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I'm currently writing
I'm currently writing a story, and I would like to post it here. Unfortunately, on the first thread I made about it, someone impersonated me and told the Admins to delete it. So I'm going to repost everything.
I'm too salty to rewrite the whole original introduction, but I would like to point out that many of the main characters in this are LGBTQ+. If that was the reason whoever the impersonater was told the Admins under my name to take it down, then I cannot say how awful that is.
Please don't do it again. To me or to anyone. It feels super, super, super bad. It feels like you're being taken advantage of. Like you're not being regarded as a person.
If you don't like this story, don't read it. That doesn't mean you should steal someone's identity and demand for someone else's hard work be deleted.
Thanks. Here's part one again.
-----
It was one of those things that he never expected to change.
Suddenly it did, and it felt so right that he didn’t question it. And it changed again and again, but he scarcely noticed that everything was different because he was all caught up in the swirl and excitement and joy of living.
Then one day, he was hanging upside down from a branch on that big tree in the backyard that Liza joked would never stop growing and one day swallow up the house and all of Los Angeles. He was holding his phone (tightly, lest he drop it) and laughing as he typed out a text to Jack and Adri and Theo, when he realized that, indeed, he and his life had become very, very, different since the day three years ago that cute, red-haired, freckle-faced boy had come up behind him after Math and asked if he could draw him.
“You want to know if you can… what?” Alex blinked, bewildered, at his questioner.
“Draw you. Oh, sorry—” The boy said sheepishly. “That was weird, wasn’t it? I mean, you seem like a nice person, and you’re really interesting.”
Alex was at a loss for words, which he thought with a kind of amused awe. Alex Quinn, he had been told and acknowledged himself, was very difficult to shut up.
“No! No! Ugh, human interaction is hard, gosh, I’m sorry— Can we start over?” Flustered, the boy ran a hand through his long auburn curls, the other pulling nervously at the edge of his too-large “Black Lives Matter” t-shirt.
Alex grinned. “Sure. I’m Alex Quinn. Pleased to meet you.”
“I’m Jack.”
They shook hands. Jack’s palms were soft, and even they were covered in freckles, like someone had dumped cinnamon sugar on him.
Alex gathered his binders and notebooks, carefully stacking them in size order. It was a habit, he supposed, but he wasn’t sure where it had come from— Only that it made him uneasy to have it any other way. It was just one of those things.
“So, why did you want to draw me?”
Jack’s hands started fidgeting, fingers tapping his sides in some sort of rhythm. “I’m an artist, I guess, and I’m best at drawing people, and you seem like… I don’t know.” He paused. “You’re really alive, you know.”
Alex paused at his locker, dumping his supplies in it and kicking the blue metal door shut. After considering a moment, he replied, “I’ve been told it’s really hard to get me to stop talking and moving. Or doing anything I want to be doing, really.”
Jack opened his mouth, seemingly struggling with deciding whether or not to elaborate on that, for a moment before closing his mouth and saying, “That’s kind of what I mean.”
Alex could tell that it wasn’t all that Jack had to say, but he left it be.
They walked in silence for a bit, and Jack glanced over at Alex, trying to commit his appearance to memory, all of his expressive hazel eyes and baggy blue sweatshirt and scuffed up converse and easy posture, the way his mouth upturned slightly as if preparing to say something, and that when he did you’d gosh darn better listen.
“Are you new here?” Jack said finally.
“Yeah,” Alex said as they neared the dark oak double doors that led to the dining hall. “This is my first year at this place. I moved during the summer.”
“From where?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Alex replied, a little too quickly.
Jack also took note of the way Alex bit his lip and ducked his head so his dark brown hair fell into his eyes when he said this, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Catch you later, okay? I have work to do.”
“Okay.” Jack said, and Alex had turned and walked away, hurrying out of the cafe and towards the direction of the library.
Lunch was quiet. Jack sat at a corner table by himself, just like usual, and took out his sketchbook to draw, just like usual. He would sketch people, just glance around and pick the first person his eyes fell on, but this time he drew Alex.
In the first attempt, he penciled out the boy’s profile, trying to capture the peaceable line of his jaw and the way his hair hung down the side of his face, tucked behind his ears. He stopped to analyze it. It wasn’t a bad drawing, but it wasn’t... Alex.
Half an hour and four abandoned doodles of Alex later, he slammed his book shut in a fit of rare frustration. There was something about the guy that he couldn’t quite ensnare, something deep and quiet and real and ragingly beautiful.
Jack was determined to find it.
Keep writing, Abi! We're excited to see the rest. To the impersonator, we do not tolerate that type of behavior. ~Admin
submitted by Abigail S., age 12, Nose in a Book
(December 22, 2016 - 12:21 pm)
(December 22, 2016 - 12:21 pm)
(March 1, 2017 - 5:23 pm)
>> Unknown Number
Hey?? Alex? How are you?
Oh, right, this is Jack. I got your number off of the school directory
Alex??
