HIDING - every scar has a story

9. Guts.

{Cary}

Cary stayed up half the night writing a page of something for his book report. He hadn't finished the book. He moved through the huge empty house like a dreamer.

"Liam. I have a brother," he said in the dark when he couldn't sleep.

He dragged himself to school with his assignment in his backpack and fell asleep in Mrs. Somers' class. The class bell woke him, and he joined the crush of students in the hall.

A little space had cleared for the mugging that was under way: a pack of guys in boarder brands were dumping the contents of their victim's backpack on the floor.

"Seriously, give it back." It was Jon's voice, protesting. One of the guys gave him a careless shove, and Jon's hands slapped against the floor. They tossed Jon's wallet back, bouncing it off the back of his head, and left laughing.

Cary was frozen for a second, buried in the crowd of bystanders. He made his feet turn and walk the other way. He couldn't afford to care about someone else's problems; he had enough of his own.

///

He was sitting against the sun-warm bricks, thinking about skipping the afternoon when Jon stepped out the north doors. His face lit up when he saw Cary and he headed across the concrete towards him.

"What are you doing here?" Cary's feet scraped on the concrete as he shoved himself up.

Jon's smile wavered. "I just saw you out here and I thought I'd say hi."

Cary was silent. How did this kid not get tired of finding a smile for him?

"So... I brought my English notes from this morning," Jon said. "Mrs. Somers talked about our final essays. Um, while you were sleeping."

Cary frowned. "Thanks."

Mike shoved out the doors, the tattoo rippling on his massive neck. "Care." He sounded like he was chewing rocks. "Gotta dart? I'm out."

Cary silently passed Mike the pack. Mike stared at Jon, standing on the cigarette-littered concrete in his pressed khakis and collared shirt.

Jon gave him his best straight white smile. "Hi, I'm Jon."

Cary's eyebrows lifted. Credit for guts.

A corner of Mike's mouth went up in sardonic amusement. "What're you in for Jon?"

"Pardon?"

"Grade. What grade are you in?"

"Ten. You?"

"Same. I haven't seen you around."

Jon blinked at Mike, a whole head taller than him. "Um... we just moved."

"Aw, that's hell."

Jon crossed his arms. "Yeah." It took him a second to retrieve his smile. "You move around a bit?"

Mike huffed a laugh. "No one keeps me for long. Missed a whole grade, five. That foster uncle beat the shit outta me."

There was a beat of silence. Jon wasn't smiling now. "That's terrible," he said.

Mike narrowed his eyes as he sucked his cigarette to the filter. "That's life Jon. Everybody has to eat shit sometimes. You'll figure that out."

Cary saw Jon run a hand up the back of his head. He had a feeling Jon knew already. "Well I'm sorry," Jon said.

Mike put his head back and laughed. "Kid, you're killing me." He wiped his eyes with a massive, brown hand. "Where did you find this one Care?"

Cary gave him a flat look. He didn't give a shit how big Mike was, that was not his name.

Mike was still chuckling as he went back into the school. When he was gone, Cary said, "You don't have to hang around me just because we're partners."

Jon shrugged. His mouth was unhappy. "I needed someplace to be." He looked around the yard like it wasn't what he'd expected. "You wanna come over for supper tonight? We could work on the project or just whatever." When he looked back at Cary, his smile came back, as hopeful as the first day they met.

Maybe that smile was why Cary said, "Sure. Meet you here." 

*Why does Cary keep letting Jon get a little closer? Maybe this chapter should be combined with the next one?*

662 words.