corruption is inevitable.

badassmarkfitzgerald: He wasn’t used to having people around that didn’t want to party. Eli and...

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:21:19 -0500

He wasn’t used to having people around that didn’t want to party. Eli and Adam weren’t too unbearable to be around, but it bothered Fitz that they wouldn’t join in on their usual activities. He knew they were younger than he was, but so were a lot of the kids at the ravine. Fitz shrugged it off. He was at least glad they weren’t being annoying, or starting trouble with him like he had expected.

It was calm amidst their group. Too calm for Fitz to enjoy. He groaned and laid back on the table, ignoring the conversations that were going on around him. When a moment of silence broke, he decided to fill it with his own voice. “Ugh,” he said, loud enough for everyone to hear him.

Fitz sat up, and looked at Bianca. She raised her eyebrows and shook her head as if to ask what was wrong. It was Friday night, which usually meant getting fucked up with her and their friends. He didn’t have to work on Friday and Saturday, which meant if he didn’t enjoy himself that night, it would be almost a whole week before he could.

He was glad to see that Bianca easily figured out what he was trying to say. She gave a dramatic yawn and made herself look extremely bored. “Well. This is lame,” she said, pressing her lips together and rolling her eyes to the side. “My place should be empty tonight. Let’s relocate,” she said, standing up straight and stretching.

No one questioned Bianca when she started walking away from the group. Drew followed behind her silently, his obedience almost meeting the standards of a well trained dog. Fitz hopped off the table and looked over at Eli and Adam who were still sitting on the hood of the car. They seemed confused about what was going on. “You heard her. We’re leaving,” he said, nodding toward Bianca who had nearly reached the path that would lead them out of the ravine. “Not saying you gotta come with us,” Fitz added, looking back at the boys, focusing more on Eli, “but I’m sure you two don’t wanna stay here alone.”

Fitz walked quickly to catch up to Bianca, glancing back to confirm that Eli and Adam were following behind him. They reached Bianca’s little orange car, and Fitz glared at Drew who had called shotgun. He climbed in the backseat, sitting behind the driver as the other two boys slid in beside him.

It wasn’t the first time Fitz had to sit in the back of the tiny car with other people, seeing as Drew almost always took the front seat. However, he had never sat so close to Eli. The only time their bodies had touched before was during fights, when Fitz had the smaller boy pinned down and was feeding him punches. Now, he could feel the warmth of Eli’s leg through the two layers of denim that separated them.

It was extremely awkward, being in a car with two unlikely people. Drew made sense, because he was Adam’s brother and someone Eli could relate to on a video game level. And Bianca, thanks to their mutual love for Dead Hand, she and Eli got along on a musical level but besides that, she’d put Adam through some shit that Eli would never forgive her for. And Fitz… well, if he was forgivable, it wouldn’t be for awhile.

Eli didn’t understand why he’d gotten in the car in the first place. For Adam, he’d told himself. He couldn’t leave his best friend alone with the asshole that helped put him through a glass door.

That had to be why he was there; why he was still there, rather. Otherwise he would have left by then.

If he could have helped it, he wouldn’t have sat so close to Fitz in the backseat. But as it was, he would rather be this close to him than to have Adam be in his place. Eli felt it was his duty to protect his best friend and, even though sometimes he forgot his place and his priorities, Adam would always matter over everything. Because besides Clare, Adam was the first to accept Eli in Degrassi. Adam liked the Goon and Dead Hand, and he understood Eli on levels no other person did. He was driving himself mad without Clare to talk writing with, because Adam liked sports and other guy things Eli just hated besides gory video games and violent movies. Exhibitionism between buff guys in tight, grass-stained pants just wasn’t something Eli cared for.

Writing expressed himself, not throwing an oddly-shaped ball across a field to someone with meaty, sweaty hands to score a goal. If he wanted to get dirty, he’d paint a bloody picture, not tackle someone until they dislocate their shoulder and scream in pain.

