F&C Book 3

May 23rd, continued.

Instead of going home, I end up going to school instead. I managed to go to my 10 o'clock class as I arrived at the building, Technical drawing. Though late, Mr Morgillo accepted my lateness and allowed me to go in and sit down, where I usually do, next to Evadney.

I sat down and started to prepare my area to draw, when Evadney started to whisper to me the objective of the class' aim: draw 3 veiws of a cube with a round hole that goes through each of the sides. The hole's diameter is 1/2 the length of the cubes's side. I sat up and thought about it, thinking how simple that was, before proceeding to draw it. I was done in 1/2 the time that the rest of the class was able to do it in. I submitted the work and then put my head down on my arms.

As I rested, Evadney whispered into my ear, "Is it true that half of the Shortfellows and Fencers are going to kill themselves?"

"They tried. They failed.", I tell her quietly.

"You had any involvement in this?", Evadney whispers back.

"Who do you think stopped them?", I said.

"No... how?", she asked, then adding, "No... tell me during lunch."

"Good... I just want to sleep, if you don't mind.", I tell her quietly.

"Another headache?", she asks.

"Yes...", I answered as short as possible.

"Good night sweet princce.", she says as she gives me a kiss on the temple.

"AWWW!" "Good Night Sweet Prince!", the football players mocked her as they made loud kissing noises. Of course, this riles up Mr Morgillo, and the class quiets down to a few giggles as always. I tried to nap during the remaining time we had left in class.

Soon the 5 minute warning bell rang, waking me up from the light slumber. Mr Morgillo lets me gather my things and leave the room, allowing Evadney to leave with me. Together we walked up the remaining 3 floors to the lunch room.

"Tell me what happened.", Evadney said.

"What is there to say?", I started, "One of the assholes had some poison pills to give to the group and I managed to switch it with my thorazine."

"So, where's everybody now?", Evadney asks, "You know, that everyone is talking about you guys since this morning because they found this note, and those in the note are absent..."

"Oh, that...", I started to say, "They are somewhere out in New Jersey."

"What are they doing out there?", Evadney asked.

"Well, they wanted to kill themselves at the makeout point at the Palicades, and then we went to a motel for the night.", I tell her.

"So, what are you doing here?", she asks.

"Its simple, I left them before they would wake up and realize that they are not dead. I was thinking of going home, but decided to go to school first.", I explained.

"And how would you know that they are not killing themselves again?", Evadney asks.

"This is their second time trying, I doubt there will be a third time.", I tell her as we approched the 6 and 1/2 floor landing.

"You better hope so.", a voice says from above belong to Lennard. We both looked up and looked at him and Jose standing by the doorway.

"They don't have anymore poisoned pills.", I tell him.

"You absolutely sure of that?", Jose asked.

"Yes, I'm absolutely sure.", I tell him, "I wasted 1/2 of my thorazine on them."

"You switched your medication for the poison?", Lennard asked. I pull out the bottle to show them. He takes it and looks at it- reading the label for information and counting what is left inside.

"We'll talk later.", Jose says as Lennard hands back my medication.

"Make sure that Jaunita(Gloria) know where you are at...", Lennard says to me as they walked past me and hurriedly down the stairs as the bell rings.

"I think she already knows.", I said almost to myself.

"Jaunita(Gloria)?", Evadney says.

"You know. Cathy's friend who everyone calls an old lady?", I explained.

"Oh... the one you're supposedly be connected too.", Evadney says.

"Yeah.", I tell her. We walked into the lunch together.

We managed to get a lunch tray for each other, and sit down onto one of the more obscure areas, taking over a table for ourselves near the cashier of the lunch line. Any challenge was met with a set of glowing eyes and a growl from me. Quietly we had lunch together.

"Are you OK?", Evadney asks.

"I'm not.", I tell her honestly.

"What happened?", Evadney asks.

"You want the long story or the short story?", I asked.

"Make it the short story first.", Evadney answers.

"OK. Never mind how I switched the poison pills with my medication without them knowing, I just did. With that, they tried to kill Jaunita(Gloria) and I with the switched meds, so we playe 'possum for a while. While they drove off to the Palicades to kill themselves too. Everyone but two take the fake poison pills and are soon sleeping it off.", I started to explain.

"Who are the two who didn't?", Evandney asks.

"I was getting to that. Anyways, It was Lisa and Karen.", I answer her.

"Karen- you mean that tall blonde dyke on the fencing team?", Evadney asks.

"Yes, now stop stop interupting me.", I tell her.

"OK, what happened next?", Evadney asks.

"Well, they stepped out of the van and were crying when I confronted them and told them about what I did. So, long story short, we searched everybody's pockets and gathered some money to get a hotel room for us. And we spend the night together.", I explained.

"You with Lisa and Karen?", Evadney asked.

"No, Jaunita(Gloria) and I in one room and Karen and Lisa in another.", I explain to her.

"But, you two, together, in the same bed?", Evadney asked.

"Nothing happened. We were all too doped up on my meds, and I would not take advantage of somebody like that.", I tell her.

"So, you all slept in on your own rooms, what about the others?", Evadney asks.

"We tied them up.", I answered her.

"Man... you're so evil.", Evadney says.

"It had to be done.", I tell her.

"So, you're still alive?", another voice joins in with us.

"Cathy? You usually don't take school lunch.", I say to her.

