Chapter3

#Chapter3

Oh, college life, how you beguile me

The parents left, and we all got situated. Shawn was doing better since Dad changed his medication, so we had no more incidents. We also got our school schedules. I was looking through my program, waiting for the others, when I noticed a pair of women’s shoes. I didn’t have to look up to know who it was. Now, what did she want?

/"Liam,/" Mel greeted me.

/"Mel,/" I answered, not bothering to look at Mel.

/"What are you doing?/" Mel asked me.

/"What does it look like I’m doing?/" I questioned, not elaborating.

/"It looks like you’re looking at your schedule,/" she said with a slight giggle.

/"Give the girl a cookie,/" I said, my tone oozing with sarcasm.

/"Someone sure is moody,/" Mel remarked as she snatched the schedule from my hands. What the fuck?

/"Mm-mm,/" she hummed as she looked through my schedule, then handed it back to me. /"It looks like we have two classes together./"

Well, that’s great. That’s what I needed, stuck in a class with a crazy chick. Why me?

Matt and Scarlett walked up as Mel introduced herself to them. They talked for a few minutes, then she turned and strolled off.

/"Who is that?/" Matt asked.

/"I see you two met Liam’s future squeeze,/" Austin commented as he walked up with Gina.

/"Mel is not my future squeeze. She’s a pain in the ass that stalks me,/" I retorted, rolling my eyes.

/"Stalks, lurk, whatever. The point is, that’s the girl who thought Liam and RJ were a couple,/" Austin mentioned, grinning. RJ walked up and smacked him upside of the head. /"Damn, dude,/" Austin grumbled, rubbing the back of his head.

/"Stop running your pie hole,/" RJ told Austin. /"Ignore this idiot. He doesn’t know what he’s saying./"

/"I guess so,/" Matt said.

/"Are you guys ready?/" Scarlett asked us.

/"Yeah, I’m ready for food,/" I said with a shrug.

/"When aren’t you ready for food?/" RJ asked me.

/"Yeah, true,/" I agreed, grinning, and the six of us left.

At some point, we would meet up, but it would be in shifts with our schedules. Ah, college life, how you deceive me.

The first week of school seems okay. It’s way different from high school. Classes were longer, and we didn’t have to go the entire day, or some had late courses than others. I saw RJ, Nik, Matt, Austin, and Scarlett because they had classes around the same time as me. The other’s schedules varied with the school.

The only time I saw anyone other than that was when I was eating. It was all the time or when we pass each other in the hallway going to our rooms.

The only issue I had is the crazy nut that I got stuck in the class. Mel would be pretty if she weren’t so damn annoying. One day, as I was sitting in class in my usual spot and missing the pain, the ass was sitting two rows back. Things were beautiful until I heard a psst, psst sound behind me. Christ on a bike, if you must use a bathroom, there are plenty of them. There’s no need to make the sound.

When that didn’t work, I felt something hit the back of my head. I reached around to find a piece of paper crumpled up into a ball. Then another one, followed by more of them. What the actual fuck? Why do I have a feeling I know who this is? Oh, that’s right, because I do.

I ignored the person until she hit me with a foreign object. I turned around and shot her a glare. She waved to me with a grin. What the hell is this girl’s problem?

/"Mr. Shaw and Miss Michaelson, is there a problem?/" The professor asked with an annoyed tone.

I turned around to face the professor. /"Besides the pain in the ass that keeps throwing shit at me, nope,/" I answered.

/"Mr. Shaw, I won’t tolerate that kind of language in my classroom,/" the professor reprimanded me. That was the wrong move on his part.

/"What are you, a pompous ass? Who the hell speaks like that? I won’t tolerate,/" I imitated the professor, making the other students laugh.

/"If you don’t like the way I teach, there’s the door. You may leave,/" the professor informed me, pointing at the door.

/"I would if I could, but I can’t. Because if I do, my dad kicks my ass from here to Timbuktu. So, I’m not leaving,/" I replied, leaning in my chair, crossing my arms. Let the showdown began with the pompous ass.

/"Get out!/" The professor blustered, turning a unique shade of red. I’m sure that’s a fuchsia color.

