for him [bxb] ✔️

18 // the rotten staircase

Senior year.

The disheveled halls were filled with reunion and laughter as stories of summer camps, trips to foreign countries and whispered stories of lost sexual innocence wafted through the walls and behind closed doors of classrooms run by distracted teachers. 

Education was only slightly a concern unless one had been wary with their class credit in previous years. Tests and homework had been completed; college applications being of utmost importance to the majority of the class. Not to mention the naughty and unique drama being continued only to pleasure those who were seeking the entertainment.

Having avoided me for nearly four weeks, it was much to my surprise that the boy I called Emerald approached me the first week of school on the very Wednesday there was an assembly to honor those having excelled in the past summer's courses. It was the epiphany of a beloved institution with famed alumni.

The boy with emerald eyes approached with a look of despair and fear written throughout his eyes. 

I felt bad for Connor although he had left me alone at the theater what was now almost two months ago. However, it was important that I stay put and heard him out for whatever he could possibly need.

"I need your help."

The shaky words and the meaning of desperation alone was enough for me to nod my dazed head and follow the boy who had acquired new bruises since I had seen him back in the ice cream shop. 

He had led me to the back staircase built for cleaning maids oh so many years ago, now left to grow mold and decay as a run down passage used only by those caught ditching lessons or the more insane than not crackheads.

Speaking with gasps of stolen air, he had told me how sorry he was for skipping out on the day I had been willing to forget if it meant forgetting the feeling. He continued with the notion that his father was an a sexually harassing, abusive alcoholic and did hideous things to Connor behind closed doors. 

I nodded and felt both anger and protectiveness as we both planned out the next move that would change our lives forever.