I gotta do it, make my escape from this world I've been living in
Nothing's holding me down
I'm leaving this town
I gotta do it, deep down I know
That as long as I stay true,
It doesn't matter where I'm running to

-"Running Away" Jesse McCartney

Matthew wasn't expecting the amount of attention he got when he returned to school. People passed him in the hallway, saying that they were glad he was back, or that they missed him.

The blond was overwhelmed by the attention and before too long he was seeking the solace of the lighting booth. He slipped inside and sat down among the old spotlights and sound board. This; this was where he belonged, not out there where he got more attention than he was comfortable with.

It was nice to be remembered though. To even be talked to. But but was too much, like this. He longed simply for Gilbert's presence. He held a very comforting aura, and despite having seen the other teen the day before, he found that he missed him.

Matthew sighed deeply and pulled his phone out of his pocket, staring at the screen for a moment. Gilbert hadn't texted him since yesterday, and soon he'd be left to another weekend alone, when the paler teen was supposed to come over so they could practice their lines.

There were only a few weeks left until the play; there was already a cd in the booth and everything. Lovino had taken over well, Matthew briefly admitted to himself.

The blond let out a deep breath and left the safety of the lighting booth to head back out into the hallway. He glanced around for a moment before he decided to just go to class, rather than skip it like he had thought of several moments before.

He went to his locker and grabbed his books, closing the door afterwards. He almost expected Gilbert to be there, laughing with that stupidly attractive lazy grin of his. Though he wasn't there, the space empty and missing the white-haired teen's presence almost as much as Matthew himself was.

Letting out a deep sigh and trying not to feel too disappointed, Matthew made his way to class. The teacher made him go get a late pass, though. He nodded a bit and left the room again, heading to the office. It was then that he noticed Gilbert, leaning against the wall next to some brunette girl.

The pale teen leaned down to whisper in her ear, that lazy grin tugging at his lips. Matthew felt a fire rumble in his belly, walking past them briskly. He could have sworn that Gilbert had looked up at him, but there was no way to be certain without turning back around.

Matthew went and got his tardy pass, quickly heading back to class and slipping inside. He rested the pass on the teacher's desk without a word and headed back to his seat.

Class seemed to drag by slowly without the albino texting him every few seconds. The silence was strange, he hadn't gone so long without hearing from him since Gilbert had first started texting him.

To: GIlbert

...Gil? Are you angry with me?

He texted the other after another half hour, fidgeting a bit and bouncing his leg impatiently. His friend never answered him though, so Matthew was left to wonder for the rest of the day if he had done something to upset Gilbert.

Matthew kept seeing Gilbert pass by in the hallways, laughing with the brunette from earlier that morning, or hanging off the shoulders of his two best friends.

For some reason that made Matthew's chest ache with loneliness. Gilbert seemed to only be avoiding him. It made him jealous of those Gilbert was around, the feeling strange and heavy in his gut.

He put his head down and walked past Gilbert towards the auditorium, pushing through the trio without a word. He heard the blond teen behind him say something that was just low enough for him not to hear, before Gilbert's clear growl of "Oh, Shut up!"

Matthew stepped into the auditorium and sat in the back corner, simply watching as the others practiced their lines.

As soon as Gilbert came into the auditorium, Matthew tensed, trying not to look over at the other, He kept his gaze downward and tried to fight back the sadness that pricked at his eyes.

The albino walked right passed him, and went to sit up front, talking to the other kids up there.

Before too long the director called him onstage, and he could have sworn Gilbert looked back at him before heading up the stairs.

There was a few brief moments where everyone quieted down, before Gilbert began. He looked back at Matthew, smiling at the blond.

"O, She doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night As a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear-" he paused his face transforming slowly into one of pure longing; the look directed straight at Matthew.

His face flushed and his heart thumped loud in his chest. He couldn't help but stare at Gilbert, watching the way he moved and adoring the faces Gilbert made at him.

"Beauty too rich for use, for Earth too dear! So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows. As yonder lady o'er her fello shows. The measure is done, I'll watch her place of stand. And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? For swear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."

