JT

He isn't at school Tuesday either.

Not at first anyway and I can't help but be even more worried. In third period I rudely push Derek out of his chair – though that might not be the smartest thing considering Daphne and I made up right before I told her what happened on Saturday and she might still be a little sore about anything having to do with Derek but…whatever – and sit there myself. Daphne is my best friend and I have to talk to her. She has all her life to screw around with Derek. For Christ's sakes, I'm only asking for one period.

"That was rude, Justin!"

"I don't care. I need to talk to you."

"You could have just asked him to please move."

I roll my eyes. Derek really, really has to go.

"He'll get over it, Daphne."

"Still, you could have-"

"Will you just shut up?"

I never talk to her that way. Sure, I do in a joking manner but this was in no joking manner. It was done in a pissed off, please shut the fuck up, manner. A manner that Daphne definitely didn't like one little bit. I can tell by the look on her face, but she actually does shut up so I plow on even though she probably won't care.

"I think there's something wrong with Brian."

She rolls her eyes.

See? I knew she wouldn't care.

"Why, Justin?"

She's just doing it to humor me, I know.

"I called him last night like you told me to. He didn't sound right. He sounded…I don't know. Like something was wrong."

Daphne sighs and shakes her head. "You're just being paranoid." I don't agree. "I have nothing to be paranoid about! There's something-" She cuts me off with a look of annoyance. She has been getting annoyed easier lately, I swear. Girls. Thank God I'm a fag. "There's nothing wrong with him, Justin. Let it go. Maybe he was just in a bad mood. Maybe he was sick. You need to…relax." She just doesn't understand. Then again…maybe she's right.

Sighing, I get up. I don't really want to sit next to her right now anyway. She's still slightly pissed about me pushing her precious boyfriend away. As soon as I'm out of the seat he moves into it and I sit at my usual table behind hers. I mentally curse at the empty seat next to me; the empty seat where Brian is usually seated. Sighing, I fold my arms on my desk and lay my face down. I don't feel like paying attention. Not that I can anyway, what with worrying about my…whatever the fuck he is. I don't know what to classify us as.

Suddenly there's a tap on my shoulder.

I don't lift my head up to see who it is. Honestly, I don't even care.

"What?"

"Why ya lookin' so glum, Sunshine?"

This time I do lift my head up to see who it is because it's Brian. Why wouldn't I? Perhaps my smile is too big but I don't even have time to be embarrassed about it because I'm suddenly too busy staring in horror at Brian's face. "Brian." He raises an eyebrow and smiles; the small movement manages to make him wince, even if it is just slightly. A wince is a wince, though.

"Don't sound too happy to see me."

"Brian, what happened to you?"

He doesn't answer at first. Shit, is he limping? I'm not exactly sure but it wouldn't surprise me. He has bruises everywhere I can see, which is just his face but he's wearing a long sleeved shirt today and it's hot outside. There must be bruises there too. His face, though, fuck. He's still beautiful but – ouch. I watch as he sits down, more careful then usual. When I get the hint that he isn't going to answer me I turn around in my seat so that I'm facing him.

"Who did this?"

I look over at Daphne who looks just as shocked as am. I send her a look that blatantly said "I told you so". Sure, it's immature but I really don't care! I look back at Brian and I can tell he's doing everything he can to ignore me. Asshole.

"Brian – look at me."

"Mr. Taylor, please be quiet and pay attention."

Feeling put out – not for being scolded by the teacher but because Brian's pretty much ignoring me when there's clearly something wrong – I turn back around in my seat. I face the front of the class but there's no fucking way that I'm paying attention. Not with Brian sitting next to me looking like that. He avoids me the rest of the day. Well, my questions. He sits next to me in every class and makes small talk. But, whenever I say anything about him being hurt he closes up and doesn't say a word. I swear I'm going insane.

After seventh period I head straight to his locker.

He left seventh period early stating that he had to use the restroom. I'm not sure where he really went but I plan on finding out. Hopefully he didn't leave the school. I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach that whoever did those things to him was someone in his own home and, honestly, I don't want him going back there. Not right now. Not until he actually tells me what the hell is going on. I mean, I may not have the right to know but, in my mind, I have every damn right. We're best friends. Aren't I supposed to know things like this?

I stand, lean up against his locker for, at least, twenty minutes.

Then Chris just has to appear with his football buddies. Shit.

"Hey, Taylor! Waiting for your boyfriend?"

I don't say anything. I need to learn to keep my mouth shut anyway. Plus, Brian isn't here this time to protect me. God, where the hell is he? It's gonna be really hard to keep my mouth shut. The boys headed over and I prayed that I would keep my mouth shut. Prayed like a fucking maniac. It isn't that I'm scared of Chris and his jock friends…ok, yeah, I'm scared of them. I mean, they're huge and then there's me. I'm short. And small. And fragile compared to them. And alone since Brian picked the perfect time to disappear.

"What, Taylor? You can't talk anymore?"

