I sat on a table in the hallway, my feet resting on a chair. Alessia sat next to me. We saw Connor walking through the hallway, heading to us. We both smiled.
"Uhm, hey" he said
"Hiiii!" Alessia said
"Heya" I said
"Uhm" Connor stuttered "Uhm, Troye, could we maybe hang out at my house today? Instead of yours?"
"Well, I was actually going to Alessia's house after school. We're working on a music project together, so I can't. I'm so sorry."
"Oh okay, yeah because I thought -uh- maybe you could walk with me-eeeh and then uhm he wouldn't eeh and then -uh-uhm"
"Connor are you alright?" Alessia asked
"Well, no, actually" Connor replied.
"What happened Con?" I asked. I was very worried.
The bell rang. We had to go to class, but we didn't mind. Connor wasn't okay and we needed to talk about that first.
"Don't we need to-"
"No" Alessia and I replied at exactly the same time
He took a deep breath.
"Okay. So. Yesterday when I came back from your house, where I got my nails painted, I saw my new neighbour for the first time. And, I'm not that happy, to be honest. Normally he comes home late, his parents even later. But yesterday we came home at the same time. I wanted to go inside my house, so I took my keys out of my pocket. But Kevin didn't seem amused by- " Alessia and I gasped. 1. Because Connor lived next to Kevin 2. Because Kevin lived in one of the most beautiful areas of our neighbourhood. Alessia and I nodded to Connor, that he could go on.
"He didn't seen amused by the fact that my nails were painted. He called me a 'fag'. He hit me in my face. He beat me up. And I couldn't do anything. My parents weren't home, my siblings weren't home. Kevin is so much stronger then me. I don't want to go home alone again. Kevin kept me up all night. Literally. He kept texting me." He grabbed his phone from the table.
Kevin: you'd better watch out you stupid
Kevin: I don't like gays and I I especially don't like you
Kevin: don't ever talk to that troye kid ever again or I'll do something you won't like
Kevin: you stupid fag
Alessia and I gasped at the messages. And those were just a few.
"I haven't slept for the whole night" Connor told us.
"I can understand that" I replied.
"C'mon, you won't learn anything in class like this. Let's just skip and go home, 'kay?"
Connor nodded and walked with me.
A smile on Alessia's face appeared. She really liked skipping class. She really did.
•
So Connor, Alessia and I went to my house. Because it was the nearest to school. At my house I made coffee for Connor and me, and hot chocolate for Alessia.
Alessia and I talked Connor down a bit.
"You know what it is guys" Connor started "he called me a fag"
"Yes he calls me that too, all the time" I replied.
"But Troye, you're out. I'm closeted as fuck. Literally, the only people who know are Ricky, Kian and Lily, and they live in Minnesota. Not even my parents know it. And now you two know too. But I don't like it. He assumes I'm gay because of my nail polish. It feels like he knows someting about me I don't want him, or anyone, to know."
"I'm so proud of you for telling us" Alessia said, while I nodded.
"Con, our friends definitely won't judge you, so don't worry about that. And Kevin definitely will. But don't worry about that either. The only problem is that he lives next to you."
"Yes, Troye, and I'm so scared. So. So. Scared."
"I get that" I said " I really do."
Alessia stood up and hugged Connor.
I must admit, I was a bit jealous of her.
Connor sighted.
"I'm sorry, you guys have to work on your music project together, I'll just go home and hope it gets better."
"No, no, Con you can stay here!" I said
"Yeah, it's perfectly fine for us, it's just writing an other verse"
"Are you guys sure?" Connor asked
Alessia and I both nodded.
•
We sat at the table, Alessia and I close and next to each other, Connor at the other side of the table.
We were replaying and replaying the music, trying to find the right words.
"We're alike, you and I
Two blue hearts...
So can we make the most out of this?
.....
Can you make me leave my demons and my broken heart behind?"
We didn't like it yet.
There were pieces missing and words chose wrong.
Alessia clapped the rithm while singing
"We're alike, you and I, two blue hearts hm-m-mmm, so can we make the most out of no time? Maybe? Would that be good?" She asked
"YES! Yes I love that"
Connor stopped us: "two blue hearts locked in our wrong minds? Maybe? Would that be okay?"
Alessia and I widened our eyes. That was just perfect.
"We're alike, you and I. Two blue hearts locked in our wrong minds."
The three of us smiled at each other. We sure shared our passion for music and good lyrics.
At the end of the afternoon, the verse was done:
"We're alike, you and I.
Two blue hearts locked in our wrong minds.
So can we make the most out of no time? Can you hold me?
Can you make me leave my demons and my broken pieces behind?"
We all agreed this was a really good verse and we were so proud of it.
Alessia decided that she had to go home, so she went home, and I walked Connor home. Together we would be stronger then Kevin.
At Connors house we hugged, and he walked to his house. He weaved at me at the door.
I walked back home, I decided to take the long way, over the beach. I saw the dead bird again.
Today was so much fun, even though I felt so bad for Connor. I just hope he'll feel a bit better soon.
