Mr. Average

Scott fights hate with love.

I pushed Adonis away, anxiety already clawing my gut.

"s**t. s**t. s**t. Shiiiiit!!" I knotted my fingers in my hair, feeling Adonis put his hand on my shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

I sighed, "If you haven't noticed, this family is in shambles at the moment. It is not a good time for my parents to come home!"

Adonis bit his lip; I fought back a swoon.

"How can I help?" Adonis asked.

I groaned, "Hide, obviously!!" I didn't want to be rude, but, if you haven't noticed already, I panic very easily.

Adonis nodded, "No problem. Wait-- why?"

I halted, "Uh... I don't know."

Adonis c****d an eyebrow.

"Hang on," I sighed, every jangle of the key made my anxiety tremble.

I flew through Lydia's door and scooped her up; I ran to Finn.

"Sibling meeting!" I shouted, setting Lydia down on Finn's floor.

"Get out." Finn grumbled.

"Finn, you better listen to me or we're both in deep s**t!"

"No. You are." Finn smirked, "Once I tell Mom and Dad that you boinked Adonis, you'll be grounded for a year."

"I didn't boink anyone!" I sneered.

"What does boink mean?" Lydia pulled on my pant leg.

"Nothing!" Finn and I said simultaneously.

Finn turned his attention on me. "How would I know? How would Mom or Dad know?"

I snarled, wanting to spit at him.

Finn crossed his arms. "This is your problem, Joel. Hope you like the sour taste of isolation cause you'll be eating that like you ate Adonis."

"You're a snake." I wanted to scream at him until I my lungs were burned up and I had to BURP IT INTO HIS FACE.

Ahem.

"And we'll tell them that's horse s**t, but you did play porn in front of Lydia." I jumped and turned around, facing Adonis. He had his arms crossed as well. "And we actually have proof."

Finn raised his eyebrows, "What proof?"

Adonis smirked, "Lydia?"

"v*****s are warm and tight!" Lydia recited, "Perfect for being punctured by a p***s!"

Finn and I gaped at her.

Adonis used Lydia's head as an arm rest. "It's amazing what you can do in the ten seconds that older brothers aren't watching." He pinched her nose. "You should remember that for when you're 16!"

"Adonis!" I shouted, still gawking at Lydia.

The door swung open. "Guess who's baaaaack!!!"

I spun to face Finn. "It's up to you, Finn. Either there's a slim possibility that I'll get in trouble, and you get in a f**k-ton of trouble, or we both get off white collar."

Finn hesitated.

"Finn, don't be stupid."

_~_~_

Finn was stupid.

He told my parents that Adonis screwed me, and they were mildly suspicious at best.

Then Lydia did her thing and Adonis explained, and now Finn is grounded indefinitely.

I refused what Finn told them.

They believed me.

_~_~_

The next day, Vic seemed more... chippy.

"Greetings, Joel!" She chirped, offering a little twirl.

I furrowed my eyebrow, still not in a good mood after what had happened with Finn last night. "Why are you so bubbly."

Victoria flung out her arms, basking in the fluorescent lights of the hallway. "Revenge, Joel!" She sang, "Revenge is amazing!"

I hesitated, remembering Scott and his plans. "Revenge? Against Carolyn?"

Victoria gave a one-armed shrug. "Not really." The grin deepened, "Kassi, Joel! I got revenge on Kassi!"

My eyes widened, "Oh, God, Vic. What did you do?"

She tapped on her jaw, "Oh, nothing..." She giggled, "Except I totally flirted with Quincy Potter from out 3rd period!"

My jaw dropped, disgust threading into my veins. "Uh... Ew!!"

Victoria deflated, "Yeah-- I know. But it's the thought that counts."

"Exactly."

"Augh, Joel!!" Victoria snapped, "Just give me this!"

I held up my hands in surrender, "Okay, okay. Jeez!"

Kassi wandered up, "Hey, guys."

"Oh, greetings, Kassi." Vic flipped her hair, "We were just talking about my unfaithfulness."

Kassi rolled her eyes, "Good God, Victoria."

"Enough, Kassi." Victoria held up a hand, blocking her. "You're smothering me with your jealousy."

I burst out laughing, "Why can't every relationship be like your guys' relationship?"

"Because no one is quite as epic as Katoria," Victoria shrugged.