"I was going to bring this to the bookroom, but since I see you're here with, *AHEM*, her, I might as well see how far you're cheating against me.", Cathy says as she put her lunch on the table and sat down next to us.

"I'm not cheating with anyone Cathy.", I tell her.

"You know I got a panicked and scared phone call from Jaunita(Gloria) this morning, because you left her with the others? You know that they are damned worried about you?", Cathy pointed out to me.

"If they were so worried, then why would they accused me of having sex with Jaunita(Gloria)?", I asked.

"Well, maybe that you two slept with each other?", Cathy stated.

"He said that nothing happened between them.", Evadney says in my defense.

"Look, I don't know what he said to you, but unless I hear from them both, you should see these two go at each other... its like some dirty pornography movie gone bad.", Cathy says.

"Look, Jaunita(Gloria) was doped up on my meds, so I was not going to take advantage of her in that condiction.", I tell her.

"She was?", Cathy says.

"Annie tried to kill her by giving her a poisoned pill, but I switched it with my meds before that could happen.", I tell her.

"You're lying...", Cathy says.

"I'm not.", I tell her.

"That means that, oh god...", Cathy started to say.

"Look, there are no more pills, at least not for today.", I tell her.

"Where are they?", Cathy asks.

"They should be at the Toll Gate Motel, on the Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge, if not, then on their way here.", I tell her.

"If they are on their way here, we got to hide you...", Cathy says.

"What the fuck for?", I ask.

"They will be coming to get you...", Cathy saids.

"Look- I am not scared of them.", I tell her.

"Then why did you run?", Cathy asks.

"Because of Denise. OK? That Bitch gets on my nerves, and I am not going to deal with her if I don't have too.", say to her.

"What are you going to do then?", Cathy asks.

"Look, I'll be there like I always do after 8th period. What you do is on you.", I tell her.

"You want me to be there?", Cathy asks.

"Nothing changes, Cathy. If you want to be there, then be there.", I tell her.

"What about me?", Evadney asks.

"You're not there, so that would raise some eyebrows if you come.", I tell her.

"Be there, and bring your friends too.", Cathy tells her.

"Cathy...", I tell her sternly.

"You are going to need every bit of help you can get...", Cathy says.

"She's right, Fernando. There will be a lot of angry people after you.", Evadney says. "I'll have as much of the class in there."

"Wait a minute!", I said out loud.

"You come first before anyone of us.", Evadney said.

"Yes, you do.", Cathy stated before I could get a word on edgewise, "You have Ann with Raul, Denise, Juanita, Karen, Sharon, Lisa H, Dallas, John and Kevin- all after you for stopping something they thought was right."

"Fuck them, if they were so serious in killing themselves, a bullet to the head or a long dive out their windows would have been enough. But all they wanted was attention, and they got it, in the form of me. I think they were rather selfish in this act, furthermore, they are nobody that I can't handle.", I explain to them.

"As individuals, you can deal with them. You now have a whole group going after you.", Cathy stated.

"Look, I'll be there with the others.", Evadney says as she looks at her watch.

"I'd prefer to deal with it alone.", I tell her.

But she refuses, as she gathers her empties and slides them across the table and into the garbage can. "I'll see you later in Physics.", Evadney says before leaning over to me to give me a kiss. Then she disappears into the crowd, though I can sense her wanting to go to the roof, where the frisbie team would be practicing and Ronald would be there.

I look back to Cathy once Evadney was out of sight.

"You got a serious problem.", Cathy stated.

"What?", I asked her, unsure how to reply.

"You know what I am talking about.", Cathy stated.

"No I don't.", I tell her.

"You're going to have 1/2 of the Fencers and 1/2 of the Shortfellows after you because of this.", she says to me.

"Look, Cathy. Annie tried to kill us. Its that simple. She actually put a damned poison pill into my mouth, lucky for me I'm immune to most poisons!", I almost shouted at her. "The she tried to do the same with Jaunita(Gloria)! You would have lost your 2 best friends because of her, and for what? Some petty bullcrap?"

"Did she?", Cathy asks.

"Yes, she did.", I tell her with all seriousness.

"I'm going to have a talk with Lennard and Jose.", Cathy says.

"I think they already know.", I tell her.

"Well, I'm adding to it.", she saids. The 5 minute warning bell rings. "Oh damn, I'm Late!", Cathy says as she hears the bell go off. She then quickly goes and dumps her tray into the trash can nearby. I try to follow suit, but she is off running to the nearest exit, and is on her way out once she shows off her pass.

I let out a sigh and think to myself, 'Spanish is next, so I'll cut it.' With that inmind, I clean up my area and head for the nearest exit, and walk out upon showing my handicap pass. I head to the computer room in 2E18 and miss out on the next couple of classes that I would prefer not to go. Once there, I played my games to unwind and did a little programming to keep from being caught by Mr Rosenbluth. Soon it would be 8th period and Physics in Mr Fonder's class. Deciding whether to go or not was hard to decide, but I go anyway.

Once in class, I put my head down on my desk in my arms and hope for things to just go away. Problem is, they wont, as nearly most of the girls in the class pass by my desk and give me some sort of signal to tell or show me that they are backing me up. From a simple kiss on the cheek to ruffleing up my hair. Ronald gave me a pat on the back before he sat down on his chair, next to mine.

