Rude Awakening by Allan Deya (amazing books to read txt) 📕

Completely contrary to his explanatory nature on the night of his arrival, Nisa turned out to be a creature of few words. He hardly spoke unless spoken to, would not mix with company of his own accord and even then would retreat to a solitary place. He preferred to listen to music all day; walking around with headphones blaring.

He hardly spent any time in the house and preferred to eat alone. Andrew knew his mom was trying; they all were after they heard the whole story from Henry later on. But Nisa just did not seem to care and for a guy who was virtually a stranger in a foreign land, he seemed well versed in it's geography.

How else could his 12 hours disappearences be explained? He wasn’t at the mall, Drew knew because he spent a great deal of time there himself. He wasn’t at the skating rink; he hated the cold- he’d told Andrew on one of the rare occasions when he worked up the nerve to ask him to hang out and Nisa was actually in a conversational mood.

If Drew was to describe him in one word it would be aloof; aloof to the point of being emotionless, detached. Yeah detached covered him to a tee. So for 2 months of summer break after he arrived, he came and went as he pleased, totally ignoring the customs of his hosts.

Not that Drew cared to be around him. One night Andrew snuck into the guest bedroom where he was bunked to convince him to sneak out of the house and go to a party with him. He had thought it was gutsy, and would have been funny to see his startled expression when he clamped a hand over his mouth; just like in the movies.

He’d spent a night in the ER with a broken nose, fractured ribs and a dislocated shoulder for his trouble; not very funny. Nisa hadn’t pretended to be remorseful, “Don’t ever try that again.” Was all he said when finally they were allowed in to see him.

“If that is how you deal with burglars then I can sleep better at night, security system or not.” Jackie had joked.

After a blank moment he had pointedly informed them, “That is how I deal with people who invade my personal space, I am not so nice to burglars.”

His mom nearly fainted when he answered affirmatively that he had in fact known it was Andrew in his room. Live and let live, Andrew believed. If he wanted to remain in good health he would just stay the hell out of that crazy person's way.

It was the first day of school and he was not looking forward to it. But at least with the jocks he knew the worst that could happen was that he would be jacked and probably ridiculed in front of the entire school fraternity; he did not have to fear for his life. 6 hours away from a madman was more than he could ask for.

The morning flew by quicker than he would have imagined. The fact that he had no friends to speak of and that the 2 he could were conspicuously absent on ‘Day of the Nerd’ did not slow time down any. It was lunch time and as he walked to the cafeteria a sense of foreboding came over him.

They had evidently steered clear of him all morning; not even as much as a crack about his dressing during break, so he knew there would be something big. And if it were to happen, it would happen here and now; where there was the most exposure and a larger array of paraphernalia to humiliate him with.

“Suck it up Belhaven, be a man about it.” He steeled himself. What would it help to postpone the inevitable? He believed in getting it over and done with, same way he had since freshman year. He was a junior now, but little had changed.

Okay maybe the faces that swirlied him and the hands that took his allowance had undergone restructuring but the insults remained as stale, the state of affairs was exactly the same and the humiliation and ridicule remained just as they had been that first time.

“Hey ass shaven.” Brock called from across the hall; Bradley ‘The Brock’ Western, the best wide receiver the town had produced in a while and the biggest doofus Andrew knew. “Your ass is mine.”

“I’m sorry, I like you and everything Brock but as an integral member of the team not in any romantic way.” Andrew returned.

There were a few snickers but a glare from a grim faced wide receiver was enough to snuff them out. “You think you’re real funny, don’t you pimple.”

“Gawd no!” Andrew said in mock shock, “But everyone else seems to think so.”

He had gone through the entire bully phase; first there was the shouting and running to the teachers. That would be met with stern consternation and followed by little action; what you got instead was an ass kicking for being a snitch.

Then came the pleading and begging and promises to do whatever and give whatever if only the pain would stop. The answer to which would be derisive laughter, after which they would make you do what they wanted as they took what they wanted anyway.

Then came denial and the gym; practice sessions at dojos and a resultant challenge to the one who picked on you the most. The end result of that would usually be aches, pains and a total thrashing before a very large crowd.

The bullying would continue throughout freshman year. After that it got a bit better, that is to say the beatings would cease; they were reserved for the new freshmen, but the insults and debasement remained.