I just shake my head, pressing myself tightly against the row of lockers to stay away from them as much as I can, which, I suppose, is kind of pointless considering that they have me, pretty much, cornered. The jocks laugh, though I don't know why. They're just fucking insane. I swallow and look around, hoping that Brian will just…show up. He doesn't so I look back at Chris, his taller and bigger form towering over little ol' me. Shitshitshitshit. I am so screwed! Suddenly, Chris is grabbing the front of my shirt and they're all dragging me away from Brian's locker and to a different row of lockers.

Shit – I know what's happening.

The first day of school all over again.

One of them has a hand over my mouth or I'd be screaming bloody murder but, just like last time, Chris manages to shove me inside a locker. I think it's his. It's empty and I'm cramped as hell.

"Bye, faggot!"

"Fuck you, asshole!"

At least they can't get to me now. They don't reply and their laughing fades until I can't hear it any longer. Groaning, I shift as much as I can so I can reach into my pocket and dig out my cell phone. I guess I should have done this earlier when I was waiting for Brian. Then again…he'd probably ignore me and not pick up anyway. Sighing, and hoping that he picks up, I dial his number and hold the phone up to my ear, which is awfully hard to do in a small locker like this.

It rings five times, I'm starting to lose hope, and he finally picks up.

"Justin."

But he doesn't sound too happy. He probably thinks I'm gonna start asking him questions again. "Brian, I'm so fucking glad you picked up. I was waiting for you by your locker but then Chris came and-"

"What'd he do to you?"

He sounds concerned now, which gives me this odd warm feeling inside.

"I'm getting to that. So, Chris and a few of his buddies come along and start taunting to me. Brian! You would have been so proud of me. I didn't talk back or anything and-"

"Sunshine, you're getting off track. What'd he do to you?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry. Well, they all grabbed me and shoved me into a locker like on the first day of school…except you aren't here to get me out are you? Shit! I don't even know what the combination is for this fucking thing. Oh god, I'm going to start panicking. Shit! I think I'm claustrophobic. I didn't even know I was claustrophobic! Fuck, Brian! I'm gonna die and-"

"Justin, Justin, just calm down. You aren't going to die. I'll be inside in a few minutes. It's ok."

"It's not ok! I can't even breathe in here and-"

God, I'm freaking out. And he's laughing on the other end of the phone.

"Shut up, Justin! Just breathe. In and out. You just need to calm down. I'll be right there. Do you know what the locker number is?"

Hell no!

"Oh, shit, no! You're never gonna find me now!"

"Sunshine, I'll find you. For one, you're practically screaming so I'll hear you and secondly, there aren't that many lockers near my locker. So, relax darlin'."

Ha. Real cute with the western accent and everything.

"S-Sorry."

"Ok. I'm in the building, Sunshine."

A minute passes.

"I can see my locker. - I'm in front of my locker. Now scream like you were doing earlier."

"I was not screaming."

"Fine, freak out like you were earlier."

Honestly, I'm still freaking out. My hearts beating painfully fast and I seriously do feel extremely claustrophobic. I start kicking the door with my foot and make some seriously loud noise, which doesn't help my already frayed and tense nerves. "Ok, that's good, Justin. I'm here." I hang up 'cause I see his form outside the locker through the little slits.

"Thank fucking god. Where the hell were you?"

He doesn't answer me. He tells me to shut up so he can concentrate on picking the lock. I clamp my mouth shut. I don't want to stay in here any longer than necessary. It takes about fives minutes for him to finally get it but it felt like an eternity. As soon as the door swings open I throw myself at him, on purpose, and wrap my arms around his neck. I almost kiss him but I decided against it since he has so many bruises on his face. Then I realize that it would probably be a bad idea anyway since we're at a public place.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

He's laughing at me again but I don't care. For one, his arms are wrapped around me, which is very comforting, and I'm just happy to be out of the damn locker.

"Yeah, no problem."

"God, you're my hero."

"I'm every gay boy's hero."

I roll my eyes and push myself away from him. "God, I could kiss you right now." He smiles and shrugs, stepping a few steps closer. "Then…Why don't you? I wouldn't mind." He does look tempting, even with all those bruises on his face and mouth. But…we're in school! Anyone can walk by! Anything can happen! Plus, it'd probably hurt him. Kissing, I mean. His mouth does have a huge bruise on it and…yeah. I swallow and quickly shake my head.

"I don't think so."

"What? Why?"

He actually sounds truly disappointed.

I sigh – heavily.

"Well, we're in school and…someone could see. And…and…it'd probably hurt you."

He shoots me a weird look.

"What? Sunshine, when you kiss you aren't exactly rough about it."

He probably said that on purpose. Just to make my cheeks turn pink. I'm already having a hard enough time explaining this to him. Difficult fucker. He steps closer so that we're almost touching and I'm suddenly very, very hot.

"I-I know…t-that's not what I meant."

He steps impossibly closer and we're touching and, oh fucking god. I blink and continue to stare up at him trying to ignore everything else that's going on involving my body and his body at the moment. "Then…what'd you mean?" He raises an eyebrow and I wonder if it hurts for him to do that. Sighing, I step back as much as possible without ending up inside the locker again.

"Look at yourself, Brian! I mean, you have a huge bruise on your mouth and I don't want to make anything worse and-"

He cuts me off by holding a hand to my mouth.

"I don't think you could make anything worse if you tried."