HIDING - every scar has a story

13. A man who made peace.

*Trigger warning: bullying, violence.*

{Cary}

Monday LA class, Cary looked for Jon. He found Jon's bent head a few rows up. He was wearing different clothes: a hooded sweatshirt and black cargo pants. The sweatshirt had a skull on the back, printed in dark red. Cary knew camouflage tactics when he saw them.

Three of the guys who had mugged Jon were in the back row with Cary, flicking elastics at each other and playing games on their cell phones under cover of their desks. Cary held still. At class bell, the guys flanked Jon and caught him in the hall again.

"Hey gay boy, you owe us twenty bucks today."

Jon's face was flat, as close to angry as Cary had seen him. "Actually Todd, I think you're the one who owes me. I'd like my fifty dollars back."

That made them laugh. "Let's make it another fifty." They shoved Jon against the lockers and dumped his backpack on the floor. There was nothing in his wallet, so they pushed him around a bit and left.

Jon's bag lunch was strewn on the hall floor all the way to Cary's feet. Cary put everything back in the paper bag and held it out to Jon, who was shoving his books back into his backpack.

Jon looked up quickly to see who was standing over him.

"Nothing's squished." Cary said.

Jon took it, colour rising in his face. "Thanks."

"Coming to the doors for lunch?"

"Sure."

///

Cary stretched his legs on the grass having a smoke while Jon ate his lunch. He glanced sideways at Jon. "You gonna fight those kids?"

Jon crumpled his lunch bag and tossed it. "Are you kidding? No."

Cary frowned. "The one in front, who knew you—"

"Todd." Jon turned his face aside.

"If you got him alone you could take him."

Jon looked like someone had thrown a bag over his head and rubbed out his smile. "I doubt it."

"You could hurt him anyways," Cary said.

Jon shrugged. He wasn't looking at him. "I was hoping I could talk to him. Figure something out."

Cary frowned. "Don't do that. Keep your head down like you are. He'll get bored."

Jon crossed his arms tight, like something was hurting him. "It's been two months."

Anger sparked hot in Cary's chest. Probably cutting Todd open to let his guts fall out wasn't an option. But for a second, he considered it. He looked at Jon's down-turned face and wondered why he didn't tell his dad. He didn't ask.

He looked up the narrow alley between the school and the rec center, looking for a change of subject. "I've been thinking about our project."

Jon smiled. It looked like the real thing, if a little dimmed. "Yeah?"

"I thought we could make it so when you look inside, you see some rooms and stuff."

Jon laughed a bit. "How would I get a project that big on the bus to hand in?"

"Maybe 1 to 250 scale?" Cary showed with his hands how wide and tall the model would be.

"Do we have to wait until Mr. Ryerson hands our drafts back?"

"No. Let's start now."

Jon sighed. "I can't tonight. I have youth group at the church. I'm supposed to bring a friend."