CHAPTER SEVEN: wake up, little Cory

|!¤*'~''~'*¤!| ă̶̸̝ͦ͊̿͋͞ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ t̴͕͖͓̀h̶̯̰̝̻̿̓͢ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ p̶̸̨̺͊̍̒̓̀ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ȍ̸̢̢̮͚̐̚p̶̸̨̺͊̍̒̓̀ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ s̩͙͖̋͛͟ă̶̸̝ͦ͊̿͋͞y̯̤͑́́̓́ |!¤*'~''~'*¤!|

XAVIER MACKEN COULD FEEL EYES ON HIM. Despite, what an odd feeling it was, he was now used to it. That didn't stop it from being creepy. Maybe he was watching too many horror movies. Because every time he looked around to see if he could spot the person, no one was looking at him. "You're going insane," he spoke to himself. Then glanced around one last night, still, he couldn't catch sight of anyone looking at him.

Then, he tensed, because, what if someone knew? What if someone knew the real reason he had so many bruises?

|!¤*'~''~'*¤!| ă̶̸̝ͦ͊̿͋͞ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ t̴͕͖͓̀h̶̯̰̝̻̿̓͢ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ p̶̸̨̺͊̍̒̓̀ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ȍ̸̢̢̮͚̐̚p̶̸̨̺͊̍̒̓̀ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ s̩͙͖̋͛͟ă̶̸̝ͦ͊̿͋͞y̯̤͑́́̓́ |!¤*'~''~'*¤!|

"Xavier!" Shawn yelled, running past three students and jumping over the bench. "Xavier!"

"You are aware that there are stairs, correct?" Xavier sarcastically asked the younger boy. "And that you don't have to run and almost knock down three students, I stopped walking the first time I heard you call my name."

Shawn waved him off. "Yeah, but you get distracted easily, thinking about if you did homework."

"I'm not gonna ask you how your grades are. I feel like I'll be disappointed."

|!¤*'~''~'*¤!| ă̶̸̝ͦ͊̿͋͞ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ t̴͕͖͓̀h̶̯̰̝̻̿̓͢ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ p̶̸̨̺͊̍̒̓̀ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ȍ̸̢̢̮͚̐̚p̶̸̨̺͊̍̒̓̀ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ s̩͙͖̋͛͟ă̶̸̝ͦ͊̿͋͞y̯̤͑́́̓́ |!¤*'~''~'*¤!|

"How do you know you're in love?" Topanga asked, putting a Shawn's face.

"Love is the most amazing, rare, and precious thing in the world," Shawn replied.

"Have you ever fallen in love?"

"Five times a day."

Harley shoved Shawn, pushing him to the side. Xavier caught the other boy, lifting him.
"Baboon, Joey tells me you're shooting a documentary in my hallway. Did I say you could shoot a documentary on my hallway?"

"It's not you're hallway." Xavier glared at the other, ready to throw a punch if he needed to.

"It's okay. It's for school." Cory replied.

"Yeah. Yeah, school. Nevertheless, here I see you shooting without a proper permit."

"Permits?"

"Leave it alone." Xavier pulled Cory back a few steps as Joey walked up. Xavier knew he could take Joey on in a fight. But, Harley, it was difficult. Anytime the two had gotten-or almost gotten into a fight, the teacher and multiple students would be pulling both back.

"What Harley needs here is a location fee and an equipment rental fee," Joey spoke.

"How much is that?" Cory questioned.

"How much you got?"

"Three bucks."

"There bucks." Joey immediately said. Xavier couldn't help but laugh at the boy, even as he continued to speak. "but if you let Harley pound your face, maybe we can work out a discount."

"Or, I could beat you both up," Xavier said, despite the already black eye. Cory noticed, and although he didn't know when the other got it, he wasn't going to let the other fight and get hurt even more.

"Uh, Harley, maybe we can avoid this money and face-pounding if you felt personally involved in the project," Cory said.

"What are you saying?" Harley asked.

"I'm saying I'll put you in the film, picture it, Sex, starring Harley Kiner."

"Okay, Baboon. Make me a star."

Xavier lifted his hands, surrendering. "Bye, I'm not getting involved."

|!¤*'~''~'*¤!| ă̶̸̝ͦ͊̿͋͞ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ t̴͕͖͓̀h̶̯̰̝̻̿̓͢ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ p̶̸̨̺͊̍̒̓̀ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ȍ̸̢̢̮͚̐̚p̶̸̨̺͊̍̒̓̀ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ s̩͙͖̋͛͟ă̶̸̝ͦ͊̿͋͞y̯̤͑́́̓́ |!¤*'~''~'*¤!|

"Xavier, what's your opinion on sex?" Topanga and Cory are suddenly next to him.

"What?" He asked, looking up from his notebook, pencil no longer scribbling down the answers.

"Your opinion on sex?" Cory asked.

"Just- Shut up, I heard you. I mean, as long as you love and trust the person, the relationship is healthy-"

"Wait, have you-" Cory started.

"That is none of your business." Xavier immediately said.

|!¤*'~''~'*¤!| ă̶̸̝ͦ͊̿͋͞ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ t̴͕͖͓̀h̶̯̰̝̻̿̓͢ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ p̶̸̨̺͊̍̒̓̀ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ȍ̸̢̢̮͚̐̚p̶̸̨̺͊̍̒̓̀ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ s̩͙͖̋͛͟ă̶̸̝ͦ͊̿͋͞y̯̤͑́́̓́ |!¤*'~''~'*¤!|

"Go to hell!" Xavier yelled at his father, spitting out blood.  He shoved the older one, lifting a fist to punch him.
His father passed out.  His fist was brought down, glaring down at the older one. "Pathetic." He hissed at him. "I hope you choke on your vomit in your sleep."

He huffed, swinging his jacket over his shoulder and walking out the door.

|!¤*'~''~'*¤!| ă̶̸̝ͦ͊̿͋͞ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ t̴͕͖͓̀h̶̯̰̝̻̿̓͢ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ p̶̸̨̺͊̍̒̓̀ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ȍ̸̢̢̮͚̐̚p̶̸̨̺͊̍̒̓̀ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ s̩͙͖̋͛͟ă̶̸̝ͦ͊̿͋͞y̯̤͑́́̓́ |!¤*'~''~'*¤!|

"Mr. Macken,"
"Xavier,"
Both Mr. Freeny and Mr. Turner greeted him, making him look up. "Are you alright?"
"What happened?"

"What?" Xavier asked, once again, and again, Turner gestured to his face.

"Somebody hit you?"

"Oh," Xavier realized, then forced a laugh. "Yeah, no, got into a fight a few days ago, accidentally reopened a few cuts while I was sleeping."

"Do you need to go to the nurse?" Mr. Feeny asked.

Xavier shook his head. "I'm fine."

Both adults looked at the boy, worried.

|!¤*'~''~'*¤!| ă̶̸̝ͦ͊̿͋͞ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ t̴͕͖͓̀h̶̯̰̝̻̿̓͢ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ p̶̸̨̺͊̍̒̓̀ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ȍ̸̢̢̮͚̐̚p̶̸̨̺͊̍̒̓̀ḻ̸͈ͧ͑̓̓̀͡ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ s̩͙͖̋͛͟ă̶̸̝ͦ͊̿͋͞y̯̤͑́́̓́ |!¤*'~''~'*¤!|

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