When the Day Met the Night {RYDEN}

Chapter 1: Senior Year

POV: Ryan

People say senior year is the one that goes by fastest. Its the last year of high school, the last required year of education. And usually the work is the easiest when youre about to graduate anyways. Well, it doesnt seem to go by so fast when everybody hates you. It doesnt go by so fast when all you want is a friend but everyone refuses because youre just the depressed emo kid with arms covered in scars and a face stained with tears. Even at eighteen years old, Ryan is just the cringey emo kid of the school to most people that almost everyone makes fun of. Everyone but, oddly, the most popular guy. Brendon Urie. Brendon Boyd Urie. The most obviously gay guy at school, but still everybody loved him. Not what you would expect, right? He was just this energetic, outgoing, talented kid and everybody loved him.

Even though Brendon was the only one who didnt openly hate Ryan, Ryan still hated him. He knew that it was impossible for anyone to want to be friends with him, let alone Brendon Fucking Urie.

Brendon to Ryan, as he thought had to be, was like a dog to a cat - something that is going to annoy the hell out of them, attack them when they get too close, and then cause them to run up a tree or do anything else to get away. His entire life, any experience with someone popular was just that. A dog chasing a cat, torturing it all the way up a tree where it gets stuck and can't get out. The chasing for Ryan was taunting, rude remarks, mental or physical abuse, or rumors. The tree for him was self harm. And all it made was an endless cycle.

He gets made fun of for being emo.

He self harms.

He gets made fun of for his scars.

He self harms more.

He gets made fun of for trying to make a friend.

He self harms again.

He gets beat up.

He self harms again. And again. And again.

An endless cycle he so badly wanted to get out of, but he couldn't. He just couldn't do it because the only way he could was to counter the bullying with support, which he sure as hell wasn't going to get from family. His parents were divorced, him living with an alcoholic father who found him as a discrace to his family and no siblings that wanted anything to do with him. And it was, of course, impossible for him to make friends.

Well, he decided that he had lost all hope. Eleven and a half years in this goddamn school district and there wasnt one day since sixth grade that anyone had said a kind word to him. He just gave up. There wasnt any chance in hell anyone would like him if they knew anything about him whatsoever, and its hard not to when rumors spread like wildfire. Rumors started by the people he used to consider his friends way back when but now theyre all rushing to be at the top of the food chain, stepping on Ryan like a stepping stone to the top, pushing him down to rock bottom without a second thought.

The final bell rang and Ryan, wanting to avoid going home or being confronted by anyone, went to the same spot at the back of the school he went to every day to cool down.

Today had been pretty rough. He got beat up after telling on a kid for using him to cheat on a midterm and then sent to 'Alternative Learning Environment' (which was basically in school detention) for 'getting in a fight'. He had been stuck there since second block and had to miss the one class he actually cared about and the only class that really kept him from going completely insane - jazz band. He played guitar in that class and it really helped him unwind.

"This is so stupid" he mumbled as he sat behind the corner of the back of the school. "This school is stupid."

He sat there in silence for a few minutes before hearing the grating laughter of some of the kids that taunt him most - Harry and his posse of idiot jockhead dicks.

"Look at the emo kid. Cut yourself lately, fag?"

Ryan just rested his head on his knees that were tucked tightly to his chest. He wasnt it the mood to fight.

"Hey! Get up and defend yourself, pussy!"

One of Harry's friends Niall walked over and kicked his leg. "You know what, fuck you." He said sharply. "Though i bet you would be fine with it, you are a fag after all."

"Guys, shut the hell up and leave the poor kid alone." A voice rang out from behind them. Ryan didnt need to look up to know who it was. Of course it was Brendon, he knew his voice far too well. He was such a showoff and teachers pet that he always voulenteered to read in class, always voulenteered to present his presentation first, always to be the one to ask all of the questions in class.

Ryan heard enough of his voice every fucking day and, to be honest, it annoyed him to hear it again. It just made him think of all the times he has been ignored and one-upped by him.

As the other boys left Brendon stood there looking down at Ryan.

"Yes?" Ryan asked in a sarcastic tone as he looked up.

"I just wanted to make sure you're alright. You looked really sad."

"No shit, am i sad. What the hell else would i be? Joyful that i get beat up every day?"

"Hey, man im sorry i-"

"Just leave me alone."

Brendon shot a worried look at the other boy before walking off.

Ryan waited a few minutes before standing up and walking away from the building. He needed to find a better place to hide away after school.

***

Yep. This is happening. Im starting another fic. But i already have three chapters of this written and a storyline planned so im really exited about it.

Mkay byeee