SPASE

SPASE: CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Tyrell releases his hand from Maddie's shoulder.

"So... who was it? Who saw you? What happened?" Maddie says, urging Ty for more answers. "How did you end up here?"

Tyrell looks up at the sky, still kneeling on the ground. His hands shake. Reynolds stays near his lap, comforting him. "I really loved him. I did. He was there when my dad left. I was there for him when his mom left. We were perfect together. Me and him. It all went wrong when I told him," Ty rambled.

Ty pauses and inhales deeply. "A prank gone wrong...that is what they said," Ty says in a monotone voice. "I never found out who had seen us in the locker room that day, but apparently Lance had. When he, Bradley, caught us, he threatened to tell Coach Briggs and ruin Lance's opportunity at a scholarship. It's been Lance's dream forever to go to UNC and play. I guess I wasn't worth the risk to him."

Maddie's scoff interrupts Ty. "So, you mean to tell me he killed you? I mean how does---"

"Come on, he didn't 'kill me' Mad, he tricked me into going to a party. The deal was that Bradley said that if Lance didn't publicly "out" me, even though people assumed I was gay, and get it on video, he would blackmail him. But, if Lance did, Bradley would forget that he saw anything and just act like he didn't see us."

Maddie stands up. "What kind of shit is that? That isn't right! That makes me—"

Ty glares at Maddie and interrupts. "That's not the whole story! You need to sit and calm down. You're acting a little cray cray for someone who isn't necessarily out themselves you know."

"This isn't about me. It's about you," Maddie screams as they sit back down in the cool grass.

Tyrell shakes his head and sits silent.

"Did they out you in that video and embarrass you?" Maddie asks after they can't take the awkward silence any longer.

"No," states Ty. "Instead, they got me on video binge drinking, professing my love for Lance, football, and passing out." Tyrell began to scratch behind Reynolds's left ear, making him kick the air.

Maddie interjects, "That still doesn't explain how you ended up here in Spase."

Ty looks at the grass and begins to pick at it again.

"They left me at the party. They stripped me and left me there. They didn't know at the time that I was passed out so cold, that I would throw up and choke on my own vomit."

"That's possible?" questions Maddie.

Tyrell looks at Maddie with a smirk. "Do you think that I would be here if it wasn't? Those ass hats left me for dead. The person that I had loved since I was twelve jolted me and left me for dead."

There's a long pause. Neither Maddie nor Ty know what to say.

"Do you regret it?"

Tyrell looks at Maddie. "What do you mean, 'regret it?' Regret who I am? Hell nah, and neither should you."

Maddie points to themselves. "Me? What does this have to do with me?"

"This has everything to do with you, not just me. You're here because you need help too you know. You didn't just stumble upon me for nothin'."

"What do you mean? I'm here to help you transition and help you come to terms with stuff that happened during your life," Maddie says in denial.

"Maddie, it's okay, you know? It's okay to be who you are because who you are is beautiful."

Maddie laughs uncontrollably, snorting in between breaths. They come to their feet and pace.

"Yeah, okay. Because being tortured by people at school is a symbol of popularity."