I'm Gonna Show You Crazy
Loco, maniac, sick bitch, psychopath
Yeah, I'm gonna show you
I'm gonna show you
Yeah, I'm gonna show you ~ Writer(s): Lauren Christy, Bebe Rexha, Jon Levine
Frances Ranier hated crying in front of people. Lately it seemed like that was all destiny had for her. She sat on the very bottom step of the west stairwell at New Haven Middle school, wiping tears from her face. She’d failed at holding them back, and had long ago discovered that once unleashed the things were impossible to put back. Her seat was in the least used stairwell, because it ended at a fire exit which would set off an alarm if anyone went out. Alone she used the tied off ends of her two tone braids to keep her fingers busy. The purple and green ends were extremely soft when she brushed them across her cheeks.
“You doing okay?” Great, she hadn’t heard the approach of the kid who’d asked her the question. She waved him away, trying to get him to leave. He was obviously stupid because instead of leaving, he sat down next to her and laid back like having the steps digging into his back was comfortable. “You found the best place to think on the first floor.”
“Hngh…” The grunting response was all that Frances was willing to give this interloper into her misery.
“My name’s…” The boy just kept talking, why wouldn’t he take the hint?
“I don’t care.” She cut him off before he could tell her, or worse, ask for her name. Her parents had named her Frances, but they called her Baby. They’d always make some joke about being in a corner. Joke was on them, Baby had put herself in a corner.
“Okay.” He sounded happy of all things, though why having her refuse to learn his name made him happy she would never understand. “You sure seem awful sad. I have a joke… hang on.”
He sat up and twisted himself around so that his back was to the wall, and he was watching her. Baby lowered her face far enough that her hair hid parts of her face, though she couldn’t help but look his way out of the side of her eyes. She didn’t want to hear a joke, she just wanted to be alone.
“What do you call a bear with no ears?” He brought his heels in towards his body and sat in an awkward looking lotus on the step. Baby just shook her head and gave him a nonverbal shoulder shrug.
“It doesn’t matter, it can’t hear you anyway.” The punchline was dumb, and predictable, somehow it still managed to get a half laugh out of her.
“So stupid.” Baby’s sniffle closely followed her appraisal of his joke, but she’d managed to stop crying.
“Not my best by a million miles, but sometimes stupid is what you need, right?” The kid couldn’t seem to stop moving, changing his position like being still would kill him.
“You probably don’t want to hang around with me. Everyone knows that I’m just the crazy girl.” That admission threatened to push her back into tears. One of the girls she’d thought was her friend found her prescription Sertraline and turned the entire class on her. It didn’t matter that she was having trouble dealing with the loss of her baby brother. Nobody cared because making her hurt made them feel better about themselves.
“So what if you are?” The boy had stood up and was currently trying to find a way to sit on the handrail attached to the wall. Trying and failing she noticed, but that didn’t seem to deter him.
“What? Are you gonna make fun of me now too?” Frances started to let her anger show toward this very strange kid.
“So what if you’re fucking crazy?” In a move that Frances barely registered, the boy had bent down and scooped up her wrist. “C’mon…let’s go!”
She tried to resist, but the kid was deceptively strong. He led her through the halls of the school to the ramp which led down into the cafeteria. “What are you doing?!” Frances yelled at him, trying to get him to stop pulling at her, unfortunately the noise of the cafeteria made her barely audible.
He stopped at the spot where the full wall dropped into something chest high. “Stay here.” He fixed her with a sidelong grin as he let go of her. He leaned in and whispered directly into her ear. “I’m gonna show you crazy.”
The boy backed his way across the commons room, then took off at a run. He swept past her, planted his hands on the top of the wall, and vaulted it. The drop into the cafeteria was twenty feet if it was an inch. Frances ran forward the moment he disappeared, only to watch him do a rolling landing on a table, smack in the center of all the girls who’d so recently driven her to her solitary stairwell. Shrieks and encouraging yells filled the air as the students witnessing the stunt were startled, then entertained.
The boy’s shirt had a mix of stains on it, chocolate milk and barbecue sauce from where he’d done his roll. That did not stop him from standing up and dancing his way back across the table, and using his feet to push platters into laps. Frances watched hands reach out to try and grab his legs, but the kid moved too quickly to be caught by them.
“MR. ALLEN!” For the second time in the last half hour Frances had been snuck up on. The bellow came from Principle Pennbrooke, it cut across all the noise of the cafeteria, silencing everyone, and stopping Mr. Allen’s dance right in the middle of a twirl.
