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Thread: Waking Grounds (Leila and Sammul)

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    Default Waking Grounds (Leila and Sammul)

    -Leila Tong
    -Sammul Chan
    -Bosco Wong
    -Raymond Lam
    -Kenneth Ma
    -Edison Chen


    Drama/Romance/Tragedy/Horror/Social Outcast theme


    Intro:


    A delinquent young girl expects nothing of her future and becomes more disillusioned with her goals as she realizes society has no place for people like her. She acts on impulse and pursues her thrills at high costs when she decides to strip off her feminine uniform and cut short her long hair to enter Nakata All Boys Highschool. But inside the gated grounds housed a body of peculiar students who have their own distinct set of goals, often leaving her to contemplate about their life and her own.






    Note: graphic violence frequent.
    Last edited by greenpills; 04-04-06 at 12:28 AM.

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    Default Chapter 1

    In the middle of the raked grounds of Nanao High sat several towering buldings with windows on every level with heads and arms pouring forth occasionally to catch a glimpse of the well kept campus and its courtyard. One particular window help draw light inside a bathroom on the third floor. The broken switches and flickering lights as well as walls smeared brown made it particularly unpopular with the students but was used in emergencies that would leave one wanting privacy.
    Standing spread out on the toilet seat was a girl with long black hair draped down her back. Inside the same cubicle but squatted on the floor was a slim girl with withdrawn eyes and short hair tucked behind her ears. The cigarette in her mouth clouded smoke around her. She impatiently stared up at her friend.

    They heard the next door swing open and locked. The two exchanged mutual smiles and a look of malice shifted toward the barrier next door. The short haired girl on the floor stubbed her cigarette on her friends ankle and stood up. Her friend, towering over her, began unscrewing the lid on the jar full of pricked caterpillars. The girl on the floor unlocked their cubicle's door and her friend jumped off and they both bolted outside leaving behind piercing screams of a half dressed peer with fuzzy critters trickling down from her head to the toilet seat and inside her undergarments.

    Staggering outside to the courtyard was the two girls cackling their breath out. Tears welled in one's eyes. "Oh Leila, that stuff never gets old with you, does it? Looks like its the end of our bug collecting days after you're gone. You're usually the one I count on to get hands-on on those writhing things."

    Leila's smile concentrated on one side as she unlocks another peer's bicycle and her friend did likewise. She walked up to the trashcan at the end of the rail and dumped the contents of her schoolbag empty. With one last pathetic glance at the school, she laughed with scorn, "Shithole school, you don't have to welome me next year." She got on her bike and peddled away, her hair winding back. She loosened the front of her school uniform with one hand and stretched her neck.

    "I can't believe you're applying to Nakata's All Boys High. Only you would find it entertaining. Man, I'm so screwed, repeating again next year and this time, without you. Less fun and more smart asses to keep in line." sighed her friend, speeding close behind her. "You got some easy folks."

    "I don't have any. Well there's my grandmother but she doesn't even remember my name so it doesn't count. She wouldn't be able to care what school I'll attend anyway. Finally, I can go somewhere where I won't disappoint anyone." said Leila, who attempted to overrun a possum that jolted from one side of the woods onto the narrow street; but she wasn't fast enough.

    "Unlike you to leave the gun at home." remarked Tavia, amused that her friend had missed an opportunity to rid one more creature off the face of earth.

    "I don't like the sound of gunshots. I dumped it along with the junk in my bookbag. New beginning means new interest. I like anything that shines, stains, and drips. It'll be my new trademark at the school. I'll show you after its been used." She looked back at her friend to bear a perverse smile.

    "I won't see you this summer. My parents' are sending me to my aunt's as usual." There was a long silence that followed them the rest of the way.

    They were moving at a rather slow pace, staring straight ahead, sometimes with their eyes closed as they rode in the tree's shade, enjoying what's left of their last day together.


    A house on fire
    A wall of stone
    A door that was once opened
    An empty face and empty bones

    - [Keane]
    Last edited by greenpills; 06-05-06 at 11:12 PM.

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    Default chapter 2

    It was a summer spent jogging through the public track alone trying to beat old records. Everytime she keeled over, she would lie there for hours, staring at the sky til her eyes gave out. Little time as possible was spent inside the house that welcomed her. She didn't work because she didn't need money; the things she wanted couldn't be bought.
    Setting a dressing mirror by the wall, she kneeled down and parted her hair to the front. Her fingers rigidly stroked through the long black strands. Looking through them, she caught her sharp eyes in the reflection. She slowly manipulated her face into a dark, wicked expression that satisfied her.

    Clipped hair spilled from her lap onto the floor. She gathered them and placed them into a box and slid it beneath her bed.

    Her hand lingered on the rail that led her downstairs. She picked her dinner plate from the table and slowly headed back in the previous direction.

    "Will you eat down here with your grandmother for a change?" requested a maid that just emerged from the kitchen.

    Leila was only a few steps up the stairs but she did not bother to look back. "She's not my grandmother. She can't even remember my name." she announced back with a tone of insincere pity.

    "Your garndmother's condition...can't you just bend a little for her, try to make the most out of it?" asked the maid politely.

    "I'm sorry but it's too depressing being around her." Every step felt heavier as she ascended upstairs and closed the door behind her. She placed her dinner aside and instead, pulled the guitar from the corner. She gently ran her fingers down the strings, plucking occasionally and delighting in the separate notes. The moment she leaned against it with half closed eyes, she spoke in a contorted but somewhat hazy tone, "The goals you've set for me have always been and are out of reach. Who am I trying to make happy when there really isn't anyone left. Sanctuary...I haven't got mine yet."

    In the morning, she made sure her hair fell in all the right directions, giving her a messy look that covered part of her eyes and fell near her chin. She strapped on her bag pack and headed out.

