It was just another school day. Sal wandered the halls, heading to the science lab to talk with Todd, Ashley, and Larry. They were solving another mystery, this one being what was in the school's bologna that made it taste so horrible. Sal decided to take a detour, needing to use the bathroom. He walked in and came across a crumpled up paper on the floor. He picked it up and read it. I know we don't know each other and you probably have your opinions of me. I thought maybe if I told you how I feel, things could be different. The truth is, I can't stop thinking about you. I'm crazy about you. I think you're amazing! But I know these feelings are wrong. It's not the way a boy should feel. Shame swallows me whole. My father would kill me but I can't hide in his shadow forever. I just- There's only scribbles after that. Damn. Sal thought. Whoever wrote this could use a friend, I hope they're okay. Suddenly, he heard the muffled sound of crying coming from one of the stalls. He stepped forward, toward the stalls, noticing one closed. "Anyone in there?" He called out.
"No duh, fuckwad! Buzz off."
Sal's eyes widened. "Travis?" He paused. "Were you just.. crying a second ago?"
"Sally face? I.. No! What the hell, can't a guy get some privacy?"
Sal cowered back. "Why do you hate me so much?" He asked, his voice clear and harsher than he wanted. He knew this probably wasn't the best time to be asking these sort of questions because he knew Travis had been crying, but it just came out. He's wanted to know for so long.
"Because you and your dumb friends are a bunch of homos! It's sick and not right, god will never love you, so why should I?"
It echoed in his mind, it's sick and not right. Sal looked down at the paper in his hand. But I know these feelings are wrong. Shame swallows me whole. Was the letter written by Travis? It must've been. He's the only one here. Sal stepped forward, now standing in front of the stall. He spoke more calmly, softer. "I'm sorry, man."
"Don't feel sorry for me, Sally Face. I don't need your pity."
"We don't have to be enemies," Sal paused, glancing down at the floor. "You know that, right?" No response. He sighed and turned and dropped to the floor, his back against the door. And for whatever reason, he thought he sensed Travis there, in the same position, the door being the only thing stopping their backs from touching. "I think under all of that anger, there's a good dude who's afraid to be himself." He meant that. With any person he meets, whether they were bad or good, it didn't matter, he believed there was good in everyone, including Travis. He knew if his friends were here, they'd end up calling him crazy and gullible, and maybe that was true. Maybe he was. "If you ever need someone to talk to or if you need to get away from your dad for a while," His hands dropped to his sides, the letter crumbled beneath his right hand. "You can hang out with me." This came out much softer than everything else he was saying. He was okay with that.
"Why are you being so nice to me?"
The pain in Travis' voice made Sal's heart feel heavy. He glanced back at the door. "I don't think you're a bad person, Travis." There's a pause. A long one. Travis speaks, his voice just as soft as Sal's now.
"Y'know.. I don't really hate you or your friends."
Sal brought the paper in front of him again. He stared at it. He wasn't reading it again or anything like that, but remembering what it said made him feel all the more worried. "I didn't really think so..." He replied, his voice low and audibly sad. They talked for a while longer before Sal remembered about the science lab and he stood to leave, but stopped to say, "What I said about being here for you if you ever decide you want a friend. I meant that."
"Thanks..."
Sal left after that. And later that night, as Sal was playing video games with Larry, there was a knock on the door. Sal glanced back at the tv from the door and pressed pause. "Awe, come on, man, I was just about to win." Larry complained.
