Ruining my Life (SALVIS)

Re-Introduction (1)

Trigger warnings: homophobic language, transphobic language, familial abuse, strong language

Could be triggering for Sally Face IRLs and fictives. Continue with caution.

𝑻𝑹𝑨𝑽𝑰𝑺 𝑷𝑶𝑽

Am I insane? What was I doing, just standing outside of the house of someone I hadn't seen since high school? Much less someone I had claimed to hate. I mean, he was the one who invited me over. I'm supposed to be here, but it didn't feel right. I checked my watch, I had been standing there for 5 minutes just working up the courage to knock. Shit. I probably looked like such a creep, just standing outside Sal's door. I could feel my heart beating in my throat. Maybe I should just go back home and pretend I was never invited. No, that'd be rude. I let out a deep breath and pushed to ring the bell, but I didn't hear anything. Just as I was about to try again, the door nervously creaked open. As soon as he saw that it was me on the other side, Sal stepped out onto the porch and waved.

"Hey, Travis!" He said, a slight twinge in his voice letting me know he was smiling. If I had thought my heart was beating fast before, it was racing laps now. Sal had ditched the signature ponytails, His long hair laying on his shoulders in a sort of mullet-y style. Still dressed pretty much the same. I could feel myself staring, but for whatever reason I couldn't just stop. I think Sal noticed too, because he shifted his footing uncomfortably. "Uh. Do you wanna come inside or something?" He asked.

"Oh. Yeah. Of course," I blurted. It came out super awkwardly. He walked inside and I followed, and the room full of Sal's friends immediately became quiet when they saw me. We sat there in silence for what felt much longer than it probably was until Larry Johnson, frankly the most annoying of Sal's little squad, spoke up.

"The fuck is he doing here?" He asked. His voice was dripping with malice, obviously directed at me. Sal just shrugged.

"Thought it'd be nice if we all made up"

"No fuckin' way I'm making up with a kid who called me a tranny," he immediately snapped back. Oh, wonderful. I was causing a fight. I checked my watch again. It'd been 2 minutes. 2 minutes, and I'd already caused another fight. I wasn't even in this one!

"I can leave," I offered, gesturing to the door.

"Oh, please do," Larry said with a sarcastic sneer. I balled my hands into fists, digging my fingernails into my palms so hard I could feel them break skin. The urge to hit him was so powerful that my fingers practically itched. Sal walked in between the two of us and raised his hands

"Woah, woah, woah. If you guys don't like that the other person is here, just don't interact. Nobody's leaving, this is my house and I invited both of you," he said. I nodded and begrudgingly sat down on the couch next to Larry. As soon as I sat down, he turned the other way. Sal sat down next to me and grabbed my hand. I felt my face turn hot, until I realized he was just concerned about the blood on my hands. Then I felt embarrassed for getting flustered. "Let's go wash these cuts out, Travis," he said, and I just nodded. He dragged me into the kitchen where he turned on the sink water and handed me some soap. "I'm gonna go back into the living room. Unless you don't know how to wash your hands," he said. I twisted my face into a sort of confused expression, of course I knew how to wash my hands. I'm 24 fucking years old, I'm not 2. Sal saw my confused expression and giggled "I'm just joking, Travis . I know you know how to wash your hands," he said and then walked out of the kitchen before I could respond. My face turned hot again. I should have just ignored the invitation, all I've done is embarrass myself and make Larry angry. I absentmindedly squirted the soap on my hands and put them under the running water. I could barely feel the sting of the water in the fresh cuts, I was too busy thinking. About Sal. As much as I wanted to stop, I just kept thinking about him. He'd encompassed so many of my thoughts in high school, and I basically forgot about him after that. I'd wanted to go to college, but there was a laid out plan for basically every son in the Phelps family. Graduate high school, study the Bible, get a job at the ministry, meet a nice Christian wife, get married, have kids, take over the ministry when your father dies, then force the plan on your first born son. Even if I wasn't the only child, I would have been the eldest son, so I was basically fucked anyways. The stress of mirroring my asshole father's life had just been so great that I'd completely forgotten about my gay crush on Sally Face. And then he messaged me. I don't even know how he got my number but dammit he found me and every feeling I'd ever had about him came rushing back to me. While I was inside of my father's church. I sighed and turned off the water, but when I went to dry my hands I looked up and there was someone standing next to me. It was one of Sal's friends, Todd Morrison. I knew everything about him, we'd grown up in Nockfell right beside me. We'd even been friends for a bit until my father had learned he'd been kissing boys in the first grade, though I don't know if he remembered that.

"You were washing your hands for an awfully long time," he said.

"Shut up, gaylord," I snapped back. I didn't even mean to, it was just instinct at this point. Todd immediately stopped talking and assumed a smaller stature. I bit my lip "Sorry. I- didn't mean it," I said, but his expression didn't change. So much for apologizing. I rushed past him and into the living room, but I didn't feel any better once I was in there. Sal was sitting there holding hands with a girl, who I also recognized. Ashley Campbell. Of course he had a girlfriend. And of course it was her. They'd gone to every school dance together, they'd always laugh together in the hallways, of course it was her. It felt like my heart had dropped in my feet. Of course, I'd never have a chance with Sal anyways, he didn't fit in with the Phelps life plan. But it stung. I looked at Sal and Ashley, then back at the door. Then Sal and Ashley. Then the door. It was so tempting to just leave and pretend like Sal had never existed. Just as I was about to turn to leave, Sal noticed me standing there and gestured for me to sit down on the couch with him.

"Well- actually- something came up and I-" I started to say, and Sal interrupted

"Oh, you're already leaving?" He asked. I could hear disappointment in his voice and I felt bad, but I couldn't stay. There was no way I could watch Sal and Ashley snuggle up against each other. I'd already chosen the Phelps life plan, and in the few minutes I've been here I've already thought of going back. Even thinking about deviating was too tempting, he was too tempting.

"Uhm, yeah. Sorry- something happened and-" I said, but interrupted myself halfway through. I grabbed my phone and my car keys and walked out the door. Just as I was leaving, I looked back through the door and gently said "Bye, Sally Face."

(Yes. Yes this is short. But so is my attention span. Later chapters might be longer I genuinely have no idea. Have a day! :) )