Better Than I'd Thought | Sally Face x Travis Phelps

seventeen

"You really think he's normal?"

"Of course he's not."

  Sal sighed and walked back up the stairs, clutching the hall pass in his right hand while he held the banister in his left.

   His birthday was coming up soon. He was going to be 18. Ten years since the accident. He doubted that Travis knew. Maybe it was better that way. His birthday wasn't anything special.

   Still, Sal was always a little excited when it came around. After all, it made him a year older, and he thought that was cool.

   He almost tripped once he reached the top of the stairs and his head pounded.

   Sal groaned, threading his fingers through his hair. Migraines sucked.

   He flinched as he neared the boys' bathroom. He could hear voices inside.

   His curiosity grew as he listened, not fully able to make out the words until he heard Travis's name.

  He sighed, walking in and hiding against the wall. I'm really doing this again? Sal sighed.

   "And then, he was like, oh, Sal's my friend now, so back off." One of the boys laughed. "But they're more than friends, Sally face and Travis. They're both a bunch of gay freaks."

The boys cackled and Sal gulped, realizing that they knew about their relationship.

"Man, I always thought that Travis was a sinner, but of all people, he picked Sal Fisher? He's got bad taste even faggot." He grinned.

Sal rolled his eyes. He couldn't say that he disagreed, but they didn't have to go and say it.

"I don't know, dude. I was all like you really think he's normal? And then Travis basically went off saying that Sal's face wasn't normal but he's more than just his face,"

Sal's eyes widened.

"He was all like, he's just a kid like you are. I get that you think his face is weird, or his prosthetic is weird, but he can't help it." He laughed, imitating Travis's voice. "He said he thinks he's not a freak and that he's just a sweet kid." He batted his eyes mockingly. "What a fucking softie."

Sal stood with his eyes wide and glossy. Travis really thought those things? He didn't think he was some fucked up loser. Sal grinned to himself. Of course. He must've not heard the whole conversation that day.

"That doesn't even make sense." One of the other boys scoffed. "Travis's whole life was dedicated to making that freak miserable up until recently."

"He was probably just a fucking homo the whole time dude. That loser probably had a crush on him since the beginning."

Sal's eyes widened as the bell blared. Not caring that he'd missed math class, he ran down the hall, ignoring the pain in his head. He'd made a big mistake.

"Trav!" He yelled, spotting his familiar head of blonde hair walking out of the classroom.

   Travis turned so quickly that he felt a pulling sensation in his neck. He stared with wide eyes as Sal approached him.