Chapter 2
Some changes happen deep down inside of you, and the truth is only you know about them...
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Brick repeatedly taps his foot on the floor, glancing up at the clock. He was eager to make sure he got to his brothers before they left for the arcade. He doesn't know why he suddenly wants to tag along, but it just feels right.
"And we'll continue our lessons tomorrow. Have a good night, class," Mr. Humptin says right as the bell let's out one final ring for the evening. Brick jumps out of his seat and runs our the door before anyone could stop him.
He races down the halls, pushing past people and skipping his own locker. He even left his homework in his class! He turns the corner to his brothers' lockers and crashes into something, falling backwards onto his butt.
"Brick?" a soft voice asks. Brick flinches and looks up, expecting to see Berserk and smiling in surprise when he sees two light pink eyes staring back at him.
"Sorry Blossom, I was looking for my brothers," he stammers quickly, hopping to his feet and offering a hand to her. She glances up to him in confusion and ignores his hand, jumping to the heels of her feet.
"What's the hurry? You could've just called them," she reminds him, dusting off her pants. Brick closes his eyes and sighs out, mentally slapping himself.
"Right, but I wanted to ask if I could tag along," he says slowly, feeling a nervous sweat start at his neck. He places a hand over it to hide it, smiling.
"Tag along to what? The arcade? I thought you said that was childish," Blossom accuses, narrowing her eyes. Brick turns and looks at a wall, placing both hands on his neck.
"Yeah, but childish things are fun," He says, convincing himself more than her.
"And my sister knows about this?" Blossom asks, dropping the tough act. Brick stiffens and groans inwardly.
"Of course she does," he says without thinking. Blossom looks at him for a minute and then smiles.
"Alright then, but you might want to go grab your stuff," blossom says with a light laugh. Brick nods and starts walking down to class. "So who's this girl they're fighting over?"
Brick jumps, turning to her in surprise. "I thought you were waiting at the lockers?"
"And why would you think that?" She asks, raising an eyebrow at him.
"To wait for my brothers?" He guesses, blinking in confusion. Blossom shrugs and walks faster, jogging into his classroom. Brick shakes his head, smiling lightly and follows her in.
"Nice," Blossom says, looking around the large classroom filled with maps and pictures of various locations.
"You mean messy," Brick corrects, picking up the stack of papers and turning. Blossom is on top of one of the desks, glancing around the room in awe.
"It's amazing, imagine actually visiting all these places!" Blossom gasps, turning on her heel. Brick smiles at her, laughing silently. Suddenly Blossom stops and stares at a picture, her smile disappearing.
"Something wrong?" Brick asks, concern descending over him. Blossom nods and laughs humorlessly
"Brick, come here," she says, motioning for him to join her. Brick furrows his eyebrows and steps over to her, stopping next to the desk. "Up here you dummy," before he could say no she grabs his hand, tugging him. He steps onto the top and stands next to her, their arms just glancing off each other. Brick feels his heart quicken, and looks around I surly.
"What am I supposed to be looking at?" he asks, laughing nervously. Blossom lifts her hand and points to a picture of a hill with a large green weeping Willow at the top. Brick stops laughing and gazes with an open mouth. He knew that place, somehow he did.
"I know it, Brick. I've been there," she whispers, glancing at him. Brick hates to admit it, but he feels the same.
"Maybe it just looks like somewhere you've been before?" Brick suggests. Blossom turns fully to face him so they're only a few inches apart.
"Tell me that doesn't look familiar to you," she says, narrowing her pink eyes in challenge. Brick gulps and feels his stomach curl. It was familiar, because it was his home. His old home.
He gulps again and shakes his head. "Never mind about the arcade, I remember I have to do something for my mom," he lies, getting off the desk. He turns to look up at Blossom as she stares at the picture. Finally she nods and hops off, following him back to his brothers.
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"And then he just ran off!" Blossom exclaims, pulling on the ends of her hair. Butch nods next to her, fingering his straw while Boomer burps in response.
"Don worry about it. Brick is a Brick, no one knows the why to the what," Boomer says with a snicker, finishing off his blueberry smoothie. Blossom stares at her strawberry ice cream, watching the condensation slip off the bluish glass into the counter.
"It was weird though, he was nervous and fidgety. As if he was just waiting to bolt!" Blossom says, thumping her chin against the counter. "Am I really that bad of company?"
"No way, Brick probably lied about Berserk and had to get back before she skinned him," Butch says with a smile. Finally he bites down on his straw, sipping down some of his lime ice.
"I guess your right...what do you guys think about the picture? Why was it so familiar?" She asks, looking at Butch and Boomer.
"Classic case of déjà vu, you probably thought you remembered seeing the picture. Happens all the time," Boomer assures her, smiling. Blossom doesn't believe him, but nods anyway.
"Way to pull through, Boom," Butch murmurs, finishing off his drink.