    The nearer she got to the school, the more students she saw packing through the main gate. She saw the fresh flowers planted near the front and dug them up, packing them into dirt balls. A devious smile crept on her lips as she aimed far and ran ahead to see who was hit. But the instant she rushed toward some students, they had for some unknown reason spread out in panic. Then she spotted the metallic object in the hand of a erratic young man with long fringes infront. She saw him grab another guy's hair and stab him just below the waist line. His eyes bulged out as he stabbed repeatedly and screamed, "I'm not one of you guys. No, I'm better than that. But why? Why of all schools, only this one had to accept me? WHY? I don't want to be with you goddamn losers." He was shaking his head in disbelief at the fact and his victim's pants seeped red through the front.

    Leila staggered back when she saw his back only a feet away as he dragged the bleeding student by the head. She wanted to run out of the way but tripped on some other kid's bag and fell down.

    The insane guy fell backwards over Leila. His knife flew in the air and landed in some random kid's throat. OTher students removed themselves from the proximity of the injured in a matter of seconds. Then a group of sullen looking guys pulled the boy from atop Leila and gave him a good beating from top to bottom and threw him on the floor and kicked til blood spilled from all surfaces of his body. The police came and hauled him away. Amazingly, the students who beat him into a pulp was excused in self defense and the teachers hollered for everyone to report inside.

    Everything seemed to be returning to "normal" as many straightened out their uniforms and strutted inside.

    She was beggining to get up when an erect figure stood over her. She could not make out his face because of the sun behind him. But she stuck out a hand, expecting him to help her up.

    "This place is not for you." He spoke with a cold indifference and walked off toward the direction of the school. His words echoed strangely in her head as she supported herself up. Then she noticed that it was his bag littered on the ground that made her trip.

    She quickly caught up to him and grabbed the top of his shoulder with one hand. Now that she was nearer, she saw the sophisticated spectacles he had on. She let go the instant his face slighly shifted her way. His youthful and boyish face charmed her for a second before she remembered the gender she was supposed to be.

    When she decided what she was going to say, she saw that a pack of guys had surrounded her now, choking her into silence again. Half of them had hands inside their pockets and chins slightly up with cheeks that were held in. The rest were not looking at her but instead at the ground as if waiting for a signal to glare. The guy that stood in the center circle with her now had his eyes closed as if trying to get some peace.

    She couldn't make out who was the boss of the gang until a shaved head individual with pierced eyebrows and lips
    stepped toward her and stared through her messy hair, penetrating her with his gloomy and dark eyes. Because he was so much taller than her, she could directly stare at his tag and make out his name, "Bosco Wong."

    "Who's your new friend Sammul?" asked the boss.

    The guy who she initially ran after, Sammul, was silent and did not answer.

    "New kid huh?" Bosco's face inched closer to Leila's and she unwillingly inhaled his smokey breath.

    Leila slightly nodded.

    "I saw what you did." he laughed unkindly.

    "What did I do?" she coughed back.

    "You made that freak trip over and stole his wallet in the process. Because of that, instead of taking you to the rooftop with the new kids and piss over you like we do every year to them before putting them in training, I'll let you challenge one of my guys and if you can do it, you get his position. How about that? We like new members with different assets."

    "What kind of challenge?" she asked. But before that was answered, another student ran up to their boss and whispered into his ears.

    During this time, in her head, she referred back to the wallet that was mentioned; she didn't purposely do anything of the sort; it just fell out and she pocketed it after. 'So the guy thought I did, cool.' nodded Leila suddenly. 'More power to me.'

    Bosco's watchful eyes never left her for a second. "You're a lucky kid, it happens Raymond wants to leave so he's going to train you in his spot. That way he doesnt suffer any penalties and you get a free ticket onboard." He grabbed onto the back of her neck and shoved her inside. She glanced back to Sammul and saw that he slowly coming with a still introverted look.

    She pointed to him and said, "I would of challenged him. I don't like the silent type."

    Bosco laughed and patted her on the shoulder, "He's one of my original top guys. You'll come to like him."

    "But I already do, that's why I want to kill him." she whispered to herself.
    Last edited by greenpills; 06-05-06 at 11:13 PM.

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    Default chapter 3

    The inside structure of the building was not unfamiliar since many schools were built with similar plans. The contrast lay in the walls; here, grafitti masked the corridors. She doubt there were many clean walls left but was soon proved wrong when they led her through a dark corridor and up the stairs into a neat classroom.
    Inside, a tanned guy with his sleeves gathered at his elbows, sat at the edge of his chair tuning his guitar. She carefully observed the room and saw that it had various instruments stacked up by the farthest corner. She guessed this was some sort of band room and a laugh escaped her lips at the thought of the gang having a band of their own. No one chose to acknowledge her laughter and she began to wonder whether they were even aware of her presence.

    Then he began plucking the strings, playing a striking tune she knew so well. She carefully walked up to him and stared down at him. He did not look up and continued playing casually as if he was truly alone in the room.

    Bosco caught onto Leila's sentimental expression as she stood over her peer. "You seem interested in his guitar? Want him to teach you or something? It'll just be one extra thing he'll pass onto you. Isn't that right Raymond?"

    "I don't care for it." She tried to sound careless and looked to the other side so Bosco couldn't see that her face had twisted up a bit. Now she was gazing at Sammul, who propped his body over a desk by the window and leaned his head on the glass. He was staring beyond the gate and thin woods to the industrial area that was creeping close to school grounds. The skin beneath his eyes creased slightly as he narrowed his view and looked to the sky instead.

    She felt something trail across the back of her neck. Carefully turning around, a guy towered over her with a black marker only an inch away from her face. He then continued to doodle up to her earlobe. He looked extremely concentrated and fascinated with his activity. Twisting up again, she shoved him away and surprisingly, he fell back easily. "What the hell are you doing?" she angrily questioned him, rubbing off the flower marks. "Having fun poisoning my blood, is that it?"