And then, he didn’t understand it, but the warmth of Fitz’s leg through two pairs of denim jeans — one tight, one baggy — bled through and Eli felt comfortable. It didn’t make sense. He liked the way Fitz’s longer leg rested against his and he wanted to pull back, to look offended and scoff and cross his arms… but he couldn’t bring himself to. Because he liked it.

And that freaked him out.

He cleared his throat to distract himself. “So, uh, Bianca,” he started, looking anywhere but in Fitz’s direction. Bianca’s eyes briefly met his in the rearview mirror before they were on the road again, focusing. “Why are we going to your house?”

Those same eyes rolled. “A sleepover, duh,” she said boredly, flicking her left blinker on and turning onto a dead-end street that had to be her own. “Mom’s out of town and I’m bored and alone. Besides, Drew said you two needed something fun to do, and it is Friday.” She pulled into a driveway and killed the engine. “Or are you too scared, emo boy?” It was lighthearted and Eli didn’t find himself offended in the least. He and Adam shared a glance; Adam nodded.

“Alright,” Eli said, the picture of nonchalance, “I’m in.”

badassmarkfitzgerald: Fitz wasn’t surprised when the new arrivals declined joining their circle....

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 01:57:34 -0500

badassmarkfitzgerald:

Fitz wasn’t surprised when the new arrivals declined joining their circle. He knew why Bianca offered though. Offering a toke from a joint was the easiest way for Fitz and Bianca to show that they were trying to let them in the group. Weed was a mutual thing most of the kids at the ravine shared, and it was always the best way to start a conversation. If they didn’t have anything else in common, marijuana could always fill the gap.

Though he didn’t want to admit it, being around Eli wasn’t as horribly annoying as he thought it would be. The boy was minding his own business, seemingly off in his own world as he looked up at the sky. Fitz glanced up to see what they were looking at, but saw nothing aside from the usual clouds.

After Eli’s outburst at the Dot, Fitz wasn’t sure where they stood. They certainly weren’t friends, especially after all the things he had said. If Fitz was the kind of person to be easily hurt by words, he would have been completely destroyed by Eli’s rude comments and observation.

Now the boy sat within his group of friends, in the place where Fitz was most comfortable. He feared saying anything, thinking that Eli would be quick to mock him. Still, he felt like it would be his job to speak, seeing as he seemed to be the only one feeling uncomfortable. “So,” he said, accepting the joint from Bee when she passed it his way. “Do you guys like, not smoke or drink. Or just not smoke?” he said, hoping the boys on the hood of the car knew he was talking to them.

“I don’t do either,” Eli said with a shrug, the it will disrupt my medication hung loosely in the air, unsaid. There were certain things no one besides his best friend needed to know, and even then Adam barely knew all of it. He knew Eli was taking medication, but what he didn’t know was that on top of the bipolar disorder he was aware of, it was for ADHD and depression. He was supposed to take them everyday. But he alternated, when he felt like it. Sometimes he just didn’t take his meds. On bad days, he’d hide them from himself because he hated swallowing pills and he hated that they were prescribed to him and he hated that Bullfrog trusted him to take them now, after every fucking thing he’d done, because he didn’t want to be trusted. Why should he be trusted when he didn’t even trust himself?

His bipolar medication made him feel empty, like he would never be there again, like something was missing. When taken with his anti-depressants, he was useless to everyone around him. He supposed that was what his therapist wanted, and what every single person he ever lashed out on wanted. He supposed it was a way to control him, to make him a little less Eli and a little more like everyone in Aldous Huxley’s ingenious alternate reality, Brave New World. His meds were like Soma, which he wanted nothing to do with. Dystopias intrigued him, and no amount of medication would make that stop him from dreaming.

