Chapter 29
Piers Nivans
It's Saturday, but everyone is at school for test prep. Even Claire, who goes to a different fucking school. So I'm stuck at the house alone, since dad was called in to work today. I was sleeping when the doorbell rang, I looked at the clock and it was ten already. I rushed to get dressed, putting on a pair of sweatpants and then rushing down to get the door. "Hey Piers," the man says as I open the door. "Dave," I ask, "What... What are you doing here?" He sighs. "Seeing you at the movie theater... It made me remember my feelings..." I squint my eyes and flare my nostrils, "And you what? Want me back?" "Uh, yeah." "I'm with Claire now Dave." "Piers, let's be real. We both know you're gay." "No, I don't think so... I love her Dave." "You're just kidding yourself." He moves closer. "Get away from me!" I push him back. "Come on babe, let's just talk this out!" "No." He shakes his head like he's annoyed with me and reaches behind him, pulling something out of the back of his pants.
"Get inside," he says pointing a gun at me. "Dave?!" "Piers, go inside." I do as I'm told, I don't want to get shot today. "Go sit on the couch." I do so and he sits in the chair across from me. "What are you doing," I ask him. "What am I doing? What are you doing Piers? I loved you!" "Did you? Maybe you should've thought about that when you left me." "You know you just needed time to relax." "And throwing me further into depression and driving me to suicide was a good way for me to relax?" "Piers, you know that was your fault. You always were one for dramatics, if you really wanted to kill yourself you'd be dead." "I'm one for dramatics? You're the one holding me at gunpoint!" "Shut up! You wouldn't talk to me, now you will." I don't really have a choice do I. "Now admit to me that you don't love her." I look to my right, away from him. "I can't do that." "Come on Piers. You love her?! For real? Even if you do, you think she loves you back? With that arm like that? You're lucky you found me with that thing!" "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" "Oh Piers." He moves next to me on the couch, "I had some time to think." He grabs my neck and runs the gun along my jawbone. "Time to think, just like you need."
Jill Valentine
Helena, Chris and I walked home together talking about Forest. Helena was wondering if going out with him was a good idea, Chris seems to support it and I just think that she could do worse. "There are weirder people, like Chris," I say. "I think Forest is way weirder than Chris." "Yeah, but I don't think Forest will be bench pressing you every night." "You do that," Helena looks at Chris. "I don't have any weights! I need something!" "And I'm 'the perfect weight for it too'." "Well, I'm pretty impressed. I don't think I could bench press a stick!"
"Is the door open," Helena asks. It was. We all stop talking and follow Helena inside incase it was a break in and they were still in the house. Piers?! I hope he's okay! We head in, but remain quiet when we hear heavy breathing from the living room. I look at Chris as we continue to follow Helena into the room. Piers is sitting on the couch, looking toward us as a man was nibbling on his neck. "Help me," Piers mouths. I see the gun in the man's hand. I was so scared at that point, there were too many people to be quiet. Helena and I don't move, but Chris slowly moves towards them. Piers looks terrified. Chris grabs a clock off of the table next to the T.V. as he slowly moves over and then smashes it into the man's head. I run over and grab the gun, aiming it at the man as he rolls on the floor holding his head. Helena moves over to Piers. "Dave," I ask as I see the assailant's face. "Fuck," he yells.
"Piers, you okay," I ask not moving the gun off of Dave. There was no clip in the gun, I realize, and the safety was on. Was Dave this stupid? "This gun has nothing in it," I yell before throwing it at Dave's head. He cradles his head some more. "What the fuck happened," Chris asks moving towards Piers as I turn Dave over and pin his arms behind him. Chris nods at me approvingly. "He attacked me!" "That's a fucking lie! He wanted this," Dave yells. "Then why the hell did you have a gun," I ask. "It was here." "Is he fucking high," I ask. "I don't know," Piers says wiping his neck. I was looking at Piers when I was rolled over and under Dave. He gets up and tries to run, but Helena sticks out her leg and trips him. I walk over and pick him up by his shirt, "Come back here, and next time I'll kill you." "I'm not afraid of you." "Then maybe you'll be afraid of this." I throw him down and Chris comes over and starts to punch Dave in the face repeatedly, like he did to Carlos. He stops when Dave's bloody and throws him out of the house. "Should we call the police," Helena asks. "No," Piers says, "I think he got the message." "But Piers," Chris says. "I don't want him going to jail. He's not going to do it again." "Are you fucking stupid," I yell. "Jill, we'll just let it go." "No! We won't! That was almost armed assault, Piers!" "Jill..." I let out a groan and then respond with "Fine."
