Moral Degeneration

“And another one,” a young teacher said as she noticed me. “Sit with the other boys.” Dismissing me right away I noticed the 3 other boys in my grade at a 4 person table. 

 

“It’s alright. You should get to know them,” Ryleigh said. We were in a study hall just before lunch. I was about to say no but she found a corner and was reading a book. With a groan I walked over to the other boys. 

 

The 2 girlie ones were there. The 3rd boy at least looked normal. He didn’t have on any makeup, so he was one up on the other 2 already.

 

“Wassup,” I said. “I’m Russ.”

 

“George,” the expressionless boy said. He was a little taller than me. Black hair gelled to the side I thought maybe I could be friends with this one. One of those friends you nodded at when you walked by. Not the share feelings or talk to kind. 

 

The other 2 effeminate ones looked up to me shyly. The one with the lip gloss said, “Lyle.” He was shorter and wore his tie undone. His hair was long. Too long in my book. It was down to his shoulders. 

 

“Peter,” the one with the light make up said. He blushed looking up at me. I rolled my eyes. I found the downside to this world. People didn’t know how to talk to one another. 

 

I sat down with a sigh. “So what are your stories?” I asked. 

 

“What stories?” George asked. Yawning big, he didn’t seem too uncomfortable talking to me. 

 

“I don’t know. You guys are the first boys my age I’ve met,” I said. 

 

“Oh yeah? Where were you before? Small town?” George asked. I was liking him more. At least he didn’t have a problem asking questions. 

 

“I was locked in a cabin. My mom died. I left for the first time. The first guy I saw was some fed dude with the Department of Longevity.” 

 

“Your mom died?” Peter asked with a gasp. “How? When?” He had tears in his eyes. 

 

“Last week, sometime,” I said. I was proud of the bored look I had on my face. It wasn’t the first time she had died. The 2nd was a lot easier to handle. The 3 boys eyed me. Peter and Lyle actually did start tearing up. 

 

“Oh my god, I’d be a wreck if my mom’s died,” Lyle said. Peter nodded. 

 

“Are you okay?” Peter asked. 

 

“Yeah, I’m fine. She was a bitch,” I said. “I live with a nice lady now. What about you guys?”

 

“I live with my mom,” George said. “My other mom died in a car accident a few years ago.” He strained through the words. I guessed he actually liked his mom. 

 

“I live with my parents,” Peter said. 

 

“Same,” Lyle said. 

 

“Cool,” I said. Eyeing the girlie ones I said. “I can’t help but notice you guys are wearing makeup. Is there a reason for that?” 

 

“It’s all the style,” Peter said with a smile. “There’s this band. 389 Steady, their lead singer wears it.” Lyle nodded as if that was answer enough. I was getting a gay vibe from them, but I wasn’t exactly sure. I tried to leave my old world opinions out. 

 

“Why aren’t you wearing any?” I asked George. He shrugged. I liked George. “What do you guys do for fun?” 

 

“Play video games. Hang out. George plays sports, but that’s not really my thing,” Peter said. 

 

“Me either,” Lyle said. 

 

I let out a sigh. At least they played video games. Maybe the world wasn’t lost just yet. “Want to join us?” George asked uncaringly. 

 

“You guys all hang out together?” I asked. 

 

“Of course,” Lyle said with a laugh. “We aren’t allowed to be alone with girls.” 

 

“Really?” I asked. Finally some parents that had some sense. 

 

“Yeah, they might try something inappropriate,” Peter said like it was some scandal. 

 

I hid my face in my hands. I knew these guys were supposed to be kids, but come on. I distinctly remembered jumping at a chance to hang with a girl. It was a rite of passage to make a fool of yourself jumping a ramp all to show off to the fairer sex. I could understand it a little. Some of the reactions with older women I had had were inappropriate. But I was fine with it. They shouldn’t happen to kids these guys ages. I ignored the fact that I probably wasn’t helping those women’s views of young boys. 

 

Either way, these guys should be all over seeing and showing off for girls. A part of me thought maybe I should help these 3. How were they supposed to be strong members of society if they didn’t know how to be men? Looking between the 3 I had a long road ahead of me. I needed to make a list of every little thing a boy needed to do. Riding a bike over a ramp was at the top of the list. 

 

—

 

Study Hall ended. I stayed quiet and thought. The other 3 boys talked about what they did over Christmas. In my old world I would have bragged about sleeping with what? 6 women? In this one I would have to be careful. I didn’t want these guys calling me a slut. Not that I cared. But if I was going to help them become real men, they couldn’t be scared of me. 

 

Study hall ended and we went off to lunch. I hooked back up with Ryleigh. The halls were busy. The private school was a little older. Hardwood floors, simple lockers lining walls, bulletins and random trophies. It was just a fancier version of the public schools I went to. 

 

It was a nice change of pace to see nothing but girls in plaid skirts. The skirts and ties were the school colors, black and blue. There were more than a few girls that gave me a look and I sent it right back. Unashamedly flirting with them as I walked the halls. 

 

I wondered what public schools were like. Men were rare, but there were 3 in my grade. I assumed there were no boys whatsoever in public schools. Apparently women got more opportunities and money if they made a boy. I wondered what would happen if I went to a public school. Maybe it would be worth it to get suspended. A whole group of women that may have never seen a boy in person. 

 

“Where should we sit?” I asked Ryleigh. We were in line for food. 

 

“Usually wherever,” she said. “You want to sit with the boys?” She pointed to the table with the boys. 