The medication he took for ADHD left something to be desired. They mellowed him out and made him focus better. He tried to take those more often and forget about the other two, but when he got to hiding everything he realized he just didn’t care anymore. He liked the way his mind wandered when he was in the middle of a perfectly good conversation, and that it made him antsy when he sat too long. He liked moving and he liked drifting. When doing what he was told, he found that he had more time to think; think about things like Julia, and things like Clare. Things that he didn’t want to think about. When his mind wandered, he couldn’t pinpoint one subject, which was fine by him.

A hand waving in his face snapped him back to his reality; the reality he wished he wasn’t involved in. “Dude?” Adam said from his left and he shook his head to clear it. “You know? You were zoning out there, man.” There was humor there, with a tinge of concern.

He nodded. “I’m fine, thanks,” he replied dazedly, eyes seeming to drift back to Fitz from his spot on the table nearby. He regarded him for a moment before shrugging and hoping to save the conversation he’d so rudely disregarded. “What were we talking about?”

Adam laughed and patted Eli on the shoulder comfortingly. “Drugs, alcohol; you know, the general topic of conversation we’ve heard so often talked about this place.” He rolled his eyes and Eli was able to sink back into the background of their conversation easily now that he regained his feigned interest. Everything was easier when he could pretend. Adam was smart, but sometimes not perceptive enough to notice when Eli didn’t care, because Eli has a perfect Poker Face. It was something he’d perfected when he didn’t want to hurt the feelings of a fickle-minded teenager. “Though the only time I drink is New Year’s, and that’s under Mom’s strict, ‘One sip and then bed, boys,’ right, Drew?”

Just like that, the slipped into easy conversation, Eli’s eyes occasionally drifting to Fitz and back again as the Torres brothers joked about family and Bianca half-heartedly making her own comments. Eli could get used to this. He just had to get over the curious stares he was sending Fitz and the sudden urge to ask him questions about his life, too.

badassmarkfitzgerald: Bianca hadn’t told him that they had invited Adam and Eli. Even if she had,...

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:11:36 -0500

badassmarkfitzgerald:

Bianca hadn’t told him that they had invited Adam and Eli. Even if she had, Fitz probably wasn’t listening at that point. He didn’t notice anything until Drew and Bianca left the table to greet the two who had just arrived. He only glanced at them for a moment to confirm who it was before looking away. He didn’t want to stare them down.

When he looked away he could feel Eli’s eyes on him as they walked closer. He felt incredible awkward and had considered staring back at him, trying to make the boy look away.

Fitz shifted on the hood of the car, looking away and taking a toke from his rolled papers. Part of him wanted to say something, and start an argument with Eli. He knew that wasn’t the best idea, seeing as the only one in the group who would take his side would be Bianca. He would be out numbered by the people who didn’t really belong in the ravine.

He noticed a few other kids looking at them, noticing the tension between Fitz and Eli. He imagined they were confused as to why they would be even close to each other after what happened. Fitz was confused too. Did no one mention that he was going to be here? Eli wouldn’t have come if he knew, he was sure of that.

It wasn’t fair for him to feel awkward, and he didn’t want to let Eli get in his way of having a good time. He held the joint out to Bianca, waiting for her to take it from him. When she did, Fitz allowed himself another glance at Eli, who was looking at him again. “Yo,” he said, trying to stay civil when he really wanted to ask what the kid’s problem was.

Eloquent as ever, Fitz was. His lack of vocabulary and general communication astounded Eli. He rarely hung around people with limited articulacy, and if he had the choice, he wouldn’t even be here now, talking to this person he’s hated from the moment they met. He’d had his share of bullies. He’d had his share of bruises and scares. He’d had therapy when he was younger, thinking it was something wrong with him. But he was tired of it; tired of not fighting back and just letting it happen. Fitz was where he started because Fitz was who started it back up, when Eli came to Degrassi.

It wasn’t funny anymore.

Now Fitz was everywhere.

