01 - The Magician

Second Chapter of Hidden Lives

He picks up the razor and puts it right under his chin and cuts, blood dripping first slowly, then much faster as it falls into the drain. Along with some of his beard hair.

He had decided that he needed to shave, having not done so in almost five months, but forgot how hard it could be to line up the cuts and made a small slice in his skin. Bleeding, yes, but it should scar and recover in an hour or so. He sighs and puts down the razor after finishing up and cleaning it, staring at himself in the mirror. Only he didn't see himself.

Steven walks out with his head down back into the blue room he called his own, looking at the time. 6:49. Another hour and eleven minutes until he'd have to go become educated. A schedule, routine. Something concrete. He had had a good idea of his schedule, not of his daily life but his plans and goals for the future, but they had gone down the drain a long time ago like the blood from the cut earlier. He looks at the ticking of the clock once more as he sits at his desk, staring at the blank login screen of his computer as he suddenly jumps up.

Staying still for so long was bad. It gave him too much time to think, and with the thinking came the regrets and grief. He shakes his head and goes to dress. A schedule, routine. Wash up until seven then dress and go downstairs. Eat something. Get ready. Pack up. A schedule, routine. And he follows it.

Steven goes downstairs by 7:10 and sits down at the table with a bowl of cereal, ignoring the smoke wafting out of the recreational room and starts eating, staring blankly at a newspaper. He sighs as he hears his father and his friends yelling about cards and calling him over.

"I told you to f*****g let me know if you wake up so you can help me before you leave, how many times have I told you?" Steven tries to keep a calm face in front of his father.

"Christ Dylan, ease up will ya? He's your own son..." The call from his friend only makes Steven's father more aggravated but he stays silent, trying to keep calm. "I'll forgive him if he goes and gets me a damn beer... Go!"

Steven keeps a neutral expression on his face until he goes back inside to grab a can of beer before scowling and kicking the floor in rage, shaking the beer can plenty before bringing it back. It shouldn't go off until after he leaves since Dylan already had two more cans of unopened beer nearby, and he didn't want to be around to see what happened. He quickly grabs his bags and walks off towards his class, muttering to himself.

"The goddamn magician they call him... He may win games like magic but the way he makes all the money change into beer that quickly is a better reason... I hope he chokes on that f*****g beer..."

He stops mumbling as his friend sees him while leaving a convenience store and jogs over to him.

"Oi, Steve! Shoulda called, man! I could've met you in front of your house..." He freezes as he sees the look on Steven's face and flinches a bit. "Dylan call over his friends again?

"Not now, Dan, I'm not in the mood... Just go ahead, won't you?"

"Come on, tell me what happened so I can curse him out with ya, he using you as his servant again?"

"Basically... I shook the beer before I gave it to him though."

"Atta boy Stevey! Just make sure not to go back home until he calls his friends back tonight... Gonna crash at my house again?"

"Sure, maybe a bit after school."

The two idly chat until they reach school and part ways, Steven still feeling terrible as he realizes what date it is, slowly walking past his class and towards the office.

Author's Note

I am so sorry I am bad with dialogue if you have help tell me please

Reviews

[Richard Klpatric]

You just have to relax and write. Maybe identify who you are talking to, Your story is well crafted.You have your hook, the thing that brings us in on the story. The dialogue is, what we wish to know. Not every signal detail talking about it. Only the things we need to know, and are important in this.

[Joon K.]

Thanks, I really need to learn how to write dialogue well

[Richard Klpatric]

what the other persons have been saying,is that you should put down who said what. The way they are talking, are they whispering afraid they will be caught, or are they yelling so everyone will know what they are saying, said and replied, questioningly. So on and so forth. I hope this helps.

[Joon K.]

Yeah, I got it. Thanks for the advice

[Richard Klpatric]

no problem, does it make sense.