Disclaimer: Don't read if you don't like stories of male/male relationships involving high school aged people, etc, etc, etc. This story is complete fiction: the people, places, and situations below never existed... This thing is copyrighted to me.
Quick note: This is just the introduction, so be patient and stick around.
My Theory of Justice By: Edwin E.
Part I: Introduction
The friendship of Adrian Altoman and Philip Albright was to be the stuff of legend. However, it would be highly irresponsible to relate this developing saga without making a detailed reference to their beginnings...
The Altomans and Albrights both moved to the same neighborhood, in the same city within a month of each other. Perhaps under other circumstances, the relationship between the young couples would have been lukewarm and cordial at best - after all, there's no reason to believe that they would have become friends under their own volition. But as often happens when Destiny decides to step in, the Altomans and Albrights found themselves in each other's company quite often: they joined the same gym, shopped at the same supermarket, made the same friends, and were in the same Lamaze class. The kicker, however, was that both wives gave birth to beautiful baby boys on the same day, in the same hospital.
Keep in mind that both sets of parents were highly ambitious. They succumbed long ago to the idea that Success (capital S) meant having the perfect education, getting the perfect job, buying the perfect house, and raising the perfect family. Fortunately, they were not malicious people - in fact, there was quite a bit of love all around. But they were consumed by careerism, materialistic hedonism, narcissism, and individualism. In short, they were good Americans.
Just as their parents became close friends, Adrian and Philip became brotherly in their affection. Considering the world they were born into, the chances were good that they would be left drifting (existentially speaking, of course) like the vast majority of kids nowadays. But these were no ordinary children. Sure, it was obvious that they would grow up to be heartthrobs with plenty of friends and live in relative economic comfort. But what made them special - what separated them from all the other kids in the neighborhood - was that they had each other. They raised each other and clung to their mutual support and childlike innocence. No, these were no ordinary children at all. There was something between those two, something intangible yet still apparent.
Destiny had touched them.
Thus began a remarkable childhood between Adrian and Philip. As early as Kindergarten it was clear that they would become the social vanguards of their world. At such a young age kids were already wishing to be invited to their birthday parties, or hoping to get picked to play on their sports teams. And the tandem did not let their popularity go to their heads - well, not too much (they were still kids, after all).
As the years progressed, their social status increased, as did their affinity. One might assume that with such closeness and common influences, these two kids would end up carbon copies of each other. But that was not the case: Adrian and Philip had somewhat disparate personalities. The purpose of friendships, however, is to tether similar and differing personalities into a mutual harmony. Though opposites don't always attract, good friendships allow them to. Adrian and Philip were not the same, but their friendship helped balance out the extremes in each respective boy. Together, they always remained good.
Other kids envied Adrian and Philip a great deal. Fortunately, the envy was rather healthy (not the bad kind rooted in hatred): it's a little hard to truly hate people who are genuinely nice and good. Everyone wanted a relationship like those two. But it's hard; any teenager can tell you that. Magical friendships cannot be forced. There almost always needs to be another influence at work - some sort of ethereal dimension. And the Altoman and Albright boys had it.
Beginning in junior high, there was a secret the boys shared. A secret so well concealed that no one, even if looking for it, would be able to find. Hell, Adrian and Philip were so careful that even these omniscient eyes almost missed it. But it was there. The two were more than just friends; their bond grew deeper than their families, friends, and teachers could have suspected. Even though they guarded their secret with rabid ferocity, it kept the boys incredibly happy.
And in this time of extended bliss, the two ruled their worlds. As predicted, they grew into the hottest guys in their private school. They made friends with just about everyone they met, which helped make the ambiance at junior high very comforting and fun. Their grades were immaculate. Though Philip was the one truly gifted at sports, they both earned kudos from their respective teams. Junior high was a breeze. And high school promised to be an equally exhilarating adventure.
But then the unbelievable happened.
In an instant, just before they were to start their freshman year at the private high school, the friendship between Adrian and Philip - this friendship carefully grown from the fertile soil of Destiny - ended. A single event had shaken their lives with all the skill of a British nanny. Contrary to the grand design, these two teens were filled to the brim with an instant enmity. As often happens with unthinking teenagers, recklessness became the outlet of their anger. That horrible night had lasting physical repercussions: Adrian was forever left with a slight (but still noticeable) limp, while Philip received a large scar near his left temple that could never fully heal.
These marks declared the ending of a promised majesty.
Metaphysically speaking, the ramifications of the split were both swift and severe. With the tether snapped - the bond broken - both boys drifted, one toward bitterness and hate, the other toward solemnity and contemplation. The chord of balance remained meaningless and unused. Two streams were created: a fast moving current ready and willing to demolish all in its path, and a gentle brook able to provide comfort to those who were willing. The two streams could not coexist amicably. Nietzsche had understood this: intellect versus emotion, order versus reckless abandon, clarity versus passion, saint versus sinner - these opposing powers coming together gives birth to tragedy. And in this case, the high school became the stage.
Just because one of the boys moved to the more contemplative and gentle side of the personality spectrum, don't think that he was going to take the licks of his former friend lying down. Both boys fought the war willingly. Neither was about to concede any sort of ground to the other - whether it were on social, academic, or extracurricular terms. Lines had been drawn and sides had to be taken. For three years, the boys (still incredibly hot and popular) demanded loyalty from their friends. Whenever Adrian and Philip were around, the high school became split; or to be more specific, the upper echelon of the high school became split (for the two could no longer afford to mingle beneath their ranks). Social peace became a memory.
It was during these times that the students of Cassidy Preparatory School became like every other high school student body in the country: stratified, petty, cliquish. That may not seem like such a big thing, but keep in mind that this particular student population could remember a time when such divisiveness was not the norm. So when the two pulsars weren't around each other, there were many elites who crossed the line in the sand and socialized with those from the opposing sides, whispering their wishes for the two to make peace. However, with no one willing to bring them together, the drama persisted.
By the beginning of Adrian and Philip's senior year, Destiny had had enough. Angered that her plans for both boys could be so easily fucked up by human agency, she had been preparing one last ditch effort to set things back on their original path (or at the very least, a similar path to the original). I told her - I warned her - not to get involved. "Let their choices and decisions play themselves out," I said. "Our purpose is to gently guide, not forcibly dictate. Besides, none are given second chances." But Destiny wouldn't listen; the old broad can be so stubborn at times. She needed an arbitrator - a bridge - for the two boys, and found one in a young man: Jude. So she set the stage for the hopeful conclusion of all the drama.
And here we are, watching events unfold. All the pieces are present for some sort of reconciliation. But as is the trouble with humans nowadays, there's no telling whether or not the signs will be heeded and opportunities taken; there's no controlling free will and random chance.
I was never a fan of free will, but it sure makes things interesting...
TO BE CONTINUED
Author's Notes: Hello everyone! So this is my second attempt at writing a fictive story. If you missed my first story, Hound of God, it's here in the High School section of Nifty (last updated May 20th). Y'all should read that too ;-) I was going to wait on posting chapters until I had this entire story completed, but it turns out I'm not that patient. I'm hoping to post a chapter every two weeks... hopefully. :-)
Holla back fellas.
edwine81@gmail.com or edtimoria@hotmail.com