Eli chanced a glance back at him, only to find that blue eyes were piercing into his own. His green eyes narrowed briefly before he shrugged and sat next to Adam on the hood of the busted car. “Hey,” he replied offhandedly with little interest. He’d said his peace that day in the Dot. He didn’t need to start shit when he was here to lessen Adam’s awkwardness.

But, apparently Adam had caught on that Fitz’s disinterested greeting was most likely directed at the both of them, and leaned past Eli to see the other teen. “Hey, uh, Fitz,” he said, unable to hide the confusion and shock. But he said nothing past that, only looked right back to his best friend in a questioning manner. Eli merely shrugged as if to tell him they’d talk later.

“So,” Bianca said to break the tension. “We all know each other. Let’s get to the point. Adam and Eli,” she turned to them to get their attention. “You can smoke, you can drink, or not, we don’t care. But,” she emphasized the ‘but’ as she watched them closely. Drew grinned beside her despite himself. “I do require you two to at least take one hit.” Adam and Eli exchanged glances briefly. Drew looked concerned. “And if you don’t, well, then you’re pussies, and I’ll have to disown you both,” she finished with a wink, before taking a long drag from the blunt she pinched between her thumb and forefinger.

Eli couldn’t help but look at Fitz from the corner of his eye and see the way his eyes glazed over with elusive calmness as they stared back at him that Eli had never seen in the teen before. He considered it, he really did. But he’d tried drugs. They made him off the wall and paranoid. They made him feel like he’d never be himself again. Did he want to chance something like that? Have a panic attack and worry Adam and freak out Bianca, Drew and Fitz? He really didn’t think he did.

“No,” he said at last, “I don’t think I will.” He sounded almost regretful, turning down something so seldomly offered for free, especially to someone unfamiliar. He shrugged and leaned back against the windshield, expecting Adam to agree to Bianca’s terms, though Eli had caught on in the beginning that it really wouldn’t bother her at all. But only when Adam didn’t, and instead joined him skygazing past the calm autumn trees to a blue sky Eli recognized as the color of Fitz’s eyes, did Eli realize Adam had turned it down, too.

And just like that, even after Bianca’s playful, “Pussies,” the awkward air around the five of them dissipated.

badassmarkfitzgerald: A routine had been forming for Fitz. Every day he would work his ass off at...

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:55:47 -0500

badassmarkfitzgerald:

A routine had been forming for Fitz. Every day he would work his ass off at the Dot, forcing himself to be nice to the customers and meet their every order, then he would head to the ravine to see Bianca and the rest of his friends. He had only started going to the ravine again recently. He had been trying his best to stay out of trouble since he was out of the detention centre, and he knew the ravine would be the easiest place to find it.

Since he had returned there, it seemed that no one wanted to pick fights with him. He wasn’t sure if it was out of respect, or fear caused by whatever version of Vegas Night that was going around. He felt like no one really knew what happened, and they didn’t seem to believe him when he said he wasn’t actually going to stab anyone. He was an asshole, and he had a ridiculous temper, but that didn’t mean he was capable of hurting anyone as brutally as people thought he had planned.

In a way, he was glad that everyone thought that of him. No one wanted to cause trouble for someone who pulled knives on people, even though that’s no the kind of person he considered himself. He accepted the title gladly when he realized how easily people would smoke him a joint or give him a beer when he asked.

He sat comfortably on a picnic table beside Bianca and Drew, smoking a joint to himself while his friends talked amongst themselves. They were talking about people he didn’t know, or things he didn’t care about. A lot had chanced since he went to Degrassi, and he found himself being left out of most conversations. In all honesty he was just there to be around familiar faces, and enjoy the familiar scenery of the fire pit.

Adam felt uncomfortable going to the Ravine, Eli knew. It was why he was the first person Adam called when Drew and Bianca invited him there to hang out. They’d gotten over their differences and, while Bianca didn’t care much for Eli still, beyond the fact that they shared a mutual liking for Dead Hand, she had told Drew she wouldn’t mind getting to know him. Adam had been skeptical about it at first, calling Eli and asking if he should go or not, because he didn’t really trust someone who’d ratted him out and gotten him thrown into a glass door. But Eli reminded him that Drew would not let something like that happen to him again, especially when he was there to prevent it.

