Outskirts
This story is written by an author under the pen name Mad Hatter Vivi. You have to have my permission to post this anywhere else. This story is not based on any events, making any similarities coincidental. Please be legal age to read my story in your area, I don't want you to get into trouble.
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Thank you all for reading the first chapter of Outskirts. I will be at least finishing "Act 1" of Outskirts. Act 1 will consist of setting up the main characters. It will consist of 4 – 5 "scenes" in total.
So, if you thought you'd be getting more Emile this chapter, I'm sorry to disappoint you. This chapter will focus on another boy who finds himself on the outskirts of life. I do hope you enjoy this chapter as much as chapter one.
For updates as they come, follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/HatterVivi Thanks for reading!!
Outskirts – Act 1 – Scene 2
SLAM! I feel the body of another player shove me into the boards. My skates come out from under me and I slide down to the ice. My vision twisted and turned as I looked around the arena. Trying to shake it off, I went to stand up just to fall back on my ass.
The whistle went off. "Hunt are you okay?" one of the referees skates over to me. "Here take my hand, lets get you back to the bench."
I get pulled up onto my feet... well skates I guess, and we skate over to the bench. "Gray, get out there!" I heard my father, the coach, call out to one of my teammates.
Sitting down I reach for one of the water bottles and spray the cold water on my face. That still didn't help my overall state at the moment. "You okay dude?" One of my teammates placed his glove on my shoulder. "That looked like a hard hit."
"Just a little disorientated for now. I'll be fine." I brushed it off. I heard my father huff and puff from the other side of the box.
Maybe I should start explaining who I am. My name is Avery Hunt and I play for the Hockey team at Clarke Private Secondary School. We were right in the middle of a game that could put us into a major tournament. I, as one of the better defence men on the team, held a lot of weight on my shoulders.
I'm 15 years old and am a very closeted gay boy. There are a few people who do know, but they are close to me and I know I can trust them. Mom probably wouldn't mind, it's dad I don't know about.
My body is fairly fit since I'm in sports and all. My blond hair is short enough that my father approves but long enough that it's got some style to it. My green eyes I get from my mother, which are typically covered by glasses. I wear contacts while on the ice. My weight, more so from my dad. I put on weight easily, so at least that means I can gain muscle too.
I got into hockey because of my father. I was always fascinated by the ice, more so the skating part. There was this guy who would always be practicing his figure skating when my father would take me to the rink. He stole my attention, I wanted to skate as well as he did.
My mother was all for me entering figure skating. My father thought it wasn't very manly for a boy to `dance on ice' as he put it. When my mother explained it would better my overall skating ability my father reluctantly agreed. I'd sooner figure skate than play hockey.
I sat out the rest of the second period. We were almost halfway through it when I had to sit out. After the period was called, I went to stand up but still had to hold onto something to keep my balance.
"You're not going to be able to play if you can't keep your balance, dude."
I growled. "I realize that, thanks."
My teammates each passed me to head back to the change room. My father was the only other person left in the box as I held onto the barrier. "Holmes would have been back on the ice by now." as he huffed off.
I let out a sigh and sat back down. "Fuck me." I said to myself throwing my gloves to the floor.
"When and where?" Iker, one of the referees of the game, looked right at me while resting his elbows.
Iker is 18, a senior at CPSS, and was the first person to find out I'm gay. His brown hair is a little curly but always seemed to be under control. A set of blue eyes gave me a caring stare.
I shook my head slowly. "Not right now Iker. That hit got me a little better than I expected, will probably have to sit out the rest of the game."
"Shit, sorry Avery." Iker knew my dad would be pissed at me. He's probably telling the team how they need to pick up the slack that I've left for them. Who knows how long the rant he'll give me tonight will end up being. "I can give you a ride home if you'd like."
"Sure, thanks."
"Anytime. Need some help getting into the change room?" I nod slowly. "Okay, lets get you with your team."
Getting into the change room, sure enough my dad was ramping up the team. A few gave me sympathetic looks as Iker and I walked into the room. Dad just continued what he was saying, ignoring that I needed support with simple walking.
When dad finished, he glared at me before leaving the change room. TJ, my teammate who usually sits beside me, turns to me. "I'm sorry dude, didn't realize you needed help walking. I would have helped you in."
"It's fine, Coach wanted to push us to win. We're a point behind for now, make them pay." I put out my fist.
"Will do Ave!" We fist bumped before smiling to each other.
A few minutes pass as the team joked around and boosted the moral of the room. I even joined in a little bit the best I could. The team made sure to let me know that they were going to get some revenge for me.