"At least I'm giving her some actual choices! Telling her that Brick had to run off to his nosey girlfriend doesn't exactly do much," Boomer snaps back.
"Yes it does!" Butch fights back, hopping off the stool. Boomer gets off his own and the two get in each other's faces.
"Hey now, both of your suggestions are helping me," Blossom says, placing her palm on each boy's face and pushing them apart. "But i don't think they're helpful."
"What do you mean?" Boomer asks, getting back on his seat. Blossom leans forward and takes a few sips from her drink before continuing.
"You're giving me choices, which is helpful, and I can instantly rule out those choices-also helpful-but that still leaves me wondering why?" She explains, shrugging hopelessly. Butch and Boomer glance at each other and then back at Blossom.
"I think you need to clear your mind. How about we skip the library and head straight to the arcade?" Butch offers with a small smile. Blossom sips slowly and then nods.
"Sounds good, let's go."
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Brick stops running as he lands I front of a house he has known for as long as he can remember. He climbs up the white steps, running his hands along the wood railing looked for-searching for-any memory of childhood, but none came.
He ends up at the door, his feet firmly planted on the straw welcome mat. He looks down at the simple black letters and frowns. Nothing.
He grabs the handle and twists, letting the door open with a soft pop. He takes half a step forward and stands awkwardly in the doorway, halfway between the soft warm furnishings of his house and the humid hot heat from outside. Finally he finishes his step and enters the house, relishing the full blast of ac. He turns and closes the door behind him, flinching at the loud crack that echoes through the large house.
"Butch, is that you?" a woman's tired voice calls out making Brick duck his head. He didn't like it when he came home and his mom always expected Butch or Boomer. For some reason it makes him feel...different.
"No, it's me," Brick calls out, his voice also very tired. He listens for her response but doesn't get anything. After a few minutes he walks towards the kitchen and sees her sitting on a black cushioned stool. Her light purple dress is smuggled with various stains, her black hair is sticking out at odd places and her green eyes look crazed.
"Hello, Brick," she spits out, yet there was a slight kindness behind it. Brick felt no connection towards this woman he calls mother. She looks nothing like him, nor her brothers and she shows very little care for them. His theories of being adopted were only proven when he couldn't find any birth certificate. "what are you doing back so early? I thought you had a days with that slut next door. What's her name?"
Brick usually was annoyed or angry by this, but today he just sighs quietly and corrects her. "Her name is Berserk, and something more important came up."
"Oh? And what would that be?" she asks, the menace clear in her voice. She only acts like this when Butch or Boomer aren't around. Why, he would never know?
"You told me, a long time ago, that I was different-that we were different. You said that we had a past that was special, and I wouldn't be able to understand it," he starts, looking to her for clarification. She gives a small nod, her curiosity obvious. "You said there would be a time I would understand, and I do. You have them, my past and my brothers'. I want to know."
"What gives you that idea?" she asks, but all the earlier malice has been taken away.
"I'm ready," he says, not bothering to say 'mom' he knows this lady is not his mother.
"I agree," she says after a few moments if silence. a darkness shades over her face, making her seem younger and familiar. "But I'm warning you now, you will see horrible things. Things you will want to take back, but this is the past. You will also see people from here. They must discover their past on their own, without you."
Brick nods slowly, thinking instantly of his brothers. They were a part of this, somehow they were.
"Are you sure you're ready?" she asks a final time, this time truly sounding like a normal person. Brick blinks for a moment and then nods. His mom nods and comes up next to Brick, placing a cold hand on his shoulder. "Come on."
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Blossom looks down at her hands while the boys in front of her battle it out, cussing at each other. She turns her head to look out the window, watching children, teens, couples, families walk by. For a fleeting moment she could remember something like that, with someone she cared about, but as soon as it was there it was gone.
"No I did!" Boomer shouts, making Blossom jump and turn to the boys. She stares at the two who are face-to-face in a staring battle.
"Did what?" Blossom asks and then instantly blushes. She meant to watch them, but her mind was distracted.
"Weren't you paying attention? We tied!" Butch says stubbornly, a little anger dribbling through his voice. Instantly a pang of guilt races through Blossom and she frowns sadly.
"I'm sorry, I was just thinking about earlier..." she apologizes quickly, hoping they didn't hear her.
"Earlier? You're still stuck on that?" Boomer says, laughing harshly. Blossom flinches slightly and looks back at her hands, done with the conversation. she doesn't know why it bugs her so much, but for some reason the fact that Brick just walked out makes her heart shatter.
A warm hand drags Blossom out of her thoughts and back into reality. She looks up and sees Butch standing before her. "It's okay, Bloss. I understand."
Blossom smiles lightly and reaches up, pulling her companion into a hug. Boomer let's out a distressed puff of air and puts his hands on his hips. "I believe we were having a competition?"