In the end he’d agreed, but only after Eli had promised to meet him outside the fence leading into the Ravine and go in together. It was like a pact; a silent understanding. They had each other’s backs and there was nothing more to it.

They’d pounded fists when they met up and with a nod to one another, they walked down into the dirt trail and further in until they found the car Drew had told Adam they’d be chilling on. It seemed normal at first, meeting up with Adam’s brother to hang out, wait for some other kids and for the sun to start to set before they could start their usual evening of Man Hunt. It had quickly become a guy thing when it was nice out on such days, and the other days — the cloudy days — were for playing Resident Evil and watching the Fast and the Furious movies in the Torres family residence’s basement while gnawing on popcorn and drinking their pop.

It was normal, until a third figure came into view the closer they got. He — they could tell from the short hair and wider shoulders — was tall; way taller than Drew was. Eli felt a sinking feeling in his gut, almost knowing who that was without having to even look at his face. It had to be Fitz. If seeing him at the Dot wasn’t bad enough, Eli may as well just quit leaving the sanctity of his room because this was bullshit. There was no way—

“Eli,” he heard Adam say from his left, who had stilled just when he had, “Is that who I think it is?” His voice was quiet, no louder than a murmur, no quieter than a whisper. The air had changed around them. A cold, sort of chill. And at the same time they contemplated turning back around and telling Drew that they’d have to get to know Bianca another day, something came up.

But then, “Adam! Eli!” And Drew and Bianca were walking towards them. The smile on Drew’s face was what made Adam change his mind, no matter how uncomfortable he and his best friend felt. Fitz remained quietly sitting atop the old car, staring everywhere but at the newcomers. Eli knew, because his eyes were on him for longer than he’d like to admit. “Glad you could make it!” He pounded each of their fists and then motioned for them to follow him and Bianca deeper into the Ravine until they were right where Fitz sat, pretending he didn’t even exist.

Irrational.

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:14:45 -0500

badassmarkfitzgerald:

He turned his back to Eli, silently making his coffee. It was degrading to be serving someone he had beat up so many times. As he was dumping the sugar in Eli’s paper coffee cup he realized exactly how much sugar he asked for. With that much sugar in a coffee, it wasn’t surprising that Eli had so much energy to put in to annoying people.

Fitz leaned on the counter and set the coffee in front of Eli. “You know, if you have a problem with me, I can always get someone else to serve you next time,” he said. When he started his job there he was told some of the customers would have a problem with him working there, and there had only been a few issues so far. All of those issues involved Eli and his friends.

He needed the job, for the money, and for proof that he was better off outside the detention centre. “Don’t fuck this up for me, too,” he said, as firmly as he could, without sounding like he was making a threat. It was hard not say whatever he wanted, and not have to worry about it.”

Eli couldn’t help but laugh. It was a hollow, unamused sound. Fitz always brought out that side of him. “Fuck this up for you? Like everything was my fault to begin with. You bullied your way out of school. You bullied my best friend; you bullied me.” He dropped the money he owed onto the counter, eyes never leaving those blues he hated. “You’re the kind of person that made my life horrible from the get-go. You’re the kind of person that made me revolt against bullies like you, Fitz. Don’t blame me.”

His eyes found the paper cup briefly, wondering whether or not Fitz tried to fuck with it, then moved back to his face. He didn’t trust him, but he liked having the opportunity to piss him off by making the bastard make his coffee for him. He wanted that satisfaction of telling someone he hated what to do and not getting punched in the face for it, or kicked in the nards. He liked pissing Fitz off.

