Keepin' it real - 3

          “Keep still for a second while I straighten this tie,” his mum told him. “You are always fidgeting, Jonathan.”

        Jonathan grimaced, firstly because he did not want his tie straightened and secondly, because he hated being called Jonathan. Only his mum could get away with it.

        “Don’t give me that look,” his mum said brushing imaginary dust from his shoulders. “You have to look smart for your first day back at school.”

        She squeezed his shoulders and then hugged him tightly.

        “Year 9,” she said softly. “Soon you will be walking out of school and conquering the world.”

        “I’m going to be late, Mum.”

        He pulled himself away and moved to the front door.

        “Later, mum!”

        He walked quickly to the corner of his street and when he knew he was out of sight of his house, Jonathan loosened his tie and the top button of his shirt. He slowed to a saunter as he redid his tie to make a large, knot. He loosened his trouser belt two notches allowing his boxers shorts to show.

        Finally his shirt was pulled out from his trousers completing the sick look that only the sickest kids at his school could achieve.

        With this transformation and his slow, lob sided saunter, which would make his 5 minutes late, guaranteeing a 15 minute detention on the first day of school, Jonathan Jones had become JayJay - his true self. Now he was keepin’ it real!

        In today’s world this was absolutely necessary. His parents were nice, he knew that and they were still together. Even that was not right. Only one of his friends had both parents still together, but they were not married, so that made it OK.

        JayJay’s parents had met on an internet dating agency, emailing each other for 6 months before they had even met. It was the dullest romance he had ever heard of.

        Worse still it had been a Christian dating agency, because they were both Christians.

        Nobody was Christian anymore. Why couldn’t they have been New Age or Buddhists, Atheists or even Muslim?

        His parents had sheltered him from the real world, when he was younger, taking him to church and visiting only Christian families. His TV watching had been restricted to PG movies, documentaries and baby channels.

        But secondary school had opened his eyes. He had been teased and even bullied for talking about this world of Sunday worship, Bible stories and church picnics. It did not take him long learn how to live in the real world. And it was not just to survive. There were lots of good things he had missed out on.

        Exciting films of Samurai, wizards, vampires, war and violence. Video games, where he could become a soldier, rouge cop, spy or car thief. Music with rhythm, anger, truth and life. A whole new way of speaking, dressing and being, which made much more sense.

        As Jonathan had absorbed this new material from the few friends he had made in those first few months, two years before, he had created, or as he thought, grown up into his true self. The boring Jonathan Jones soon became known as JayJay.

        With the arrival of JayJay had come friends, respect and new interests, not the least of which were the most exciting of all - girls!

        Girls were not new to JayJay. He had met them before, but they had not seemed so interesting then. During Year 8 he had had a girlfriend a week almost. He had lost count of number of pretty things who had kissed him and whispered softly, “ I love ya, JayJay” To which he had always replied, “KK, baby” and then dumped them a day or so later.

        He had a break from girls over the summer holidays, mainly because he did not want any one from school to know where he lived. More to the point, he did not want any one to meet his parents.

        Anyway, first day of a new school year. Old friends to meet, new ones to make and new set of Year 7’s to torment.

        Yes, JayJay was feelin’ good and keepin’ it real!


        JayJay had neither seen or felt the chill in the air surrounding Javan and the Stronghold Manager. Javan looked almost bored. "That's the boy?" he asked yawning.

        The Stronghold Manager nodded, "We turned him with ease 12 moons passed. I reveal him now for the sake of thoroughness. You should be aware of all players."

        "Well, clearly this one is no threat to our progress," Javan looked after JayJay strutting down the road. The demon was not impressed. "I doubt he ever was a threat to anything. OK, what is next?"

        "This one approaching now is his friend and completely under our influence."

        Javan looked in the direction the Manager was pointing. He did not even try to hide his disdain.