>> Unknown Number 2
I sincerely hope that the reason you’re not at school is because you’re sleeping and not dead – Adri
Jack is panicking, he thinks you’re sick or something
can you feel me eye rolling through the screen
direct quote, no joke: “what if he’s gone into cardiac arrest?”
text back when you’re awake to stop him overreacting thanks
>> Unknown Number
Adri and I will come by after class gets out and bring the schoolwork you missed
she says that’s a bad idea since you need rest and not stress
but we both know you’ll raise all hell if you’re even slightly behind in any classes
so you know
see you then
(also please don’t be in a coma or something)
(that would make me very sad)
Alex honest-to-goodness laughed out loud at this, and Sarah diverted her focus from cloves of garlic to ask, “What’s so funny?”
“My friends are spazzes,” Alex smirked. “They’re dropping by later to give me all the stuff from school today.”
“Well, that’s nice of them,” Sarah said pleasantly.
Alex input their contacts, and typed out a hurried response.
>> Alex
Guys calm down I’m alive and not in cardiac arrest
“He speaks!” Jack said a little too loudly.
A few of students sitting near them gave him odd glares.
Currently, there was a short assembly in progress about their grade’s community service requirements, but Jack would be the first to admit his focus was elsewhere.
“Quoi?” Adri asked from next to him, shifting her position on the plastic folding chair. The seat in front of her was empty, and her feet were propped up on the back.
“Alex replied! He’s awake!” Jack tilted his phone screen, hidden his sketchbook, to show her Alex’s message.
“C’est bon! I told you he was perfectly fine,” Adri said and then added, almost as an afterthought, “You’re not supposed to use that at school, non?”
Jack shrugged. “What they don’t know won’t hurt them.”
“Incorrigible,” Adri huffed.
“Hey,” Jack said defensively, tucking his phone back into his pocket as inconspicuously as he could manage. “Just looking out for a friend.”
“As well as neglecting the information that is being presented,” Adri said pointedly. “You are lucky I have been taking notes.” She waved a notebook in front of his face, the visible page of which was covered in neat, cursive, bullet points.
Adri paused.
“On second thought, I am considering not letting you use them. They were intended for notre chér ami, Alex, anyway… “
“Eh, I’ll get them from him, then,” Jack decided, to which Adri responded with a very condescending stare.
“Maybe he has more morals than you.”
“Aw, c’mon,” Jack teased, showing off begging puppy-dog eyes, lip stuck out in a childish pout. “How could Alex say no to this face?” Adri raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on the corners of her mouth.
“True, he probably could not. I, however, will not have difficulty.”
“Hmph,” Jack said.
(March 1, 2017 - 9:33 pm)
Topplegänger iz kool.
I HAZ BAD SPELIN + GRAMER!!! PLZ TOP!!!
(March 3, 2017 - 7:27 pm)
Top. I iz da Topplegänger. Feer me.
*Sigh… You're weird.*
Hush, u anoyin kity.
*Me, annoying? You're the one who sent Mystery away!*
Yah. So?
*sighs*
(March 4, 2017 - 1:43 pm)
The remainder of October passed quickly, with relatively little incident. Alex never fell asleep at school again (as far as Jack was aware), but seemed to drift around in a perpetual state of vague unawareness. He had taken to wearing a sweatshirt that read, ‘The bags under my eyes are designer’.
Adrienne thought it was funny.
Jack might’ve, too, in any other circumstance, except it was a bit hard considering the legitimate fact that said bags were very noticeable.
Another memorable moment was realizing that Benson’s parents, in fact, were very good friends with Jack’s dad, and expected their sons to be as well.
That led to some rather awkward evenings, and many ‘sos’ texts to Alex, who responded with words of encouragement and loads of smiley faces and ridiculous advice that Jack would never in a million years follow, but appreciated anyway.
(Also, Alex and Ben had taken up a very intense dislike for one another. Adrienne grumbled often about usually being the one to clear up arguments, being the “only sane person in this paume endroit”.)
Speaking of Adrienne, she had once marched up to them by the lockers after school a few days previous, with an unreadable expression and red circles under her eyes. She demanded, “Do you know anyone named Theo?”
Alex and Jack exchanged looks. “You forget,” Alex said, “That I’m new and Jack is hopelessly antisocial.”
Jack supposed he should’ve taken offense to this, but Alex was, in all honesty, right. “What’s his last name?”
“Not his,” Adri corrected, fiddling with her combination lock, still looking put out. “Hers.”
There was a short pause.
“Oh!” Alex shouted suddenly, and Jack dropped his math binder in surprise. “Theodora Brent, you mean? I didn’t know she went by Theo, huh— She’s in History with me. Why? How do you know her?”
“We have Sculpture and Modeling together,” Adrienne explained, biting her lip. “We’re… partners. For a project. She confuses me.”
“What do you mean by—” Alex started, but Adri waved him off with a hurried, “Ça ne fait rien. Forget I asked,” and changed the subject.
And so, like a flash, it was a Saturday morning, the 31st of October, better known as Halloween. Jack woke up to Moriah pounding on his door and yelling, “Get your butt out here, Jacko, I can’t deal with these hooligans alone!”
“Ugh, coming,” Jack groaned, stumbling out of his room and squinting at his sister in the bright light of the hallway. She was still in pajamas, green-and-blue flannel pants (they used to be his, he thought), and an oversized t-shirt, and looked like she’d rather be sleeping.