The boy looked up, locking his face on Mr. Pennbrooke’s in what could only be an attempt at innocence. “It was that way…before I touched it!”
“My office! Now!” The principal started down the ramp, presumably to get the clean up going, and take any eyewitness statements. The boy however, looked up at Baby with a bright eyed, brilliant smile that was somehow so beautiful it was painful to look at. He took a running leap off the table and caught the top of the wall like a cat.
He pulled himself over the wall, dropping to his feet right in front of her. “So what if I’m fuckin’ crazy.” He skipped his way down the hall in the direction of the principal’s office, looking with every step like he was going to do as he was told.
Frances watched until he disappeared around a corner, only then noticing that people were coming up the ramp. She caught snippets of the conversations as people passed by her.
”Nikolai is nuts..”
…what the hell was that about?
...yeah, but so pretty…”
…who cares? It was funny.”
She merged into the pack of students, for the first time in a long time her head was held high. Her cheeks were aching from the smile that had managed to chisel its way to her lips.
In a Nutshell
Moderators: Eddie Blake, Tahlia Blake
-
Nikolai Allen
- Adventurer
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2015 10:51 pm
-
Nikolai Allen
- Adventurer
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2015 10:51 pm
Re: In a Nutshell - Complex Relationships
House of the Rising Sun
My mother was a tailor
She sewed my new blue jeans
And my father was a gamblin' man
Way down in New Orleans ~ Songwriters: Alan Price / Leo Leandros / Arno Flor
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason Todd was taller than his companion, though not by much, and it seemed like less all the time. He had a thicker build than his friend, but that was misleading as he knew Nikolai to easily be as strong as he was. They walked the streets of Dragon’s Gate together despite having gotten off the bus in New Haven. It was close to Nikolai’s house, and he was always free with snacks and drinks. Jason was getting used to smoothies. They’d stop there daily to gather supplies, then cut through the back yard, cross into Battlefield Park, and jump the wall close to the Dragon’s Gate Orphanage. This daily trek had only recently been reinstated after his friend had gone and gotten himself suspended from school, followed instantly by being grounded by his dad. Normally Jason would have encouraged a bit of sneaking out, but Nikolai’s dad looked like he could crush a coconut in one hand. He figured it was best to stay on the man’s good side.
“So, I been wondering…” Jason pushed a hand through his strawberry blonde hair. He was still trying to get used to the high and tight haircut the nun at the orphanage had given him. It was not what he’d wanted, but he didn’t think she knew how to do any other styles for guys. The prefix he’d said was well known, and usually preceded a question about girls. That was only natural so far as Jason was concerned, since Nikolai was constantly spending time with them. Today was a bit different. “...why do you always walk me home? You don’t gotta do that.”
Jason didn’t mind the company, not really at least, and Nikolai was cool. He was never afraid to call Jason on his bullshit. He’d even punched Jason, back before they were friends. Jason had said something about one of his girlfriends, and Niko hadn’t even hesitated. It was at that moment that Jason started to respect the other boy.
“There’s a couple a reasons…” Nikolai started to say, cutting off as he pushed some dried fruit into his mouth. “...like, it’s on the way to my dance class for one.” Jason nodded, he’d been invited along to that before but refused. He said it was because he wasn’t a sissy, but reality was that if he’d gone, then Nikolai would be the one to pay for it. His pride couldn’t handle feeling like charity, even though the idea of dancing with real girls was appealing to him.
“An’ of course the swords school that Abby volunteers at is on the way too. You should come with us when the weather warms up more, because we’ll go to the beach.” Jason acknowledged the invitation with noncommittal silence, despite wanting to be part of it. Nothing was ever a sure thing at the orphanage. Some of that was his fault, Jason was quick to react to the things the other kids said. It was a thing that managed to get him into trouble more than once. Besides, he wasn’t so sure if Abby liked him that much, but she was nice to look at.
“An’ if I walk you, I don’t gotta worry about you being alone. You and alone are a bad combination.” Jason stopped walking as Nikolai sait that last part. He squinted at the back of the dark curled head.
“Yer pretty stupid, ya know that?” Jason didn’t put any venom into the name calling. He didn’t really feel that way.
“Especially on Tuesdays at lunchtime.” Nikolai laughed the words back at Jason, as if he knew what he’d been called was a big fat lie.
“Thanks…” He murmured the words quietly before jogging to catch up to his friend.