    "That's Kenneth, no reason for you to get worked up. He just likes to mark things." Bosco yawned and commented, with his hands firm behind his head.

    "Well get some damn paper or use the ----ing walls in this room to do it." Leila shot back and strangely looked at Kenneth while asking Bosco, "Is he sick or something?" No one said anything as if nothing mattered. Kenneth began crawling to Leila's feet and started doodling on her shoes.

    Glancing from person to person, she began to get burned up inside. 'Some damn gang, looks more like a bunch of depressed kids who belong in the asylum. And look at the leader, he's ----ing taking a damn nap. What the? Aren't they supposed to be down there, bullying the teachers or something? I'm not learning any tricks here.' she complained inside her head. 'And that Raymond kid is still playing some depressing junk. If the window was opened, I'd feel like jumping out.'

    She kicked off Kenneth and went over to Raymond and squatted down. With one hand supporting her face, she quietly whispered, "What an awfully sad song...how many more people do you want to kill with that?"

    Raymond now looked up at her and placed his guitar aside. He held his hands together and then leaned near her ear, "You don't like it? But I wrote it especially for you. It's a goodbye song. Go home Leila."

    She quickly stood up and mouthed, "No." and smiled arrogantly. Raymond shoved her out of the room and announced that he was going to show her some basic things and no one followed them.

    He led her inside the bathroom and kicked open the stalls to see if any one needed to disappear. He pushed Leila down on the closed toilet seat and set his hands at the sides, hovering close over her. "Your brother wouldn't want you here."

    "I'm trying to understand more about his lifestyle here and what made him weak enough to suicide. I want to live through his shoes, live in his place and see. Give me just this. It's all I want Raymond. You were his good friend. Grant me this and I'll leave by the end of the year."

    "I know you're aiming for more than that. I can see the bitterness in your eyes. They reveal an entirely different agenda. I can't do much for you here. You can have my position and skip out on the challenge but it won't last."

    Her lips pulled back viciously, "No I won't or else," She unsheathed a huge knife strapped on her leg and carried it down onto the door, leaving a long mark. "Don't you know me Raymond? You think I'd pass up this opportunity to find out what it's like to be with the boys my brother hung out with? I've always been curious as to what kinds of things his gang would do but so far, nothing interesting is happening. It seems these people are nothing more than mental freaks."

    Raymond stepped out to the sink and washed his face. "I will never understand the things you're after."
    Last edited by greenpills; 06-05-06 at 11:13 PM.

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    Default chapter 4

    Leila slipped inside the classroom and took a seat in the back. Several curious sets of eyes turned to her but the teacher's back remained facing the students. Feeling quite relaxed, she crossed her feet on the desk and watched the teacher scribble nonsensical signs onto the board. It didn't take long before she extracted her attention to the boy next to her.
    His ears were plugged in and his head bobbed in every direction. Annoyed, Leila reached over and pulled the plugs from his ears. She stood up and clapped for everyone's attention. The teacher tuned in along with the rest of the class.

    "Teacher, I don't think it is appropriate that he is listening to music while you are lecturing over equations. If my grades slip because of this, how will I explain to my parents?" She sounded extremely agitated and the teacher stood in shock at hearing a student express concern for learning.

    Whispers spread through the rows from one end of the classroom to the next as the teacher was gaining confidence from Leila and strutted to the boy and told him to sit upfront from now on so he can keep an eye on him.

    "It's the newbie that got a free pass to Bosco's clique." someone nearby sneered.

    "Free pass?! Shit, damn lucky, the most difficult one to get into yet he did nothing for it. I hate him already." another added and his face bottled up.

    "In this place, it's either you do the ruling or be ruled. Looks like we gotta pay our respects to that ---hole now." a third said and began to get up. He sat on Leila's desk. "I'd like an introduction to the most admired kid in the classroom." he said sourly.

    Slowly, Leila pulled up a trouser and urged him to take a look. "Wanna lick my knife?" His eyes widened at the glint. Quickly, he jumped off and headed back to his seat and even scooted it up a few extra feet further.

    When class was over, Leila was the last one out as she stayed and offered to peel the orange on the desk for the teacher but he did not accept her kindness; though disappointed, she could only sweetly say, "Next time then sensei." He also left now.

    The instant he stepped outside, a group of guys poured into the classroom and blocked her from exiting. "Punkass junior, you ----ing screwed me over." It was the same guy she plucked the earphones from earlier. She could not help but smile as she predicted the petty mindedness of some kinds of people.

    "That's right, do you know who you're talking to? It's Edison Chen, you can say his gang rivals that of Bosco's." someone chimed in.

    "Bosco won't like rats anyway so I'll do him a favor now." Edison said and dragged her outside. Students scattered away and distracted the teachers from noticing.

    The school gardener banged the door from inside his tool shed.

    The hose tube was shoved inside her mouth and Edison slowly turned it on. Leila cold not force it out and waited for the effect.

    But it never came.

    "The school won't like you wasting its water." Sammul noted in a low and careless tone as he walked past them, his eyes intuned with darkness and his hands buried in his pockets. His head slightly cocked to one side and his jaw shifted occasionally as if he was mentally occupied with everything but his surroundings.

    "The hose chose this time not to ----ing work." crowed Edison, "Damn, you are the luckiest mother alive. But there'll come a time when you're completely alone and I know its coming pretty soon." Everyone left.

    When they were completely out of sight, she crawled over to the steel knob. Turning, water flowed freely onto the ground beneath her. Her brows furrowed deeply and confusion marked her face. "He lied." she even put out her tongue, tasting it a little, "Probably came straight from the toilets but it works fine."
    Last edited by greenpills; 06-05-06 at 11:14 PM.

