Chapter 2

Jason -

The air was foggy and cold, making Jason wish he'd brought his sweatshirt. Oh well, some things couldn't be helped. Crowds of people arriving at the school came into view and soon Jason was among them, pushing his way roughly past to get inside.

"Hey," came a loud, deep voice from amid the throng.

Jason spun around, expecting the owner of the calling to be a teacher, but was surprised to find a peer standing a few inches taller than himself. He had deep brown skin, hazel eyes and buzzed short hair. He was stocky and had the build of someone you didn't want to mess with. But Jason never could tell with these kinds of people.

"Well hey to you too," Jason replied.

The boy stared down at him, disgust and annoyance glistening in his eyes. "You just shoved me, apologize."

So he was one of those types of guys. Jason withheld a laugh. This guy wanted him to apologize. No way. "Excuse me, sir, but I'm trying to get to class, would you mind if I dropped out of this conversation?"

That didn't amuse him. The student shoved him against the railing of the stairs. "Apologize."

"If I remember correctly, it's not a crime to accidentally bump into someone."

He was pressed roughly against the railing, feeling the beginnings of a bruise forming along the small of his back.

"I said," the boy was speaking slowly and decisively, "apologize."

Jason pushed back, barely moving the enemy an inch. The other student sent him a glare and urgently advanced.

Admittedly, it always looked cooler in movies when the bad guy punched down the good guy. However, in real life, it was much, much lamer and far more painful.

"I can't believe this," grumbled Jason, sweeping the floors. "I didn't even know brooms still existed." He glanced over his shoulder. "Karim, are you even paying attention to me?"

"Don't call me that."

"Well it is your name, isn't it?" Jason saw the other boy tense, a muscle in his jaw twitching.

"Only people who are significant in my every day life can call me by my name," Karim snapped.

"Well considering we'll be having detention for a month together, plus are currently cleaning the classroom with each other, I'd say I'm going to be very existent in your every day life."

Karim just shot him a dirty look and turned back to polishing the windows. Jason sighed theatrically, going back to brushing the floors. A tune from a song started in his head and he began to whistle.

"Seriously? You're really testing me right now?" Karim growled, halting his window wiping.

Jason gave him an innocent look. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Karim grimaced and let the cloth fall into the bucket of soapy water.

"Look," said Jason. "There's no reason we can't both get along. I mean, I think we're about equal since we both got a very good punch in."

Karim just stared at him; eyebrows raised in disbelief. The other boy's face didn't even have the beginnings of a bruise, whereas Jason was confident that he himself had a black eye.

"Come on," begged Jason. "It hurt a little bit."

"It felt like a mosquito bit me."

"So your face itches?"

"I more meant you were annoying."

A groan escaped Jason's lips as Karim smirked in satisfaction, both of them returning to their duty.

An idea popped into Jason's head as he finished sweeping all the dust into a corner. Carefully, watching Karim, he grabbed a fistful of the rubble and began to creep quietly over to where the other boy was. As soon as Jason arrived, pulling his arm back and ready to hurl, Karim spun around, foamy cloth in hand.

Dust and water and foam sprayed them both.

"Oh, you little," Karim muttered, shaking dust from his short hair.

Jason spluttered and coughed, tasting soap in his mouth. He made eye contact with Karim and in a flash the bucket of dirty window-wiping water was on the ground and soaking the front of Jason's shirt.

Karim began to spin around, but it was too late, Jason had already thrown a chunk of dirt that consisted of dust, tape, hairballs and, oddly enough, glitter.

A grin spread across Jason's face, and as Karim reached for the still-foamy cloth the door to the classroom opened up, revealing Mr. Chang.

"Boys…" He sighed. "I asked you to clean the room, not make it a mess."

Jason wiped his stinging eyes, feeling small bubbles popping on his eyelashes and fingers. Karim didn't look the slightest bit regretful as he ran his hands over and over in his hair to remove the grime.

"I want this cleaned up," Mr. Chang ordered. "And then go shower and head home. It's nearly five and I don't want you roaming the streets at night."

The boys just nodded silently and set to work.

"Ugh," groaned Karim, peeling a piece of tape from his hair.

Jason stifled his chuckles with the back of his hand.

"Oh shut up."

"Hey, you got me wet too, don't act all innocent," Jason retorted, throwing off his shirt onto a bench in the locker room.

"You started it."

"Did not. It was at the same time if anything."

Karim snorted and headed for the showers. "Whatever."

Jason pulled a face at his retreating form and grinned, feeling pleased with himself.

As Jason stepped out of the shower stall, dressed in the same shorts but the hoodie he'd brought with him, he noticed Karim standing around the lockers, tapping on his phone.

"Aw," he cooed. "You waited for me. I always knew you were a big softie in secret."

"Should I even respond to that or will you get the message if I just glare?" Karim replied.

"I'd say it would be suitable if you glared," admitted Jason, slinging his backpack onto a shoulder.

Karim nodded in acceptance and shot a glower at the other boy, shoving his phone back in his pocket. They left the locker rooms, heading out the school doors.

"Do we have chem tomorrow?" Jason asked, adjusting the bag on his side.

"Dunno, don't ask me."

Jason shrugged and looked out towards the nearly empty street. He could hear the squawking of seagulls and a rough wind blowing all the way to the school building. The waves must have been rough out there.. He missed the water, just a bit. It had been so long since he'd gone down there, seven months, probably. Ever since the divorce.

"See ya for detention tomorrow," he called as they separated. Karim didn't say anything, didn't even wave, but somehow Jason knew they'd get into more mischief and maybe even give Mr. Chang a heart attack.