"No." Kassi said immediately. "We are not getting a ship name." Kassi ignored Vic's pout.

"So, Kassi." I crossed my arms, "How do you feel about the Quincy scandal?"

"I feel like Quincy feeds everyone lies because he already ate everything else." Kassi shrugged.

"Was that a fat joke?" Victoria furrowed her eyebrow.

"I dunno."

"But Quincy is a big liar," I nodded. "He told everyone he got in Carolyn's pants."

There were a few moments of silence before we all fell into a pit of endless laughter, even joined by random kids in the hall. They all knew Carolyn, the ones who laughed knew Quincy.

Didn't match up very well.

Kassi scoffed, "Face it, Vic, you're with me." She swung a lazy arm over her shoulders. "For better or for worse."

"At least he's not... mean?" I offered.

"He's not nice." Kassi shrugged.

"Or attractive. Or interesting. He especially doesn't have a personality." Victoria sighed, "I suck at revenge."

"Few people are." I nodded along. I straightened my spine, "Speaking of which, anything happen with the racist cheerleaders."

"Not yet," Kassi said.

"But doesn't the air seem different to you guys?" Victoria bit her lip.

"Well, considering that it's air..." I trailed off.

"Not like that!" Victoria smacked my shoulder, "Like more... tense."

"You think it's today?" I raised my eyebrows.

"I think something's going to happen today." Victoria hesitated, "What did Neil say Scott got?"

"A stick of butter, colored contact lenses, and four movie tickets," I recited.

"What movie?" Kassi asked.

"Is that relevant?"

Kassi paused, "No, I guess not."

I shook it off, "Is that why the air is tense? Do you smell contact solution or something?"

"No," Victoria grumbled, "Just bad cologne."

"Welcome to high school, Vic." I swung out my arms.

_~_~_

It was lunch, and Scott was no where to be found.

I set my back pack down at my LC's table. "Where's Scott?"

Helena shrugged, eyes unfocused. She still didn't care. "Did you check his Luncheon Cluster?"

"Of course."

"Wait," Madison's eyes widened, "It's not... time yet?"

My jaw went slack, "I sure as hell hope not."

Madison squirmed, "Well, what's he going to do?"

"No idea, Madison." I rubbed my forehead with the back of my hand. "Jolly, Logan, patrol. Stat."

They nodded, forming a half circle behind Madison.

I sighed, "I'm going to look for Scott."

"I'll say a little prayer," Victoria called.

"Whatever you say, Lucifer," Helena sighed back.

Giggles rippled through the LC.

I couldn't focus on that too long, I had to make sure Scott wasn't doing anything drastic.

"Scott!" I called, racing through numerous Luncheon Clusters. I found myself at Zola and Carolyn's LC.

"Carolyn, have you seen your brother?" I asked, breathless.

"Neil or Scott?"

"Scott."

"Uh, not since this morning." Carolyn shrugged, scanning the lunch room. "He seemed different this morning."

"s**t!!" I swore, "s**t, s**t, s**t, shi--"

"Joel!" Carolyn blurted, "I hope you know, Scott wouldn't hurt a flea. Don't sweat too much about it. Seriously, don't. Scott thinks you're hotter before P.E., so that means something, right?"

I hesitated, "Scott thinks I'm hot?"

Carolyn doubled back, "What? Nothing. I mean-- no. Well, yeah, but-- just go find him!!"

I hovered over there for a while, but after a moment I snapped back and shook my head.

"Right... Erm, bye."

I pushed my hair back, anxiety clawing at my gut.

"Excuse me, Mr. Tully, but you must be seated immediately." I heard the vice principal's flat voice.

"Just a moment, Ms. Nata."

"Mr. Tully," Ms. Nata spat, "I said now, sir."

I couldn't hold back an annoyed grunt.

"Excuuuuse me, Mr. Tully?" Ms. Nata crossed her arms.

"Nothing," I held up my hands in surrender. "I'm sorry, I was clearing my throat."

Ms. Nata sucked her teeth. "Sit down, Tully." Before I walked away, she added briskly, "I got my eyes... on you." She did the classic gesture where she pointed a deuce at her eyes and flicked the deuce at my eyes.

I wrinkled up my nose, "Whatever you say, Ms. Nata."