During thie time, Mr Fonder waited patiently as he watch was going on: nearly 1/2 the class going out of their way to go around my seat in the fifth row, third to last seat. As the last girl of the class walked around and gave me a hug before heading to her chair, he gives an impatient sigh.

"Now before we start off with class, can I ask what was that all about?", Mr Fonder says.

"He's been sick all day, Mr Fonder.", Evadney says out loud.

"Well, maybe he should have stayed home if Mr Gutierrez is so sick.", Mr. Fonder says.

"Uhm... That's the problem.", Evadney tries to embellish the facts.

"How about we start with the class work.", I said loud snough to be heard.

"Oh, welcome back from the dead- Fernando. Yes, lets get started on the work at hand.", Mr Fonder stated.

The class was quick and short, more review on elelctron orbits and the frequencies they appear to emit. Taking advantage of my handicap privillages, I head to 1E17 earlier than most.

The first floor hall was empty, as was Ms Jastrey's room though the door was unlocked. I allow myself to go in and take a seat in the back. There, I laid my head down on the desk in my arms again as I waited. As the end of 8th period bell rang, Ms Jastrey entered the room with Lennard and Jose, carrying in bags of chinese food.

"Oh good, Gutich is here.", Ms Jastrey says.

Lennard approached me as Jose locked the doors and pulled the shade on their windows, "Gutich, you're welcome to join us on a mid afternoon meal."

I just nodded at him, and remained as I were. The meal was started without me, though Lennard and Jose had left a little something on my desk next to me. As they ate, there was some knocking on the door, which they ignored. Ignored until the knocking become a loud pounding on the door, as if somebody was kicking it repeatedly and hard.

"Who in the hell is that!", Ms Jastrey yelled out loud.

"I'll Go Take Care Of It, Ms J.", Lennard stated as he got up and walked to the door. As he grabbed the door knob, he can feel somebody on the other end trying to pick the lock. He quickly opens the door on them, trying to make sure that what ever tools were being used against the lock would be yanked from who ever's hands they were in. The door opens to a hunched over Raul got in surprized. "What THE!", Lennard yells out. "ALL OF YOUS- LINE UP AGAINST THE WALL! NOW!" Jose walked up to Lennard in a show of force and back up.

Most argued back, some trying to get a sneak peek into the room to see if I or anyone else were there. Milo tried to step in and show his authority over Lennard, "We need our fencing equipment."

Ms Jastrey walks up to the door, and past Lennard and Jose, making her presence known. "Everybody up against the wall- size order, Fencers on that wall, Shortfellows on that wall! How Dare Any of You Interupt Me From My Lunch!" Then she notices the third group. Standing to the right of 1E17. "And who might you be?", she says as she turns to them.

Evadney steps up to Ms Jastrey slowly, "We're Fernando's classmates. We know he's been sick all day, so we collected the class work for him."

"Oh, How sweet. Well, he's in there resting, and I'm having my lunch. So line up on that line, and wait with the rest of them.", Ms Jastrey tells her as and the rest of the group her tone of voice changes from sweetness to authority and she points on the line on the floor, which would place them in between the Fencers and the Shortfellows. They quickly oblige her. "Now everyone is going to wait until I finish my lunch and I want silence out here!", Ms Jastrey almost yells at them before stammering back into the room.

Lennard reaches into the door lock and pulls out the lock picking tools before turning to Raul, "Raul, you will see me about this and answer to every question I have.", as he shows off the tools before pocketting them. Lennard then steps back into the room and closes the door behind him, locking it.

"What has gotten into those crazy kids?", Ms Jastrey says out loud to herself.

Neither Jose or Lennard would answer, but I pick up my groggy head and look about the room before answering, "A suicide pact."

"What did you said, my dear Gutich?", Ms Jastry asked.

"It's a suicide pact amoung them, because one of the girls got pregnant and does not want to face her parents.", I tried to explain.

"You mean the in Shortfellows?", Ms Jastrey asks.

"Its best not to worry your head about this Mrs J.", Lennard says to her.

"Let Gutich finish.", Ms Jastrey says.

"It involves both, though the girl is a Fencer. Everyone else want to follow her to destruction like a pack of lemmings.", I explained.

"Dallas.", Ms Jastrey says to herself.

"Excellent guess, Ms Jastrey.", I said almost to myself.

"And that skinny chinese Hom girl that is always on his arm.", Ms Jastrey says.

"Sharon or Lisa?", I ask.

"We all know that Lisa is after you, so it not her. Its Sharon.", Ms Jastrey answers.

"Lisa is after me?", I asked.

"Oh, don't be surprzed my dear Gutich. I know she's been after you since the fencing match at Boys and Girls High School. I'm just wondering whats taking you so long to act on it.", Ms Jastrey answers.

I do not know how to answer, so I remain silent, looking at the bits of food on the desk that Lennard and Jose had left for me. Slowly, I pick at it and begin to eat it.

"Eat up my boy. There's some friends of yours who want to see you.", Ms Jastrey says.

"Friends?", I ask.

"Classmates. They want to give you the day's work while you were out sick.", Ms Jastrey says.

"Cathy with them?", I ask.

"That baby-factory is not amoung them, and I would not allow her to enter if she was.", Ms Jastrey says.

"But... Ms Jastrey... she's the only one in my math class.", I tried to explain.

"Lennard, go get his program card and compare it to hers.", Ms Jastrey says.

