I'd Rather Be Their Victim (Maniggy)

Chapter Eleven: Behind the Sun

Jeordie woke up, dazed and bleary eyed. There was a strong hand covering his. He looked down at the sinewy hand and knew it was Brian. His eyes traveled up the arm to Brian's concerned face, staring at the wall opposite. He was chewing his lower lip and his brow was furrowed. His breathing was shallow and steady. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and Jeordie examined every inch of Brian's face. His eyes trailed from his prominent chin and jawline, to his soft, shapely lips and philtrum; he admired his structured cheekbones, and how his pale waxy skin stretched tight across his features like a ghoulish venus. He examined the sharp slope of his forehead and the soft wave of his long hair. He noticed the way his cheeks were so hollow, and looking down, how some of the rings on his fingers were slightly too big on his bony fingers.

He's like a ghostly aphrodite. Beautiful but almost dead.

"You're beautiful." His words came out raspy from his sore throat, and were barely intelligible. It probably just sounded like he was clearing his throat.

Brian's eyes widened in surpise and relief as he turned sharply to look at Jeordie. The sunlight that shone in his face as his head turned filtered through his irises, and Jeordie saw a host of colours other than brown. They were almost golden, with tiny flecks of green, and deep chocolate colours near the pupil. The very edges were completely black.

"You're awake!" He exclaimed breathily, with a slight rasp. It seemed he hadn't spoken for a while as well.

"What happened?"

"You had a panic attack."

Jeordie's face twisted in displeasure at this unwelcome news. "In front of everybody?"

Brian sighed. "Well, you almost passed out in the classroom, but Miss Tserunyan told me to take you to the nurse and I caught you before you hit the floor." He smiled warmly. "After I made you stand up, you asked her to repeat the question... it was so cute... but then you kinda went blank." Brian frowned and continued chewing his lip again for a moment. "I was afraid."

"And then what?"

"Well, you were mostly limp, so I half carried you here. You're in the nurse's office, by the way."

Brian didn't mention the part where he dropped Jeordie and he actually passed out.

"Logical."

"The nurse has been trying to call your mom, but she won't answer."

"Typical."

Brian raised an eyebrow.

"She's always busy. She never has time for me," mumbled Jeordie.

Brian sighed and stroked Jeordie's hair with a concerned smile.

"Can you stay with me afterschool today?" Jeordie pleaded. "My mom won't be home until past midnight probably. I mean, it's like that all the time, so she never sees me. Oh please ask your mom if you can stay for a while." Jeordie was blushing furiously, and he hated being so needy, but he had the bad habit of making deep emotional attachments too early and then becoming dependent.

Brian bit his lip. Now was the time. "Jeordie, I..." he trailed off, unsure how to phrase it.

"...yes?"

"Nevermind. I'll go ask her right now, how's that?"

Jeordie smiled and his eyes were warm. Brian felt a pang in his chest.

He left the room and closed the curtain. He had nobody to call. He had nobody at all. Only Jeordie. That was for certain.