Chapter 18: Distance

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This chapter, originally posted on April 20th 2018, had the trailer for 'Love, Simon' embedded but since it's 2021 I figured I'd put the trailer for its sequel Hulu series here instead: 'Love, Victor'. It has two seasons out on Hulu but if you're in the UK (like me) season two is releasing with weekly episodes on Disney+! It's really worth the watch, I promise.

Anyway, here's the chapter...

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SAM'S POV:

Everything ached. Everything.

Yet somehow I felt almost numb. So numb that I didn't notice somebody violently shove me into my locker with a furious expression plastered on their somewhat well-defined face. I dragged my head up to look the person in the eyes, a familiar red varsity jacket registering in my mind.

"Oi, fag! Look at me when I'm talking to you!" It spat and I wearily tried to get my eyes to focus on who it was. 

Oh, it was Mike.

"Sorry..." I replied simply, mainly focusing on standing upright and awake. 

I hadn't slept a wink last night and my bruises were still very much affecting my agility. Even as Mike grabbed me by the collar and pushed me against my locker, I felt... nothing. I didn't care, I didn't hurt... it didn't matter.

"So. You decided to ditch your beating yesterday by missing school, huh?" Mike snarled and still I couldn't find the energy in me to even flinch, let alone reply. "You know what I said about that?"

"Yeah.." I whispered and he punched my stomach.

When he saw my lack of response or reaction to his attack, he observed my face. Something flashed in his eyes, a flicker of an emotion I hadn't seen in Mike for so long.

He looked... worried.

"Then you better remember it! Don't try avoiding me this lunch period or your problems will get a whole lot worse." Mike seethed and shook me when I didn't respond. "Do you understand?"

I nodded, not particularly wanting to get another hit from him even if it didn't hurt. With that, he released his hold on me and walked away after giving me a quick glare. My legs failed me and I crumpled to the floor, my eyes blinking as they tried to keep up with what had happened. It took me roughly a minute to realise I was shaking on the floor and as I  got to my feet and trudged through the busy hallway. The last thing I needed was to be late for the first period after missing school yesterday. 

I tried to ignore the looks I got as I weaved in and out of the blocks of boys and gathering of girls. The occasional shove or name-calling barely made me bat an eye, catching various phrases like "it's the gay kid" and "that's the boy who kissed the soccer captain". I didn't bother questioning how so many people seemed to know about the kiss; I had other things to worry about. 

Things that I thought I never had to deal with again.

_-_

FRED'S POV:

C'mon, please be in!

I frantically searched the halls in order to try and find Sam, yet there was no sign of him. To say I wasn't concerned in the least that he'd missed a day of school for the first time in his life the day before would've been a blatant lie. At the same time, I found myself wondering why I needed to know he was safe so badly, everybody got sick right? I supposed it's just because of how close we became as best friends...

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