Clinging To Him (BoyxBoy) #1.1

Clinging To Him {Three}

(A/N: Joshua has no tattoos so just pretend they're not there on the left picture :p)

Oh, how I learned the hard way that my school life would not go as smoothly as I hoped.

Joshua's way of showing his friendship was simply bullying disguised in a better name. The one day that I finally decided to eat lunch at school, Joshua had tripped me causing my food to slide across the floor. During passing periods when I went to my locker to change books a pile of condoms came flowing out. Joshua thought he was oh so funny and even spreader around that I had caught some disease. Really, he was only making things worse for himself.

Or that's what I originally thought. I figured I'd let everything it slide until Nico was well enough to receive a call from school. I was going to teach Joshua a lesson on why picking on me was the dumbest idea he's ever had but that wasn't going to happen. Nico absolutely forbid me from getting in trouble at school yesterday. He said he'd be disappointed if I ever got into a fight and or got suspended. Something about finally putting me on the right track in life. I wouldn't have cared if Nico would simply get angry but I didn't want him disappointed in me. I only ever wanted Nico's approval. So, I would have to deal with Joshua's elementary school bullying. Nine months until this school year was over and then I'd only have to get through senior year. What was two years of dealing with a guy full of empty threats when I had to survive on the streets at the age five? What was two years of high school drama when I spent the last six years of my life screwing random strangers? Nothing. That's what it was to me. I wouldn't disappoint Nico and I wouldn't make him regret picking me up from the streets at five years old.

Coming back from my deep thoughts, it was lunch time and I decided that I didn't want a repeat of last time. I wasn't really hungry anyways so skipping a few meals here and there wasn't a big deal. I hadn't had a big appetite since I was released from the hospital and Nico told me that my uncle had seen my parents around. I was expecting them to find me even though I didn't want to see them. It didn't help that Elisha's body was never found. The possibility that he was still alive was in everybody's mind. These worries piled over top of one another and I just hadn't been hungry much even though I used to love food. I just wasn't so crazy about it anymore. I also had noticeable bags under my eyes from the recurring nightmares that kept me up at night. I looked like a complete train wreck though I still maintained my stubbornness to allow anybody to help me.

I walked outside towards the hill from the other day. I didn't want to go to the library since yesterday I had actually bumped into Luca there and he wouldn't leave me alone. My phone rang on the way there and I saw it was Dylan calling me. I sighed and decided to pick up before he blew up my phone, "What?"

"Yes, it's lovely to hear your voice too." Dylan said sarcastically.

"What do you want?" I wasn't mad at him anymore about last time. I blew up on him so I was in the wrong but that didn't mean I was going to admit that. It was amusing to see Dylan try to get back on my good side.

"Let's go on a date after school." He said.

"No." I replied bluntly. "You have your internship today." I reminded him.

"I've worked that out." Dylan explained, "I'll pick you up after school gets out and then I'll bring you out to my job. My boss already said it was fine. Afterwards we can go get dinner. Maybe catch a movie afterwards. So, what do you say?"

I thought about it briefly and leaned back against the wall. "Fine, but it's not a date and I'll pay for my share." I said laying out the ground rules.

"Max.." Dylan said in a pouty voice, "I can pay-"

"You can but I'm not letting you treat this like a date. It's us hanging out together like acquaintances. Nothing more. You either agree or I spend the day at home without you. Your call."