My mother was a tailor
She sewed my new blue jeans
And my father was a gamblin' man
Way down in New Orleans ~ Songwriters: Alan Price / Leo Leandros / Arno Flor
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason Todd was taller than his companion, though not by much, and it seemed like less all the time. He had a thicker build than his friend, but that was misleading as he knew Nikolai to easily be as strong as he was. They walked the streets of Dragon’s Gate together despite having gotten off the bus in New Haven. It was close to Nikolai’s house, and he was always free with snacks and drinks. Jason was getting used to smoothies. They’d stop there daily to gather supplies, then cut through the back yard, cross into Battlefield Park, and jump the wall close to the Dragon’s Gate Orphanage. This daily trek had only recently been reinstated after his friend had gone and gotten himself suspended from school, followed instantly by being grounded by his dad. Normally Jason would have encouraged a bit of sneaking out, but Nikolai’s dad looked like he could crush a coconut in one hand. He figured it was best to stay on the man’s good side.
“So, I been wondering…” Jason pushed a hand through his strawberry blonde hair. He was still trying to get used to the high and tight haircut the nun at the orphanage had given him. It was not what he’d wanted, but he didn’t think she knew how to do any other styles for guys. The prefix he’d said was well known, and usually preceded a question about girls. That was only natural so far as Jason was concerned, since Nikolai was constantly spending time with them. Today was a bit different. “...why do you always walk me home? You don’t gotta do that.”
Jason didn’t mind the company, not really at least, and Nikolai was cool. He was never afraid to call Jason on his bullshit. He’d even punched Jason, back before they were friends. Jason had said something about one of his girlfriends, and Niko hadn’t even hesitated. It was at that moment that Jason started to respect the other boy.
“There’s a couple a reasons…” Nikolai started to say, cutting off as he pushed some dried fruit into his mouth. “...like, it’s on the way to my dance class for one.” Jason nodded, he’d been invited along to that before but refused. He said it was because he wasn’t a sissy, but reality was that if he’d gone, then Nikolai would be the one to pay for it. His pride couldn’t handle feeling like charity, even though the idea of dancing with real girls was appealing to him.
“An’ of course the swords school that Abby volunteers at is on the way too. You should come with us when the weather warms up more, because we’ll go to the beach.” Jason acknowledged the invitation with noncommittal silence, despite wanting to be part of it. Nothing was ever a sure thing at the orphanage. Some of that was his fault, Jason was quick to react to the things the other kids said. It was a thing that managed to get him into trouble more than once. Besides, he wasn’t so sure if Abby liked him that much, but she was nice to look at.
“An’ if I walk you, I don’t gotta worry about you being alone. You and alone are a bad combination.” Jason stopped walking as Nikolai sait that last part. He squinted at the back of the dark curled head.
“Yer pretty stupid, ya know that?” Jason didn’t put any venom into the name calling. He didn’t really feel that way.
“Especially on Tuesdays at lunchtime.” Nikolai laughed the words back at Jason, as if he knew what he’d been called was a big fat lie.
“Thanks…” He murmured the words quietly before jogging to catch up to his friend.
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Nikolai Allen
- Adventurer
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2015 10:51 pm
Re: In a Nutshell - Family Dynamics
Cry Little Sister
Cry, little sister! (Thou shalt not fall)
Come, come to your brother! (Thou shalt not die)
Unchain me, sister! (Thou shalt not fear)
Love is with your brother! (Thou shalt not kill) ~ Cry Little Sister lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group; Songwriters: Gerard McMahon / Michael Mainieri
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jaime held tightly to Milagro’s hand, doing his best to protect his younger sister as seven kids began to surround them. He knew from experience that anyone from the neighborhood would turn a blind eye to what was about to happen. There was, at most, a couple years difference between his thirteen, and the oldest of them. However when it came to the territory of the crew calling itself The Authority, no matter how many eyes saw, none witnessed. Usually when this happened, he’d resign himself to giving back a small percentage of the beating he received.
“Thought we made it clear last time, Reyes. Pay the toll, or pay a price.” Mike Cray spoke the words with exaggerated menace. The kid was an idiot, though that should have been obvious to everyone considering his last sentence. Around him there were nods and calls of agreement, the loudest of which came from Jennifer Sparks, and Shen Li-Min.
“The perv price.” Jenny said while punching her left hand with the fist made from the right.
Perv was what they started calling him, just because he wasn’t afraid to admit that he liked boys. It wasn’t right, or fair, but Jaime had learned fairly early that stupid people don't want to understand things that are different. Different was something to hit, hurt, and hate. Had this been the usual meeting between himself and The Authority, he’d have said some insults of his own, but that’s when he was alone.
