Electron + Proton = Attraction

Author: degrassi

Type: Slash. M/M.

Pairing: Marco Del Rossi/Craig Manning.

Rating: PG-13.

Genre: Angst/Romance/Drama.
Characters: Are in tenth grade. Emma & Co. a year behind.

Chapter: Quick rewind back to the present. This is told from Craig's POV, again. Like in the prologue. Enjoy.

VI. His careless whisper.

I was feeling kind of seasick towards the middle half of the day. My book bag felt like it weighed more, all because of the words I had wrote in the back of my Chemistry notebook. I felt like somebody had been tangoing with my stomach. For it was back flipping repeatedly. So much that I skipped out on lunch. I knew I was hungry, but I felt like I wasn't a shoe in for keeping anything down. I was half disgusted with myself for having such confusing feelings towards somebody of my own gender. Especially a friend. ESPECIALLY such a rule-obeying perfectionist.

"Craig!"

Due to everyone at lunch, the hallways were less crowded. I had decided to put some of the books I was still carrying from my morning classes, away in my locker. To make it feel less heavy. Due to the vacancy of the halls, I heard his voice echo through me like a knife through butter. I pretended not to hear him. I just kept walking, my steps increasing slightly. My head was bowed, I pre-occupied myself with fiddling with the flash button on my camera.

"Craig!"

Still, the voice prodded, and I heard his footsteps draw nearer. I stopped then, not wanting to appear awkward. I turned around, facing the shorter teenage boy as he came stopping in front of me. For once I didn't feel tall. I felt extremely small. Like I was actually look way, way up at him.

"Marco." I retorted towards the other boy casually. "Hey, what's up?"

He adjusted the sleeves of his shirt, and shrugged a shoulder. "I didn't see you at lunch. I wanted to know how everything is at home. Oh, and Concetta has been asking to play with Angela again, sometime soon."

I raised a brow. His voice of concern only made that my heart pulse quicker, so quick that I figured it was louder then my breathing. "Chaotic, as usual. Joey promised he was never going to raise his voice again. So that's cool with me." I awkwardly looked at something over his head. "Oh… well, I'm babysitting Angela tonight. Joey's working really late again today. If you want, I could bring her over, to spend some time with Concetta."

I didn't notice him smile. I was just too busy trying to figure out what he was doing to me. My palms felt a bit sweaty, and I could tell that I was paling. He shoulders ached, as did my back. Maybe it wasn't all due to him. Maybe it was the chaos of the week. Having to cook, clean up, baby sit, and study for numerous tests and quizzes were beginning to take their toll on me. Yet I've dealt with doing all of this, before. What changed it? The stress that HE brought on.

"That'd be cool. Hey, Craig, listen. Do you think I could talk to you for a second?"

Uh oh. Ever since I was a little kid, I've always been afraid of those words. 'Can I talk to you?'. Nothing good has ever come out of those words. Maybe he found me out? Maybe he was going to tell me never to speak to him again? Marco was more sensible then that. At least I hope so. I leaned up against one of the lockers, with my arms crossed over my chest. Digging my heel into the ground, I nodded.

"What about?" I stated coolly, trying to look placid.

"Remember when I told you, that you could be honest with me if you're having any problems?"

I didn't like where this was going. "Yeah. You said something like that, when I first showed up at your doorstep, too." I grinned, suddenly comical. Anything but awkwardness would do just perfect.

Yet my grin faded instantly, with the seriousness etched into the shorter teenager's features. "There's something I need to tell you, since you are one of my good friends and all."

I tilted my head, and quirked an eyebrow, feeling a bit light on my heels.

"What's up?"

He took a step forward, and awkwardly shifted his stare from left to right, then back at me. My image of him slightly blurring, and my emotions feeling like they were about to boil over. Like hot water that had been left too long.

"I want you to be comfortable around me, right? I mean, if you're going to be hanging around my house a lot more. Now that our sisters have play dates. And now that we're becoming … Better friends--"

Becoming frustrated, I inhaled deeply. "Man, what's up?"

"--I'm gay, Craig."

That was all it took for my mind, like a retiring lifeline, to die. All I remember is my head hitting the tile floor, and my world launched into a new series of confusion, and darkness.