Adam:

The next day, I eagerly went to school just for Sauli. I promised I would see him today, and I would never go back on a promise. I got off easy last night. Eber hadn't even been home so he had no idea that I had been gone all day. When he finally came back, I had pretended to be asleep, hoping he'd leave me alone. It'd worked. He hadn't even come near my room.

I hadn't slept a wink; my mind had been racing all night. When the sun had finally risen, I dressed similar to the last time, clutched Sauli's textbook, and slipped out of the house quietly before Eber woke up.

The hallways were empty except for a few random wanderers. Did class already start? How the heck was I late again? I even left the house early today! I moved silently throughout the hall, heading for my locker. I smiled to myself when I caught sight of Sauli rummaging around in his locker. Funny how just a little while ago, I had acted like it was the end of the world to have him next my locker or anywhere near me. Now, it was one of the only positives of coming to school.

I crept up behind him silently. I gripped his textbook and quickly smacked it playfully on his ass. Sauli yelped and flung around. I laughed, holding out his textbook to him. Sauli's surprised expression instantly fell when his eyes landed on my face. He looked way too upset. I was instantly alarmed and worried. He took the textbook from my hands and placed it in his locker without a word.

"Sauli?" I asked softly, confused. Sauli flinched when he heard my voice. He turned around slowly. "Are you alright?" No answer. I stared at him for a minute, and he stared at the ground. Strangely hurt, I reached up and gently cupped his cheek, urging him to look at me. "Please say something."

He pushed my hand off his face. I dropped my arm instantly, stinging from the rejection.

What had I done wrong? I wanted so badly to wrap my arms around him and beg him to tell me, but I stayed still, fearing more rejection. I couldn't help but think it was because he was repulsed by what had happened yesterday. Did he realize how bad it was to be dating me? Did he think a same-sex relationship was gross now that he had a taste of it? Did he not want me anymore?

Sauli sighed when he saw the hurt in my eyes. "I'm not supposed to be talking to you," he muttered.

"Why not?" I asked, nearly whining. I was still relieved he said something even though it was something I didn't really want to hear. At least it was better than him telling me to get lost.

"Because I'll be sent away to a different school and probably disowned if my parents find out," he replied, hissing through his teeth. "They'll try everything to keep me away from you."

Oh no… What happened after I left last night? Strangely though, I wasn't mad at his parents. They were right. It would be for his benefit to stay away from me. I could already see how interacting with me like this was starting to affect his life, and none of it was positive. He was setting himself up for a bad ending, twisting up with my horrid fate. I couldn't hate his parents for threatening Sauli in order for him to not mingle with me because it was something I had once wanted to do as well. I just didn't have the heart to push him away anymore because I liked the feeling of security I had with Sauli, and that was selfish of me. No matter how much it would pain me, a part of me still wished Sauli would just want nothing to do with me anymore. As long I knew he'd have a better life, I could live with the agony of losing him.

"I… understand," I mumbled. Sauli's head snapped up to me. "Sauli, they're completely right, you know. It's what's best for you and I respect their decision. I'll only ruin your life, I can't make anything right. And I refuse to make it any harder for you."

I turned to leave, fighting back against the stinging in my eyes and the lump in my throat. I barely took a couple of steps before I was jerked back around by my arm. I didn't miss the moisture in Sauli's eyes.

"Why are you so goddamn accepting of this bullshit?" Sauli asked, venom lining his voice. "I don't want you to leave me. It's not up to my parents to block me from you. It's just not their place. It was my decision to be with you, and I don't give a shit what I've gotten myself into. You're much more important to me than their threats."

"Then why weren't you talking to me a few minutes ago?"

"Because I didn't know how to fucking tell you because I was afraid you'd blow up, but obviously, that's not the case. You just started to walk away like it was no big deal at all. Do you even want to be with me?" Sauli furrowed his brow.

He doubted me. Of all things he should be worried about, he was worried about the most outrageous idea. Idiot.

I pushed him up against the locker in the empty hallway. Before he could spew any more ridiculousness, I pressed my lips against his. He didn't respond at first, still doubting me. I massaged his lips gently with mine, sending him my answer. I held his arms down against the locker, trapping him with no escape. He finally responded when my tongue split the seam of his lips and he willingly gave me access. I sucked gently on his tongue and lips, savoring his taste. He moaned softly against my lips. I was already dizzy from his heated sweetness. I felt him shiver against me and he nipped at my lower lip. I tangled one hand in his hair and deepened the slow kiss, completely lost in it.

A sound of shock and disgust made me pull away immediately from Sauli, our lips making a smacking noise as we pulled apart. I instantly dropped my hands from Sauli and stepped back. I turned to see Sauli's friends standing there with horror paled on their faces. Oh my fuck, they just saw all that. I was mortified. I stood frozen in terror, staring wide-eyed at them, and I knew Sauli was doing the same. I swear everyone could hear my heart thrashing in my chest in that moment of silence.

My feet were glued to the floor even as Alex marched up furiously to me, "You turned Sauli into a fag!" He didn't pause as he reached me, his fist slammed into my cheek at once. My vision turned fuzzy for a moment, and I suddenly found myself lying on the cold tiles with a sharp ache on the side of my face. "You're fucking disgusting. We should have gotten rid of you from day one!"

Sauli yelled something at him, but my head was spinning and I couldn't focus. I didn't have any time to fully register what had actually just happened until now. We'd actually been caught. I was horrified. Alex suddenly jumped on top of me, digging his knee into my gut, and pounding his fists down onto me. I flinched from pain with every strike. I dizzily struggled to get him off, still foggy-minded, but he was well-built and heavy. He was crushing me.

Sauli suddenly grabbed at Alex, trying to pull him off of me, screaming at him. I couldn't understand what anyone was saying. It was like I was underwater. Everything was muffled because I was still in shock. Alex shouted, rearing back and slamming the side of his fist into Sauli's head, knocking him down to the ground, but not before his head collided with the lockers. I heard Sauli cry out in pain. My eyes widened and my heart broke.

My head snapped clear. Everything was sharp again. My fury was overloading. He did not just fucking hit Sauli. I was literally trembling with rage. Alex turned back to me. Suddenly, his weight on me was nothing. He was nothing. I clasped my boiling hands together and slammed them into the side of Alex's head, and I heard a crack as he the force threw him off of me. Alex tumbled down and quickly staggered back up to his feet as I got up. He stared at me in shock, but I gave him no time to react before I was digging my nails into his neck in a chokehold. Alex gagged and I threw him to the ground. I was elated that my strength had come back so nicely after not being beaten for this record time. Alex bounced once on the tiles from the impact. I quickly slammed my boot into his chest as hard as I could and he cried out. I jumped on top of him, pinning him down, and repeatedly punched his fucking face in with the intention of making pretty little holes in his face with my knuckles.

I earned screams from his friends, and yells of pain from Alex. It was like music to my ears. This was my time for revenge, and something had finally set me off. Each time my knuckles made contact with his face, I felt angrier and just not satisfied with the wreck on his face. I wasn't even realizing that I using all of my force on him with no mercy. I couldn't think straight, I just needed to kill. I smashed his face in, and the might in my fists was almost glowing. His face was battered and I wanted to laugh in fake pity. I was pretty sure I'd broken his now bruised nose and destroyed a few teeth.

"DO YOU FUCKING GET IT NOW?" I roared at him, clobbering his face and gut. I didn't even notice that my hands were covered in his blood.