"Mrs J., we already know that they have the same math class, first period with Mr Wienstien, since Gutich entered Tech.", Lennard says.

"Hmmm... this does pose an interesting predicument. Alright, I'll allow her to stay, for now.", Ms Jastrey stated.

"Mrs Jastrey, uhm, they are not here to give me class work.", I tried to explain.

"Then why would they come looking for you?", Ms Jastrey asks.

"They are here to protect me.", I tell her.

"Protect you? From who?", Ms Jastrey asks.

"I don't know how to say other than to say it. Ms Jastrey, they tried the suicide stunt last night, but I managed to stop it. And it seems that some of them want to hurt me for interfering. The whole school knows what happened, and they want to protect me from what might happen.", I tried to explain.

"You need protection? My dear Gutich, I have seen you take on that brute Todd Rock and his friends, the football team and the drama team, let alone from what I hear- you taking on the whole lunch room during the riot. Least not to say, as small as you are my dear boy- you faced off that criminal gang who robbed me at the store near my house, and managed to return to me everything that they stole. My dear Gutich, if anyone needs protection, it would be they from you, and not you from them.", Ms Jastrey says. Both Lennard and Jose look at me with their jaws dropped, for they had ran into the same gang as well, with loses to the their personal property.

"Gutich did what?", Jose said out loud.

"Surely, you jest, Mrs J.", Lennard says.

"I jest not.", Ms Jastrey stated to them.

"But, we tried to take them on for you, and are lucky to have walked out of it with our skins intact!", Jose stated.

"Obviously, he succedded where you failed.", Ms Jastrey tells him.

"Can you at least bring my friends in so I can get the work I missed?", I asked.

"Alright, I'll allow it.", Ms Jastrey said as she signalled to Lennard to open the door. Lennard walks to the door and opens it, looking at the 3 groups lined up inside. He points to the first one who was in the line of classmates who were waiting for me, and tells them to enter the room quietly. As they enter, Ms Jastrey tells them to get a chair and set it around me to do the work quietly. As they do, I slowly get up and walk to the door where Lennard was, and look at the other two groups, spotting Cathy and Jaunita(Gloria) there. I whisper to Lennard to get them in as well, and he signals to them to enter. They walk in quietly and are told to join the group by Ms Jastrey.

I then whisper to Lennard to allow the Fencers to enter then the Shortfellows, as they did a couple of days before.

"I'm going to say this once, so listen. You are going to enter when I tell you too and get a chair to sit on by the wall- Fencers on one side, Shortfellows on the other. You are going to do so quietly, and anyone who thinks I'm kidding around will be kicked off their group.", Lennard tells them.

"You have no jurisdiction over me... I'm the team captain!", Milo saids out loud.

"I'll kick you off the team and make Gutich the team captain!", Ms Jastrey yells from her desk, silencing Milo once and for all, "Now you better listen to my sargent at arms or leave and never to return!"

"You heard her...", Lennard stated to everyone. "Starting with you, get inside and do as you're told." The Fencers walked in quietly, take their seats by the wall that had the room's doors. The Shortfellows followed and took their seats by the opposite wall with the windows. Lennard takes his place by Ms Jastrey, as I stood by the door momentarily before staggering 1/2 way into the room, then stopping to turn about slowly and look at them all.

"Ms Jastrey?", I asked to get her attention.

"I trust your judgement my boy.", Ms Jastrey said.

"What if I decide to get vulgar?", I asked.

"Get vulgar with them as you want. Its obvious that they don't care about themselves or their lives.", Ms Jastrey stated, then she reaches into her pocket and tosses me her keys and points to the first closet by the door, "In fact, you can choose any weapon you please."

I walk to it, and open it, looking at the assortment of weapons inside used for target practice and training. I choose the long bow and arrows, which I bring out to the middle of the room. I then go into the back of the room and pull out my fencing bag that I had hidden, dragging it out into the middle of the room with the archery equipment. I pull out my blade and rest it on the floor and pick up the bow and arrows, arming the bow loosely before looking at everyone in the room.

I then pivot on my feet to spin around and pull back on the bow, stopping at Raul and Ann, "The next time you try to kill me, you better make sure that I am truly dead..." as I raise the bow, but not taking aim though I actually was, knowing exactly where my hands and arms with the bow and arrow were compared to my eyes. I let go the arrow, and let it sail across the room, letting it impale itself on the wall, between the two of them. I quickly rearm and aim it at Raul as he tries to get up. "Don't even try it, Raul- its aimed for your heart.", I tell him. "Then again, after what happened yesterday, you don't have a heart. And though you started this, my issues here are with your cousin-girlfriend, for it was she who tried to kill me yesterday."

"You have no proof that she was involved.", Raul shouted back.

"Karen...", I call to her.

"You were curled up in the closet motionless and she stated that she put a poison pill in your mouth, killing you.", Karen says to everyone. The group of my classmates gasped.

"Anything else?", I asked her.

"She also said that she kill that girl too.", as Karen points to Jaunita(Gloria).

"You want more proof?", I asked Raul.

"She's lying!", Raul shouted out.

"No I Am Not!", Karen shouted back.

"Is she?", I asked. "Listen up Raul, Karen Hendrickson does not like, does not anything to do with me, and as far as I know, thinks I'm just another damn spic that should have his dick chopped off before I go sticking into the next pair of panties I see. So, why should she be lying? Wouldn't you think that if Annie did kill me, that Karen would be jumping for joy in the very least? Now sit the fuck down or else.", I tell him.

