Tipping The Scale

Chapter 21

Matt’s P.O.V

The most stressful time in a teenager’s life has to be exam time. The time when all or at least most teenager’s sit in their rooms trying desperately to cram all the notes and information they had tossed aside during the rest of the year. It’s like ten times worse when you are a senior. All you can live, breathe, sleep and think is exams especially when you have been accepted to a university on the basis of your final exam’s marks like I have. Yes, exams suck. They suck worse than heartbreak because let’s face it, heartbreak can f**k you up for a while but f**k up with your exams and it’s done, you’re over. Forget the college/university experience. Forget that high paying job that you always dreamed of. Yes, school, the thing we hate the most and yet we need the most.

I groaned, shutting the AP Maths book with a bitter slam. I just can’t study anymore. I just can’t, my head was pounding with the over-filling of knowledge. I cupped my head in my hands, groaning. I pushed myself up and out of my chair and flopped on my bed with my arm bent at an angle over my face. I closed my eyes and decided it was time for a well-deserved break. I had been studying for four hours and I just couldn’t take anymore especially with the way my mind drifted back to afternoon after the party…with Jamie.

I groaned again, mentally slapping myself for even beginning to think about Jamie again. It has been three weeks and I should be over it. It was a mistake, a way to just release my frustration and feel wanted again…feel loved. I don’t know. I didn’t initially plan to take it as far as it was taken but it’s something in the way he kissed me. The way he bit my bottom lip roughly before soothing it by rubbing his tongue over it gently. It was the way he held my waist ever so tightly as he held onto me as if for dear life.

Running my fingers over my lips, I remembered the way my heart swelled when he tried to defend me to Tubby….

That’s another issue.

Tubby.

I shouldn’t have slept with Jamie. He’s Tubby’s friend for goodness sake! He loves Tubby just as much as I do! I’m such an i***t! I’m such a meat-head, desperate, pathetic jock. I don’t deserve to be happy and much less to be with Tubby. I deserve to be alone.

I act before I think, I’m a bully of sorts, I make people feel like they are not good enough to live. Maybe I’m the one who isn’t good enough to live. Maybe Tubby is right. Maybe I am dark, dank, bitter, and cold on the inside.

My heart gave a sharp squeeze that had me choking back a sob. I’m so sad… and pathetic. Taking a deep breath, I picked up my phone which was lying on the bedside table and dialled the number which I had come to memorize by heart. It rang for a minute before it was answered.

“Tubby?” I asked when no voice came through.

“What is it, Pavarotti?” he deadpanned with a heavy sigh.

“I…I…”

“Can you get to it, I was sleeping and with all the studying I do, I really don’t have time to be wasting precious sleeping time” he snapped impatiently

I bit my lip before clearing my throat. “Oh. I’m sorry to disturb you. Don’t worry about it…it’s nothing important” I stuttered, swallowing the lump in my throat.

“Ugh, really? You disturbed me for nothing?! Spit it out, dammit” he hissed. My eyes widened in surprise and my mouth fell open and closed.

“W-well, I was wondering if y-you wanted to, uhm, maybe grab some coffee during your study break and maybe talk for a bit?”

He gave a heavy sigh, “Pavarotti, listen, I’m sorry that I was mean to you at the park and then again the morning after the party especially after what happened. I know that I hurt you with my words and even though the blow wasn’t physical, you still felt it as if it had been….but that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about what you did. It doesn’t mean we are going to be friends or try patch things up. I’m sorry but that is something I can’t give you.”

I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. Swallowing loudly, I replied as steadily as I could. “I understand. Really I do…It’s just that, I’m a dreamer. But okay, I’m going to let you get back to sleeping now.”

“Pavarotti, I really don’t mean to – ”

“No, Tubby, you don’t mean to hurt me…you’re not like me…I heard you the first time you said it, and I’m not talking about the time in the park. I’m talking about when we first started hanging out. I know that I caused this and I know that I’m not worthy of forgiveness, much less your time. I understand, really, I get it. Just because you don’t mean to hurt me doesn’t make it hurt any less.” I interrupted, not quite ready to hear any more chiding from him. My eyes brimmed with fresh tears and my voice threatened to give out at any minute. It hurts so much when he tells me things like that. Things that make me feel like I’m nothing more than just a pretty face and a status.

“Pavarotti, I didn’t mean it like th-”

“Tubby,” I yelled, interrupting again, “I said it’s fine. Now, don’t waste any more time on me or this conversation. I won’t bother you again. Bye, Jeremy” I muttered softly before putting down the phone, not giving him a chance to reply.

Throwing my phone in the far corner of the room, I got up and placed my iPod in its deck before switching it on to Bullet For My Valentine’s Fever album. It always helps calm me down and make me feel like I’m not the only f**k up in the world.

I climbed back into my bed and covered my head with a blanket. I’m not going to cry. I absolutely won’t. He was supposed to be a bet, just that and nothing more than a way to pass the time and make money…then he became so much more… and now I’m lying here contemplating jumping off a bridge like the worthless piece of junk I am. Screw my life. And then people wonder why jocks never want to fall in love…the ones that want us and are willing to cave easily, we don’t want…the ones that we want and/or give us hell, don’t want us. Can you blame us for being players and jerks? Can you really? I sighed heavily, getting comfortable.