After phase 3 though, Andrew chose a different path; while other bullees often retreated to cocoons and effectively branded themselves the butt of many a joke and a target for malfeasance, he chose to fight the system instead.

He could not fight with his hands but his tongue cut just as sharp, so he used his wit. He figured they were going to embarrass him anyways so why make it easy for them. He knew that they knew that he knew, and that really pissed them off, that his remarks were often repeated in the privacy of bathrooms and the safety of private rooms.

And for him that was enough; he could deal with whatever they could dish out provided they couldn’t stomach what he served them. He walked over to a table situated in the corner the corner and aptly named loserzville.

Or rather had been before he joined Pullen Park Academy and started fighting back, slightly over 2 years back. No one had the balls to say it out loud but he was generally regarded as a hero by the downtrodden. Now it was called Asshaven- that was a little funny, even he would admit that.

He set his tray down and after saying grace dug into his meal with gusto. Brock and his pack of rabid fools soon came upon him. He usually held court between Philip and Thomas but as he was alone today they had no problem whatsoever completely surrounding him.

“Oops, sorry!” Brock said as his boot came to rest firmly in the middle of Andrew food. “My mistake, you are so far below my league I couldn't see you down there. Hope you don’t take it personal bub.” He said patting Andrew on the head and shaking his soiled boots on his new denim jacket.

“Mature Brock. Real mature, I bet that really impresses your grade school girlfriend.” Andrew shot at the retreating pack, poking at Mr. John's likening of Brock's essays to Elementary school drabbles.

“Son of a…” Brock exhaled but was cut short as someone bumped into him and insodoing poured the contents of his own tray all over his jersey.

“Sorry about that bub.” The stranger said before yanking a second tray from the quarterback and heading straight to Andrew’s corner.

“Way I see it, if you were really sorry about accidentally stepping on someone’s meal, then the least you can do is pay them in kind.”

He placed the food before a visibly shocked Andrew before setting his own tray down and taking the seat opposite him.

“Is this son of a bitch serious, nigga are you serious?” Brock sputtered already foaming at the mouth; the way he did on the pitch when he was about to put the serious hurt on some poor sod.

“I’d be very careful about the use of such words.” Nisa told him already digging into his lunch. “Some people might be deeply offended by the use of such derogatory language.”

“You must be the new guy, so you don’t know who we are.” Nisa continued to tear into his food. “Somebody show this fool how things work around here.”

“You are Tony ‘The Quest’ something or other right, the quarterback?” Nisa said wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Didn’t your mama ever tell you that it was rude to interrupt a man at meal? Now you made me have to wipe myself off with my hand; so much for etiquette.”

Turning to Andrew he asked, “Your mom wouldn’t approve of me using a paper napkin more than once, would she?”

Andrew was surprised that he knew that considering she had not mentioned it in all the while he had stayed with them. In fact because Drew and his father understood just how much she disapproved of that, they had not given her cause to mention it in years.

“Now where were we? Ah yes, the big bad jocks were just about to show me how things work around here, weren’t they? No!” Nisa asked, answered and corrected himself. “They are here to talk to you.”

Brock shoved past two of his friends and lurched at his back. “Nigga you…”

“I told you I do not approve of such deprecating language boy.” Nisa said easily dodging the meat sized fist aimed at his back while at the same time raising his right leg and swiveling on the bench. His hand came down in a vicious chop to the back of the wide receivers neck sending him head first into the table.

Still seated but with his elbow propped on Brock's limp form, he added “And besides I ain’t even a nigger, I am African born and bred right down to the soles of my balls.” Then turning to Andrew he asked. “Yo genius boy, is that correct? Do balls have soles?”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Andrew told the rest of the posse as they started to circle him. “I got a concussion, a broken nose and a dislocated shoulder just for invading his space.”

“Shut up you fuck faced faggot.” Marty hissed at Drew.

“There you go again with that foul language.” Nisa said exhilarated. “What! What, aren’t gay folk human too? You know you should be more concerned with why your parents never told you the truth as opposed to being homophobic.”

A complete silence had descended on the entire lunch hall and that statement rang loud and clear. Because he could not resist drew asked, “Why?”

“Why?” Nisa exclaimed and all be damned if the look on his