arlen', and pulled onto a very smart looking road. The gates to Arlen Heights were large and white, and were managed by a security guard in a booth. The bus pulled up to the booth and the security guard, another Doberman, checked the ID of the bus driver before allowing the gate to swing open.
The houses in the gated community were a better quality and a better standard than most of the other houses in Arlen. Perfectly manicured lawns that would make even Hank Hills precious baby seems second rate covered the front yard of every house. Not a single house was less than three stories small, and they were all in showroom condition.
Roxis' home was as equally large as the rest of the houses, and it was painted a dull blue colour. The front of the house was covered in large bay windows, displaying expensive looking curtains. The hedges were trimmed to perfection, and a large white marble fountain dominated the front yard.
Roxis exited the bus with out a backward glance, and walked up the front path to the door. However, he paused, hearing the bus pulling away and leaving him alone. But it wasn't the bus that made him pause, it was the old station wagon that was parked in the driveway of the house.
"Dammit." Roxis said as he felt that a chill run down the back of his spine, and his heart beginning to pump a bit quicker. The station wagon was old, but it was in good condition yet did seem very out of place with the expensive house. But it wasn't the car that made him feel afraid, it was who had driven it.
"Why is he here? He's not supposed to be here until next week." Roxis said as he found himself unable to touch the front door handle. If He was inside the house, Roxis was better off running down the street and getting away from the house. But he had done that once before, and He was wise to his antics.
"Maybe, maybe he took a taxi home." Roxis said to himself, but he knew it was wishful thinking. He never took a taxi home his life, and He wasn't about to start now. If He was in fact home, Roxis had to enter.
Slowly, he wrapped his hand around the door handle and found it unlocked. He was expected. With a very slow turn of his wrist, he pushed the large white door open and walked into the front hall of his family home.
For a moment, he thought he had actually managed to get into the house without being seen or heard. He slowly closed the front door behind him, and he heard a click shut rather loudly. For a moment, with his heart pounding from the loud noise, he thought he had been heard. But when he got a few seconds of silence, allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief.
"You're late!"
Roxis almost jumped out of his skin as he heard the shout come from right next to him, and he stumbled a little to keep himself upright. When he turned and saw the very large and very angry much older Ronso glaring down at him, Roxis suddenly fell 5 inches tall.
"Hi grandpa." Roxis said in a very small voice as he looked down at the floor.
"I said, you're late." said his grandfather Rodane. "You have a reason for being late? Or just another weak little excuse?" Rodane was much bigger in both height and muscle then Roxis was, almost twice the literal size of his grandson. His aged dark blue fur was edged with a thick grey that gave him a handsome look of maturity. His horn was large and proud looking, and he had a beard that was braided with thick coloured beads.
Dressed in a simple looking flannel shirt and black denim jeans, with his arms crossed over his chest he didn't look like a kindly grandfather fromTexas. He looked like something out of Roxis' nightmares.
And he often was in them.
"The bus was late grandpa." Roxis said down. He could actually feel himself started to tremble, and it took a lot of his willpower to stop himself from crumbling on the spot. His heart was pounding and he could almost see it through his shirt.
"Late?" Rodan said as he looked down at his grandson, a sneer across his face. "Again? That makes it four times in a row that the bus has been the reason for you being late. You sure you didn't run away again?" he demanded.
"I...didn't run away grandpa." Roxis said as he moved his gaze a little higher to look at his grandfathers chest. "The bus was running late because Chang was holding it up." he said.
"Unlikely. That chang is a good boy. Unlike you" Rodan said as he planted his hands on his hips. "You really think I'm going to listen to you, when you can't even behave at school?" he demanded.
"I've been behaving." Roxis protested as he dared to move his gaze upwards a little. But he didn't get to look up very far before his grandfathers hand reached up and slapped him on the side of the head.
"Don't you answer back at me you little smart ass." Rodan said as he glared down at his grandson before him. "You think it makes you tough, walking around in that stupid makeup and being some faggy little goth boy then answering back to your grandfather?" he demanded in a loud voice.