“Let my sister go, please.” Jaime let his eyes touch Mike’s. He was the leader, if he said okay the others would make way.
A space was opened between Shen and a boy that Jaime didn’t know.
“Go Milaro, run and don’t stop until you get home.” He had to push her to make her go.
“No.” The moment Milagro was between the two gang members, Mike denied Jaime’s request, and the pair of them descended on his sister. Shen laughed as they treated her roughly.
Jaime’s gaze turned back to Mike’s face which held the darkest of disdain. He started to move to free his sister, but was caught up from behind by a pair of gang members. The sound of knuckles striking cheek, and the yell of pain had Jaime looking to where he fully expected his sister to have been punched. Milagro was no longer there. He caught sight of her running up an alleyway. In her place stood the auburn haired Jason Todd who was rubbing his knuckles.
Anger painted the features of Jason’s face. “I’m pretty sure you’re just making a mistake by holding up my friend.” The tone of his friend’s voice almost made Jaime laugh with relief. He’d heard Jason’s tough guy act before, it had always intimidated him. Mike, Jenny, Shen and two others turned to face Jason, all but the two who held Jaime. His friend merely took a few steps backwards giving all five faces a good look as he pulled out a pair of Kali sticks, and settled into a defensive stance.
“Jaime!” The feminine voice came from above, he turned his attention away from Jason, who had begun to weave the martial sticks in front of himself. As soon as he looked up he spotted a staff dropping from the sky. He kicked out at his captor on the left, connecting with their knee and freeing his arm to catch the incoming weapon. He thrust one end into the instep of his remaining captor, and broke into the open. He shot a look to the sky, but spotted nothing. Not that he had long to search. He began to face off against the pair of boys who had been holding him, sweeping their legs out from under them.
Jaime turned to help Jason who had been surrounded, when he spotted the figure running along a low rooftop. It picked up speed and leaped out into the open air. “Niko!” The familiar girl’s voice called out once more. Niko’s hands reached out to catch and pull in another flying staff. Niko hit the ground behind Jason, and forward rolled to his feet. He turned his face towards Jaime’s for just a moment to reveal that ever present hint of mischievous grin and way too pretty, determined eyes. The boy’s staff moved too fast to see as he pulled three assailants away from Jason.
Jaime fought by instinct, just trying to keep the pair of Authority members away from him long enough to be able to see if his sister was okay. Down an alleyway he spotted Milagro being escorted by a redheaded girl. The pair of them got on the back of a horse and started to gallop back toward the fight. A pair of wings opened up on the horse, and it rose upward into the air. He huffed out a soft ”Thanks Abby”, before turning his full attention on his assailants.
It wasn’t long before the confrontation turned into a rout. Mike and the rest ran away from the trio like scalded dogs. Jason and Nikolai stood on either side of Jaime, panting as they watched the toughs run.
“I see you Allen!!” was yelled over the shoulder of one of the boys that Jaime didn’t know.
“No glasses needed for you Manny!” There was a very impish grin on Nikolai’s face as he yelled back. He turned back and gave Jaime a hug. “It’s okay now, brother.” Jaime would wonder later how even after all that activity, Nikolai still managed to smell like warm maple syrup.
Jason punched them both in the shoulder as he said, “I thought we were gonna be too late.”
“C’mon.” Nikolai broke the hug and started to walk as though he already knew he’d be followed by both of them. “We’re gonna sign you and your sister up for classes with us. Hope you like to dance!” Jaime understood what hadn’t been said. That he and Milagro would be getting rides home from now on. He used his sleeve to wipe his eyes, must have gotten some sweat in them… or something.
The Pegasus landed in front of them, the riders dropping from its back. Milagro took hold of Jaime’s hand, while Abby and her steed found the spot next to Nikolai, who bumped her shoulder with his.
Cry, little sister! (Thou shalt not fall)
Come, come to your brother! (Thou shalt not die)
Unchain me, sister! (Thou shalt not fear)
Love is with your brother! (Thou shalt not kill) ~ Cry Little Sister lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group; Songwriters: Gerard McMahon / Michael Mainieri
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jaime held tightly to Milagro’s hand, doing his best to protect his younger sister as seven kids began to surround them. He knew from experience that anyone from the neighborhood would turn a blind eye to what was about to happen. There was, at most, a couple years difference between his thirteen, and the oldest of them. However when it came to the territory of the crew calling itself The Authority, no matter how many eyes saw, none witnessed. Usually when this happened, he’d resign himself to giving back a small percentage of the beating he received.