“How did my life get so f****d up?” I muttered to myself

Suddenly my door burst open and heavy footsteps filtered in. I lay still hoping to discourage whoever it was that had interrupted my solitude. I had, after-all, told people not to disturb me because of the whole ‘eh-school-wants-you-to-kill-yourself-with-the-stress-of-exams’. I levelled my breathing and waited for the person to leave or speak up, but I wasn’t about to encourage either.

“uh-huh…so you’re trying to convince people that you’re asleep but you’re listening to Bullet For My Valentine and your phone is smashed into a corner…really, Matt, really?” Adam mused from where ever he was in my room.

I pulled the blanket back and stared at the fucker incredulously, “and why would that be so hard to believe?” I asked with a scowl.

“One, because you can’t fall asleep to them, they just calm you down, they don’t put you out. Two, you always sleep with your phone on your nightstand which brings us to the third and final point, your phone is your baby, you wouldn’t throw it for no reason, which means you’re either angry or frustrated or both, which means you will be two hyped with adrenaline to sleep. So what’s shaking my cheddar cheese… brother from another mother… eggs to my bacon…. Meat to my dinner…sugar to my dessert… Coke to my Jack” Adam explained cheerily. Too cheerily for my liking at this point and time.

“Well, someone is really happy today.” I mocked grumpily, narrowing my eyes at him.

“Yes, well, I’m done studying for Maths and its tomorrow which is Friday which means…..more drinking! Yeeeeeaaaah” He made that crowd-like noise for ‘yeah’ and ended his statement with a bright smile.

My eye twitch and I pulled my blanket back over my head “Go away” I muttered

“Aww, what happened to loving le best friend?…my heart breaks at your rejection”

“What?” I pulled back the blanket and stared at him considering the possibility of him being either drunk or high…maybe both. My eye twitched again, almost fully closing this time.

“Huh?” he asked innocently

“What did you just say?” I asked cautiously

“Uh-Uh… I said nothing!” he yelped, covering his face with his hands with a shy but mischievous smile playing on his lips.

I blinked, considering him for a minute before rolling my eyes and falling backwards onto my bed. Sighing and rubbing my eyes, “Is there something you needed, Adam?”

“I wanted to hang out…but you seem upset….what happened” he pouted, sitting down next to me and rubbing my hair softly.

“It’s nothing…I’m just tired…” I muttered, sighing.

He sighed, “Let me guess…Tubby” I kept quiet but that was all the confirmation he needed. “Tell me everything”

I told him about the party, the s*x, the s*x and the awkward confrontation afterwards and then finally came to the conversation that me and Tubby had just had. His eyes grew excited then confused then angry as the story progressed.

“That good for nothing bastard!” Adam seethed, clenching his fist causing him to pull on my hair. I whimpered grabbing onto his hand and making him let go “I’m sorry…but he has just gone too far. After the s**t he said at the park and practically using you, you’d think he would at least give you the time of day but no…fucking wall flower pride!” He shot up causing me to recoil.

He paced my room back and forth going on about how angry he was and how he was going to get Tubby back and how much he hates him. I just stared at him in shock, only inserting little pleas for him to leave Tubby alone into his dramatic monologue.

“I swear, when I get my hands on that stupid tub-of-lard!” he put his hands around an imaginary neck squeezing with such a concentrated expression, it scared the s**t out of me.

“Adam, calm down” I cooed at him

“I will not be calm! That crazy Candy chick kicked your ass thoroughly when you hurt Tubby! I mean she kicked your ass! I mean…she really handed it to you. She practically kicked you so hard we felt it…man, if you were alone in an ally she would’ve killed you no problem…and she’s a girl… I mean, as a guy you should feel- ”

“I get it!” I snapped at him pouting. So much for friendship, damn toad. I know how she practically killed me in the hallway. My pride was not the only thing severely injured… “What’s your point?”

“The point is… I get to do the same!” he decided. “You know what, I’m going to do it right now… f**k this waiting around s**t!” he turned sharply marching out the door with determination and concentration.

I jumped up from my bed and followed him calling his name but he was in his zone. He didn’t listen or pay me any mind; he just marched to his car not even turning back. He slammed the door shut and sped out of my driveway towards Tubby’s house.

I swallowed a lump. Oh. My. Goodness Gracious Me!

Shit s**t s**t s**t!!!

Adam was one of the best fighters I had ever seen but Tubby was too…if not Tubby was better…bigger….stronger…more fluid. Rubbing my head in frustration, I let out a loud groan before running into the house to call Jason to get him to help me stop Adam.

Yup, if acting before thinking was an art, Adam would be a Da Vinci of the 21st century and because of it he was going to get his ass kicked…hard.

You don’t mess with Tubby….ever… cause even if by some miracle you manage to beat Tubby, he has his secret weapon of mass destruction, the immovable force…the one without a heart….the one that could crush you so fast that you won’t realize it till you’re dust. He had a weapon on his side that had weapons that even your imagination couldn’t conjure up…and the worst part…it had back up…on speed dial… that would drop the world to kick your ass.

I swallowed dialling faster and praying Jason would hurry and pick up. My heart was thudding at the thought of leaving Adam with them without back up…. They could kill him and make it look like an accident…hell all it took was a phone call to one person…

Yeah, I’m talking about her.

Candy.

A/N: So there i was noticing you not noticing me noticing you not loving chapter 19? I don't know...it's my favorite chapter so far....hahaha, i might just change the original plot of the story. so all the Mubby fans put your votes forward....hehehe, cause mubby need some saving! Anyhoe, Vote, comment recommend.... do your thang... hope you enjoyed the chapter.