Roxis stood still, not even reaching up to touch the side of his head where he had been struck. If he did, he knew he'd get hit again, for looking 'weak'.
"Answer me." Rodan said as he gave Roxis a shove on his shoulder, the push hard enough to make the boy stumble backwards. Roxis righted himself, as his backpack dropped in the stumble. "Answer me tough boy." Rodan said as he glared down at his smaller grandson.
"I...." Roxis said, but he clamped his mouth shut. His heart was racing now as he clenched his hands into fists. It didn't matter what he said, his grandfather was going to think of him however he wanted no matter what anyway.
"You aren't tough." Rodan said as he stepped forward and grabbed Roxis' backpack from the floor. "You just think you tough, but you are not. You're just the runt of the litter, a stupid spoilt little weakling who wears makeup and acts like he's tough, aren't you?" he demanded as he gripped Roxis' backpack in his hand in an iron grip.
"Yes grandpa" Roxis said in a small voice.
"I didn't hear you boy. Answer me again." Rodan demanded.
"Yes Grandpa." Roxis said in a louder voice as he stood there before his grandfather, trying to keep still and trying to keep himself from doing or saying anything stupid.
"I thought you were." his grandfather said as he pulled the zipper back on the backpack and rummaged through it. He pulled out a couple of Roxis' books and just dumped them on the ground. "Any more letters from the school saying you got detention again for punching some kid during English class again?" Rodan demanded as he looked at his grandson.
"No grandpa" Roxis said as he simply stood there and allowed his grandfather to invade his things. The last time he protested, he had been slapped in the face. Literately. His grandfather gave him a look that said he didn't believe him, and he continued to pull Roxis' books and papers from his backpack.
Roxis' heart almost leapt into his throat as his grandfather pulled out his English essay. Roxis held his breath as he looked at his grandfather inspecting his papers. His grandfather narrowed his gaze at the top paper, mostly on the big red A+ written on the top.
"What is this crap?" Rodan demanded as he shook the papers at his grandson. "You writing your own grades on your papers now?" he said.
"No grandpa" Roxis said as he felt insulted. "My English teacher gave me that grade. he was impressed by it and told me that I earned it" he protested.
"You answering back at me again boy?" Rodan demanded as he smacked the papers against Roxis' face. Roxis closed his eyes and flinched as he felt the paper connect with his face. "You lying to me about this?" Rodan demanded.
"No, I'm not. I really did get that grade on my essay." Roxis said as he stepped back out of the way.
"Like hell you did." Rodan said with a sneer as he screwed up the essay papers and threw them against the wall. The papers separated and fell to the floor in a scattered mess. Roxis backed up until he had his back pressed against the wall, and he felt himself shiver all over.
"I'm going to call your school tomorrow." Rodan said as he wagged a very thick finger in front of Roxis' face. "I'm going to call this so-called English teacher you claim is so nice to you, and if I find out that you have faked your grade, then you are in for a world of hurt mister." he promised.
Roxis said nothing, but the anger and insults he was feeling took over and he was not able to stop himself from speaking without speaking.
"And if he tells you I earned that grade, then you're just going to look like the big fucking idiot you always have been, aren't you?" he practically shouted at his grandfather so loudly and so suddenly that the bigger ronso actually stepped back in surprise.
Roxis clapped his hands over his mouth as he realised what he had just done, and he stared back at his grandfather with fear in his eyes. His heart was pounding harder and so fast that it almost skipped several beats as he saw his grandfathers face turn from shock to anger.
"Oh god..Grandpa..I...I'm so sorry...Please... I...I didn't mean to..." he said as he lowered his hands from his face, voice very small and almost unheard. His grandfather glared down at him before he suddenly advanced on the smaller boy, and reached out to grab a fistful of Roxis' hair.
Roxis let out a high-pitched cry as he was easily lifted up off the ground. He reached up and grabbed at his grandfather's wrist, but he had no strength to pull the bigger male of him. The back of his head was pressed against the wall as his grandfather brought his hand back in the back of his hand connected with the side of grandsons face.
