Social Norms (Synacky)

Chapter Five

The next day, Brian found himself at Michelle’s again. He had a bouquet of flowers sitting in the passenger’s seat, and he was going to take her out just on the whim. She always loved when he did that.

He was confused, though, when he found a red Chevy parked out front. He didn’t recognize it. Maybe Val was having a friend over or something. Brian shrugged, grabbing the flowers and heading through their front lawn, being careful of Mrs. Dibendetto’s snapdragons.

“Hey, ‘Chelle!” he called out upon entering the house, but was only greeted with loud music coming from upstairs. He opened his mouth to call again, but suddenly he heard a hissed, “Brian!” and turned around to see Valary emerging from the kitchen.

“Hey, Val, I’m just gonna go get Michelle. I thought I’d take her out to lunch or something, you know, just spur of the moment.”

“You can’t be here.” She whispered, “You have to go now.”

“What?” he asked, confused. “Why? Is Michelle here?”

“Yes, but-“

“Well, I’ll just go get her. I know my way around.” Brian smiled and turned towards the stairs.

“Brian, you have to listen to me!” Valary barked sharply, and he paused.

“What?”

Valary took a deep breath, closing her eyes before saying softly, “Michelle… she’s… god, Bri, I like you, you’re a good guy and I hate that something like this happened to you…”

“What the fuck are you talking about? Is ‘Chelle okay?”

Valary chewed her lip nervously before offering meekly, “You remember Peyton King?”

“Yeah, I had a couple classes with him. Michelle knows him more than I do. What about him?”

“Well, uh, for a while they’ve been… you know… um, fucking.”

Brian stared at Valary blankly, unable to comprehend what she had just said. Eventually he choked out a “What?”

She repeated the statement, a little more precisely, and Brian shook his head, staring at her incredulously.

“No, I don’t believe you.” He replied. “I’m going to go get her now. I’m going to take my girlfriend out. I don’t know why you’d make something up like that, Valary.”

“But I’m not!” she shook her head, following Brian who was heading up the stairs to Michelle’s room. “You gotta believe me!”

“Whatever.” Brian opened Michelle’s door, expecting to see her dancing like she did when no one was watching, hips swaying to the beat of the music.

They say you should always expect the unexpected, but what Brian saw was worse than that.

“Oh my god, Brian!” Michelle shoved herself away from the guy in her bed, scrambling to cover herself quickly. “Brian, this isn’t what it looks like, I swear!”

Brian didn’t respond. His grip on the flowers loosened and they fell to the floor with a swish. He blinked a couple times, trying to process the scene in front of him. Michelle’s explanations and pleads for forgiveness as she hurried to get dressed were muted, worthless. He turned around, leaving her with Peyton King, and slowly walked back down the stairs.

He ignored Valary’s sympathetic look. He ignored Michelle’s screeching, “Brian, I’m sorry! I love you!”

He got in his car, and drove away.

~*~

Brian didn’t find the strength to physically shed tears until he was at the park, sat up against a tree, letting the harsh bark press painfully into his back. It was there he closed his eyes and let the tears roll down his cheeks.

He couldn’t say he was too surprised. Michelle had been acting different and distant for the past month or two. Brian had just pinned it on some sort of girl problem and let it go. He should have known better. What a dumbass, Brian.

He still could not wrap his head around what he had just witnessed. He couldn’t face the fact that Michelle had cheated on him. The more he thought about it, the worse he felt, and the tears fell more rapidly. He didn’t deserve this.

“Do you want me to push you on the swings?”

The small voice startled Brian, and he looked up from his position to see none other than the faggot standing next to him.

“No.” Brian hissed, “Go away, queer, it’s not a practice day.”

Much to Brian’s dismay, Zacky sat down next to him. “Swinging helps me feel better.”

“Well I’m not like you, thank Jesus.” Brian grumbled, “Now get the fuck away from me.”

Zacky was silent, emerald eyes sweeping over the playground. “I’ll go away once you swing with me for a bit.”

Brian growled in frustration, which turned into a sob as he threaded his hands in his hair. “Don’t you see?” he whispered, “Don’t you see I’m a wreck?”

“Yes.” Zacky replied quietly, “That’s why I’m not leaving you.”

Brian closed his eyes, forcing himself to take a few deep breaths. “I-I’ll fucking swing with you for three minutes.”

He opened his eyes to see Zacky grin, standing up and holding his hand out for Brian, which he ignored.

He sunk down heavily on the swing, sighing as he stared down at the mulch of the playground. He didn’t have the effort to swing, if he was completely honest with himself. Brian leapt in surprise when a pair of hands settled on his waist, and he was heaved forward.

“Don’t fucking touch me, fag, I can push myself.” He spat, his body tingling in a weird way where Zacky had touched him.

He heard Zacky sigh, “Are you sure? It’s more fun getting pushed on the swings…”

“Yes, I’m fucking sure, okay?” Brian kicked his legs in and out for emphasis. “See?”

Zacky plopped down on the swing next to him, digging his feet into the mulch. “Watch this.” He said.

Brian didn’t want to give him the satisfaction, but he did watch out of the corner of his eye as Zacky rose higher and higher into the air. The boy got Brian’s full attention, though, when he pushed himself off of the swings, head tucking under his feet before landing, shoes scraping lines in the mulch.

“Can you do that?” he asked the older boy, and Brian just grumbled about him being a showoff.

“I can teach you.” Zacky continued.

“I have no will to ever come to the park again.” Brian replied, “Learning wouldn’t be useful to me.”

Zacky frowned and opened his mouth to talk, but something behind Brian caught his eye, and his eyebrows furrowed. “I-I uh, I have to go.”

He leapt off the swings and ran past Brian, and he turned around to see him climbing into a car. The man in the driver’s seat was yelling at him as they sped away.