“If you have someone to blame, blame yourself. Blame the fact that you have absolutely nothing good going for you so you have to take it out on everyone else who has the slightest flaw in their life. The way I choose to dress, the way Adam is fighting to become who he should have been in the first place — who I see him as.” He picked up the cup and took a cautious sip from the raised lid. He pulled it away from his lips but didn’t place it back down. “Get over whatever fucked up hatred you have for yourself and leave us with our own problems alone.”

He turned to leave. Part, if not most, of what he said was about himself, too, because he hated himself so much by this point that he had no right to be lecturing someone like he was Fitz. But he needed to hear it as much as the bastard did. He needed the wake up call his meds wouldn’t provide him because he knew it wouldn’t help him at all. He needed Fitz’s forgiveness as much as everyone else’s. He just didn’t expect it so easy because his pride got in the way. And that would be his downfall.

With his hand on the door handle, not turning back, Eli said, “And thanks for the coffee,” before the door shut with a ‘click’ behind him.

Irrational.

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:59:13 -0500

badassmarkfitzgerald:

Mark had been working at The Dot since he was let out of the detention centre where he had done his time. They didn’t keep him there very long, at least, not long enough to make any real difference. It was easy to fake progress, and convince the various social and case workers that he was fine. He claimed to be completely rehabilitated, and on his way to a bright, violence-free future.

Until today, he had been doing a fairly good job of staying out of trouble, and keeping away from those who angered him. Working at Degrassi’s most popular hangout had its downsides, especially when Fitz needed to avoid Eli Goldsworthy, the boy who had provoked him into becoming a criminal. He was always a bully, and you could have never called him a good student, but not until he met Eli did he know what it was like to truly want to hurt someone.

When Eli walked in the cafe, Fitz sighed, looking down at the glass he was drying. As he figured, Eli approached the counter and immediately started to poke fun at him. It was the same simple things that started their rivalry, blows to his intelligence, mostly. Fitz knew he wasn’t smart, but he didn’t like the overconfident way Eli pointed out his flaws.

Fitz put down the glass on the counter and tucked his cloth in his apron. “Life’s fine,” he said, restraining himself from hopping over the counter and throwing his customer out the door. “How are you liking the uniforms, Eli? They’re a long way from the girl pants you’re used to,” He added, knowing it wasn’t the best comeback. Fitz hadn’t seen Eli in a while, and didn’t have much to work with.

“Girl pants, Fitzy? Really?” Eli taunted, not in the least bit frightened of him anymore, as his signature half-smirk curved his lips to the side. There was something about someone in an apron being less terrifying than they would normally seem. Fitz, though, had lost his ‘terrifying’ quality when he faked that Jesus freak bullshit to lure Clare into his sick mind games. It had lost its effect and Eli felt superior once again. Well-educated and superior.

Those blue eyes that he hated seemed to stare right through him, as if Fitz was trying his damnedest to refrain from punching Eli’s face in. The apron, again, seemed to quell that urge because the boy did nothing, acting calmer than ever. Now, where was the fun in that? A Fitz that won’t fight back was a Fitz that was no fun taunting. He had to be on probation or something, right? Community service? Otherwise he wouldn’t be acting so calm now, serious about his job, and not making minimal snide comments about Eli’s lack of ‘guyliner’. It was boring and Eli didn’t like it. He didn’t want boring. Boring was writing a simple story about two lovers with perfect lives getting their happy endings. Boring was all smiles and curt nods across the room; politeness and beauty. And Fitz used to be anything but boring.

Eli’s life had become so monotonous; so plain and… usual. The medication he was pretending to take was dictating his life. He had to act like someone he wasn’t at all so his parents and his teachers and his therapist thought the pills were working, that he was getting better and wouldn’t be as crazy, as sad, as depressed as he was before, when Clare left him on that hospital bed, broken and hurt. He was still broken and he was still hurt, ever though he had apologized for all the shit he’d done to them, he was still in the dark. He still had no one, just like it was after he’d lost Julia for good.