"If you EVER talk to me like that again!" Rodan shouted in his grandsons face, his fangs and sharp teeth bared. "I swear you will be back in military school faster then you can blink. And there is NO WAY you will ever get out before you're old enough to enlist, you got me you little weakling?" he shouted.
"Please..grandpa let go of me." Roxis shouted as he couldn't fight back the tears that were forming. "Let go it hurts." he shouted as he felt the constant straining of his scalp holding him up in the air, his hair almost pulled out from the roots in his grandfathers grip.
"You get your skinny ass upstairs now. You are missing out on dinner. And I'm informing your mother that you're grounded until I let you out of the house,you got me?" Rodan shouted as he dropped his grandson onto the ground. Roxis landed with a loud thud as he reached up to grab his sore head and hold onto it.
"Look at you, lying on the floor crying like a little wimp. You were always a runt. You were born a runt, you grew up a runt, and you're nothing but a runt." His grandfather shouted at him as Roxis grabbed at his things, collecting his papers and his books as quickly as he could. He didn't bother repacking his backpack as he scrambled to his feet.
"That's it, run away!" Rodan shouted after him as Roxis ran for the stairs. "That's all your good for you little wimp. Run like a runt!" he shouted as Roxis tore up the stairs, two at a time as he disappeared from site.
Roxis did not stop running up the stairs until he made it to the third floor. With his heartbeat now reaching his ears, he tore down the hallway his feet digging on the expensive carpet underneath. His room was located at the back of the house, and he did not stop running until he had literally thrown himself through the doorway.
Roxis slammed the door shut behind him, his back pressed against it as he found himself panting. He took as many deep breaths as he could, feeling his heart pounding in his chest and his ears throb with every beat.
His hand fumbled against the door at around the handle, and with a quick flick he locked it. The locking noise made a very loud click and it seemed to cut through him quickly. Slowly, Roxis slid to the floor, his back still pressed against the door as he didn't bother fighting back tears.
He sat there for several minutes, tears streaming down his cheeks as it began to wash away the make up that had covered his face. He didn't bother to wipe them away as he simply sat there, trying to calm himself down.
A soft meowing noise came from his right and he looked up to see his cat emerge from the open door to his closet.
"Hey Miss Kitty." he said as he brought a hand up and white tears from his eyes, taking a few sniffs as well. His make-up smudged rubbing off on his fingers, and he wiped them on his pants. He reached forward with his clean hand and rubbed his cats head. She gave a meow and closed her eyes as she started to purr.
"No kittens today?" he asked in a small voice, his voice croaking slightly as he scratched the back of her neck. Miss Kitty was pregnant, and was due soon to give birth. She seemed to have made her home in his closet lately, although he didn't object to it.
She simply meowed in reply before she crawled herself into his lap and started to settle herself down. He couldn't help but give a chuckle as he slowly slipped his arms underneath, and lifted her up against his chest.
"Wow, you're a... You are getting heavy." he said with a weak chuckle as he slowly pushed himself upwards and onto his legs. He wobbled slightly, not because of his cats weight but because his legs were shaking.
"Here, you sit here and I'll go clean myself up." he said as he gently laid his cat onto his large bed. The bed was covered in a print of a large panther growling in a portrait shot. The pillows matched the print. Miss Kitty jumped onto the bed as she was lowered down and padded around on the bed to find the softest spot.
He slowly walked across his room to his in suite bathroom, gently shutting the door behind him. Once it was fully locked, he sat himself on the toilet and start to cry more firmly.
With his face in his hands he wept openly, letting the tears come as they poured through his fingers and smeared his makeup into his fur. He ignored it as he simply wept into his wet fingers and let it all out.
He hated his life. He hated his home, he hated his parents, and he most of all hated his grandfather. All his life his grandfather had been picking on him, only be cause he had been born small. Ronso were meant to be a big and proud species, not meant to be small in size in any way. His grandfather had looked down on him since birth and had never let him forget how inferior he was to him.
And if his parents knew, they certainly didn't show it. They were too involved with their work and their clients and were always working late. 'Work hard and Make money' seemed to be their slogan, and they had little time for him and were not home often.