In the background, there was the sound of metal sliding on metal, the only kind of sound that only comes from a gun. I shift my eyes to look towards Ms Jastrey's desk where Lennard and Jose were, finding Lennard standing, but Jose sitting, both with guns in their hands aimed at Raul.

"Go ahead, Raul, Make Our Day.", Lennard tells him.

"I said I'll take care of this...", I tell them.

"Can you see that he has his hand in his pocket where he keeps his shirekens?", Lennard explains.

"Yes I can, and I was hoping that he would be stupid to do something.", I tell him as I put the bow down and disarm it. "Now sit down and put away the guns."

"He's going to try to do something stupid, and I'm going to nail him if he does.", Lennard says.

"Then shoot me.", I tell him.

"What?", Lennard asks.

"I said, shoot me.", I tell him some more.

"What for?", Lennard asks.

"Lets say it's a demonstra-*", I started to say, but is interupted by the loud blast from Jose's gun. The loud bang reaches my ears before the bullet does, giving me less than a 1/100th of a second to react. I spin about to face Jose and swing my arm in the air, closing my fist in mid air and stopping before shakng my fist as if I hit something hard. To everyone, the movement was just a fast moving blur. I then turn to Raul and toss a piece of metal at him, the lead and copper head of the bullet.

It falls at his feet as everyone gasps, John dives for it and picks it up saying, "No fucking way."

"Have a seat Raul.", I tell him. John hands the bullet to Kevin, who is at awe looking at it. I take the bullet from them and hand it over to Ms Jastrey, who looks at it.

"I'm impressed, my boy. Now, how did you do it?", Ms Jastrey asks.

"Lets just say that I can.", I tell her before turning to Raul, "And you think you're going to get me with a stupid throwing star? Fuck you Raul- for if you'd tried, the doctors across the street would be pulling that throwing star out of your Adam's Apple. So don't even try it with me. Don't even think of even trying it with me." I then take several steps to him, stopping in front of his desk. "I don't care if Annie succeeded or failed in trying to kill me. The point for me is that she also tried to kill Jaunita(Gloria) with the same poisoned pills that you supplied.", I tell him, grabbing his shirt by his chest and lift him out of his chair. I then drag him out onto the middle of the room, but he tries to give me a hard fist to the face, but before he makes impact, I grab his flying fist with my left hand and squeeze down on him, making him wince in pain. I then drop him to the floor. "This game is over. Anyone who thinks otherwise will have to deal with me- on the fencing strip- one touch, without safety equipment, and me blindfolded.", I then started to walk away to the door.

"Gutich, where are you going?", Ms Jastrey asks.

"Somewhere, away from this riff-raff.", I tell her, before walking out the door. The door slams itself behind me, as I walked down the hall. I stop by the center section and look down its halls. It remains empty and quiet, like the rest of the school, except for various club and team activities. Inside 1E17, I can hear them argue, some yelling, others screaming; so I continued walking down the Eastern hallway.

Again, I stop momentarily at the Auditorium East Side Entrance, recessed into the floor a bit, requiring one to go down few set of steps on a small staircase. I sit on its banister, listenning in the loud comotion that was going on inside the room. Several leave 1E17, my classmates who came to give me the work of the day, most stopping by the Center East exit, looking around, until several see me sitting on the banister and all head towards me. Soon everyone was surrounding me, including Cathy and Jaunita(Gloria).

"What the hell is happening in there?", Ronald asks.

"A lot of personal bull crap.", I tell him.

"Everyone in there wants to kill each other in there if it were for those two with their guns.", Ronald adds.

"Let them. They'll find out the the guns are loaded with blanks.", I tell him.

"Blanks?", everyone asks at once.

"You think I can catch bullets in mid air?", I ask them, "It was all a stunt to make think otherwise!" Several of the girls giggle, all but Jaunita(Gloria) smile.

"That's not funny, Fernando.", Jaunita(Gloria) complains.

"It was not intended to be so.", I tell her. "Look, these idiots are so bent on killing themselves that they would hurt us too in the process. What for? Because somebody stuck their dick into the other and got her pregnant? Come on- lets be real with this. There are two choices to make here- 1) have the baby or 2) have an abortion."

"And what would you do?", Sandra asks before Evadney or any of the others could.

"That would depend on you.", I tell Sandra.

"Me? Wait a minute- you and are not on those terms.", Sandra complains.

"That's what I mean- if we were- the decision would be on you. Now, lets go in order- Cathy- If it were you I got pregnant, what would you want?", I stated to prove a point.

"I don't know. Has to be an abortion, unless you say otherwise.", Cathy says.

"No- it's a decision you have to make and I have to support you 100% with.", I tell her.

"I don't know then.", Cathy says.

"But in the past, it was an abortion.", I tell her. Before she could run away, I take her arm and pull her hard towards me, holding her tightly as I can as she begins to cry. "I'm sorry for letting that out, but its something that I support in, OK?..."

"That was not nice of you to do.", Jaunita(Gloria) says.

"What about you? Considering what we did last night, if you got pregnant because of what happened, what would be your decision?", I tell her.

"You and her...", Evadney started pointing at us, trying to say more but cant find the words.

