Peter / Riley

Degrassi: The Next Generation

Rage

Thursday

3:15 PM

Boys' Locker Room

Peter was taking the last of his dirty laundry to take home when Riley opened the locker next to him. Riley spoke into the locker, "I'm sorry." Before Peter could react, Riley had left.

"It's okay," Peter said to no one.

"What's okay?" Danny responds, walking in from the gym.

"Nothing."

Friday

7:23 AM

Degrassi Foyer

Peter walked into school, running a little later than usual, a little down about the whole Riley thing.

"What's with you, you've been acting strange ever since Riley kissed you?" Mia asked, seeing Peter before he saw her.

"Shh, we can't talk about it in public." Peter glanced around looking for a private spot to talk. He grabbed Mia by the arm and took her to the nearby storage room, it was fortunate they hadn't changed the locks since 'The Shep' took over his mom's office. "He apologized to me yesterday, but he couldn't look at me. I want to be his friend, but he won't let me."

"You have to give him some time."

"But, I don't want to leave him alone right now. I'm worried about him."

"You can't do this for him, he has to do this for himself, you just have to make sure he knows you're there for him, but don't be pushy," Mia said with a kiss on the cheek, "now we have to get to class, I'll see you at lunch."

11:36 AM

Hallway

Riley was walking down the hall with Sav, laughing about something Coach Armstrong had said. He looked happy, until he saw Peter looking at him with concern. His expression dropped.

He said something to Sav and walked towards Peter alone.

"What the fuck is your problem? Why can't you leave this alone?" Riley verbally assaulting Peter who was taken aback by this abrupt but not entirely unexpected turn of events.

"I'm just worried about you, man. I want to let you know that you aren't alone it this."

"Just stay out of my way," Riley said as he pushed Peter aside and went in to the bathroom. Peter followed; he still wanted to be heard.

"Dude; let me be there for you, please."

"You want to be there for me?" Riley walked over and locked the bathroom door, "Then let's talk."

"I know you're gay, and I know that can be hard, but I want you to know that you can lean on me."

"Hard, dude, you have no idea. I'm supposed to be this big jock, and I'm supposed to date all the hot girls, but I just can't. I can't be what everyone thinks I am, and it just pisses me off." Riley cocks his arm back and punches the stall wall next to Peter's head.

"I get it man, I really do, my mom was the principal, I was supposed to be this perfect student, but I wasn't, my parents were going through this divorce and my dad… It just didn't work out."

"That's different, she gone now, you're free, I'll never be free."

"Hey, you might feel trapped now, but in a couple of years, you'll be at university, and anything goes."

"So you're tellin' me that I can do whatever I want in a couple years, so long as right now I just stay quiet? What am I supposed do now, huh! I can't live like this," by this point Riley was up in Peter's face. Riley fell to the side and slumped to the ground, his head in his hands. "It's just so lonely." Peter crouched down and put his hand on Riley's shoulder. "That's why you need friends right now." Riley looked at Peter, his brow furrowed with rage.

"There's one problem with being friends with you Peter," Riley said standing, "it's that…" Riley diverted his glance as Peter stood.

"What, why can't you be friends with me?"

"Because…" Riley was struggling to get it out, "I like you Peter, and I can't be around you, I can't stop thinking about you."

"Um, well, I can't say that I didn't expect that, then again, I can't say that I did either, I don't know what to do…" Peter was fumbling with his words as Riley took a step closer, closing the distance between the two of them to the folds in their clothes.

"I know I'm no match for your model, and I don't expect much, but…"

"Riley, you're hot and all, but I'm just not…"

Riley grabbed Peter by the shoulders and pulled him into a deep kiss. Their lips pressing hard against each other, Riley breathing hard and Peter slowly relaxing in Riley's arms. Peter pushed himself away. "Riley I, I, I just don't, but damn I didn't know, fuck." Peter fell back into Riley and they kissed again, Peter clawing at Riley's back and Riley squeezing Peter, hard.

Then there was a knock at the door.

"Be right out!" Peter said as the two of them separated quickly, wiping their mouths.