The coach's whistle screams into the room signalling the final period starting soon. I watch as everyone makes their way out, some giving me little waves as they left. My jersey was already off, I was removing my shoulder pads when Dad walked in.
"Sorry, I can't play for the rest of the game."
He huffed. "Get changed and sit in the stands. We'll have a talk when we're home." Leaving the change room nothing else was said between us.
Taking out my phone from my hockey bag, Iker had sent me a text. I can give you a ride home.
I sent him a reply. I wouldn't mind that
While I got out of my equipment Iker sent another message. I figured
A smile creeped onto my face. I could manage to walk by myself once I got out of the skates. I had a short, cold shower before getting into my street clothes. Walking over to my dad who was very focused on the game I spoke in passing, "I have a ride home."
I watched the game in the stands away from the family of my teammates. We ended up winning by two points, which made me quite ecstatic. Once the team had gone back into the change room I walked down and met Iker as he got off the ice.
"You missed a couple calls." I poked fun at him.
He just shook his head. "I'm sorry, there's a distinct lack of eyes at the back of my head." We shared a laugh together. "How are you doing?"
"I'm doing better; still should get some more rest." Iker nodded. "Think we could go somewhere before you take me home?"
"Where did you have in mind?"
"The usual."
Iker nodded. "I think we have time to go there for a bit before bed."
Iker didn't take long in the referee's room. It looks like he took a quick shower before getting changed and heading back out. We went to his beater of a PT cruiser and placed our supplies in the back.
We set off, heading off to our usual spot to hang out. We liked laying in the back looking up at the sky, and there was a perfect hill that allowed this to happen. Iker would park and we'd go and lay down in the back looking up at the stars.
Iker laid down first, lifting his arm up for me to join in. I snuggled into the older guy, and then realized how sweaty we both are. "We're gross."
"Yes, we are." Iker pulled me in closer to him. "That's fine though, you've been worse on nights like this."
"True..." I walked out after a fight with my dad one night in the pouring rain. By the time Iker found me I was drenched all the way through my jacket. I did not leave the house prepared that night.
Iker must have caught my train of thought about coming to this place. "What did you want to talk about?" More often than not we have serious conversations up here. I said nothing just turned into Iker more. "Avery, talk to me."
"Why doesn't dad care?" My voice shook as I held back tears. "I got hit into the boards and all he told me was that Holmes would have been fine. I could have a concussion."
I could feel Iker's hand playing through my hair. "I'm sorry Avery, I don't have the answer."
"Why am I not ever good enough?" The tears broke and I started sobbing into Iker. He just held me and gave me back rubs as I wet his shirt.
When it comes to my dad, all I get from him is that I could have been better. How I should have been faster at something or how my big sister got better grades in these subjects. No matter what I do, I'm being compared to not myself but someone else in his eyes. Tonight, just happened to be the one that broke me.
"You're more than good enough Avery. Your dad wants you to be better than you are and does a fucking piss poor job on telling you that." I pushed myself away from Iker and looked at the time. "Should we get you home?"
My phone said 10:34 which means I should have been home like four minutes ago. "No... I'd rather do the second half of our usual." I sat on Iker's lap facing him. "Would you like to as well?"
Iker shook his head. "You really are right in the middle of mood swings, aren't you?"
I rolled my eyes. "Do you want to or not?"
He shook his head. "Not tonight. You've already been roughed up fairly well, you should go home and rest." I sunk, disappointed. "Next time." I felt his lips on my forehead.
"Okay... Lets just go home before I make an even bigger fool of myself." The ride home was silent, I knew Iker was right about it all. That didn't stop my head from telling me how much I fucked up.
As we turned onto my street Iker spoke up again. "I wanted to Avery. But I knew better that it wasn't the time. You did nothing wrong and you didn't ruin the night. I know that's what you're telling yourself."
"And you know I'll keep telling myself that until I fall asleep."
He sighed. "I genuinely had a great time." He parked in front of my house. "Let me know when you want to go back up."
"Can we go now and never come back?" He shook his head. "Dam... I'll see you at school tomorrow."
"Good luck." Iker gave me a sympathetic look as I closed the door and walked into my house.
Dad was sitting on his chair reading a book when I got into the house. It was almost 11pm, almost half an hour passed my curfew. "Where have you been?" My dad barely looked up from the pages.
I walked past him, dropping my bag by the stairs, and into the kitchen. Mom was sipping on some wine reading some magazine. She looked up at me with a smile. "How are you feeling? Your father told me you took a good hit in the game."
