Less Than Treasured

"HELP!" Brandon shouted as the nearby street traffic muffled his pleas. He was experiencing his daily torment by the bane of his existence, Samuel Brownlee. Samuel and his two flunkies, James and Jose, have been picking on Brandon since the beginning of the school year. He would try to walk different routes to and from school, as well as avoid any contact in the halls, hoping he would get one day of relief. "Wearing dish rags again I see. You've been rocking those Dustbuster 3000s since dinosaurs were alive," Samuel sneered. James and Jose erupted in laughter. "See you at school sweetness," Samuel remarked as he pushed Brandon down onto the sidewalk and scurried away. Although Brandon was used to the verbal and physical attacks, it didn't hurt any less. He didn't understand why he was such a bother to others. As he contemplated turning around and ditching, he noticed a small, black book hidden in the shrubs. After looking around to ensure the coast was clear, he scooped up the book, threw it in his backpack, and ran to school.

"Settle down class, let's get started. Open your textbooks to page 59," Mrs. Bing gently requested as she started writing on the whiteboard. As Brandon flipped through to the correct page, Jessica, who sat next to him, passed him a note. "Did your boyfriend pick out that outfit?" it read. Tears started welling in his eyes as Jessica and her friends smirked and made kissy faces. He grabbed his belongings and ran to the bathroom. Brandon didn't have many friends. He moved to San Diego during the summer and started 10th grade at a new school. His dad worked extremely hard to provide for him and his younger sister, but as a single parent, he struggled to give more than the necessities. Brandon often wore the same clothes for days at a time, which were usually handed down or from thrift shops. He didn't mind, but he couldn't help but to be slightly envious of his peers who wore the latest gear. On top of that, he was very effeminate, which led others to believe he was gay. To be honest, he didn't know what he was. He thought girls were beautiful, but he also felt tingles whenever he saw a shirtless guy. Changing in the locker room for Gym was always awkward. As he made his way into an empty stall, he wiped his tears with his sleeve and pulled out the black book he found from his backpack. Inside there were a bunch of half-written thoughts and random doodles. As he reached the second to last page, his eyes got big. "Here lies a treasure for the less than treasured" he read aloud to himself. Following that statement were a set of instructions and a poorly drawn thumbs up. Eager to embark on his treasure-hunting journey, he threw the book back into his bag and went to his next class as he plotted his plan of action.

As soon as the bell rang, he raced down to Lucky's Market where the first clue instructed him to go. "When you arrive, turn right at the corner until you reach the first stop sign. Make a left and keep walking until you reach a small, grassy field in-between Island Spa and the old, spooky house with Leprechaun figurines in the yard". Brandon looked down at the instructions then back up at the old house. The shutters were falling off and it looked as though the lawn hadn't been maintained in years. Although he felt an off-putting vibe, he thought at that point what was the worst that could happen? He continued reading. Alongside the wall to your left there is a tall bush that has vines surrounding it. Behind the bush there's a shovel. Grab the shovel and walk four steps to your right, turn and walk three steps in front of you. Look down...you should see a smiley face drawn in the dirt. Here is where you start digging and start living. Treasure yourself". The last line replayed in his head as he began to dig.

The sun was starting to set when he finally hit something. He started moving hastily, flinging dirt from side to side until a dingy tin box was revealed. Inside there was a large sum of money with a note attached that read, "Happiness is the light that comes from within, but here's $20,000 to help brighten your dim". The note fell from Brandon's shaking hands as he stared at the money, mouth agape. He ran straight home and presented the good news to his dad. As a concerned parent, the questions came flying...but when all was said & done, the family accepted the small fortune as a gift from God.

"Ooh who is that?" whispered Jessica as her eyes lit up. Walking into school on the sunny Monday morning was Brandon dressed in the flyest clothes, wearing the hottest sneakers. His fresh haircut has his brown skin glowing. everyone was staring in shock, but only one person had the guts to say something. "Woah! Did you hit the lotto or something princess?". Brandon just rolled his eyes. "What do you want Samuel? What did I do to you today?". He was in such a great mood; he wasn't going to let his bully steal his joy. "Meet me by the bleachers on the field after school," Samuel quickly said as he hurried off into the bustling hallway. What could Samuel possibly want to meet with me about? He nervously thought to himself. Those wouldn't be the first set of nerves he'd experience that day.

Word traveled that Brandon had transformed into the hottest guy on campus. Girls were shooting their shot left and right, and every guy tried to be his best friend. The newfound attention was awesome, but his conversation with Samuel was burning a hole in his brain. Why was he being kind of nice and secretive? Was this a setup? These questions raced through his head over and over as he made his way down to the field. Standing off to the side of the bleachers was Samuel, completely alone, which was a rarity. Feverishly scanning the area, Brandon blurted, "I hope you're not trying to jump me or anything!". Samuel couldn't contain his laughter. Shaking his head no, he inched closer and closer until their noses almost touched. Without much hesitation, Samuel pressed his lips up against Brandon's.