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    Default chapter 5

    Leila slid aside the door of the gang's meeting spot and expected to see Raymond and Sammul but the only body present was Kenneth. He was shifting through his marker basket, sniffing random ones to make sure they were working fine or else he would drop them in the trashcan nearby.
    Leila limped toward him. "Where's Raymond?" she asked as she held onto his tie for support. His eyes travelled up to the ceiling and his fingers did likewise.

    She breathed out disbelievingly. "---k, the rooftop? What the does he do up there? Feed the birds?" Kenneth stared at her blankly and she let go of his tie, straightening it up for him. When his fingers reached for the marker basket, she swiped them side and dumped all the markers into the trashcan.

    "This isn't worth your time." She then took the only marker left on the desk and scribbled onto his palm the words, "new hobby --> bug collecting with L.T."

    She began limping outside, "But for now, I have to see Raymond." Taking out the school map from her pocket, she started for the private stairway up to the rooftop. Her sweaty hands gripped onto the cold rail and she made it halfway up. The next step sent her backwards but someone rushed up and supported her. "Oh so you've been following me?"

    Kenneth didn't respond but kneeled one knee down and stared blankly ahead. "No, it's okay. You wouldn't want everyone to think we're gay or something, not that I would care if you were anyway." she said in case he happened to be so, "I would rather risk falling than be seen carried up like a cripple."

    So the rest of the way, he stood behind her, giving her enough comfortable distance.

    When they fully reached the top, Leila turned the knob and let light in. She waved slowly at Kenneth and said, "Thanks."

    His chin jutted out as he smiled and said, "Anytime." She had intially thought he was deaf, so being proved wrong put her in slight disarray.

    She stood fixedly on the same spot for minutes, staring into the unmoving back of Raymond. He was sitting on the edge's rail with his guitar.

    Her body jolted nervously as she approached him. "Wh ..what are you doing there?" She could not bring herself to go any closer, "Aren't you afraid of falling? Raymond?"

    His response took a different track. "I saw them take you out."

    "Oh. Yeah." she started laughing, "That was fun."

    "Not really." His fingers searched for the right chords and pressed down.

    "Can't you sit somewhere else?" asked Leila as she turned away from him, "You're making me feel weird inside."

    He ignored her previous statement and instead asked her softly, "Why'd you come up?"

    "I just wanted to talk I guess." she shrugged behind him.

    "It's pretty cold up here. You should go back down." he said. She did notice that the wind sounded louder up here and felt chillingly stronger.

    Leila tried closing her eyes as she held onto the rail. "Since you were up here all this time, then you saw nothing happened. Tell me why did they let me go?"

    He began playing. Her face cringed as she got upset. "Stop playing that tune, do you want me to jump or something?" When she began to calm down, she spoke loud enough to overpower his guitar, "They let me go just when Sammul passed by. He's not...?"

    Raymond interrupted her, "It's going to rain."

    "But I won't get wet because you'd cover me won't you?" Leila playfully laughed. He looked over to her with a serious air.

    She opened her eyes just to look back into his.

    His feet lifted off the rail and back onto the hard pavement.

    "Tell me Raymond, what made my brother struggle like that? Why did he have to circle that track over there for days until his heart gave out? What was he struggling for?"

    He did not answer and began to turn the knob.

    Leila stood firm where she was and hollered to him, "Raymond, how big of a heart do you have? Big enough for me to devour? Big enough to forgive me for anything I haven't done yet? Is there anything I could do to make you hate me?"

    "No." he announced back with tired eyes that expressed sentimental concern. "I just can't seem to match Leila Tong and hate together."

    "Thankyou." she said as she followed him out. He led her downstairs and she held his arm close to her, like a child would.

    "Let's go see the nurse. I thought you said they didn't do anything to you. Why's your feet like this?" Raymond observed.

    "It got scraped a bit when they dragged me out." replied Leila, taking more notice of it now.

    "You better put away your knife before the nurse sees it." he warned.

    "Don't worry. It's on my desk because stupid teacher didn't let me cut his orange. I didn't have time to strap it on before those idiots poured in." she explained. "My things are all in my math class, I have to go back and get it. He gave us so much homework and none that I'll be able to do. I'm awful aren't I Raymond? My parents should be glad they're not around anymore to see me fail."

    He left her at the nurse's office and ran to get her things. "What class are you supposed to be in now?"

    "Fitness." she said, looking down, "I'll be glad to stay inside this time."

    Raymond could not stay with her, so she was stuck in the band room alone until Sammul walked in. He sat at the back and opened up his laptop, paying no attention to her.

    She started on her homework for a little bit before getting frustrated. She stopped and her head rested on the desk for a minute. She grabbed the papers and headed back. She held it out in his face and stared at him.

    Sammul closed his laptop and calmly walked up to the front board. He went over the lesson that was strikingly similar to the one her teacher did this morning.

    With an apathetic smile and tone, he said, "That should help. They never update their lessons." He took a seat in the back and attended his laptop again.

    Baffled, she gawked at him. "You... you're a complete math wiz. You know more than my teacher does. Why.. why are you even at this school?"

    She received the most unfriendly response, "None of your business." This time, he took a good look at her before going back to whatever he was doing.

    Angried, she finished the last of her problem, stuffed everything inside her bookbag and sat outside the door so she wouldn't see his face.

    The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. He had mastered the subject she found most difficult. A part of her envied him while another tried to strongly hate him.

    She went down and settled by the stairs to watch the other student change classes. She saw Bosco head out and the groupies of younger guys greeting him with utmost deference.

    "He only has that commanding look, that's all." sneered Leila. He spotted her and joined her on the stairs. He took out a pack of cigarettes and offered her one. She shook her head.

    "I'm trying to quit but a part of me doesn't mind killing myself." he whispered.