"Me and her did it... so what of it?", I started to say before having Cathy slap me and give me a hard push onto the stairs behind the banister. I just lay on the floor and think to myself how much I so deserved this.

Ronald and the others run to me to see if I was alright, while Cathy ran away, yet Jaunita(Gloria) stayed behind at the top of the stairs. They tried to help me up but I refused to move, telling them to let me go. All complied. As they stepped away, I curled up into a ball before sitting up agains the wall, every nerve ending screaming at me. Jaunita(Gloria) pushes several of the girls away to stand in front of me.

"You have no right in saying what happened last night.", Jaunita(Gloria) tells me sternly before extending her hand to help me up.

"What right you had in telling the girl fencers that we were married and you the mother of my child?", I asked as I took my hand. Not wanting to answer, Jaunita(Gloria) jerks her hand hard to get me to let go and manages to do so. She just stands there, giving me one of those 'If Looks Can Kill' stares.

"You and her, married?", Evadney stated.

"No We're Not!", I almost shouted, trying to keep it low as possible as I reached for the handrail. Slowly, I managed to get up.

"Then...", Evadney started to say.

"No. Don't say a word.", I tell her, but meaning for eveyone involved. "Look. It is was to gain the trust of those idiots they were on the verge of self destruction and get them to stop somehow. At least we managed to do that."

"But at what cost?", Evadney asked.

"You tell me.", I tell her, "I'm still trying to calculate the losses."

"Wait, you mean that everyone in that room tried to kill themselves?", Ronald asks.

"That's about right.", I tell him.

"And somehow, you managed to stop it?", Ronald asks.

"I did have some help.", I said as I looked to Jaunita(Gloria). I then started to go up the few steps to get out of the recessed entrance to the auditorium. We all walk out of the entrance way and stand in the hall.

"So... Uhm, Whats the problem.", Ronald asked.

"Evadney, care to answer that?", I ask her.

"The trust of certain people had been broken to save the others.", Evadney answers.

I slowly start to walk away, hoping not to be noticed, but the group is too keen not to let me go alone.

"Was it worth it?", somebody said, though it sounded like Sandra trying to prove a point.

I stop and turn around in my step to face them, answering, "Yes."

"So, saving the lives of people who do not care about you was worth more than the trust of your friends and lovers?", Sandra asked further.

"Yes.", I tell her, turning back around and trying to walk away. Sandra, Evadney and Ronald run past me to get in front of my path. The others, including Jaunita(Gloria) get behind me.

"Why?", Sandra asks.

Looking at everyone, trying to find the weakest link of all to go through, I stay there silently before answering. "I don't know."

"Yes, you do know.", Jaunita(Gloria) tells me.

I turn to face Jaunita(Gloria), "Then you tell me."

"You give yourself for the sake of others, even when they don't want it, nor care fot it.", Jaunita(Gloria) started to explain, "Even if you saved their lives, if they hated you before, they will hate you more after. But you think that if you did everyone a favor and handed them their lives back, that perhaps you would be liked more. Or at least have them owe you a favor."

"I never thought like that.", I tell Jaunita(Gloria).

"Then why do you do it?", Jaunita(Gloria) asks.

"Because I care.", I tell her.

"Oh sure- you care about people who don't about you. Not even Jesus was that dumb.", Jaunita(Gloria) stated.

"And what do you know of the almighty one?", I ask her.

"Plenty.", Jaunita(Gloria) says.

"Don't go there with me, or you will find yourself in the losing side.", I tell her.

"Oh, like you have some insight on god...", Jaunita(Gloria) stated.

"I know enough to make it now as an argument between us.", I tell her.

"Why do you do so?", Evadney stated before Jaunita(Gloria) could say anything.

"Not you too?", I ask her.

"No- I meant- why allow yourself to be trampled upon by those snobs?", Evadney says.

"They are not all snobs.", I started to say.

"Karen is not a snob?", Sandra started to say, "That bitch was a reputation of being Queen Snob of all of Tech..."

"Maybe if you saw them through my eyes, you would know them better as for who they are.", I explained.

"I see how you see them, and I still don't see why...", Jaunita(Gloria) stated.

"What- because I have slighted your virginal reputation in front of these people who I can call friends, that you would think everything I have tried would be wrong?", I tried to explain. "Look Jaunita(Gloria), you slighted my reputation first by telling those stupid and confused female fencers that I was married to you and you were the mother of my child. So at that point, your reputation is now moot, as you turned us into another Carol and Felix Green couple."

"Carol and Felix Green?", Sandra asks.

"They were a run-away couple who got married at 16, and yet managed to stay in tech long enough to graduate last year. They used to be Shortfellows.", Jaunita(Gloria) explained.

"That's just scratching the surface with those two.", I said to myself.

"Then what do they have to do with you two?", Evadney asks.

I turn to Jaunita(Gloria), "How long have we been married? In fact, how old is the baby? I would say, just enough to cover that before the baby was born, and to the point where he is today; more than a year? Now Evadney, would we be having the relationship we had back then if you knew I was married to her..." I received a cold slap by Evadney, forcing me to twist away to lessen the impact. Once I recompose myself, "See what I mean? Now, Out my way.", as I charge to the side and go down the hall.

I have not taken a couple of steps when I get charged by Milo and Dallas, who had managed to get out of 1E17 and waited to make their move against me, pummeling me once they had me pinned on the floor.

