Chapter 3: Tea & Tears
There in the halls of Heta High, raced a furious French boy, and trailing way behind was a tired Spaniard. Running maniacally, avoiding invisible people, as he stumbled down the halls, you would think that boy didn't know where he was going and was simply following orders from the adrenaline that coursed through his body, but no! He knew exactly where he was going and who he was going to see there. There up in the third floor on the second wing of the school, at the very end of the hall was room 307, where the English Literature Club, A.K.A the "Magic Club" met during lunch. Without a care in the world, Francis opened the door too see Arthur, alone in the room, sitting down and drinking tea, for once actually reading English Literature.
"What the bloody hell are you doing Frog? Go away!" A very angry voice said in a thick British accent.
"Tell me it's not true!" Francis demanded, not really caring about Arthur's orders to leave. Had his "mon amour" really forgotten about him so quickly? Francis always thought he would leave a lasting impression on his beloved, and take years to erase. In the meantime their poor, trampled hearts would heal and Francis hoped that maybe, just maybe warmth would return to those wonderful mint eyes, and that sweet, sweet gaze would only be directed at him. But they had just broken up a month ago and here they were, Arthur casually drinking tea, filling his thoughts with someone else, while Francis was mourning. He knew it was his own fault, but the pain would not vacate his body.
No, he refused to believe that Arthur had moved on after three years of dating. He refused to believe that one idiotic mistake could tarnish the happiness they had found in each other during those three amazing years. Impossible! Antonio must have heard wrong! It was Antonio after all… he had the tendency of being a little dimwitted, and mishearing things. Yes, it must be Antonio mishearing things again!
"What on earth do you mean?"
"Have you found someone else, amour?"
Those furry monsters he called eyebrows relaxed when he sighed in understanding, but lowered when he scowled.
"And why the fuck do you care?" he asked, bitter with remorse, like he regretted those three years, a waste of his time, he presumed. "And don't call me that!"
"Don't give me that Arthur! You know exactly why I'm asking!" His voice pleading, wishing for this to be a dream, yet hoping that Arthur be gentle when he revealed the truth.
Uncharacteristically calm, Arthur sat down, having gotten up at the sudden intrusion, and mumbled out the words: "If you must know…. yes… her name's Amelia"
Amelia? Isn't that Maddie's twin sister? Though surprised at the familiarity of the name, Francis was more surprised at the fact that Arthur's interest was set upon a girl.
"You never told me you were bisexual?"
"Didn't think it would matter" whilst taking a sip of tea that had probably gone cold a while ago.
"Have you really forgotten me amour?" eyes begging now, but Arthur refused to give in, refused to even look at Francis!
"I SAID DON'T CALL ME THAT! It means NOTHING, seeing as though you would call just about anyone amour, or at least anyone who would accept the offer to get into bed with you" he spat out, leaving a sour aftertaste in his mouth.
Enraged by now: "Is that really what you think Arthur?! One month! That's how long it takes for you to forget, but I'm still here, unable to move forward. How could you possible just leave like you never meant anything to me?!"
Arthur was about to refute but never got the chance to because Antonio burst in, out of breath.
"...Franny….. I finally… caught… up to you….." Struggling for air.
"Antoine?"
Finally being able to somewhat breathe normally, Antonio answered: "I'm so sorry Franny I thought you knew!"
"No need for apologies Antoine…. I'm glad I could hear what Arthur really thinks about me…" he said, feeling a storm of emotions as resentment, remorse, anger, and bitterness all fought each other to come through his tone.
"Yes now leave!" Arthur demanded, not at all caring about Francis's conflicted feelings, preferring to imagine that the "twat" lacked the ability to feel any emotion at all.
"ARTHUR!" But Francis persisted, attempting to step forward, only to be restrained by Antonio, who fought with Francis's fierce protests, and was dragged out the door. Once the door was securely closed, with a soft thud, and the two friends were safely down the hall, Antonio let go, sure that Francis had calmed down. But he was wrong. Francis quickly recovered and started to walk back to the clubroom. Once again Antonio had to stop him.
"Let go of me Antonio!" No longer Antoine, but Antonio, indeed Francis was serious.
"I can't…. I know that if I do you'll do something you'll regret." In all honesty, Antonio really had no idea what Francis would do, he just knew he didn't want to think about it as it would surely turn out bad!
After a bit more struggling, Antonio's hold was able to overpower Francis's stubborn attempts to escape. Francis finally relaxed and took a long… deep…. sigh….. and slid down to the floor.
"Are you okay Franny?" Antonio gently asked as he sat down next to his hurting friend.
After a few seconds of silent contemplation, Francis answered: "Honestly Antonio…. no…. I'm not… I don't think I will be for a long time…. " Tears started forming in Francis's miserable, brilliant blue eyes. Tears that fell for mistakes of the past. Tears that fell for what was said. And tears that fell for a distant future.
Antonio, who had never actually felt the pain of losing a person you intimately loved, couldn't interpret the meaning behind Francis's tears. All he knew was that his best friend was crying, and needed someone's support, Antonio was happy to oblige. He wrapped his arms around the sobbing blonde boy, hoping to convey that he wanted to help him be happy.
More silence…. "looks like I'll just have to be patient and wait for the pain to leave…" Antonio could only nod in agreement to those words that were muttered out of Francis' pale lips. But what Antonio didn't know was that those words were not muttered in defeat but words of perseverance. But it wasn't the type of perseverance in which someone tells you 'you'll never amount to anything in life' and then have that very same person work for you, no, it was more like when a person says, 'I'm not giving up just yet!'
Uh oh, What is our little Franny planning? Dun...dun...DUN! Oh poor naive Antonio, did you really think Francis would give up that easily?
Status of Procrastination: Still procrastinating (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