Just Another Girl by The Killers
Daring sighs, unable to blink as he stares longingly at the girl of his dreams. Apple White laughs, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she walks down the hall, arm in arm with her girlfriend, his own sister, Darling Charming.
"It just wasn't meant to be, I guess," Humphrey says, later that evening when they're sitting on the couch in the student lounge.
They had been playing video games, but they had stopped as Daring began spilling out his problems to his friend. Daring ran his hands through his hair, deeply sighing.
"Daring, there are so many other girls who would die to be with you!"
"She was supposed to be my true love, Humphrey!" Daring wails. "She's not just another girl!"
Humphrey sighs, rubbing his back as Daring leans his head on his shoulder.
"It's alright," Humphrey murmurs. "You'll be able to move on eventually. I know you will."
"I can't sleep at night anymore," Daring whispers.
He looks up at the boy, his eyes red from crying. All Humphrey can do is take him in his arms and just be there for him, even if he doesn't understand.
Believer by Imagine Dragons
"Daring, I love you," Humphrey says, his voice cracked but determined.
He refuses to break eye contact with the befuddled prince.
"I know you have something going on with Rosabella that you're not even telling me about for some reason," he continues. "That's fine; but I'm your best friend, and guess what? I love you as more than a friend."
"Humphrey," Daring squeaks, his eyes wide with shock.
"I'm tired of this," Humphrey snaps. "You can't break me down one minute by ignoring me and only using me for advice and a shoulder to cry on! Then the next moment you're building me up, telling me how amazing I am and making me feel strong and brave and powerful and worth it!"
He chokes back a sob.
"You've made me believe in myself, Daring! But if you can't fully invest in me, then I'm going to leave! What do you want, Daring?!"
Humphrey is answered by soft lips touching his own.
Over My Head (Cable Car) by The Fray
"I just need help," Humphrey mutters, looking down, his cheeks burning with shame. "Nobody will help me."
Daring blinks, surprised. He clears his throat.
"Of course I'll help you," he says.
He wets a paper towel under the sink and walks over to Humphrey, gently holding it over his black eye.
"I'm just so clumsy," Humphrey frets.
"That's okay," Daring consoles him. "You're the smartest in the school."
Humphrey laughs weakly.
"Thanks."
After that day, Humphrey is all that is on Daring's mind. What is happening to him? He's never felt this way about anybody, much less a boy!
He joins Humphrey in the student lounge one evening, a bundle of nerves.
"Hey, Daring!" Humphrey exclaims. "Wanna play?"
They spend the next three hours, laughing as they play Mario Kart.
"Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out on Friday night," Daring says, sliding next to Humphrey on the bench one sunny day. "Maybe get some coffee?"
Humphrey needs to study, of course, so they compromise, drinking coffee and reading their textbooks at the same time. Daring resists reaching out and touching Humphrey's hands that are so close, so touchable.
Humphrey is constantly on Daring's mind, painting his dreams at night, brightening his days, hurting his heart. Humphrey doesn't even notice. Daring knows he's in over his head. He doesn't love Apple. Apple doesn't love him, he knows. The kiss didn't work. He loves Humphrey.
"I'll always be there for you," Humphrey says, his voice determined as they sit on the balcony one starry night.
Daring sniffles, tired out from crying over his lost destiny with Apple.
"I know you will be," he says miserably.
I love you, his mind whispers.
The Scientist by Coldplay
"I'm sorry," Humphrey says, eyes filled with tears as he gazes at Daring, the lovely boy who has captured his heart.
"I just don't know what to say," Daring says, sighing. "I love you...but you have to trust me."
"I do!" Humphrey exclaims.
He hugs Daring with all his might.
"I need you, Daring. Please. I love you so much!"
Daring wraps his arms around him.
"I never really loved Apple," Daring had confessed one night as they sat in Humphrey's bed.
Humphrey gasped.
"No! Really?!"
"I feel more for you than I ever did for her," Daring said.
Before Humphrey knows it, Daring's lips are pressed to his.
"I don't know, Daring!" Humphrey cries. "I think you like Rosabella."
"You never trust me!" Daring yells, tears streaming down his face. "Why is that?!"
Humphrey chokes on sobs, staring at Daring with wide eyes. For once, he doesn't have an answer.
"I wish we could go back to the start," Humphrey whispers as he lies in bed that night, face pressed against Daring's chest.
They've had make-up sex every day this week. Humphrey's lips are sore and chapped from the never-ending kisses.
"It's not that easy," Daring says. "It's a shame for us to part like this, but I think-I think we have to."
Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol
"It's depression, Daring," Humphrey murmurs as he wraps his arms around the boy. "You're going to be okay. We'll get you help. I'm here for you."
All Daring can do right now is lie in bed and sleep. He wants to forget the world. It's so harsh, expects so much, harms so fiercely. The warmth from his boyfriend's embrace is a small consolation.
The therapist asks him questions he can't answer.
"I don't know how I feel," he confesses.
Humphrey squeezes his hand.
"I love you," Humphrey says.
He will never stop saying this. Day in and day out, he says it. He curls up against Daring, holding him close and stroking his hair. Daring opens his eyes, gazing blearily at the boy loves. His clear gray eyes are all that he sees. They're perfect. Humphrey is perfect. Daring wants to forget the world, but with Humphrey as a part of it, he can't.
Drops of Jupiter by Train
Humphrey has been away. Finding himself, apparently. Daring's heart has done nothing but ache.