And his mother was always more likely to listen to her fathers ranting about his inferior grandson then she was to listen to her son coming to her for help. She hadn't listened to him two years ago, and she wasn't going to change that now.
Most likely, when his parents did eventually come home, his grandfather would tell them he faked his grade on his paper, and argued and lied about it. He'd leave out the part about him shouting and holding his grandsons hair, and just make it all out for Roxis to be the bad guy.
And then his parents would take his grandfathers advice and follow it to the letter. And if he tried to interject at any point, they'd just assume he was being a smart ass and punish him further.
"Just because we have money doesn't mean we're a good family." he thought to himself as he found he was unable to continue crying as he had run out of tears. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and saw his mascara had run and was now smeared everywhere.
With a deep sigh and a few sniffs to calm himself down, Roxis slowly stood up and walked over to the handbasin. He turned the golden coloured tap and got the water running into the pristine marble bowl and started to wash the makeup from his face.
Slowly, the makeup ran and peeled away, turning the water dark and blurry with dirt. As he rubbed his fingers through the fur on his cheeks, he saw what lay under the makeup start to appear.
The fresh bruise on the side of his face from his grandfathers backhand was starting to appear, covering against his cheek and the side of his eyes. But on the other side of his face, was an older bruise that covered part of his jawline.
The swelling at the base of his ear had gone down, thankfully his black dyed hair was able to hide it rather well. A bruise was slowly fading on the right side of his forehead, although it wasn't big it had still hurt.
He picked up a brush from a drawer under the sink and ran it through his hair a few times, almost wanting to cry again as he saw several thick clumps of hair sitting between the teeth of the bursh. He wiped a few more tears that managed to escape from his eyes and put the brush down before he grabbed a rather thick hand towel from its hanger and dried his face.
"I hate you so much." he said to his reflection. He didn't hate himself, he just hated the way he looked. What he saw was not a happy looking boy. What he saw was a very sad looking ronso with a beaten and bruised face and eyes that were red from crying.
It was the only reason he even looked goth in the first place. The only thing that covered what he didn't want to be seen. It wouldn't help if people found out. With the kind of lawyers his parents were, they could hide away anything bad about his family if they wanted.
After all, he knew how they worked. They were the ones who ruined his friend Alex's life.
Once he had finished cleaning up his face, Roxis left the bathroom after stripping himself down to his black boxers. He got a look at the large scar on his leg ,and he turned away quickly. He hated looking at it.
His thoughts were interrupted as he heard the phone ring beside his bed. Glad for the distraction Roxis sat himself down on his very large bed, next to where miss kitty had laid herself out. She gave him a look that suggested he had disturbed her as he picked up the phone.
"Hello?" he said, having to speak again as he realised he had just croaked into the receiver.
"Did I wake you up?" he heard Toby's voice on the other end of the line.
"What? Oh..uh yeah. I was tired and ...took a nap." Roxis said as he sat back on the bed.
"Is that Miss Kitty again?" Toby asked as he heard a meowing.
"Yeah, that's her. She wants my lap now." Roxis said as he sat back on the bed. His pregnant cat sat herself on his lap and started to purr as he stroked her back. "So what's up?" he asked.
"You will never believe what happened." Toby said, and he sounded excited. "We just got back from Popeye's, and my dad gave my a surprise gift." Toby said.
"Your dads in town?" Roxis asked as he felt himself perk up a little. "What kind of surprise was it?" he asked.
"Six tickets to Lionz Rawr. They're playing here in Alren in a few weeks" Toby said.
"Wow. That's... that's great" Roxis said as he couldn't help smile. Lionz Rawr was an all lion cover band, and it was one of Toby's big time favourite groups.
"And I'm taking you with me." Toby said.
"You're what?" Roxis asked, feeling surprised.
"I'm taking you with me. You're my best friend after all." Toby said, sounding happy.
"You have no idea how happy that makes me." Roxis said with a genuine smile across his face. And it really did make him feel like he was worth something just to hear his friend say that.