Yeah, it was rude. Maybe really rude. It's not like you were his only friend. But vice versa that, and there was the truth. The only problem was, as far as crushes and liking people went, vice versa it all again and there was the sad truth. You did feel a small pang of guilt when you grabbed his wrist and pulled him away from one of his guy friend and into the broom closet with you, but that was just it. Small. "Dave, what the hell man? Why are you taking me into…no. No. No. No. I will stay in here for the rest if my life if I have to." You placed your hands in your pockets looked him up an down.
His hair was cut now. It spiked out to the left from your perspective, it was dark and wispy, but it seemed lighter on the edges now because it branched closer to the light. Damn did it look soft. "Okay, Dave, stop it. That's not the plan. The plan is what you need to stick to." That's really all you can think to focus your thoughts. Thoughts of hair and rumps weren't going to help. Deep breath, this next thing took some courage to say. That and a level of cool, these were the required outer emotions that you had to maintain for this to go through as smoothly as it did in your imagination. Courage and cool.
"John…" You rub the back of your neck, but quickly realizing what you're doing, you throw your hand to your side. "I know it's only been a day, and you say you're not a homosexual…but, I want you to just try something." He looked scared. "Like…like what?" With a push of your glasses, you started to explain your proposition "I want to kiss you." He nodded, a frozen look "Only if it feels right, then maybe, would you think about dating me, and if it doesn't, then you don't have to, I'll stop hitting on you, and we can just be bros like everyone else." You looked at him, knowing your hope wasn't showing, but he should at least realize it was there. "I can't do it. I can't kiss you…" Tears streamed down his face and he sat there with his *small* hands closed into tight fists. "I don't see what's so fucking wrong with me kissing you. I'm trying to respect that you're not into dudes, so I put it as loose as possible and now you're crying? What the hell?" He wiped them away "It doesn't have to do with that…it's something-" he was cut off by a sharp sniff "Something totally different." He got up and pushed past you, leaving the closet, far from coming out.
Glancing at the clock as you went out, you realize it's once again time for class. And you weren't going to see John again until lunchtime. Math class was the worst. Science was more interesting though. Especially whenever it involved death things. You were into that kind of stuff. You were a few months in and the teacher was already tired of your shit. You can swear she even said so, unless that had just been another dream. Those could get pretty vivid. Leaving the class and on your way to the next, you see the friend you had drug John away from. "Hey guy!" You shout to him, and 3 people turn around. Picking up your pace a bit, you tap his shoulder and he turns around, forcing the others away. "Does John have a chumhandle? Or, do you even know what it is if he does?" He looked at you with a judging stare. "Why? You gonna hit on him some more where people can't see you? What a gay ass fag." Images of you snapping in a Z formation came to mind, but what you really wanted to say is exactly what you said "I'm straighter than the pole than the pole your mom dances on. Thank you very much."
Several kids looked at you with a mouth hung open in a gasp. "Oh shit dude!" But you knew all the kids would side with whoever won. Which, if you had this guy summed up right, wouldn't be you. You were just a bit too snarky sometimes. He wasn't taking your shit, and before you could even try to dodge, he punched you square in the face. The anime shades, ones identical to your bros, snapped right on the part that held the two together, and the sharp parts pierced into your skin, and the blood was already flowing. Holding the red sleeve up to your face to catch the blood from falling onto the white, you made your way to the nurses office.
"Dammit. It was just a question. He didn't have to start shit." The nurse walked over to the counter after inspecting your face "As well as that was, you didn't have to reply with any either. And please refrain from that language choice in my office Mr. Strider." She handed you a rag that you used to wipe your face and finally a band aid to place over the cut. "David, please don't get into anymore fights. You're not the strongest, far, far from it actually. Things will be hard, but being a snarky whatever you wish to call it, certainly will not be helping your case." With a nod of acknowledgment, you head to lunch late, where you find John sitting with the jerk. The jerk who looked back at you when John looked away, stink eye and all. "Yeah, yeah, fuck you to." you grumble sitting at the table, dropping your backpack down and pulling out a sandwich, Doritos and apple juice. Later, John got up and came over to you. Sitting down he opened not with a hello but with "Don't ask why I was crying earlier okay? I really don't want to talk about that." You shrug, eating a chip and swallowing. "Wasn't gonna ask but whatever." He seemed angry at that comment and it was true "You think I'm going to believe that? That you don't want to know why I didn't try to act cool in front of you? Why I started blubbering like some…some stupid baby?"
