The Price of Popularity (BoyxBoy)

{22}

Asher had hoped to escape into dreamland where he wouldn't have to think of the mess his life had become. He gave up when the sun rose. The few hours of sleep he did have was plagued with vivid nightmares that left him a shivering mess the second his eyes opened into the darkness. He sat on his bed for what seemed like hours, the sun shining through the window and telling him that it was another day. He had made it through the night. He was alive, but his relationship? His social life? Well, they were gone, nothing but memories of them remained.

He looked around his room but no memories were pushed before his eyes. His room was practically empty. The desk had a couple of things neatly placed in the corner but nothing else. No photos, no silly things with overwhelming sentimental value. His room might as well have been a hotel room. Everything was clean and shiny but nothing personal resided between these walls. Hell, Danny's room had been filled to the brim with photos and yet Asher knew that he had exactly zero photos framed of them, or anyone else for that matter, in the entire house. A thought crossed through his mind that maybe he had been expecting this to happen and that was why he had kept nothing physical to prove the relationships he had. It was like they never existed.

Asher walked over to the window and looked out. He could see the side of Danny's house. He knew that somewhere, behind that brick, was Danny. Danny who hated him. Danny who wished that they had never met.

A single tear rolled down Asher's cheek just as someone knocked on his door.

He rushed to wipe it from his face before someone saw and he managed to just get it as his father's face popped around it. 'Hey,' his father smiled at him but Asher didn't return the gesture.

'What are you doing up this early?'

His father looked at him funny, 'It's nine.'

He really had been sitting on his bed for that many hours. 'Oh,' he noticed that his father was dressed nicely. 'You going somewhere?'

'Dale and I are going to get some new furniture for his house today. Their old home was smaller and some of the rooms just look empty now.'

Asher tried to smile but he was sure that it came out funny, 'Have fun.'

'Do you and Danny want to come?' Alan asked innocently.

He shook his head, 'I don't think so.'

He thought about telling his father about what had happened but he couldn't handle any of his father's disappointment right now. He was sure that Dale would tell him anyway. He and Dale would undoubtedly have lengthy conversations about how terrible Asher was. That knowledge alone was enough to make his eyes glassy again.

'I'll see you later.'

Alan nodded, having no inkling of his son's turmoil.

Then Asher was alone in the house and he had no idea what to do. He wanted to go to Danny, talk to him again. He looked back out the window and decided that he had to try again. He wasn't going to give up that quickly. He knew he made a mistake but maybe there was still a chance.

The grass was cold under his feet as he walked across the yards. Should he have used the sidewalk? Was that what you did when you were broken up from your next door neighbour? He had no idea. He looked up at the sky, watching the way the clouds made shapes against the bright blue. It shouldn't be a nice day. It should be raining, no, storming, with lightening illuminating the sky and thunder echoing around.

He could feel his blood becoming a cocktail with unease and fear with every step be took against the cool grass beneath his feet. His fingertips tapped against each other in nervousness, their pace getting faster with every step towards the house he took.