Deja Vu (SatoGou)

Chapter 19

The answer doesn't shock me, but it still feels like a blow to the chest. I had never let myself wonder who was spreading the information about me, because I knew it would just make me feel worse, and even more paranoid. Now that I know, I feel... empty. Gary is staring Ash down, waiting for his next move. Despite them both being on the same side, there's some sort of weird energy between them, and it still feels like they might swing for each other at any moment.

"Kick Bede's ass if you want," Gary says, shrugging. "But leave Goh out of it, okay?"

"What are you, his keeper?" Ash asks. I don't like this at all. It's making me anxious. I don't even understand why they're at each other's throats. I love them both, and I want us all to be friends.

Gary steps forward until there's barely an inch between them. I lurch forward, ready to burst out, but another voice drifts in, stopping me.

"Gary? Ash? What's going on?" It's Misty. The one person that could potentially make this worse than it already is.

"We're just talking," Gary says, but his eyes don't leave Ash, and there seems to be some kind of taunt in them. I realise that both of them are secretly itching for a fight now. They need to sort out the issues they have between them, and I want to help, but I don't know what Ash's problem with Gary actually is.

"Doesn't look like talking to me."

"Where's your boyfriend?" Gary asks, turning to glare at her now.

"You're an asshole," she says, venom dripping in her tone. "You know that, right?"

Ash shrugs and nods in a condescending way. Gary shoots him an incredulous look, like he can't believe he's agreeing. "Oh, I'm an asshole? For defending my friend? I don't know what that makes you then."

I'm thinking that this couldn't possibly get any worse, when suddenly, it does.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Gary asks, spotting someone down the hall. The rage in his face is instantly evident. I tense up, wondering who the fuck could possibly be joining the fray now. Then Bede steps into view, hands stuck in the pockets of his jacket, smiling. My heart sinks deep in my chest at the sight of his smug face, and I surprise myself with how much I want to kick his ass, too.

Bede transferred to a different school a little further away last year. Aside from the stalking, which I'm still not sure happened, I've managed to avoid him since he left. Unsurprisingly, he was one of the ones that gave me the most shit, when I was outed.

"Come up here to relive the memory with your boyfriend, Ketchum?" He taunts. Behind him, I see Misty's face scrunch up in confusion. She thinks he means Gary. Downstairs, the music is still booming, as all the unsuspecting guests dance along, oblivious to the ticking time bomb up here. I wonder how long it is until Dawn and Chloe realise something is going down. I'm starting to think my discovery is imminent.

"You think that's funny, huh?" Ash says, finally turning away from Gary. I've never heard this tone from him. He sounds strangely calm, but simultaneously murderous. It's almost scary. "Just like you thought it was funny to out Goh, I bet."

Bede shrugs, a proud smile on his face. "I don't know. It was entertaining, though."

Ash laughs humorlessly. "You know what I think? I think you're projecting. I think the reason you outed Goh was because it was a distraction from your own problem. I think you're gay, Bede."

My breath catches in my throat. It's so ridiculous that I barely stop a choked laugh from escaping me. Bede's eyes widen, and he looks so offended that I think he might start shouting. Instead, he just stares back at Ash. "That's your wishful thinking, Ketchum. If you fancy me, you should just say that."