With a deep sigh and beyond your control, an eye roll, "You weren't blubbering, you were crying and it was a cute cry, second, you're not a stupid baby, you're an awesome friend, and I don't like people insulting my friends except me. I don't expect you to act cool in front of me, because, let's face it. You're a nerd. But you're a nerd I happen to like, so stop picking on my friend before I kick your ass, tough guy." His eyebrows flinched. John looked like he wanted to say something but the words wouldn't come out. "Cat got your tongue?" He looked away "More like Strider got my tongue." A small smirk formed on your lips. "No, you wouldn't let me take it. So, it's gotta be a cat if anything." He looked back, blushing a bit "Wha- no Dave, don't sat that. That's gross." He kept making you want to laugh, he needed to stop all this adorable shit right now. You both feel silent. There wasn't much to say anymore. The sensual tension growing.
You had to break this. The need to pull your hair out of your head was growing, almost as fast as how much more awkward everything was becoming. "I'll kiss you…but just not at school. That's just weird." You answered almost too quickly "Agreed." Again with the empty mouth opening. "Just a quick peck. I'm not going to bother with suggesting it go any further because that's even weirder." He nodded. "You're pretty cool Dave." He smiled "For a dork who wears shades." A blank stare was his only response. You finished your food and got up to throw the trash away. "So where then?" John thought "Are you allowed out at night?" It wasn't like it mattered. Even if you weren't you could always sneak out, it wasn't like it was the first time you've ever snuck out for a meeting, and you didn't hesitate to tell him so. "Wait…what kind of 'meetings' do you mean?" You shook your head a little "Friendship ones. I'm not that kind of guy."
He looked at you with a playfully doubtful look. "Oh shut up." Your tone was lighthearted and he laughed, not too soon after did you joined him, because, the whole thing was kind of funny in hindsight. "So, tonight. At the half way point between our houses, there's an alley we can meet in, and then we can kiss, and run back home before we get in trouble."
Lunch finished off a lot better than it had started and soon enough, seeing him again in 8th period, the day seemed to go by a lot faster than you would have thought when you had woken up this morning. John even decided to walk with you, which made walking home so much more enjoyable. As John kept talking, your hand slowly slipped into your pocket and your thumb crushed down on the recording button. Now the voice you longed to hear when you were at home, and your bro wasn't trying to fight with you, wouldn't seem so faint, because it'd be pretty clear to you when it came from a voice recorder. "So your dad…he doesn't really care for you all that much?" He seemed hesitant to answer "It's not that…it's more because I started to act like a little shit, and he was tired of dealing with me, so when I started to earn things back, then he'd give me those privileges, but to be honest…I'm kind of lazy, so I lost more than I've earned." There were tons of questions you could ask, but his house was coming into view, and the only reason you knew this was because he was pointing it out. "Yeah, it's pretty boring. But so is my dad, so I guess you can't expect much." With a small wave he ran up the steps and through the front door, leaving you to the rest of the walk.
Nine o' clock huh? That was it? Homework, which no one but nerd and maybe John, because he qualifies, would actually want to do. But then again he said he was lazy. Sitting at your desk and pulling out the recorder and your homework. Math was more enjoyable with John's voice talking to you, even if it was a repeat. And that's when the realization that time was against you came. It had only taken you an hour and there were a little under 5 hours more until the meet up. Now it was more just about blowing time, so might as well sleep. It's not like it wasn't something you usually did anyway.
Checking the clock, you actually felt your heart speed up. You were late. Pulling your shoes on quickly you hopped out the window and ran to the alley, crossing your fingers mentally and overall hoping to god he was still there. Rounding the corner and into the dark of said alley, you heard a gasp. "Dave?!" John was there. "I'm sorry I'm late. What a shit head huh?" You could barely catch him shaking his head "No, you're just kind of rude. I wouldn't go as far as you did." John stepped closer, you following with your own step after. Sheepishly, your lips met together. Your heart may as well have dropped dead weight and exploded into multi colored fireworks. Your chest was pounding, and it needed to stop, because that was weird. When he pulled away you were too impatient to wait and asked the biggest question "Did it feel…you know…" There was a sniffle. "Are you crying?" He sniffed again before replying "Yeah…I…it just didn't feel right. I'm sorry. It was so-" He choked up and finished "So wrong." Taking him by the hand, you led him out and gestured for him to go home. "It's okay. Just go. I'll leave you alone." You hoped you were the only one hearing the hurt in your voice. He broke free gently, because your grip was pretty loose to start, and sprinted home, and for the second time, you walked home by yourself. "Nice going Dave. This is the second time you've made him cry. Whatever that makes you, then you're the biggest one of all and I hope you're happy." How could you not scold yourself? You're the biggest fuck up of all time. Or at least you felt like it. "But I'm not happy…" You thought, crawling through the window and into bed, having stripped down to your boxers.
If you got confused at the whole "Far from coming out" thing, that was because he never admitted being gay, and he didn't/couldn't kiss Dave. He just left. I hope that explanation makes sense...If you think i forgot about his nose, you're wrong. It just wouldn't fit in anywhere after I read through and tried to put him noticing in. Other than the fact John'll notice in the next chapter, there's not much more I can say about it. *wink wonk* Going to start typing now.