"Hey Egbert." Dave said as he walked over to John outside of the school. John walked up silently, looking at the ground. "What's wrong man?" John plastered a smile onto his face and looked up at the sandy haired boy. "Nothing at all." Dave frowned. The smile that graced the black haired boy's face was not the bright smile he knew. This smile, he could tell, was forced. "Seriously dude. You look like someone punched you in the gut a few times." John's face fell. He removed his large glasses and began to clean them on his shirt. "I don't want to talk about it." He said. Dave shrugged. "Whatever man."
"So how did your math test go? Did my study tricks work?" John asked. Dave could tell he was trying to change the subject. He would play along, for now. "Eh, fine. Whatever." They walked in silence for a little while. John would crack the occasional awkward joke. Eventually Dave couldn't take it any more. John was his best friend. And that false smile was going on for too long.
He stopped walking, causing John to crash into him. "Ow! Dave!" "Bro, seriously. What's wrong." "Nothing Dave! I promise!" There it was again! That gogdamn false smile! Dave's frustration got the better of him. He whipped around and backed John into the wall of a building. "Dave?" "Look, I can tell when you're upset alright? Just tell me what's wrong!" Dave had never been this up front with John. He wasn't sure how to react. So he decided to come clean. "Well, a bunch of 11th graders have been giving me a hard time lately." Dave took a few steps back. "That's what's going on? Why didn't you tell me?" "Because it's nothing! Just forget about it alright?" Dave stood there for a moment. Then he smirked and nodded. He pulled John into a tight hug. "I... I care about you. Tell me who these fuckers are. I'll kick their ass alright?" His tone made it sound like a joke. But John could hear the true meaning behind the words. His eyes filled with tears. Dave brushed Johns cheek with his thumb. "Stop crying. It's okay."
This was probably the worst timing in the history of bad timings. "Hey Egbert!" A snide voice yelled from down the street. Three taller boys walked up to them. Dave looked at them. "Hey Egbert, you know these guys?" When he looked back at John, he was practically hiding behind him. At that moment, Dave knew what was going on. He stiffened himself up. "Don't worry." He whispered.
"Egbert! I'm talking to you!" The boy said, towering over John. He grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and lifted him off the ground. "Hey! Put him down." Dave stood in a way that was very close to his usual cool stance, but he was very tense, and John could tell. "Oh, look!" The boy said, throwing John to the hard pavement below. "Egbert's got a little boyfriend! Isn't that cute?" It was that moment when Dave snapped. He took a few calm steps toward the boy, who was at least half a foot taller than him, and kicked him in the stomach. The boy flew backwards.
Dave walked back to John to make sure he was alright. He appeared to have hurt his wrist. The other boy stood up and brushed himself off. "Come on guys. We're done here." And they just left. Dave carried John home on his back. He bandaged John's wrist. The battle was over, for now.
Dave hovered around John for the next few days. John didn't mind. He really liked Dave. He REALLY liked Dave. There were those lucky occasions where Dave would allow him to hold his hand on their walks home. Or when Dave would carry John on his back. John savored every moment. He felt so safe with Dave. Like nothing could touch him.
But then came the day Dave was absent from class. Once the bell rang, John would run to his next class, not caring who he crashed into. He would sit in class waiting for the final bell to ring, so he could go see Dave. Once it finally did, his spirits perked up a little as he ran to his locker. He opened it and looked at the picture of him and Dave he had taped to the door.
Suddenly the door was slammed shut. John was terrified to see his tormentor standing in front of him. "Hey Egbert." He said in a menacing voice. "Oh, uh, hi there." John replied weakly. "Where's your little boyfriend?" Before John could answer, he kicked his shin. John fell to the ground. The three larger boys proceeded to beat him left and right, and spewing hate slurs. They gave him a black eye, a bloody nose, and, most likely, a few broken ribs.
Once they had beaten the shit out of him, they left him there. After a while, John managed to drag himself out of the building and into an ally way. He sat there and cried his eyes out. Then when he had pulled himself together a little, he called Dave.
"Sup Egbert." Dave answered. "Dave?" John choked out. Dave knew immediately that something was wrong. "John, are you alright? Where are you? What's going on?" John coughed. "Dave? Can you come get me?" He said between coughs. "Dude, where are you?" "I'm in the ally near the school." "What are you doing there?" "Those kids beat me up." Suddenly the line cut off. John was afraid Dave wouldn't come. But a few minutes later, Dave came running up the sidewalk. John tried to sit up, but the pain was too great.
Dave knelt down beside him. He put his hand on John's cheek. "What happened to you?" He said. He almost sounded like he would cry. But cool kids don't cry. If they can help it at least. Eventually Dave couldn't handle it anymore. Tears ran down his face. John had never seen Dave this emotional. "John, man I thought you were dead." Then Dave did something John never thought he would see. Dave removed his glasses. He looked John dead in the eye. John was mesmerized. His eyes were like two sparkling rubies. Dave took John's face in his hands. "Why the hell are you so gogdamn cute?" Dave said flatly. John blushed. Dave had called him many things before, but never cute. Then Dave did something else that John never thought he would do. He leaned down and kissed him. John was shocked.
Dave pulled away. "I'm sorry. This is my fault." John looked at him, stunned. "Look, I stayed home today, cuz I needed to sort out some shit. Like shit about you, and I thought you would be safe for one day." John smiled. "It's okay." He said sofly. "John, I've figured out something. Something big." John nodded. "I think I'm in love with you dude." John didn't respond for a while. Then he smiled. He leaned forward and kissed Dave. "Dave, I was waiting for so long for here those words come out of your mouth." Dave smiled. He cleaned up John's face with some tissues he had brought with him. He lifted John up into his arms and carried him back to his apartment.
He set John down gently on his bed and sat with him. He called Bro and had him take John to the hospital, considering John's breathing pattern was not very consistent. On the way there, John rested his head on Dave's lap. Dave held his hand. And John knew he was safe. No matter what happened, he knew Dave would always be there to love him and keep him safe.