Piers Nivans
What he said... He's right isn't he? This whole thing with Claire, it's pity. She doesn't love me. What are you saying? Are you letting Dave mess with your head, Nivans? Claire said she loved you first, she let you take her virginity. She loves you, and don't let that psychopath tell you any different! Did I just have an argument with myself? "Piers," Chris says. "You okay if Jill and I head home?" I nod. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." "I'll keep an eye on him," Helena says. "I don't need someone to watch me! I'm not fucking suicidal. You're never going to let me live that down are you?" "What," Jill asks. "We just wanted to make sure you were okay after all this. Damn Piers, chill out." Damn, now I feel bad. Helena looks at me with sympathetic eyes, but I can see I annoyed her too. "I'll see you tomorrow," Jill says before the two of them leave.
Jill Valentine
Monday right after school ended, thank god. Damn I just want it to be June. Fuck! June means Chris will be gone... He's graduating! Holy shit! Chris pulls up in front, whistling and then calling my name. I run around to the passenger side and get in. Helena and Piers were staying late. "So, up to party," he asks. "It's 2:15," I remind him. "So?" "I'm not going to turn up until at least 4," I joke. "Fine, we'll wait 'til 4." Turning up, did I say that? And partying on a Monday, who does that? We begin the ride home, and just talk.
"You know I love you, right?" "What? Chris, of course!" He smiles weakly. "What happened?" "Nothing, just ah..." "Wanna talk about it?" He still has the weak smile, "Nah. It's okay." "You don't look it." He sighs and looks at me, "I just... I got into the Air Force Academy." I smile, "That's great news! That's been your dream since you were little wasn't it?" "Yeah but... That means I'm leaving in July." "Well yeah, but we've still got time together. We have the whole rest of the year!" "I just don't want to think of leaving you here. I mean, you have another year here. And I mean, what will you do without me?" He's very good at going from serious emotional shit to joking and I love him for that. "Well, we'll just have to spend even more time together, maybe cuddle instead of bench pressing every night." He looked serious again, "You can't cut out my bench pressing!" "What about Tuesdays and Thursdays? We'll make those nights cuddling instead of working out?" "I guess. If it'll make you happy." I laugh and we reach the house. "But tonight I can still use you right?" I sigh, "Yes Chris." "Yes!"
Piers Nivans - Two months later
So, April. I don't know. It's April, it's warming up and school's coming to a close. Damn, next year most of our group is gone. Chris is going off to the Air Force. Forest isn't going to college I'm sure, so he might be around still. Richard, I'm not even sure. He hasn't really been hanging out with us, he's been with Rebecca. Makes sense since they're dating. Its a thursday, so double physics day. Jill is complaining next to me like usual. Helena is taking notes or something I don't really care. Damn, every class I feel like I care less and less. Then there's the fact that the teacher hates me more and more every class, since I more deliberately draw each day. I think I'm more irritable every day... I can see Jill's kind of annoyed at me today. I didn't mean to be but I just couldn't help it. "Can I go to the bathroom," I ask. I just asked in the middle of her talking. I didn't even care, like fuck it. I'm done anyway. "Go Mr. Nivans," she says annoyed. I smile at Jill and Helena as I stand up. I walk out and down the hall toward the bathroom.
I pass several class rooms, but when I reach the end of the hall I hear Chris call me. I look back and see him jogging toward me from his classroom. "What's up, Chris," I ask. "Nothing." He shrugs. "You actually going to the bathroom," I ask. "No." "Me either, just needed an excuse to get out of physics." He laughs, "I know the feeling... So how's Claire?" "She's good. We're good." He smiles, "I'm glad. I don't want to have to chose between you two." I shrug and we continue wandering the halls. "I think we might break up..." "What?" "We're kind of becoming friends, like what happened with us. I mean, it was great and it's still great but... I don't know. I love her, but neither of us are that into the relationship." "But you guys have only been dating for four months, you might just be experiencing a rough patch. You... You seem different Piers." "I know." "What's wrong?" I don't know honestly, I'm just not motivated and kind of depressed. "I'm just tired... all the time. I have to fight to come to school and not kill someone." He rests his hand on my shoulder with a smile, "Don't worry Piers. It'll all be fine. Trust me."