Now, I was panicking. I know Carolyn said Scott wasn't capable of much, but I still didn't know what Scott was brewing up.

I sighed, slumping down back at my seat.

Oh, god.

There he was. Walking by the lunch line with an odd swagger in his steps. He was cupping a stick of butter in his hands. He loosely tossed it over his shoulder; it silently plopped on the ground.

"Guys," I hissed, "Look at this."

Scott walked off the current spotlight and hovered back to observe his work in progress.

"What is he doing?" Jolly cooed.

"Nothing to do with an AK-47," I sighed, "I hope not, at least."

"Am I safe?" Madison asked, shaky.

"I don't think Scott is going to hurt anyo--" Victoria cut off, "Oh, s**t!!!"

"What?" Jolly and Madison bristled simultaneously.

"Audrey!" Logan saw it too. "She's walking right toward the butter on the ground.

Audrey was the head cheerleader, anything she did the other cheerleaders would follow. Including, sadly, Madison.

"Scott doesn't seem like the one to condone violence," Helena huffed.

"Does cracking your head open count as violence?" Logan pondered.

Helena furrowed her eyebrows. "....Yes."

Logan shrugs. "Huh. Doesn't it take two to tango?"

"Yeah, but it only takes one to masturbate!*" Victoria recited.

"That doesn't have to do with anything!"

"Guys! Focus!" I hiss.

Audrey kept on walking, sometimes stopping to cool down her blonde curls, then continued to bounce along the tiles, until she found her way to the butter.

Her pink Sperry's slid into them, wriggling to find a hold, then her legs failed her.

"Audrey!!" Madison called.

"Shhh," Logan hissed, "I'm watching!!"

A kid, our age, with smooth chocolate skin hurried to run behind her. He had a smooth shaved head, and enhanced emerald eyes. I knew from Madison's babbles that Audrey swooned for green eyes.

I gasped out loud, the kid was wearing colored contacts!

I crossed off the stick of butter and the contacts off my mental list, but how was the movie tickets going to come in to play?

Audrey and the kid exchanged some words, Audrey seemed rather shaken up.

"Audrey!" I heard a nasally voice. "Be careful! It's a black!!"

"We're praying for you!"

I rolled my eyes. What was Scott thinking he would accomplish?

Then, suddenly, the kid pulled out two movie tickets and muttered something else into Audrey's ear.

She seemed very hesitant, glaring at the kid's completion. Then, she sighed, a smile cracking her stiff features. She murmured something back with a nod.

Holy s**t. Scott just did the impossible. He fought hate with love. He brought a cheerleader and a black kid together.

I jumped out of my seat, ignoring Ms. Nata's sudden jerk.

"Scott!" I called, racing up to him. He had his arms crossed, but I quickly untangled them and buried my face in his chest, squeezing him close to me.

He was taken aback, but squeezed me back. "What's this about?"

"I'm... I'm just... amazed!" I gasped, loosening my grip, but Scott didn't.

We released each their awkwardly, Scott scratching the back of his neck. "You know I hate bullying."

I exhaled a shocked breath, "I..."

Scott took a step closer, "Don't worry about it."

I don't know why I would worry, but I assumed he was just filling up the conversation so it wouldn't die.

"You're... amazing."

Scott chuckled, taking a step back, biting his lip. "We have an audience," He whispered.

I c****d my head, "Wha... Oh!" I spun around to meet the eyes of the entire school. My jaw went slack, "Uh..." Heat swelled my features. I was used to being in the back, and I assumed Scott was too, considering the way he stepped away from the soon-to-be scene with the butter.

I yearned for someone to scoop me away from the gawking students-- and teachers. I noticed Ms. Nata was in mid-walk when she saw us.

I felt an arm hook with mine, and I swept to meet Victoria's gaze. "Alright, show's over, folks. Ms. Nata, I believe to have papers to file. Mrs. Leer, I believe you have sweaters to knit."

Mrs. Leer, an older teacher, swatted her away.

Our LC swarmed around me. "You have much to explain, Joel," Madison hissed.

I tugged at their guiding hands, meeting Scott's look. I choked out a goodbye, to which he responded with another one. I yearned for him to take me away, finally acknowledging the feelings I had for him bobbing in my chest.

But, hey, he still had two movie tickets, didn't he?'