 

There were 5 there I didn’t recognize. All older. 2 were normal, well normal for me. Hair short and no makeup. The other 3 wore makeup, their hair dyed, and had that look. That look of someone ready to start drama. Ready to make it when it wasn’t there. The ringleader was easy to spot. He was the prettiest. The hair on the left side of his head was longer. He wore mascara and had both ears pierced. He locked eyes with me. I rolled mine exaggeratedly and turned back to Ryleigh. 

 

“Pass,” I said. “Are women attracted to that?”

 

“What?” Ryleigh asked. 

 

“That whole, men wearing makeup and looking like crossdressers?”

 

“I think it’s hot,” a girl in front of me said. I recognized her from class. She was a little taller with pink streaks in her hair. 

 

“That’s because you’re a lesbian,” I said. A few girls around us laughed. 

 

She blushed. “I am not,” she said. 

 

“Just joking,” I said. “Come on. Let’s sit together.” She blushed and nodded. We got our food and found a table. Pink streak girl brought her friends. Ryleigh sat next to me nervously. 

 

“Alright. Wasn’t paying attention in class. Names?”

 

“Mandi,” pink streak girl said. “Helen,” she pointed to an Asian girl. She blushed as I locked eyes with her. “Sammy,” she said, pointing at a much shyer one with glasses. 

 

“I’m the famous Russ,” I said. “And my best friend Ryleigh.”

 

“We know who Ryleigh is,” Helen said with a laugh. “We’ve gone to school together for years.” Ryleigh blushed, but was quiet. 

 

“Good. Then you know she’s my friend,” I said. Digging into my food I looked around the room. It was filled with constant chatter. 

 

“Is it true you lived in the woods all your life?” Mandi asked. She acted like it didn’t matter but the other 2 stared up at me. 

 

“Yep,” I said. “Any other rumors about me?”

 

“I heard you’re sleeping with the principle,” Helen said. 

 

I laughed loudly. “News to me. I wouldn’t say no. She was pretty hot.”

 

The girls laughed. “Anyone I should watch out for in school?”

 

“As a boy just worry about the other boys,” Mandi said. “The ringleader, Micah,” she pointed to the guy with earrings. “He loves the drama. He’s a senior this year. Last her I heard he got in a cat fight with the old ringleader.”

 

“Sounds about right,” I said. “What about the teachers?”

 

“Teachers don’t bother boys,” Helen said. “Mr. Masterson is the only one that would say anything.”

 

“There’s a guy teacher?” I asked. 

 

“Over there,” Mandi pointed to across the room. A tall man stood there. He wore a nice suit and jacket. His head was shaved. He looked rather muscular too. “Teaches History.”

 

“When do we have that?” I asked Ryleigh. 

 

“Last class of the day,” she said. I wondered if maybe there really was a male figure for guys to look up to. Hopefully he wasn’t an ass. 

 

“So why aren’t you with the boys?” Mandi asked. 

 

“Cus Ryleigh is my friend,” I said. “And let’s just say I prefer the company of women.”

 

“You really live with miss perfect Cooper?” Mandi asked with a frown.

 

“I do,” I said. I looked around the room but Luna must have had a different lunch hour. “What are the rumors about her?”

 

“She’s an utter bitch,” Mandi said. There was a sneer on her lips. I grew angry, but I could tell there was more to the story. “She humiliated me in PE last semester.”

 

“How’d she do that?”

 

“Pantsed her in front of the class,” Helen said. I winced. 

 

“Ouch. I’ll have a talk with her. She humiliate a lot of girls?” They didn’t reply. I knew the answer. I could tell Luna was sexually repressed when we met. I guessed she had been acting out. 

 

“Tell me if you hear of it happening anymore,” I said. “I’ll set her straight.”

 

The girls looked at me. “Why would you do that?” Mandi asked.

 

“No one should be put through that.” I remembered my first bully. He was older and bigger. Picked on me for fun. I understood now he was going through the same shit I was. But back then I would have killed him if I could. 

 

“Then you should do something about Brianna,” Mandi said. She pointed at the tall skinny girl that had been messing with Ryleigh. I gave the girl a wink. She blushed and looked away. 

 

“I did. Tell me if she causes trouble too,” I said. I hoped the offer of a favor would keep her urges at bay. I gave it a 50/50 shot. 

 

“How’d you manage-“ Mandi was trying to say but was cut off. 

 

“Russ,” Peter said. The pretty boy had walked over to me from the boys table. 

 

“What’s up?”

 

“Micah wanted to meet you,” Peter said. I looked at the boy’s table. Locking eyes with the pretty boy I nodded. 

 

“Watch my stuff,” I said. Following Peter I sat at an empty spot. “How’s it goin?”

 

“We were just wondering why you didn’t want to sit with us,” Micah said. His voice was high pitched.

 

“Sorry. Promised my friend I’d sit with her,” I said. “Good to meet you. I’m Russ.”

 

“I’m Micah. These are Henny, Eric, Dodge, Killian, Peter, and Lyle.” The man said the words like they were honey. I nodded. I guessed George and the other boys were in the other lunch hour. 

 

“Cool. Anything else?” Micah looked at me oddly. I did want to ask the guy questions. He was obviously over 16. A few were. I wondered how their impregnation and sperm donations worked. I’d save that for another day though. I was still getting the lay of the land. 

 

“Good to meet you,” I said. Getting back up I went to my original table. 

 

“Can’t believe you talked to him,” Mandi said. Excitement clear in her voice. 

 

“Well shit. That excited to hear of someone talking to him. I wonder how excited you’d be if I got him to talk to you,” I said. 

 

She blushed. “He’d never do that,” she said shyly. 

 

I chuckled. I didn’t understand this world. That was obvious. This was a school of repressed teenagers. And you couldn’t get the boys to talk to the girls. There was something seriously wrong here. I would have thought once the boys hit 16 they’d be all over the girls. I needed to do more research.