Voices drift their way through the heavy mists of musically induced daydreaming.
"Wake up. Shawn. Shawn, I'm talking to you. Shawn! SHAWN!"
My eyes snap open, my headphones jerked off my head. "The fuck...?"
My mother stands there, glaring at me. "Watch your mouth, young man. It's because of this disgusting music. What are you even listening to this time? That horrible Mandy Manson again?" I wince, the mispronunciation grinding my nerves. "For the last time, his name is Marilyn Manson, not Mandy." Mom snorts, "Who cares? Either way, he's still a freak. Now get up, they're almost here." Rolling my eyes, I stand, stretching my arms. "Who's almost here?" I ask, not really caring. Tossing clothes I've never worn, and never will, at me, Mom replies testily, "The new neighbors, I told you this morning. Now take off that God-awful shirt." I glance down. I'm wearing my favorite shirt, the black one with "Arma-GoddamnMotherFucking-Geddon" scrawled across the front. "Why? I like this shirt." She glares at me again. "Take. It. Off." Muttering under my breath, I tug off the shirt, replacing it with the stupid looking blue polo. Just to irritate her even more, I go over to my bedside table and pick up my earring. "Oh no you don't. I will not have my son looking like some gender-confused queer in front of new neighbors." I look at her calmly, not saying a word, and put in the earring. She huffs and stomps out of my room. "Fine. You wanna ruin your chance at actually making a good impression, be my guest." After she's gone, I shut the door and rip off the polo, pulling on my Disposable Teens shirt.
I look in the mirror, staring into my own dark grey eyes. My hair, black except for one white streak, the result of the first, and last time I used magic. Or so my parents think. Mom and Dad were furious. Me, I don't care. I like it. I shake my hair out of my eyes and sigh, then turn and look out the window, hearing a car. Great. They're here. More people to think I'm a freaky weirdo and talk shit behind my back. I hear the doorbell ring, pointless chatter, then: "Shawn, come down here please, and meet our new neighbors!" She's calling me in a sweet, mommy loves her little baby voice. Ick. So unlike her normal voice. I walk down the stairs, and almost trip when I reach the bottom step, because of him. He's a fox, as are his parents, not that I pay attention to them. He's beautiful. About my height, maybe a little shorter. He has blue eyes, soft and warm...I can almost see myself getting lost in them. His hair, oh Christ, his hair. It's shoulder length and brown, but that's not the first thing I notice. No, what catches my eye is the streak. He has a white streak, exactly like mine. Well...it's not exactly alike, but still, he has a white streak! I meet his parents, barely paying attention, focused on...Zack. God, he's so goddamn sexy, I can just imagine running my hands up his sides, leaning in to kiss him. Shit. What the fuck am I thinking. It'll never happen. If Mom and Dad found out I was bisexual...I don't even wanna think about it...and besides, what're the chances he'll swing my way? Better to just distance myself now. But I can't. We click right away, he sees my shirt and grins singing, "You say you wanted evolution/The ape was a great big hit/You say you want a revolution, man-" I break in, grinning despite my self, with the next line of the song: "And I say you're full of shit!" Mom gasps and starts to spout some crap about watching my mouth in front of the new neighbors, but Zack cuts her off politely, saying, "It's okay ma'am, it's just the next part of the song." She looks at him uncertainly. "O-okay..."
Zack and I go up to my room, while Mom and his parents go to the living room to talk about whatever.
(END CHAPTER ONE)