Chapter Ten: Nothing Left Here for Me

Lunch time. And Virgil was no where to be found. Richie has searched everywhere for his best friend. He had a bad feeling about today. Something was wrong. And he didn't like it. He races down the halls of Dakota Union High. The blonde had seen Virgil this morning, but he kept walking. He wonders if something happened between him and Jay, who he had just happened to see leaving. "Jay." Hearing the name he had grown to recognize, Francis looks to see the friend of his hurt love. "Where is V?"

Sadness sinks into his features. "I donno…"

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"…He…left me." Francis was sure it was safe to assume that they were no longer dating. No longer in love…and it killed him.

"Why?"

"…Tell him I'm sorry…"

Richie sees his backpack, full of what he didn't know was everything the man owned. "Going? Going where?"

"I'm leaving Dakota…There's nothin' here for me anymore…" Richie is a bit surprised, more so because he could practically feel the hurt from this man. "I..guess I won't be gettin' that diploma after all…" He frowns.

"You're dropping out?"

"Just tell him I'm sorry……" And without saying another word, the older man leaves the school grounds, never to return. Rich could see the doom cloud above the man. Seeing this, he needed to find his friend.

Returning to his searching, Richie scavenges outside. After a couple minutes of frantic thoughts and darting his eyes about, the blonde sees Virgil, sitting on the grass behind some bushes, holding his knees. Virgil was staring off into a world only he could see. And he didn't want to be there. "Virgil…are…you okay?" Knowing that was a dumb question, Rich jogs over to his friend's side, sitting next to him behind the school.

"…no…" was faintly heard.

"Jay left school for good…he's not returning. He dropped out as of today…just now…he said to tell you he's sorry…V…what happened?" Richie watches helplessly as Virgil tears up.

"I…I…" The hero tried desperately not to cry. "I finally slept with Jay…but then…" He looks down. "h-he's not…Jay…"

Confusion hits the blonde. "What do you mean he's not Jay? Is he a bang baby?"

Expression not changing in the slightest, tears roll down Virgil's face. "Yeah…yeah Rich…he…he's HotStreak…"

"HotStreak? But he's dead…we identified his corpse at the hospital…"

"No Rich…I…I don't know how but…he's alive…he's Jay…"

"How do you know? How can you be so sure?" Richie was unsure if Virgil was telling the truth or if his mind was playing tricks on him. He never was good with death, he never fully got over Jean, his mother.

A forced sigh is heard from the mocha teen. "While he was still sleeping…I noticed the roots of his hair…with blonde streaks…and then…when he got up…he didn't deny it…"

"He's alive? For real? His body though…it went into full rigor…" Then the thought of Virgil sleeping with his bully…"You slept with him?" He spoke without thinking. This was almost too much for him to take. He couldn't imagine being in Virgil's place.

"I-I had thought…" Virgil covers his face. "It seemed like he…" He cries into his dark hands. "But this whole time he was just messing with me…"

"I know…" Richie wraps his arms around the other body, holding him tightly. "I guess he had everybody fooled…"

Virgil's crying shows no signs of stopping. "I…I loved him Rich…" he cries harder, barely able to breath anymore as his sobs grow uncontrollable.

"At least he's gone…and you know you didn't kill him…" At this point, Richie did wish the man was dead. He feels his crying friend nod slowly. "It's okay Virgil…he's gone now…"

"It's not okay Rich…" His crying dies down to sniffling. He had cried all weekend. He wasn't sure how much more he could take. "It's not…"

"How so?"

"I fell in love with him…and…" He struggles to not burst into tears.

"He broke your heart…" Richie holds his the crying boy tighter.

It's as if HotStreak had murdered Jay…right in front of you…

"Just let it out V…you're not alone…"

"I know…but………j-just…gimme some time…"

A lot of time…

"Okay."