/"Nope, I don’t think so. Let me explain a few key details to you,/" I mentioned. I got up from my seat and strolling down the steps until I reached the front of the class. /"See, what Professor pompous ass here doesn’t get is one. He’s not from England. Two, he doesn’t earn much money and has a history of kids dropping his class. I know I did my research. And my family owns this school since they do fund it and built it./"

/"What?/" The professor questioned, looking at me.

/"Oh, you didn’t know. Shocker,/" I responded, rolling my eyes. /"My grandfather is Charles Jones, and my grandmother is Maggie Jones. It’s a huge fucking legacy since my mother is Elena Jones Shaw, and my father is Jordan Shaw. You know the guy that kicked your ass in high school because you and your idiot friends terrorized my aunt. Unlike my idiot family, I do my research. So, no, I won’t leave soon. I’ll go back to my seat, and you continue your boring ass lecture. Carry on,/" I said. With that, everyone watched me walk back to my seat and sit down. /"Oh, I’m the other half of the double troubles. If you don’t know me, you will,/" I added.

Their mouths dropped open as Mel roared with laughter in her seat. In case you were wondering, I was the brain, and JJ was the brawn in our little situation. Yes, the double troubles have arrived, and from the looks of it, most of these morons already knew who I was.

I sat through an excruciating lecture with Professor Stammer here. He finally dismissed the class. The dude needs to up his game if he plans on matching wits with me.

I left class and met up with RJ and Nik. Leo still had class, so we hung out on the lawn and waited for him. I laid on the grass with my eyes closed when three guys invaded our personal space. I opened one eye to see none other than Gage and two other guys. Does this guy have a death wish?

/"Look whom we have here,/" Gage remarked in the most annoying tone ever. Yes, Gage had that annoying voice that reminded you of nails on the chalkboard.

/"Look, boys, it’s twinkle toes, himself,/" I smirked as Nik and RJ chuckled.

/"You sure have an enormous mouth for someone who has a death wish,/" Gage snapped back.

/"Shouldn’t your mouth be more useful like eating my fist or sucking dick than running it?/" I questioned without missing a beat.

/"Sorry, that’s Nik’s department,/" Gage smirked, which is all it took for RJ and Nik to get to their feet.

/"I would watch it, Gage. I have no issue putting you in a grave,/" Nik said through gritted teeth while clenching his fist.

/"Oh, you mean like what I did to your boy toy,/" Gage antagonized Nik. This comment set Nik off as I got up, and RJ had to hold Nik back.

/"Listen, numbnuts; you’re two seconds away from getting your ass kicked. You shut your mouth before I knock out your damn teeth,/" I told Gage, feeling annoyed with his presence.

/"Ooh, I’m shaking,/" Gage commented, making a gesture with his hands. He and his buddies laughed, but I smiled.

/"What are you smiling at, freak?/" Gage snapped.

/"Him,/" I said as the three of them turned around. Leo’s fist met him square in the face, knocking him onto the ground and grabbing his nose. The other two guys ran off.

/"Shame. You should learn to keep your mouth shut. You never know when someone’s boyfriend might show up,/" I mentioned as Gage glared at me.

Leo stepped over Gage and walked over to Nik. /"Are you okay?/" Leo asked Nik.

/"I swear I’ll kill that motherfucker!/" Nik screamed, pointing at Gage as tears ran down his cheeks.

/"Leo, take Nik back to the house. Liam and I’ll take care of Gage,/" RJ suggested as Leo took Nik and walked him back to the house. RJ shook his head. /"Fucking piece of shit./" We grabbed Gage and dragged him off-campus. When we got done, we closed the dumpster lid as Gage beat on the inside of the cover. I could have put a brick on top so he couldn’t lift it.

We walked back to the house and walked in to check on Nik. Leo was sitting on the floor in the hallway next to Nik’s door. /"How is Nik?/" RJ asked Leo.

Then we heard a crash along with a smash. /"Oh, you know, okay,/" Leo answered.

Then something crashed against the door. /"Yeah, Nik sounds fine,/" I remarked, rolling my eyes.