When he sees Humphrey at Apple's dinner party two weeks after his return, Daring can tell he's different. He's lighter, more confident and sociable.
"I need to look for myself,"Humphrey had explained. "We just can't be together right now,"
Daring tries to understand, but all he can do is cry.
Daring finds Humphrey on the balcony that nights. He stands next to him, looking out at the twinkling stars.
"Too much light to see them properly," Humphrey says quietly. "In the desert I could see them perfectly. It was too gorgeous to describe."
Daring takes a moment to find his voice.
"Did you get the experience you wanted?" he asks slowly.
"I saw the world, Daring," says Humphrey, gazing at him, his eyes bright with a newfound wonder. "I swam with dolphins, I zip-lined in the rain forest, I climbed mountains, and most importantly-I know who I am now."
Daring smiles, his eyes sparkling with tears.
"I'm really happy for you."
Read My Mind by The Killers
"This town is so small," Daring groans. "I want to get out of here someday."
A flicker of hurt passes Humphrey's face.
"With you of course," Daring quickly adds.
Daring laughs, ducking underwater, as Humphrey splashes him. He splashes back, trying to go easy on the small boy. They eat watermelon that Daring's mother brings out for them.
"It's delicious!" Humphrey exclaims.
Daring sighs happily.
"It's finally summer!"
They stand at the back of church, waiting their turn to grab doughnuts from the box on the table. Daring quickly kisses him on the corner of his mouth. He's staring ahead again before anybody can notice. Humphrey's heart leaps.
"Daring! If anybody saw that…"
"They didn't," Daring simply replies.
He winks charmingly.
"Why won't he return my freaking calls?!" Humphrey growls. "Bigger and better things, my ass! Even though you're in school in Germany now doesn't mean you get to ignore me!"
He looks out the front window of his house, imagining Daring walking up, holding a bouquet of red roses like he used to do. Just then, his phone rings. It's Daring! Humphrey quickly answers.
"Hi, Humphrey. I'm so sorry I haven't been answering your calls! I know I'm busy right now, but that's no excuse to ignore you! I feel so bad!"
"Daring," Humphrey laughs, "can you read my mind?"
Cecilia And The Satellite by Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
"Don't be afraid, Humphrey," Daring says, holding him tightly. "I'll protect you."
Daring has done and experienced so much in his life. He's traveled all around the world, made friends from every country he's visited, made some incredibly stupid mistakes, kissed a sinful amount of girls and boys. Never has he felt complete, though, until Humphrey came into his life.
"I love you, and I will always keep you safe," Daring promises, running his fingers through Humphrey's hair. "You are the best thing that's ever happened to me."
Humphrey snuggles closer. Daring smiles, kissing his head. His boyfriend may be fearful, but he is still the most magnificent creature he's ever laid eyes on.
Spaceman by The Killers
Humphrey smiles, the stars swirling around him as he sails through the black sky. The galaxies spin around in a flurry of vivid colors.
"It's all in your mind," his mother says sternly. "Don't ever tell anybody else about this nonsense.
"What? That I can space travel? That I hear voices at night?" Humphrey asks innocently. "Of course not."
Humphrey is exhilarated on his first day of high school. He's looking forward to this new chapter of life.
Daring is a jock. He's the most egotistical person Humphrey has ever met. He is also kind, though. He helps Humphrey clean up the spilled food when some bully bumps into him, knocking his tray to the floor.
He and Daring spend all their afternoons together after that. Daring teaches him soccer. Humphrey teaches him algebra. They make a good team.
"You know that I go to space in my dreams?" Humphrey says one night as they're watching a rather ridiculous animated movie. "Well, my mom says it's in my dreams. I say it's real. It just feels like-it isn't just in my mind."
"Perhaps it isn't," Daring says. "The other boys on my football team would laugh at me, but I believe in magic; and you seem like a pretty magical person to me."
Humphrey kisses him before he even realizes what he's doing. He almost pulls away with shock before Daring kisses him back. This is more magical than any trip to space I've had, Humphrey thinks happily.
Dust Bowl Dance by Mumford & Sons
"Father is gone," Daring says, gazing sadly at his wide-eyed brother and sister. "I'm the man of the house now."
The land is barren, brown dirt stretched as far as the eye can see. The king is cruel. He cut off all the pipelines. No rain will come.
|hen Daring sees the soldier approaching his house, he runs outside, grabs his father's gun and shoots.
"You work for the one who did this!" he roars as the bullet hits the man in the forehead.
His siblings scream, but he doesn't care. His dad died because of this evil regime.
"You take everything from the poor even though you're filthy rich! You're a disgrace to humanity, you wretched piece of garbage!"
He is kicked off the land, convicted of murder. A kind woman he's known all his life will take his siblings in.
"It's a true accusation," Daring had admitted to the small court.
He meets Humphrey on the open plains who is a spy. He is part of a task force, intent on bringing down the government.
"You did the right thing," Humphrey says, holding his hands as Daring breaks down one night, divulging his terrible life story. "They deserve to die, King Tatus and everybody who works for him. You shouldn't feel any remorse."
Daring breathes deeply as his tears slow.
"I want to be a spy, too," he says. "I want to take down this wicked king and his cronies, too."
Humphrey smiles, squeezing his hands.
"Now, there's a good man!" he exclaims. "Your father would be proud of you."
"I think he would be," Daring agrees.