Pavane for a Lost Boy (Or Rather, How to Survive Loss after Rejection)

Chapter Forty-Six

Artem Hillman, the Jack of Spades

I always suspected that it was only a matter of time before my parents decided that I needed to return to Pacifica Glades High School of the Arts.

And I couldn't fault them for that, even though it meant reconnecting with former friends, past enemies, and even lost loves who became too much for me.

But more importantly, my return to PGHS would mean that I would soon meet the kid who's caught in a tangled web of lust, lies, and scandals even after all the shit that's he's been through from his old neighborhood.

Demario Noah Bader, the kid with an uncharmed past, a witch of a late mother who married a spinless punk of a man, and siblings who vied for their parents' attention- the younger sisters had their dad's while the older brothers were the apples of their mother's eye while Demario was, in Vivian Ingram-Bader's opinion, "the bane of her existence."

It took a lot of guts just for him to put up with the name-calling, the emotional and verbal abuse, neglect, and even threats to being killed. But him being pushed to end his life after he was disowned and left to fend for himself without a dime to his name? Well, that's just heartless in so many ways.

Kids of Demario's caliber had been kicked out for worse reasons (coming out as non-straight or transgender, for one, as in my main friend's case). This...was low.

My parents already gave me the scoop of what happened so far thanks to their friends and their kids at PGHS. And when they brought up Ryan, Jillian, and Theo and how they're involved; it was all the more reason to swallow my past fears and make my comeback known so I can be there for Demario when things started getting TOO real.

And just in case you readers don't know who I am just yet, let me introduce myself. I'm Artem Michelon Hillman, formerly known as Allison Melanie Hillman. I'm a transgender epileptic who survived Jillian's ploys and Theo's poisonous attacks. And my mission was clear as I prepared myself for my return after going to school online: Break Demario Bader free from Ryan's grasp and end this madness with Ryan Peavey, Jillian Kendricks, and Theo Blake once and for all.

After today, there is no going back.

Ladies and gentlemen, Artem Hillman is back in full swing!

Oh, there's going to be more flashbacks to what happened with the Artem/Jillian/Ryan storyline for sure. But he'll be making  a FULL return to Pacifica Glades High School and will change the game in so many ways that it'll make your head spin.

And while this is a short chapter, this sets up for what you can expect in the chapters ahead, starting with the next one as Demario and Ryan will be expected to paint portraits of each other. Stay tuned.

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