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU TO INTERFERE WITH OUR BUSINESS?", Milo says repeatedly as he put in his hits. Dallas remained silent as he whaled on me.

My fellow classmates tried to get in to stop it, but most don't even try to get in between in fear of getting hit themselves. Lisa T and Michelle F run back into 1E17, yelling, 'Fernando's getting beaten up!' Unfortunately, this may bring on the wrong attention, since most of the group want to see me dead or worse and this would be their opportunity to do so.

Soon the hallway was filled with Shortfellow and Fencers, each taking on sides, with threats of escalating the confrontation if the other interferes. It was not until Lennard pulls out his gun and shoots it that everyone stops, including Milo and Dallas.

With guns pointed to Dallas and Milo by Lennard and Jose, Dallas and Milo slowly get up and get tot he nearby wall, as they are told.

"Consider yourselves off the team until I decide what to do with you two.", Ms Jastrey says.

"You don't have to decide- we're leaving.", Milo says.

"Like hell you are!", Ms Jastrey says, as I tried to get up. I just turn to face them, clenching my fists by my sides.

"It is better to rule in hell, than it is to serve under heaven.", Dallas tells Ms Jastrey.

"Oh lookie here- the spic thinks he's all tough now...", Milo mock at me.

I step up to him and in a very fast move, grab a fist full of shirt from him, get him out of the way before sending my right fist through the steel reinforced concrete wall has was leaning on. I then turn to face him as I pull my arm out from the wall, with white and grey streaks of plaster and motar. I then rear my arm back and was about to let him have it in the face when Jaunita(Gloria) grabbed my arm.

"Fernando, don't...", Jaunita(Gloria) says out loud to me. I just turn to face her for a brief moment before turning back to Milo. Evadney joins in and also takes hold of my arm, followed by Sandra and Lisa T getting in front between Milo and I. Then the rest of my classmates joined in. "Let him go, Fernando.", Jaunita(Gloria) stated.

I wanted to say something, but I could not. Despite the number of people holding onto to me from both sides, I pull on Milo for a second before giving him a hard push that sends him flat on his ass as I let him go. Once I let him go, I try to pull away from the group, and walk away from everybody. With a bit of physical argument, I managed to get free to walk to the South East stair case at the very end of the hall, where I take to the rear of the staircase and take a seat on the steps. Evadney and Jaunita(Gloria) stay by the doors, listening in on my activities where I was doing, which was sitting down and leaning against the wall. After a minute or so, they silently walk to where I was.

"Are you alright?", Evadney asked.

"What do you think?", I tell her.

"I mean, if you're hurt, I can take you to the hospital or something...", Evadney started to say.

"I'd prefer to be left alone.", I interupt her from finishing her sentence.

"Lets go.", Jaunita(Gloria) tells Evadney as she takes her arm and pulls her away from me.

"Why?", I say out loud for Jaunita(Gloria) to hear.

They both look at me, unsure how to answer.

"Why did you stop me from hitting him, Jaunita(Gloria)?", I rephrased the question.

"You would have killed him.", Jaunita(Gloria) answered.

"That was what he wanted.", I tell her.

"He does not desire it.", Jaunita(Gloria) stated.

"And why not?", I asked.

"Anyone so bent on their self destruction should not have another do them their favor.", Jaunita(Gloria) stated.

"Alright...", I said as I got up and started to walk, "I'm going home."

"Did you mean what you said?", Evadney asked.

"Mean what?", I asked as I paused in my steps.

"If you ever got a girl pregnant, that you would support her in the decision that she makes?", Evadney asks.

"Why don't you ask the wife that...", I tell her, as I headed downstairs to the basement to take an invisible shortcut back to 1E17.

Some had left, either for practice in the auditorium or to meet up on the hill, others remained in 1E17, and yet, several more added in the form of Shortfellow Elders that came by upon Jose dropping a dime in the phone booth next to 1E17 earlier in the day. I walked in and gathered my bags and started to walk out of the room. Evadney and Jaunita(Gloria) followed to do the same.

"Gutich...", Ms Jastrey, started to say as I walked out of the room.

"Yes?", I answered her as I grabbed the door handle.

"Good work.", Ms Jastrey stated, "I'll take care of the rest of this mess."

I did not answer her, but rather gave her a quick nod of the head before stepping out, and walking down the hall to the North East Exit. The girls follow. Once out on the corner of DeKalb and South Elliot, I stand there looking up the hill, where I find the rest of the Shortfellows by the tree. From their gestures, I can tell that they were in a very heated discussion.

"Where too?", Jaunita(Gloria) asks.

"Huh?", I say as I got distracted in trying to listen in on them.

"Where to go? The Park? McDonalds? The Fulton Mall? Someplace else?", Jaunita(Gloria) asks.

"Oh. No... I'm going home.", I tell her.

"You've been out for so long, wont your parents be angry at you?", Jaunita(Gloria) asks.

"You're talking about my parents... the same ones who did nothing for me the first weeks when I returned to the hospital- forcing me to get up and do things for myself.", I explain to her.

"Oh...", she started to say, then notices that I was stepping away from her.

"You're just going to leave just like that?", Jaunita(Gloria) asks frustratedly.

"Like what?", I ask.

"Without saying goodbye...", Jaunita(Gloria) says.

"I'll be back tomarrow.", I say to her.