"I'm fine now." I grabbed one of the cans of pop from the fridge and cracked it open. "Messed with me for a bit but everything is okay. How was your night?"
She smiled her motherly smile at me. "You're avoiding the fact you're half an hour past curfew." She set down her magazine and waited for my excuse.
I sighed and sat down at the table with her. "I was with Iker and lost track of time." Sure, it's missing some facts but it's not a lie. "I'm sorry for not texting or something."
This wasn't the first time this has happened. In the past there hasn't been many repercussions from it. From mom's face I could tell that wasn't the case this time. "How many times does that make `hanging out with Iker' the reason for breaking curfew?" I said nothing. "I would like you home every night for a week."
"So, I'm grounded..."
She nodded. "I'm not restricting anything else, just that you must be home." I let out a sigh as I sank in my seat. "And remember, we have a camera on the front and back of the house." That was her little threat to make sure I would stay in the house.
"I know." I down the pop and put it in the recycling. "I'm off to bed. See you tomorrow morning."
"Love you."
"Love you too mom." Dad didn't move as I walked by grabbing my bag as I went upstairs to my room.
After school Danny, my friend who is a girl, came over to my place. We had planned to hangout before, but since I'm grounded to the house, we had to adjust it. Luckily only I would be home.
"You seriously want to try this while at home? I'm fine with just hanging out."
I gave a sly smile. "Yes, I'm sure on this."
"Your dad is going to kill you if he sees you in make up, much less drag." I may have gotten into drag and been watching it in my room with headphones on. Even tried tucking once or twice, it's not the most comfortable thing yet.
"I'm aware, this is why we're only doing make up skills today." Danny took out her large variety of make up. "Where do we start?"
"YouTube tutorials!!" She grabbed my computer and handed it to me.
We spent an hour going from video to video watching and listening. There was a few times Danny skipped right over the video. She knows much more than I do for make up, so I trust her.
We came across one video. "This one!" She pushed the laptop to my face. "Follow this one to the letter!"
I grabbed her make-up mirror and started copying the instructions. She directed me with the right shades for my skin and by the end of it... I was in definite need of improvement. "This is... oh god."
Her cheeky grin gave it away. "Not the worst I've seen."
"What, is it second worst?" She just turned away. "Seriously? You have a little sister!"
"And she's the worst. Here, I'll show you how it works." And she began editing the make up but ultimately decided that she would restart. She spent a good ten minutes doing the make up that took me half an hour. When it was done, I looked stunning. "And there you go!"
"How did you get so good?"
She grinned. "I do a ton of make up for the theatre program. And I do my own make up every morning." I guess that makes sense. "You'll get better with practice. You can come over and do make up whenever."
"Thanks. I might be over a lot."
"Anytime Avery!"
We hung out for a bit more, I kept the make up on just to see how it felt. It was kind of awkward to have on though I did get used to it over time. Then it just became another part of me.
"Looks like one of your parents is home." Danny said looking out my window. She turned to me and went wide eyed. "You might want to go wash your face off, like now!"
I bolted out of the room and into the bathroom. With a cloth and lots of water, I managed to clean off my face as the front door closed. "Avery, I'm home." Came mom's voice from downstairs. "Who do you have over?"
"Danny!" I called back.
There was a moment's pause. "Could you two come downstairs please?"
"One second!" I came out of the bathroom and Danny was already making her way down. "Let me find a not wet shirt and I'll be down there."
"Good idea."
Turns out mom just wanted to catch up with her. Danny and I have hung out alone many times, dad usually gives me this look when we do. He probably thinks we have something going on, we most certainly do not.
Didn't even need to have to explain why she was here. Danny took the liberty in explaining that she was wanting a second opinion on some looks and brought over her make up. She even fibbed and said she had used my face once or twice to `test' the shades. Thank god for friends like her.
Danny went home before dinner but not before Dad got home. He gave me his `knowing look' before retreating to his chair for the night. I got make up done to make me look feminine and he thinks I got laid...
Once I finally got to bed, I couldn't help but smile. Something about today just made me feel happy about myself and life.
End Scene.
Here's Scene two of Outskirts. Avery has a lot going on in his life that sets him outside from everyone else. He just needs to find his pack and go with it!
More to come for Outskirts in the future. The more you guys email me about it the more Acts will come! So, email me at mhvivi@hotmail.com to tell me what you think and if you'd like to read more!
Thanks for reading Outskirts Act 1, Scene 2.