​     It didn't last.​

     Not even for twenty-four hours did it last.

​     And why was that? Because there was a snitch at that dance. Bobby Tobbler. Bobby ran to Rory Jarrett the second the dance was over to tell him that, not only was Anna at the dance, but that she'd spent almost the entire time there talking to Axel Clemons. 

​     Axel Clemons? Rory had a hard time placing him, at first. And then Rory smiled. Oh yes, Axel Clemons. That nerdy, wimpy guy. Rory's smiled widened. Oh yes, he was going to have some fun with this Axel Clemons.  

     But first he had to have a couple more beers.  

​     Axel Clemons left his home to do his early morning paper route as he always did, at six in the morning, and within ten minutes Rory Jarrett knew all about it. Again, that snitch Bobby. He actually stood outside of Axel and his mom's apartment building all night smoking meth and watching the front entrance just so he could report it to Rory, who he secretly had a crush on, the second Axel was once again out of doors.

     Axel didn't even make it all the way to pick up the papers he was to deliver when Rory blocked his path on the sidewalk.                                                                    "Hey,motherfuggle...fug...uh...you...you...I...I...uh...uh..." 

​     Oh my God, Axel thought. He's smashed out of his gourd. Rory's clothes were in wild disarray, as was his hair. He walked wide and waved his arms all around like he batted away demons with every step. His eyes were wild. He hadn't slept all night, that was obvious. Axel also got the feeling that he'd been imbibing some sort of uppers, some form of cocaine or speed or meth or something. He had the frantic, unfocused look of a crazed animal.

     "What in the...Where in...uh..." He all but drooled. Axel wasn't completely panicked. He'd taken a few self-defense classes over the years. Plus, Rory was so wasted. He couldn't imagine the guy getting it together enough to throw, much less deliver, a punch. But Rory was pissed off, too. Axel'd never seen an anger so fierce before, certainly not aimed at him. 

​     "Come on," Rory blubbered. He went to reach for Axel, but Axel easily evaded him. 

     "Hey!" Axel snapped. He backtracked, then stepped out onto the silent pre-dawn street in an effort to walk around Rory. Nothing doing. Rory stayed right with him, blocking his path. They were going to have this out.

     "Okay. Okay. What is it? What do you want?" Axel asked at last, his voice cracking with fear just the slightest bit. 

     "You gotta'...I'm gonna'..." Rory swung on him with a slow, unsteady fist. Axel had no problem avoiding it, but the swing itself threw Rory off balance so that he tumbled forward to run right into Axel. He grabbed Axel by the collar to keep from falling over.

     And that was when Axel did something stunningly, life-alteringly stupid. 

     He was just a kid.

CONTINUE

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