    "Huh?" Leila didn't quite grasp all that he said. Instead, she steered toward the most recent subject, "Sammul."

    "What about him?" asked Bosco, his head dropping aside to observe Leila.

    "He doesn't belong here." She thought it quite ironic that those were the words Sammul had addressed to her from the beginning.

    "No he doesn't." Bosco said, nodding pensively and he breathed out the smoke. He then stubbed out his cigarette and continued, "He could get in any school he wants if he were to take his exams. But he stopped caring a while back. He hates attending class. Not that it matters, there's nothing he doesn't know anyway and teachers won't be able to do much for him. He doesn't want to take their authoritative shit and tedious tasks either. He's just aiming for nothing now."

    "Nothing?" Leila didn't understand, "While everyone struggles to get by and still live the high life, he does nothing about his skills? Maybe he does belong in this school. If he doesn't want to use his skills to benefit society...oh man, what am I droning on about?" Leila got up and hurriedly staggered away and shook off what just happened.

    She washed her face repeatedly, "I..I thought there'd be less pressure and let me be myself without feeling bad about it but here I can't even accept myself. Stupid Sammul."

    "Yeah?" Sammul called from the nearest stall.

    "Sorry, didn't know you were there." apologized Leila.

    No answer.

    She got into the next stall and peeped over to his, "Sammul, if I had half your intellect, I think I'd be ten times the better person." she didn't know why she felt the need to talk to him about it, "I used to have alot of dreams but one by one...they slipped away. There's no one to impress anymore. So why did you stop caring Sammul?"

    He looked keenly up at her with self-questioning eyes, "I'd like to know too."

    "Hey fagass, what the ---k are you doing souping over to someone else's stall?" Pointed out one of Edison's trainees.

    "Wanna lick my knife?" smiled Leila.

    The guy challengingly stared at Leila until his friend pulled him aside, "He might be for real man, afterall he's in with Bosco now, save the trouble for the other newbies."

    "Idiots like that are unfit to live." said Sammul, "All they care about is roughing up someone, looking tough, causing unnecessary chaos, every place needs order. They should look at themselves before they complain about this "s--thole" school. It's s--theads that make up s--tschools."

    Leila cowered back completely into her stall. "Shit....... maybe I've joined the wrong gang." she whispered privately, "Because I'm exactly the type he hates."



    Who ate your heart?
    You're cold inside
    You're not the one I hoped for
    I'll see you on the other side
    I'll see you on the other side

    -[Keane]
    Last edited by greenpills; 06-05-06 at 11:14 PM.

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    Default chapter 6

    One week later, Leila stood outside the school's main doors and waited for Bosco. When he and Sammul walked out together, she was a bit hesistant to speak to them.
    "Uh well I heard you were the track captain last year and I want to bag that position but before doing that, I want to compare my capabilities." she said, looking only at Bosco.

    "What does you being captain or not have to do with him?" asked Sammul to Leila. She didn't understand why he had to be hostile toward her when it was just a simple challenge.

    Bosco smiled and accepted it. "It's alright" she heard him whisper to Sammul, who commented that it was a waste of time running with a junior.

    "A junior?" repeated Leila, quite hurt inside. She addressed him, "Even in my own group, I'm referred to as a junior, that's rather pathetic don't you think?"

    "If you can outrun me, then that's something else." he said.

    "But I challenged Bosco, not you." said Leila, not wanting to have a feud with him.

    "You're aiming too high." he arrogantly looked away as he said this.

    By this time, Leila had given up and decided she should catch Bosco alone some other time. "Nevermind."

    She was about to leave when Bosco held her back by the touch of his hand. "Raymond gave you his spot. In a school where you're no longer part of the higher hierarchy, life will downgrade a bit." Bosco said, "Hope he knows what he's doing. Or maybe hope you know what you're doing."

    "Raymond, he's always weak for a little estrogen." After saying this, Sammul walked away with Bosco.

    Inside, Leila felt uneasy in their presence as if they already knew her identity the way they spoke and teased her just now. When they left, she blushed considerably with flashbacks of her easy pass. She knew Raymond and Bosco were close so there'd be no reason for him to completely shun Raymond unless it was part of settling the mass. Like Sammul said, the school needs order, and if not imposed, everything will be in chaos.

    And she was right about one thing; Bosco continued seeing Raymond privately. She'd seen them head up the rooftop many times. One day when Bosco slipped down, Leila ran up to Raymond.

    "You know, several weeks ago when I challenged him, his friend backed him out. Isn't it weird?" she said, "You guys should really reconsider this leadership thing. Some boss."

    Raymond seemed bothered by her words. "Leila, I want to ask you something."

    "Yeah?"

    "Since you got here, were you disappointed that we're not the people you thought we were?"

    "Yeah." she truthfully said with her back and elbows against the rail. The sky was clear blue with only a few streaks of clouds.

    "The whole school labels us as a 'gang'," He began, "but personally in our minds, those terms are far from what we're about. We're buddies...and that's all there is. I thought by now, you've understood us from the interaction you've been getting. I'd really appreciate it if you'd care less about positions, labels, that sort of thing...can't we just leave that to the other idiots of this school?"

    "So all this is..is a friendship ring? I thought as much but a part of me still feels left out. There's things they know that I don't, right? Like they all know I'm Leila Tong, 100% female."

    "If they didn't, you think they'd give you the most easy tasks to run? To even cover for you in the beginning? We wanted to let you have your fun, hoping you'd leave when you've had enough. Because they respected your brother, they protected you by letting you onboard, hoping the other newbies won't give you trouble."