Relatable, Jack thought drily.
“Great,” Mo said, starting down the hallway. “Rach and Luke are bouncing off the walls already. Honestly.”
“It’s Halloween,” Jack yawned. “Can you blame them?”
Mo paused. “No, but it’s driving me insane.”
“Fair enough.”
(March 4, 2017 - 7:46 pm)
Yay yay yay there's more!
(March 4, 2017 - 9:09 pm)
YES there is more! This is très beau, Abi! I love it!
-Nianad
(March 5, 2017 - 3:10 pm)
I don't like one part about this story: THERE'S NOT ENOUGH OF IT! Every time I see a new post by Ai, I rush to this thread, only to be horrified when I FINISH READING and must wait a few DAYS to read more! I love it.
(March 5, 2017 - 6:34 pm)
What? You all are? So? Nice? What did I do to deserve all you lovely people? Hugs! <33
------
They reached the living room, where eight-year-old Rachel promptly ran up to Jack and threw her arms around his legs. “Jacky!”
Rachel, for one, was perfectly awake, and Moriah’s assessment of her’s and Luke’s energy level was accurate.
“Let’s get breakfast, m’kay?” Jack said, gently shepherding them toward the kitchen.
“Where’s daddy?” Luke asked.
“Asleep,” Moriah said, scooping up their little brother and plopping him down into his blue-plastic booster seat. Rachel was then placed next to him, and once they had been successfully placated by a Disney Princess coloring book and a handful of crayons, Mo joined Jack at the counter.
“Game plan?”
“Parmesan toast,” Jack decided, handing her a loaf of bread. “It’s too early to make anything harder.”
They worked in silence for a little while, a small sort of assembly line— Mo snipped off the crusts, Jack buttered the sourdough and added cheese.
“Excited for the party?” Mo questioned after a time.
Jack flapped a slice back and forth in a so-so gesture. “Eh, I guess. Mostly I just want to eat chocolate and hang out with my friends and avoid dad.”
Mo snorted. “Sounds like a foolproof agenda.”
“Oh, and make sure nobody commits murder,” Jack added as an afterthought. “I can see some people I know using Halloween as an excuse to try and get away with it… Put these in the toaster oven, will you?”
Meanwhile, at another household, breakfast was in progress. Sarah gave Alex a rather unnerving stare over her bowl of oatmeal.
He fidgeted involuntarily, mug of tea halfway to his mouth. “Seriously, what’re you looking at me for?”
“Just making sure everything’s alright.”
“I’m fine, Sarah,” Alex sighed, taking a gulp of hot liquid and scalding his throat, sending him into a coughing fit. “Halloween is just another normal day.”
“Alex, I’m trying to help,” Sarah said gently.
“Well, you’re not doing a very good job,” Alex pointed out shortly.
“Alex—”
“Leave me alone.”
With that, he stormed out of the room. Sarah groaned inwardly and slapped herself on the head. Halloween was a hard day, year to year, but this one was the most frustrating yet. All the photo albums had been removed from the living room.
They’d return within a week or so, after everything cooled down.
Sarah supposed it might make things easier for Alex if at least this awful anniversary wasn’t on a holiday— Maybe if he wasn’t expected to enjoy the day, he’d feel less like he had to shield himself.
Oh, who was she kidding? Alex was stubborn if nothing else. The best she could do was offer her unconditional, silent support and let him work it out on his own.
Alex stomped into his room, flopped down onto his bed and screamed into his pillow until his throat was raw. He wished he could just close his eyes and sleep the whole day away. Press a button and blip right over Halloween, like it was a bothersome ad on TV.
Some years went better than others, but this was the first in a long time that he was making the effort to celebrate the holiday normally. He could just text Jack, tell him he was sick and couldn’t go to that stupid party, and hide in a pile of fuzzy blankets until November.
No, that was running away from the problem, and he was Alex Quinn and he was stronger than that.
But he knew— and Sarah did too— that he wasn’t stronger than the flashbacks, which was what really bothered them both.
Alex sat up, hugging the pillow to his chest. His former position had been starting to obstruct his breathing, which didn’t help the crushing sense of fear pressing heavily into his chest. It’s his thoughts, it’s his brain, he’s supposed to be able to control them, isn’t he?
“It’s alright,” they said.
“I’m so sorry,” they said.
“I’m here for you,” they said, and the words were empty shells, polite courtesy with no real concern. Nobody understood— it wasn’t like they tried, anyway.
Eyes dried, head up, stay calm, keep it in.
No-one will see, no-one will know.
He could do this right.
(March 6, 2017 - 12:39 am)
I have no words this is so good.
Spirit-rain says kuet.
*I meant cute cuz I'm cute*
(March 6, 2017 - 4:59 pm)
Oh my goodness, Abi! This is awesome and amazing! You are a wonderful writer, and I seriously think you could publish this story!
(March 7, 2017 - 10:01 am)
(March 7, 2017 - 5:21 pm)
(March 9, 2017 - 10:19 pm)
(March 10, 2017 - 4:17 pm)
(March 12, 2017 - 11:43 am)