It took awhile to realize, but maybe those he’d apologized to for hurting hadn’t been all he had to apologize to. The boy standing before him now, thrown out of school and arrested too many times because of all the times Eli corrupted him, all the times Eli fucked his life up, deserved an apology. Even though Fitz said and did horrible things, too, Eli had to admit not all of it was Fitz’s fault. He wanted to apologize, now, hoping that his conscience would be clear, that he could grow past this and leave this dark, dank tunnel into the light. He wanted to say ‘I’m sorry’ as easily as he’d said it to the Clare, Jake and Imogen… how easily he’d confided in Fiona about his problems and how she’d confided in him about hers.

But instead, finally taking a seat at the counter, he said, “I think making my coffee correctly would make up for any inadequacy you have in brilliant comebacks. Black. Eight sugars, no more, no less. In fact, I think I’ll have it to go this time. The scenery has put a damper on my day.”

Irrational.

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 23:00:29 -0500

Nothing really made sense anymore. He’d convinced Clare and Jake and Imogen to forgive him finally, but for what? Clare was head over heels for Jake, or so Eli was led to believe, and Jake felt the same. Eli had no one anymore. He’d managed to push Imogen away because he couldn’t get Clare out of his head, even though Imogen seemed to genuinely like him. And now he was back to square one, with nothing but Clare on his mind. What was he supposed to do?

Adam somehow managed to get Bianca to get over her problems with him, which didn’t bother Eli at all, he was really, actually glad for him, but he missed his best friend. He’s been on his own for far too long recently and it was driving him mad. He needed more friends, but it was near impossible to replace Adam and Clare; Adam, who he shared a mutual love for the Goon with, and Clare who understood him poetically, artistically and emotionally. Bullfrog understood in a ‘I’m trying to be your friend here, kid’ way, but Eli didn’t need that. He needed Bullfrog to be his father, and Cece to be his mother. He needed Adam to be his buddy and Clare to be his love. Clare already was his love, but he’d fucked that up royally. Now, there was nothing.

The Dot understood his need for solitude, his need for coffee, dark but sweet, and his need to observe. He liked the window seat, the one in the back corner away from the other customers and chitter-chatterers that spent hours after school drinking lattes with whipped cream and caramel. He hated the superficial ones and he hated the fakers. The ones that smiled like the world owed them a living when they hadn’t lifted a single finger for anyone else in their lives. He stayed away from them. He stayed away from most people, in fact, because his temper was easy to boil over since the purposeful accident.

But one thing he especially didn’t like, though, was the person he locked eyes with when he walked into the Dot. Blue eyes he wished he never had to see again. Blue eyes that weren’t as bright, as full of life as Clare’s ultraviolets. No, he definitely didn’t want to see the same shade of blue as those of Mark Fitzgerald’s eyes. Because he hated him, more than he hated himself, and right fucking now he hated himself a whole lot, just for the fact he walked right into this situation. He thought he was gone. He thought he’d left and would never come back. He sure as hell wasn’t allowed back at Degrassi, so why stay here? Why work where plenty of kids from the same school he’d forced into stupid polos and ugly, non-fashionable khakis go for coffee every morning before they have to pass the metal detectors?

Eli didn’t understand; he didn’t want to. But he did want to expel. “Hey,” he said casually, but you could detect the hostility in his voice by the way it shook just slightly. He leaned against the counter where Fitz was drying a glass. “How’s life outside of the non-educated?” There was the hint of a smirk there. Cruel, he knew, but this was the same person who bribed Eli’s girlfriend to go to the dance with him to end a feud that had nothing to do with her. This was the same person that nearly killed Eli in an abandoned school hallway during a dance that was supposed to be fun. This person is the one that re-opened all of Eli’s old wounds and made him as unstable as he is to this day. Mark Fitzgerald ruined everything.

60sforever: Alain Delon, 1962

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:58:54 -0500

60sforever:

Alain Delon, 1962