    "You should of told me that from the beginning. How the hell do you think I feel now Raymond? If you think I should feel real grateful, I really don't. Things have been going slow no doubt but I'm making strides that you can't see. Bosco always has others shielding him and he never handles anything himself, he's just a puppet. You guys can fool the whole school but not me. I've tested him a few times already. The other day, I watched him coming from the nurse's office. Through some private snooping, it turns out he's ---king anemic! Did you guys know that? Hope you did or he's taking all of you for a ride. It's crazy that you guys put up the most weak person."

    "Tell me, how important is this thing you're coveting?"

    "Very, that's why I came here." she said.

    "Is it really that exciting, whatever you're doing?" he asked with hardly any interest.

    "I've always been chaotic in the head, but you let me in anyway." laughed Leila. "I breed on weakness. You let yourself become vulnerable, sorry Raymond."

    "You know your brother's death had nothing to do with them." Raymond said.

    "But I suspect he wanted Bosco's spot and to prove that he was stronger, he ran for days and days. So its connected indirectly. But that still matters to someone like me. Gives me all the more reasons to stick around."

    "He's unfit to be our 'leader'. With his personality and attitude, there'd be more violent incidents than necessary. He likes to wreak havoc for the fun of it, not to keep this school in line. And we can't have someone like that as our 'leader'. We need someone like Bosco that prefers peace, not breakouts."

    "It's fun living in my brother's shoes. Now I understand the hatred he feels for Bosco. To know he was better in every way yet still not have his friends' support killed him inside. Tell me, why does it have to be Bosco and not someone else?"

    "Tell me, who is the person you admire most in this school?" asked Raymond.

    "What does he have to do with this?"

    "You'll be hurt inside." he was clearly concerned.

    "Huh?" Leila turned to look at him strangely. Nothing registered to ease her confusion.

    "I think you already know that Sammul and Bosco are bestfriends." he said.

    "And?" she questioned him impatiently.

    "Did you know from the moment you stepped inside this school, you carried along with you feelings of hope, everything this school doesn't offer its students."

    "I still don't quite get it." she repeated.

    "Like you said, Bosco is a puppet, who do you think is the main hand?"

    "Sammul." Leila's eyes lit up and her tongue ran over the surface of her teeth. She twisted her hand around the top bar of the rail. "Interesting."

    "The whole point of putting Bosco ontop was to give him confidence that he never had because of his illness. To give him the freedom that he was always limited by. As you see now, in this so called 'gang', there is alot of self sacrifice. You can never be a part of us Leila, you just don't understand. I hope you give up now and go back because we are definitely not what you're looking for."

    "Hmmm maybe I was wrong, I thought you'd consider me a friend but still you regard me no where near that. I'm still an outsider to you and your buddies. True maybe I haven't left back all the feelings I needed to. I hurt inside all the time. But you, with your circle of friends and the support you guys get from each other, why is there still so much unhappiness? Why can you sit on that rail and not have an inkling of fear? I'm more qualified to sit there than you."

    "I don't ever want to see you sit up here." his grave eyes were not her favorite site.

    "Having a friend as Bosco who struggles for his life, I thought you'd learn a thing or two, guess not. That depression of yours must be very painful to live with." Leila stood with there with him for how long, she couldn't tell.
    Last edited by greenpills; 06-05-06 at 11:15 PM.

  8. #8
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    Default chapter 7

    With his arms crossed, he leaned over to his right side and let his shoulder brush against the bark of the tree rooted near the track.
    "It's going to rain soon, maybe you should tell your friend to pick another day to practice." Sammul pointed out the jogging Leila to Raymond.

    Raymond dug through his pack and placed a small umbrella on the ground. "Do me a favor, tell her to go home." he began to leave Sammul's side.

    "Why me?" Sammul asked with a rather curious expression.

    "I just have a feeling she won't say no to you." he said back.

    "But what if I don't care? Whatif I want to see her soaked?" Sammul questioned his friend in a teasing manner but Raymond continued to walk on.

    He stood in the same spot and observed her for as long as the clouds allowed him to.

    The rain felt refreshing on her skin.

    It was the feeling of being occupied, of struggling and striving for something that mattered to her. When she ran, passing her by was not the school's field but rather a series of pleasant images that played like a never ending show.

    The rain had made the track muddy now as brown water flooded over to the tracks. Her feet eventually gave out and she fell forward but caught her weight by the hands. Turning on her back, water streamed into her eyes and receiving lips.

    An umbrella covered her and the person bent down. Lightning illuminated the sky behind him.

    "Seems you've solved this school's puzzle. It's not other students you have to worry about, it's yourself. Don't be your own victim." he said as his eyes peered into hers. He continued, "You should pursue something else if this is where its getting you in the end." She knew he referred to her running and passing out hobby.

    She coughed out water and choked a bit before asking, "What should I pursue then Sammul?"

    He mulled this over, "Something that will last."

    "What lasts for you?"

    He looked elsewhere for a moment.

    "It doesn't help. This talk of yours because you don't even know your own direction. At least I knew mine when I was running." she let out a mocking laugh.

    Rain continued to pour down his back but his knees did not shift from her side.

    As she stared straight ahead with concentrated eyes, she asked slowly, "Marriage...kids...don't you want any of that?"

    Still, he did not answer back but his eyes did not wander from her face.

    "Before, I could never think about those things. I can never imagine having children because my world will always remain a child's. I want happiness but even that happiness is limited to only certain things that I know. But you, why do you have everything yet still be unhappy as you are? Does that mean no matter how hard I try and how good I do in school, I will still want to become nothing like you? What should I pursue then? No matter what path, will this unhappiness stay with me?" Her eyes swelled up and she could not maintain a neutral expression.

    "I'm not your best example." he said finally.

    He began to pull her up and she hopped alongside him. He gathered his bag as well as hers and walked her home. It was a silent walk with the umbrella in her hands and the bags in his.


    The wind wouldn't blow me home
    To lie in your heart of hearts
    Will I ever see you again
    And lie in your heart of hearts?

