Eventually

Chapter Fifteen

A.N. The very last chapter from the POV of darling Arthur Valgari. After this, it's all Freddie. I hope you guys are liking this book, and though it may not seem like it, it's coming to an end soon. There's only five more chapters left after this one, so look out for updates. I love you guys, and I love how much you guys are enjoying this book. I started writing it (in draft secretly) like a year or so ago and I love that it's flexed out the way it has. Don't forget to vote and comment, and I'll see you all next time, from the POV of Freddie Pepper. Xoxo, Clay.

Chapter Fifteen

June 22nd 1999 - Arthur Valgari

I didn't see Freddie at school. Normally, it felt strange when I didn't see Freddie every day. I couldn't remember the last time we'd spent so much time apart, so every time I turned a corner in the hallway, every time I entered a classroom, I looked around for him almost instinctively. But he wouldn't be there. He wasn't there in maths, or P.E., or English, and he wasn't at our regular table at lunch.

I even saw him in the small things that people were doing around me. The puppy eyes, students who were lost in the hallways and couldn't find their way, just like he was half the time. I missed his long and completely unnecessary explanations of what blowjobs and alcohol were, and I missed his stupid musical references, his clumsy attitude, his two left feet. I missed him like a mother misses her child after he's moved off to college, like a brother who died in the blurriness of my childhood, like a best friend I'd slowly grown apart from, and like a lover I'd never be good enough for.

"Quit fawning," Alissa whispered to me, under her breath. She propped her food tray down on the table and took the seat beside me. "He's not here."

"I know. I can see that," I replied quickly, playing with my food to distract myself.

"How's your first day going as an out and proud, 100% open homosexual male, then? Any typical jock attacks, any verbal slurs or crude insults spray-painted on your locker?"

"We aren't in some trashy, badly-written drama like Melrose Place or Beverly Hills: 90210. Or god forbid, Dawson's Creek."

"Hey, don't knock those shows. They're shit, but they're so shit that they're good."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. And no. People keep staring at me, but I don't care about that. None of them would dare say anything."

"And how do you know that?"

"'Cos I'll kick the fucking shit out of them. I'm still Arthur Valgari, they wouldn't dare come near me."

"True. And you have me. I'll slit bitches open from tit to clit, and you can be sure of that. I fucking hate bullies. By the way, do you know where that new boy toy of yours is?"

"I have no idea. Haven't seen him since the party, but we've been texting."

"Well heads up, hun, I know exactly where he is." Her eyes skewered off behind me, towards the entrance into the cafeteria.

"What's he doing?" I panicked.

"He's walking this way," she smiled, grabbing her tray and getting ready to walk off. I froze where I was sitting, refusing to look behind me.

I grabbed her suddenly by the wrist, and pleaded, "Don't leave me alone with him. Last time I was alone with him, I chundered all over him like a drunken idiot."

"Nice try, hun, but you need some alone time with your new man. There's no way I'm staying." She winked as she fluttered off.

I panicked for a moment, after she left. Quickly, I checked my appearance in the spoon that sat on the table, staring idly at my distorted face. I ran my hands through my hair, and took in a deep breath. Then, his hands planted on either side of my shoulders from behind me. My entire spine shuddered, and I jumped up, turning to face him.