“Thought we made it clear last time, Reyes. Pay the toll, or pay a price.” Mike Cray spoke the words with exaggerated menace. The kid was an idiot, though that should have been obvious to everyone considering his last sentence. Around him there were nods and calls of agreement, the loudest of which came from Jennifer Sparks, and Shen Li-Min.
“The perv price.” Jenny said while punching her left hand with the fist made from the right.
Perv was what they started calling him, just because he wasn’t afraid to admit that he liked boys. It wasn’t right, or fair, but Jaime had learned fairly early that stupid people don't want to understand things that are different. Different was something to hit, hurt, and hate. Had this been the usual meeting between himself and The Authority, he’d have said some insults of his own, but that’s when he was alone.
“Let my sister go, please.” Jaime let his eyes touch Mike’s. He was the leader, if he said okay the others would make way.
A space was opened between Shen and a boy that Jaime didn’t know.
“Go Milaro, run and don’t stop until you get home.” He had to push her to make her go.
“No.” The moment Milagro was between the two gang members, Mike denied Jaime’s request, and the pair of them descended on his sister. Shen laughed as they treated her roughly.
Jaime’s gaze turned back to Mike’s face which held the darkest of disdain. He started to move to free his sister, but was caught up from behind by a pair of gang members. The sound of knuckles striking cheek, and the yell of pain had Jaime looking to where he fully expected his sister to have been punched. Milagro was no longer there. He caught sight of her running up an alleyway. In her place stood the auburn haired Jason Todd who was rubbing his knuckles.
Anger painted the features of Jason’s face. “I’m pretty sure you’re just making a mistake by holding up my friend.” The tone of his friend’s voice almost made Jaime laugh with relief. He’d heard Jason’s tough guy act before, it had always intimidated him. Mike, Jenny, Shen and two others turned to face Jason, all but the two who held Jaime. His friend merely took a few steps backwards giving all five faces a good look as he pulled out a pair of Kali sticks, and settled into a defensive stance.
“Jaime!” The feminine voice came from above, he turned his attention away from Jason, who had begun to weave the martial sticks in front of himself. As soon as he looked up he spotted a staff dropping from the sky. He kicked out at his captor on the left, connecting with their knee and freeing his arm to catch the incoming weapon. He thrust one end into the instep of his remaining captor, and broke into the open. He shot a look to the sky, but spotted nothing. Not that he had long to search. He began to face off against the pair of boys who had been holding him, sweeping their legs out from under them.
Jaime turned to help Jason who had been surrounded, when he spotted the figure running along a low rooftop. It picked up speed and leaped out into the open air. “Niko!” The familiar girl’s voice called out once more. Niko’s hands reached out to catch and pull in another flying staff. Niko hit the ground behind Jason, and forward rolled to his feet. He turned his face towards Jaime’s for just a moment to reveal that ever present hint of mischievous grin and way too pretty, determined eyes. The boy’s staff moved too fast to see as he pulled three assailants away from Jason.
Jaime fought by instinct, just trying to keep the pair of Authority members away from him long enough to be able to see if his sister was okay. Down an alleyway he spotted Milagro being escorted by a redheaded girl. The pair of them got on the back of a horse and started to gallop back toward the fight. A pair of wings opened up on the horse, and it rose upward into the air. He huffed out a soft ”Thanks Abby”, before turning his full attention on his assailants.
It wasn’t long before the confrontation turned into a rout. Mike and the rest ran away from the trio like scalded dogs. Jason and Nikolai stood on either side of Jaime, panting as they watched the toughs run.
“I see you Allen!!” was yelled over the shoulder of one of the boys that Jaime didn’t know.
“No glasses needed for you Manny!” There was a very impish grin on Nikolai’s face as he yelled back. He turned back and gave Jaime a hug. “It’s okay now, brother.” Jaime would wonder later how even after all that activity, Nikolai still managed to smell like warm maple syrup.
Jason punched them both in the shoulder as he said, “I thought we were gonna be too late.”
“C’mon.” Nikolai broke the hug and started to walk as though he already knew he’d be followed by both of them. “We’re gonna sign you and your sister up for classes with us. Hope you like to dance!” Jaime understood what hadn’t been said. That he and Milagro would be getting rides home from now on. He used his sleeve to wipe his eyes, must have gotten some sweat in them… or something.
The Pegasus landed in front of them, the riders dropping from its back. Milagro took hold of Jaime’s hand, while Abby and her steed found the spot next to Nikolai, who bumped her shoulder with his.
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