Mr Delightful

Chapter eight

•{Chase's POV}•

The day I started seeing Vaughn James differently was a day that would stick out in my mind for the rest of my life.

It was a mellow Tuesday, as any other. I strolled down the school hallway blankly. Classes dragged on far too long, and I couldn't help but feel worn out within the first hour.

I saw Vaughn across the room. He had lost his usual grin. He stared into his locker like he was stunned. No one noticed him, so I approached him.

"Vaughn?" I mumbled, tapping him on the shoulder. He flinched, but didn't turn to look at me. "What are you doing?"

"I wasn't thinking of going to school today. I felt ill. I was going to stay home." His words drowned on like it took everything in him just to speak. "I should have stayed home."

"What are you talking about? What's happened?"

He sidestepped, staring at the ground and clutching his arm awkwardly. I looked into his locker, which was covered in white glue, sticking pieces of multicoloured paper everywhere. On one, large piece of paper was written "faggot" in big black letters.

Vaughn slammed the locker closed. He breathed out heavily, not looking me in the eye.

"That's awful! Did you tell someone? Do you know who did it?" I asked urgently. Vaughn shook his head.

"Forget it. I'm just being over dramatic," he insisted.

"No you're not. That's terrible, Vaughn."

He shook his head again, looking up at me for a split second and giving me a small, forced smile before looking away again.

"I'll walk you to class," I suggested. Vaughn looked up for a moment, but didn't say a word. He looked as if he decided against arguing.

I started walking down the hallway, not knowing where I'm going and hoping he'd lead me there. Within a couple minutes, Vaughn stopped.

"I don't want to go to class," he said simply, staring at his shoes. His face showed no concern, or unhappiness, it was just strict. Like it forced itself to look that way. For some reason, it hurt to see that look.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want to be civil. I've been civil my whole life. I want to do something... unusual. I want to do something wild. Something I'd never do in any other situation. I want to take a risk for once! I have to get rid of this stupid energy I have."

I stared at him. He ran a hand through his thick hair, exhaling loud.

"Please, Chase. You don't have to come with me, just say I'm sick," he insisted. I looked over at the school clock, huffing before turning back to him and grabbing his arm.

"Let's go." I pulled him to the office and signed out, making a lame excuse about me being sick and needing someone to bring me home.

"You didn't have to do that," he commented, but I shook my head.

"Of course I did. You rant on about wanting to do something wild and want me to leave you alone? You'll go home with a piercing and blue hair."

I thought I heard him laugh then, but I didn't bother to turn and see.

"Where are we going?"

"Wherever you want."

"Then follow me." I dropped his arm, turning to see where he was going. I trotted beside him, our feet moving at opposite times, like our personalities. "So, Mr Responsible, thanks for coming with me."

"Anytime. School sucks anyway."

"You didn't have to come with me. I could've handled it."

"Could you? I have experience, James. I know what happens to people like you when you want to 'get wild.'"

Vaughn turned, looking at me with a raised brow and a smirk.

"Oh yeah? How so?" He asked innocently. I smiled, dramatically gesturing to myself and doing a little twirl.

"This all happened in the span of one week of being reckless."

"Oh yeah? Funny, your hair doesn't look blue to me." He flipped the front of my blond hair and smirked. I fixed my hair with a half smile.

"Actually, I dyed it green," I replied. Vaughn gave me a disbelieving look and shook his head.

"I don't believe you."

I whipped out my phone. "Yeah, i had to dye it afterward get it out and cause my hair was already bleached I just dyed it blond."

I held up my phone, flipping from one pic to the other.

"Before," i said, showing a picture of me rolling my eyes as my mother took a picture of me at the kitchen. My hair is clearly dark brown, almost black with only a slight hint of brown when the light hit it. "And after." A picture of my hair completely green, only the roots staying brown.

"Holy shit," Vaughn mumbled. "Did you get a piercing too."

"Three," i smirked. Vaughn gasped.

"No you didn't!"

I hummed a yes, showing my pierced ears and eyebrow. Vaughn gaped.

"Whoa! That's so cool!"

"You're not doing it."

Vaughn scoffed. "Thanks for nothing, mom."