Matthew blushed darkly and ducked his head down, hiding his burning cheeks from view.

The director got up and stopped everyone before they could begin clapping. "Matthew, you may want to pay attention to this," he glanced back at the blond briefly, "Gilbert, better polish up your romantic acting. You two are doing a kissing scene."

Matthew froze when he heard their teacher say that, sputtering uselessly. "Wh-What!?" Gilbert simply nodded though, getting off the stage and going to sit back down where he had been before.

Matthew felt the reality crashing down on him then. He had to kiss Gilbert. Gilbert was going to be close, so close to him. The thought made his face flush to an even darker shade of crimson.

He sat quietly throughout the rest of practice, nearly bolting for the door at 4:30. He walked outside quickly and began to walk home. After a few minutes of silence and his own rapid foot steps, Matthew heard a car pull up behind him, slowly moving alongside the blond.

Or a dark van, to be more specific.

"Matthew, you're going to freeze out there. Get in," Gilbert called out after opening the passenger side window. Matthew continued to walk, shaking his head a bit. He didn't dare to look in the direction of the vehicle and it's driver.

"I don't live that far away," he insisted, not looking up at Gilbert. He knew if he did he would break down; probably get into the albino's van and start crying, "I can just walk."

He already felt like he was going to cry. Matthew was thoroughly confused by Gilbert's actions, unsure what to think by this point.

"Matthew please, we need to talk, anyway," Gilbert sighed and his hands clenched around the steering wheel until his knuckles went white. Or at least, whiter then they normally were.

Matthew's jaw clenched then and he looked up at Gilbert. "Yeah, we do. Maybe you should actually try," he pat out bitterly, rushing across the road in front of Gilbert's van. He wiped at his eyes as he hurried to his house and slipped inside, leaning back against the door.

Matthew went up to his room and flopped down onto his bed, letting out his frustration as tears that soaked his pillow.

Matthew spent his weekend in quite the same manner as that Friday night. He stayed locked in his room, drinking soda and watching Netflix all day.

On Sunday he heard his parents fighting as he headed downstairs to get food. He had learned to stop paying attention to them over time, though his attention was hooked as soon as he heard his name,

"He doesn't even do anything! Matthew's been locked up in his room all weekend! Why doesn't he ever go out; do anything!?" he heard his father's voice, and then his mother's reply.

"It's your fault! You're always drinking. I wouldn't be surprised if you beat him! Maybe that's why he never talks, and always wears those horrible baggy clothes. He doesn't have any friends, maybe it's because he's afraid of them finding out how bad his life is! All he does is that stupid play! I won't be surprised if you've made him gay!"

"Hey, don't you pin this on me again! He probably can't do anything because you're never here! You neglect him!"

Matthew froze, tears coming to his eyes once more. They... That's what they always fought about? Him?

"Dammit. He heard us! Why can't you keep your voice down, you drunken idiot!"

Matthew quickly locked his door, throwing a few things into his backpack and shoving his arms into the sleeves of his jacket.

The blond just barely managed to slip out his window, slowly climbing down the vines that grew along the side of the house and coincidentally grew along his window.

After jumping down, Matthew adjusted the straps of his backpack and took off, wiping at his wet eyes uselessly.

The tears stung at his cheeks in the chilly air, and it wasn't long until Matthew reached his goal, darting through the fence to the playground he had hidden in during his parents fights as a child.

The blond curled up under one of the play sets, sobbing into his hands quietly. After a few moments he pulled his phone out and instinctively called Gilbert, holding the cell phone to his ear and pressing his hands over his mouth to stifle his sobs and whimpers.

"Hello?" Gilbert answered after a few rings, sounding drowsy, like he had just woken up.

"G-Gil?" Matthew sniffled and let out a small sob. The other instantly sounded more alert than before, practically yelling into the phone. "Matthew!? What's wrong? Why are you crying!?"

Matthew closed his eyes tightly, his shoulders shaking from both the cold and his sobs. "C-Can you come get me?"

And here's the feels bomb.

You're welcome.

I've made two of my friends cry with this chapter

Please Review

-Rain