Adam's POV

Here I am exactly fourteen years later and the word sacrifice...still rings through my ears every night before I fall asleep haunting me. Sure I had other boyfriends but I never ever forgot Tommy never. We were so young and in love, and we would always say no one could ever come in between us...so why did I let them? Because of my sacrifice, he left the world long before life even started for him.

I still remember every day we spent with each other so clear even clearer then the day I left him...all alone standing in the pouring rain with eyeliner running down his face, I never forgot that look in his eyes. I didn't want to do this but I had to make a sacrifice...for him.

I was that geeky freckled red head kid who was always staring at the theatre posters in the filled school hallways. Always longing to pick up that pen and sign up, but I never had the courage or self esteem to do so. Part of this reason was I was different, not like all the other kids. I would walk into school everyday just to be mentally and physically tortured, but then Tommy came along. I still remember the day I met his wonderful soul like it was just yesterday, the way his bangs hung over his face, the way his chocolate eyes stood out of the crowd...everything.

It was the beginning of the year 1996, I was in year eight sitting all alone for recess in the playground and as per usual every day the jocks would walk past laughing at me and then shortly stealing my food after walking off kicking my water bottle half way down the school field. I hated school it was a miserable place for me...I had no friends and then even when I had found even just one friend they would shortly just leave me there all alone in the playground just like all the other kids.

No one wanted me, Then there was just one other problem I was starting to think I was a homosexual. I never liked the thought of being with a girl, instead i always thought of what it would be like to be with a boy. But I had way too many other things to worry about so I usually just tried to ignore the thoughts and shrug it off.

But today was different after the idiots had stolen my lunch, kicked my water bottle half way down the field and had run away laughing. A boy named Tommy Joe Ratliff walked up to me and sat right beside me with the biggest smile I had ever seen until that day. My heart skipped a beat...He was smiling and sitting next to me?

He then began introducing himself, "Hi my name is Tommy Joe, and you ok?"

I was so shocked that he actually asked if I had been alright, that I nearly didn't reply to him. Then without thinking I replied a bit too quickly, "Hey! My name is Adam...yea I'm fine just the same old bullies from everyday..."

Tommy's eyes widened, "Everyday?" he answered back with his tone of voice slightly raised.

"Uh yea they do the same thing to me everyday...but I don't care I'm used to it...nobody here likes me." I replied to him trying to hold back tears.

I remember him then standing up and holding his hand out to help me up, his hands were so soft, he then said, "Follow me" as he walked straight up to the guys who always hassled me. Tommy then tapped the biggest one on the shoulder and questioned, "what is your problem...why don't you leave this guy alone...what did he ever do to you?"

I remember being scared and just wanting to take Tommy with me and hide. Somehow Tommy didn't look scared at all. The guy turned around laughing at Tommy and replying, "hmm it's something like this...My problem is that Adam is a loser...and acts like a complete fag, look he even found a boyfriend!"

I remember my eyes stinging with tears of hurt and anger...I ran...I didn't know where...I just kept running. Then when I looked back I saw something that made me smile, Tommy's fist pounding that assholes face like there was no tomorrow. Tommy then saw that I had stopped and was smiling so he then stopped and caught up with me, "c'mon let's get out of here..." he smiled.

As we left the school fields I was still so shocked at everything that had happened. Why was Tommy being so nice to me...? Then all of a sudden it hit me again... 'Fag'. Great so everybody except me knows that I'm gay for sure...stupid people what does it matter anyway. Tommy saw me shaking my head and then began to speak, "what's wrong?" he asked as he brushed his bangs away from his face.

I then looked at him with a slight sigh replying, "everything...everybody hates me for something I'm not even sure of...And I'm an ugly red head geek...you should just run away like all the others...thanks for bashing the daylights out of that bastard though."

We both stopped walking and Tommy then turned his body around to face me with his gorgeous big brown eyes and then replied smiling, "You have no idea what you're talking about... I like you."

I remember my heat skipping a beat and thinking to myself did he just say...he likes me...we just met!

I couldn't help but let a giggle and reply back smiling, "well I like you too Tommy"

He smiled back and then we both parted our ways and went home. That night I couldn't wait for school the next day...all night I lied in bed thinking about how nice Tommy had been to me.