/"He needs to release some steam,/" Leo reasoned.

/"I better let Hunter know,/" RJ said as he went to find Hunter.

I sat down next to Leo as we listen to Nik’s tirade. A few minutes later, Hunter came upstairs with Drew. We got up, and Hunter asked, /"How long has this been happening?/"

/"Half an hour since we got home,/" Leo answered.

Hunter pounded on the door. /"Nikolaus, open up!/" Hunter yelled.

/"Fuck off,/" Nik screamed.

/"Nik, you open the damn door!/" Drew shouted.

/"Go fuck yourself, Drew!/" Nik yelled back.

/"What the hell is wrong with this family telling me to go fuck myself?/" Drew asked us as we stood there.

/"Listen, before you go guns blazing in there, give it a few more minutes,/" Leo reasoned.

After two minutes, the door opened to a tear-streaked Nik. We looked in to see a trashed room, and Nik started crying. Leo pulled him into his arms and comforted him.

/"Liam, what happened?/" Hunter asked.

/"Gage happened,/" I said as I waved at them to follow me. Leo took care of Nik while I explained what happened. We also called reinforcements such as Angelo, who was leaving work.

We all stood in the kitchen as Angelo explained about Nik. /"Last year, Nik was worse. This time is tame compared to what we saw then, but I can assure you if Leo is with Nik, he’ll be fine. What set him off?/"

/"Gage,/" RJ said.

/"Figures. From what Leo told me, that kid is an actual piece of work,/" Angelo said.

/"Oh, you don’t know the half of it,/" I say to Angelo.

/"Care to fill me in?/" Angelo asked.

/"Where should I begin? The time Gage sexually assaulted my brother Shawn or when he gutted Mike like a wild animal. Then he let Melvin take the fall for all his crimes. Better yet when he got some guy to drug Mack and almost raped her. Take your pick,/" I mentioned. Yeah, I know I don’t mix words. Why beat around the bush with this piece of shit?

/"Jesus, no wonder Nik went through hell,/" Angelo said.

/"Gage wasn’t the only one, but he’s not the only one behind it either,/" RJ said.

/"There’s more?/" Angelo questioned with confusion.

/"Unfortunately,/" I said.

By then, Zane, Frisco, and Xavier arrived home. Angelo looked at them as they entered the kitchen. /"Nik’s room now./"

/"Man, can’t I at least get something to eat?/" Xavier asked.

/"Later,/" Angelo said as he left the kitchen.

/"Why is it every time we try to eat, something major happens?/" I heard Xavier asked Zane.

/"Karma for what we did to Matt,/" Zane reasoned.

/"Karma sucks,/" Xavier groaned.

You got to hand it to the brothers. When the shit hits the fan, they’re always there. I went over to the fridge and started pulling out fresh food and placing them on the counter.

/"Are you eating now?/" Asked Hunter.

/"Yes, and you call our lovely uncle and tell him what his exceptional nephew did. Since you’re the babysitter,/" I commented, smirking.

Hunter looked at Drew. /"This is the last time I stick around for this assignment./"

/"It can’t be all bad. I’m here,/" Drew said.

/"Then I’ll ask for a faraway assignment. Thank God your Mom is coming this weekend for a few weeks,/" Hunter mentioned, placing his phone to his ear. /"Hello, Mason. I’ve got to talk to you. No, it wasn’t Shawn this time. It was Nik,/" he said as he left the room.

I made a sandwich, as did Drew and RJ. A few minutes later, Xavier snuck into the kitchen and fixed himself a lunch.

/"Aren’t you helping your brother?/" I asked between bites.

/"There’s five of us. I doubt my brothers miss one of us if we aren’t there,/" Xavier said, taking a bite of his sandwich.

Then we heard Angelo yell, /"Xavier! Get your ass up here!/"

/"Fuck it. I’m hungry. Angie can wait,/" Xavier said, taking another bite of his sandwich.

Yep, the brothers are one of a kind. I ate, and as I thought about Gage, I wanted to squeeze his head until his beady little eyes popped out of their sockets. Who knows, I’ll get the chance one day.