"Oh, someone's not in a good mood," Butch laughs and Blossom smiles. She releases herself from Butch and pulls Boomer into a hug. For a moment he's stiff and unfamiliar, but then he hugs her back, twirling her in the air. She giggles as he puts her down and he smiles kindly at her. He turns to Butch and his smile turns into challenge.
"Are you ready now?" he asks in a mock. Butch rolls his eyes and meets Boomers gaze.
"Always, brother dear."
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Brick follows his mother up the stairs to the attic which they were forbidden to go in. Even with that rule his brothers and him had gone up to play until it bored their young simple minds.
His mother stops at the top of the stairs and looks back at him before pulling out a small chain with a gold key and sticking it into the slot. She takes it out, and pushes open the door, placing her shoulder next to it for leverage.
After a few grunts it opens and his mother starts to fall forward. Brick leaps forward and grabs her arm, pulling her back. A throb of power races through his arm and then she's right next to him. She looks at him in confusion and them shakes her head, going through the door. Brick follows after her, ducking under some cobwebs.
"There's nothing up here, my brothers and I have been through it a hundred times," Brick says matter-of-factly. His mother scoffs at his indulgence and continues to the back of a room, stopping before a slightly propped open chest. Brick blushes as he remembers that his brothers and he had used a crowbar to open the mysterious locked chest, only to find some stupid clothes.
"I see," His mother says slowly, glancing back at Brick. He blushes deeper and she turns back around, throwing open the lid. "Sit down."
Brick plops down on the floor while his mother shifts through the clothes, before gasping and pulling out a shirt. She holds it out to Brick who takes it between his fingers while examining it. It was a red jacket with two black stripes leading down to the bortom where they intersect. In the top right shoulder with gold stitching were three letters that had confused his brothers and him for many years. RRB.
Rowdy Ruff Boy. It pops into his head so suddenly that Brick let's out a small yelp and drops the shirt onto the dusty floor. He looks up to see if his mother notices, but she's busy tugging out a pair of black pants and shoes. She finally gets them and brings them over to Brick, taking a seat on the floor a few feet in from of him. He looks at the shoes-red with black soles-and the pants-black with red pockets.
"What are these?" he asks slowly, looking up to his mother. She smiles lightly and then gasps, going back to the chest. She pulls out a hat, dusts off the cap and hands it to Brick. He raises an eyebrow in confusion and takes the hat gently, looking it over. It was a snap-back with a black front and red top. "Are these mine?"
"From a long time ago," His mother agrees, settling back into the dust covered floor. Brick narrows his eyes at the hat and slowly places it on his head. It feels familiar, making him smile. He turns towards the chest and glances back at his mom. "Go ahead," she says with a nod.
Brick goes to the trunk, sitting on his knees as he digs through the chest. He didn't know what he was looking for, but he knew he needs it.
Finally his hands brush against something cold and silky. He stops, and moves his hand back. The small chill sends shivers down his back. He grabs it and pulls it out, turning and sitting criss-cross on the floor. He looks down at what's on his hands and blinks. A pink ribbon?
"A bow...her bow," his mother corrects him, holding out a photo. Brick takes the half photo with shaking hands and looks down at it. The half showed a girl with half a garden behind her.
He stares down in shock at the two people. It was a girl-a familiar girl-with orange hair, light pink eyes, and a pink bow tied up in her hair. Blossom.
"Why is she in here?" He asks, looking up at the woman. She smiles knowingly and hands him another half a photo. He looks down at it, shocked to see himself with the hat and jacket and pants. All of it. He was smiling too, looking incredibly happy.
He places to two photos next to each other and watches as Blossom's and his hands appear clasped together, both of them happy. Happy to be with each other.
"Why are we?" he asks, looking up again. He points to the clasped hands to clarify and his mother laughs.
"Why do people hold hands and go to gardens together?" his mother counters. Brick slowly shrugs and she sighs. "You were in love, Brick."
"With Blossom?" he asks, not really disgusted. It's as if he expected it to happen.
"I know it's hard to understand, which is why I have this," she says, holding out a red vial. Brick stares at the transparent liquid and raises an eyebrow.
"And that is?"
"If you drink it ypu'll remember everything," his mother says quickly, looking around. Time was running short, that was obvious.
"How do I know it's real?" he asks. His mother sighs in distress.
"Trust me! stay in the dark or go back to your old life!" she says, getting up. "Think over it."
She leaves and Brick sits on the floor. He stares at the clothes and takes off his hat, placing it on the floor. He blinks, taking it all in and them looks at the vial. He I clasps the top and looks into the red as blood liquid. Slowly he brings it up to his lips and sips.
Brick blinks around the room and then he begins to sway. Everything becomes blurred to unrecognizable and finally he hits the floor. Red fills his vision until he finally looses consciousness.
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Go back to the last chapter. I changed the end a little. I hope you liked this chapter! Bye!
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