"Tomarrow is Saturday, and Monday is Memorial Day.", Jaunita(Gloria) explains.

"OK, then I'll be here, 11am.", I tell her.

"Why?", Jaunita(Gloria) asks.

"Because, you'll be here too; and we have a lot to clear out that we are not able to right now.", I tell her.

"If you and her wanted some privacy, you could have let me know...", Evadney started to say.

"Its not that, Evadney.", I interrupted her. "I needed you to be there today, though at the time, I would not admit it."

Evadney absorbs and accepts my answer, before leaning over and gives me a kiss on the cheek. "See you on Tuesday, then.", she saids before she starts to walk away.

After several moments passing by as we looked at Evadney walk away, Jaunita(Gloria) turns to me, "OK, now she's gone. Whats on your mind?... Besides that she has a nice ass."

"Huh?", I replied as I turned to her.

"See- caught you distracted again!", Jaunita(Gloria) says.

"What are you talking about?", I asked.

"Now that she's gone and we're alone again- what is it you want to talk to me about tomarrow that you cant say today?", Jaunita(Gloria) asks.

"Cant you wait until tomarrow?", I ask her.

"No.", Jaunita(Gloria) says.

"Well, its not important.", I tell her.

"It must be if you want me to be there tomarrow.", she tells me.

"Maybe I want you to be there tomarrow, and say nothing.", I tell her.

"What do you mean by that?", Jaunita(Gloria) asks.

"What does it sound like?", I ask her.

"If I did not know any better, it sounds like you want to start a relationship with me.", Jaunita(Gloria) says.

"We already have a relationship going on, Jaunita(Gloria).", I tell her, "I just want to know where its going."

"Sounds to me that you want to put me on your long list of present day girlfriends...", Jaunita(Gloria) stated.

"You are already on that list, but not by from my writing it there- rather you wrote it; just like all the others.", I say to her.

"Huh?", Jaunita(Gloria) replies.

"No... look. The girls I have what ever relationships with have put themselves in there by their own choosing. You have done so yourself a long time ago, but I have not noticed. So, now I have, and I just want to know where are we going with it.", I tell her. She remains silent for a moment before I add, "Our problem is that you have made every other girl around us circle your name in red lipstick for all to see."

"What do you mean by that?", Jaunita(Gloria) asks.

"It's a metaphor. You know, for what has happened in these past few days. Letting the fencing girls think that we're married, sleeping with me in the motel, and defending me in front of all them girls by making lying statements of my honesty and honor.", I explained to her.

"They're not lies.", Jaunita(Gloria) said.

"They were not the truth- I swear, Jaunita(Gloria). Being your husband and father to our children? Damn- you know... If I did not know better, I'd swear thats what you want...", I tell her.

"Considering that many have this idea that you're some kind of horny dog, that you would appreciate that someone is on your side.", Jaunita(Gloria) argued back.

"I don't care about what others think of me, and you know- I am a horny dog... I'm a teenage male and we teenage males only have that on our minds, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! You know- I mean- Look at Kevin for god's sakes! He like to show it off that he's a horny dog! But yet I have to repress my thoughts and feelings? Come off it Jaunita(Gloria)...", I tell her.

"You're better than that...", Jaunita(Gloria) said.

"What if I took advatage of you, either in the motel room or while you were out from my thorazine? We would not have having this argument right now, in fact- you would be wondering what happened and whether or not you got pregnant. And for what- trying to save these assholes who do not care about themselves or each other?", I almost yelled at her. Jaunita(Gloria) could only stand there and not say a word, for I was right. She tried to find the right words to rebuttal my statement, but couldn't, thus leaving us in an uncomfortable silence for the moment.

"Goodbye, Jaunita(Gloria).', I tell her as I take a step backwards away from her.

"Fernando?", she calls to me.

"What?!!", I say out of frustration and anger.

"I'm... sorry...", she says.

"I don't want to hear it.", I tell her, before turning and taking a few steps down DeKalb Avenue.

"Then...", Jaunita(Gloria) started to say.

"Then, what do I want you to do?", I interupt and finish her words. "Right now I don't care. I'm pissed off at you and at the others.", I then tell her.

"Anyway I can make it up to you?", she asks.

"No.", I tell her.

"No?", Jaunita(Gloria) asks.

"Good bye, Jaunita(Gloria). I'll be here tomarrow. Whether you or anyone else will be remains to be seen.", I tell her as I step away from her.

She takes a few trotting steps to quickly get in front of me, forcing me to stop in my tracks. "But...", Jaunita(Gloria) says to get the last word on us.

"What? You want to take me to your home and bed with you? See where it goes? See if we end up having sex or something?", I tell her. "Or is it something more to it than just that?"

"I don't know...", Jaunita(Gloria) says.

"Maybe you don't want to know.", I tell her.

"Maybe that's it.", she says.

"You got all night to think about it then.", I say to her, before I start walking away from her.

"Fernando?", she calls to me one more time. I stop momentarily to wait for her as I hear her walking towards me.

"Yes, Jaunita(Gloria)?", I ask.

"About last night...", she started to say.

"What about it?", I interupt her.

"It was wonderful...", Jaunita(Gloria) said before reaching out and hugging me. After a while, she lets me go, and starts walking away from me. I just look at her as she walks away, turning the corner to go down South Elliot Street. Once she was out of my view, I start my way to the train station and go home.

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