    - [Keane]
    Last edited by greenpills; 06-05-06 at 11:16 PM.

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    Default chapter 8

    The clouds loomed heavily above and the grey sky stretched onward for miles.
    Though his eyes were closed, he saw everything but darkness. The place next to him was occupied and a hand warmly matted with the window. Visually, they could move anywhere but physically they remained behind the barrier. Her eyes caught sight of Sammul and Raymond heading in the building together. They were silent but their faces ached with feeling.

    "How are you enjoying your stay?" asked Bosco.

    "You know, there's not a moment when I'm not troubled inside. It was never like this before. I'm not doing what I initially came to do. And I don't think I can do it anymore. Thinking about it is getting even harder now." Leila spoke wearily. She looked over to him and saw that his eyes were downcasted.

    Bosco then sighed contently and commented, "For me, there's not much to enjoy anymore. I've had my time here and I don't mind leaving. Relief... I've finally got it now. It's like all of us have subconsciously counted to this day."

    Leila's head shifted slightly in confusion. "You're leaving?" She didn't wait long enough for him to answer before going on, "Where are you going? You can't leave. What about your friends? All the long effort they put to structure this school so all the students here can leisurely live their life?"

    Bosco shook off her comment, "It's been weighing me down for a long time. A mask feels suffocating the longer you put it on. The appreciation I have for it all... it's not enough. This was never my wish but it made them happy to think there was something they could do for me. To live in this broken down school, to make the most out of it."

    "No wonder Edison's asses are harping on about redrawing the territory. They must of found out you were leaving."

    "He wants to merge the gangs and come out on top." said Bosco.

    "What are you guys going to do about it? I mean what is Sammul and Raymond going to do?"

    "They don't think he's worth thinking about. Edison is massing up his guys for a full riot involving as much students as possible. It won't be a pretty sight. Leila, I always wanted to tell you I'm sorry about your brother even though he and I were never friends. There's just some people you never get to know. I think we would of been good friends." he said, his elbows leaning on the windowsill.

    The door behind them slided open and in came Raymond and Sammul. Bosco turned around and said, "Well guys. This is it." With a few friendly gestures exchanged between all of them, he left and withdrew his documents.

    As Leila watch him leave, she asked, "Where's he going?"

    "He needs to check into the hospital full time now."

    "What? What don't you guys follow him, see if he's okay?" But she knew she did not quite get the situation and felt foolish when she remembered Raymond mentioning about Bosco's long term illness.

    "There's a promise we made him since we all begun highschool together, when the day comes that he would have to check into the hospital, he rather we never come because he doesn't want us to share the lowest moments in his life." Raymond said as he picked up his guitar.

    "'How would I feel having you guys around? I wouldn't be able to let go. You guys will make dying harder.'" Sammul quoted Bosco's words and then let out a disbelieving laugh that did little to hide his true saddened thoughts on the matter.

    Leila looked from the withdrawing Sammul to Raymond, who held onto his guitar but could not play. She could tell their faces ached painfully. Before she knew it, she was running out to the main gate after Bosco. He stopped for her and his brow raised curiously at the sight.

    When she was able to breath properly, she said, "You know I'm supposed to hate you but it got harder when I actually met you. It's not the power you were given that I envy you for, it's the place you have in your friends' hearts. I hope you let them visit you."

    He smiled at her before walking out of sight.
    Last edited by greenpills; 06-05-06 at 11:16 PM.

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    Default chapter 9

    When she got back, she asked Raymond, "What's going to happen now?"
    They did not speak about it til late afternoon when Bosco's guys gathered in the meeting room. Sammul privately said to Leila, Raymond, and Kenneth. "Because Edison thinks the power is all concentrated in Bosco, he feels he has an advantage over us now. He's over his head."

    "But no one knows it's you guys behind Bosco so they think they'll get you in numbers. Completely overturn this school into Edison's turf." said Leila.

    "I want to get you out Leila before it starts." Raymond said and Sammul nodded.

    "But I don't want to go." she said firmly.

    "Too late." The door slided open and in walked Edison with a wide joker grin. "The school grounds are locked in. We're going to settle it today or none of you are getting out." Guys poured in behind him. From the original circle, one by one, each began to get up and join Edison's side. That leaves Kenneth, Sammul, Raymond, and Leila in their chairs.

    "So traitors, you decided to make a switch at the last minute?" asked Sammul.

    "Shutup, Bosco's gone. If i'm not with the tide, I'd be a ----ing fool." One shot back to defend himself and then went to the back of several other guys, who looked away also.

    "Edison, we'll never merge. We won't hand it over either." Raymond stood up and headed toward him.

    Leila saw Edison reached in his back pocket for something and stood even closer to Raymond with his hand pressed against his stomach. She unsheathed her knife and pressed it on the side of Edison's cheek. Edison knocked Raymond to one side and grabbed hold of Leila's wrists.

    "Let her go." Raymond demanded loudly as he began to get up again but was held back by seven other guys. Sammul and Kenneth were blocked from getting near Leila and Edison.

    "Oh so it's a she? Shit, man I should of known." His face inched forward to hers as she fought in his grip. "All of you are in for treat then." He bent her over a desk and began to pull down her pants.

    Raymond struggled hard enough to break several noses before jumping on Edison and pulling him off of Leila, who's muffled screams pierced the room. He grabbed hold of Edison and fought for the gun, which shot out to the ceiling. Some guys were startled by the gunshots and froze long enough for Raymond to hurriedly lead Leila out. She ran ahead of him and he shot behind to keep them at distance.

    Edison reached behind two of his long term boys' pockets and whispered in their flinching ears, "Pussies. I'll ----ing take care of this myself. Keep an eye on those two." he indicated to Sammul and Kenneth, who were gaining an upper hand on the other boys.

    Raymond saw someone run across the hallway as he quickly glimpsed out from inside the private stairway's upper screen.

    "Let's go up there." whispered Leila.

    "We can't. We'll never get you out that way." said Raymond as he grabbed her hand and put the gun in it. "I'm gonna run out and lead him off, then you can get away."

    "I.. I" she stuttered, "I really don't want to leave you guys behind."

    "You won't help us by staying either."

    "I'll ..I'll call the police when I get out." she said.

    By this time, Raymond came forward from the door and saw Edison leaning against the lockers with a playful smile. His eyes were red as they bulged out and his veins were clearly visible through his skin. His finger wiggled around the trigger for effect but Raymond did not cower back. The side door burst open and the gun in Leila's hand was directed toward Edison's head from the side.

    "Don't Leila, you'll be in for murder." warned Raymond.

    Her teeth gritted together as she gripped the gun firmer in her hand. "They'll let me off for self defense. This messed up school should be fair to all its students, don't you think?"

    Behind Edison were Sammul and Kenneth with Edison's guys trailing behind them, trying to pull them back. Kenneth grabbed Edison and jammed him into the locker and threw him aside before the four ran to the school bulding's doors. Gun shots fired close behind them. Raymond felt Leila gripped harder onto his arm and looked over to her. She mustered up a small smile, "This..it's..kind of ex..citing isn't it?"

    When the school doors burst open for Edison and his guys, he fired into the bushes, searched the whole grounds but didn't see them in sight. He sent a good portion to guard the gate and threatened them to shoot if they see anything, assuring them he'd clean this place up good so no one would know.

    Inside the dark tool shed, Sammul breathed, "What are we doing in here?"

    "What are you talking about? Even if you don't care about your life, think for others man, we want to get out. Leave them to the police." Kenneth shot back.

    Leila was completely silent while the guys bickered on. "You called them for this? Do you know what this does to us? Why don't you ----ing invite them to run the school as well. Shit like this happens all the time, we can settle it ourselves."

    "If you guys are gone, imagine the shit all of the other kids will go through everyday. By going out, you're practically surrendering to him, letting him do whatever he wants to you." Raymond added and assured Leila he'd get her out unharmed.

    "How do you expect the rest of the school to follow when they know you bent the rules and ratted out?" Sammul asked hotly and he was immediately sat down by the guys incase his pride overcame him.

    An hour passed as Edison researched the school, ran over the rooftop, and exhausted himself completely. Then his eyes ran over the school's garden tool shed and he closed in on it. He ushered several to look around for loose side boards because there was a lock on the door. He did not pay attention to it before because the lock put him off but the instant his hands reached between a crack and pulled it up, he believed he got them but it was empty.

    "The f---?" he cried out and shot in repeatedly. "Damn. Where the f--- are those shitheads?"

    The instant he turned sideways, a bullet landed in his face. Injured, he staggered back and forth outside, shooting randomly at his own guys. They scattered and fell ontop of each other. Paranoid that his own men decided to turn against him in the last minute, he went on a killing rampage and shot as many as he could in sight. The guys guarding at the front rushed forward and pointed their guns at him, telling him to stop it or they'll shoot. He shot them too and it was all quiet after many ran from the schoolgrounds. Edison collapsed in middle of it all and garbbed his face blood sprouted from endlessly. "Help me." he uttered and reached out to the emerging people from the school's hidden cupboard in the ground.

    Sammul stepped on Edison's face and pressed down harder and harder until Kenneth told him to stop. Sammul proceeded to wipe his bloody shoes on Edison's shirt instead.

    Rain began to wash the grounds dirty brown and red. "Raymond?" The two now noticed the stillness from the shed. They ran back inside and saw him hovering over Leila. When they peered over his shoulder, they saw her whole uniform stained red. "Why did you keep quiet about it?" asked Raymond through blurred eyes, "I would of taken you to the hospital right away no matter what happens."

    "If I told you..." warmness suffocated her, "you'd run out wouldn't you? They would of seen where we were hiding. I just wanted to wait it out." When she saw Sammul cringing with a deeply concerned expression, her fingers addressed him, "Remember that question I asked you? Can you answer it now?"

    "Thanks for asking me that. I'm going to look forward to it all." he gently bent down beside her now.

    It was hard to smile, the pain weighed in yet she struggled to curve her lips, "R-really?" her eyes brimmed with ineffable content as she gripped onto Raymond's arms. "I'm glad because you've got pretty good genes Sammul." she feared she could not laugh again.

    The sirens ran outside and Raymond began to lift her up. Her eyes were closed as she continued speaking, "Raymond, you told me I can never be a part of you guys. Tell me this once, tell me I am."

    He nodded rigidly and could no longer control his expressions, letting them twist considerably.

    "Thankyou. You know you were wrong, the person I admire most in this school isn't..." she choked out warm blood and her lids strained open, then lowered completely.

    In her ears, echoes of her name swirled together with the symphony of rain.
    Last edited by greenpills; 06-05-06 at 11:17 PM.

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    Default half a year later...

    Untitled [Keane]

    A house on fire
    A wall of stone
    A door that was once opened
    An empty face and empty bones

    Who ate your heart?
    You're cold inside
    You're not the one I hoped for
    I'll see you on the other side
    I'll see you on the other side

    The wind wouldn't blow me home
    To lie in your heart of hearts
    Will I ever see you again
    And lie in your heart of hearts?
    Last edited by greenpills; 05-08-06 at 08:32 PM.

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    Default

    I want to address a part that readers might find confusing. Exactly when did Leila get wounded? It was in the hallway when they were running toward the door and not in the shed when Edison was shooting in. Okie dokie, you're good to go
    Last edited by greenpills; 05-08-06 at 08:52 PM.

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    Default

    Wow! i must say, nice story! just finished reading it!!! real long, but good!!

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