Could be Colton

"You look like sh•t!" "i feel like it too"

Week after week after week. Still nothing's happened, nothing's been said.

From Cole or Dalton.

Dalton just couldn't seem to function with things the same any more.

He came to school just in time for fourth period, be it that he was not feeling "well".

As he entered the door some eyes took extra time to recognize him.

A tall bright blonde boy, now something else.

Over sized hood hung around his body like a shell, stained sweatpants, torn up old converse (maybe) and his unwashed flat hair. His facial expression saggy, simple, tired. Bags under his eye, showing sleep less nights.

Walking sloppily over and sitting in a chair in silence at the back far corner of the class.

Dalton said nothing during class, no chatting up the girls and guys, that would usually fawn over him.

At one point Dalton thought to smile at Cole but failed, making some weird expression that look like he was in severe pain.

Ms. Manowee had them work in groups to do skits. The aim of this was to make sure everybody's ability was showcased.

When Dalton's group came up, his posture took a downfall and his back resembled the hunch back of Notre damn. He did speak at all and he stood up in front of everyone just staring off as the rest of his group spoke.

Once the period was over they went home. Jess decided to catch up with Cole, Mel, Nick and Peter.

"Okay, that was weird and creepy." She began talking about arts class.

"What?" Peter asked confused, trying to fix something on his backpack.

"Dalton. He was...plain and sort of messy/gross and he didn't speak at all and he didn't socialize. He was like a zombie or something." Jess explained gesturing with her hands and acting out how he looked.

"He actually came to school?! I didn't see him. Surprising," Mel said sarcastically shocked.

"Whatever. Well, I gotta go so bye," said Cole straying away from his group to go home.

"Bye, Cole. See ya." They said as the watched their friend part ways for the evening.

Cole decided to take a detour through the park near his home for a little while. He went directly to the remote swing set on the far side of the park by the corner of the fence.

"Dalton, you have to talk to me. What's going on?" Hunter's voice rang from the other side of the fence.

Soon the outline of the two boys walking was easier to see from Cole's perspective.

"I'm fine," Dalton said blankly, still moving as slowly as ever.

"No you're not. Those are the first two words you've said to me all day. Tell me what's up." Hunter said trying to persuade Dalton to speak more.

"I just need sleep," replied Dalton, his tone still not changing.

"Have you been sleeping at all? You've been taking your meds, right? You're positive you don't want to talk? You sure you're alright?" Hunter hounded Dalton with questions. He was worried about his friend. "Is this about the little drawer boy...Cole?"

Cole had been listening to their conversation for the last couple minutes and wanted to stop but it would be awkward if he got up now.

"Okay, in truth, no I haven't slept in about a week or so. I stopped taking some of my meds because they made me feel like shit but without them I feel like shit. I don't know about talking and I don't know if I'm fine. Are you happy?" Dalton said as flatly as possible.

"Dalton, you need to take your meds and sleep well and eat well and all that crap or you could die." Hunter said blowing things out of proportion; he was worried.

"Stop hounding me about eating and sleeping and health stuff. I'm not hungry or tired or otherwise. I'm fine," said Dalton ignoring his current state of health.

He was tired and hungry but his mind was thinking of a million things that didn't make sense or would never happen, all at the same time. He couldn't stop thinking of this stuff.

"You didn't answer my last question! Dalton stop trying to avoid important things." Hunter scolded his blonde friend as the stood face to face talking. "Is this thing about Cole?"

Dalton was staring off again. Lost in something that wasn't there. Distracted by his own mind.

Hunter waved a hand over his eyes to bring him back to life.

"Oh...hm what? Oh yeah... Cole. Drop this, Hunter. Cole doesn't care." Dalton said not making any sense anymore.

Well, he was somewhat wrong. Cole cared enough to listen to this conversation.

"What do you mean, you're not make sense anymore?" Hunter questioned.

"You know what I mean." Dalton blankly staring, avoiding the question and hoping Hunter will find his own answer. "You were there."

"Dalton... I get it. You want me to tell you why you can't sleep, won't eat and rebuke your meds, why you keep staring at your walls every night ." Hunter said raising his voice slightly and staring right into Dalton's eyes. Pausing. "Dalton... it's Cole. You keeping over how you messed up. How you realized that you actually wanted this one and you fucked up. You keeping rolling in self hate and the thoughts that keep you up at night because you know as well as I that you like him more than you put out. Aww, hell Dalton... you love Cole."

Dalton was still quiet but his eyes dropped even more than before. His breath was beginning to change rate and his muscles actually beginning to tense up, slightly.

Cole could believe what he was hearing and now he really could just get up and leave because they would see him.

"You are so consumed by your thoughts about him and how everything went that you stopped caring. About class, sleep, eating, friends, medication, Everything. You finally realized how if felt to be the one that gets ditched, dumped, downed and the worst part is that this denial would probably be your first and last if you continue like this. Dalton, you love him and it's killing you." Hunter finished explain Dalton's feelings to him.

Dalton finally snapped from his quiet dead state and went in to punch Hunter in the gut. Dalton was so weak he just collapsed in Hunter's arms.

Cole could feel something in side him as he watched and listened to them speak. He felt sad and needed and wanted. He didn't know what to do.

"Damn it, Hunter! Why couldn't you just lie to me and let me fester and whither in my own thoughts, you piece of crap?" Dalton responded in a voice that sounded too weak to even cry, as he tried to punch Hunter in the chest. Dalton buried his face in Hunter's chest as he spoke. "You're a jerk, you stupid-"

"I know, I know. Come on, get on my back. I'm carrying you home and then I'm going to force you to eat. You're too weak. When I leave I expect you to take a shower and wash your hair. Dude, you're greasy." Hunter said as he took Dalton's things and carried him on his back to Dalton's house.

To avoid meeting up with them Cole to a different route home. When he got home he ate dinner with his family quietly not being able to speak.

What was he supposed to do?

Cole went up to his room and began pulling apart everything swirling in his brain.

From the being he wanted to like Dalton but things were weird and then he started messing around. Then again that the only way he knows how to do things.

He loves me. Cole thought slow processing each word like it was the most impossible puzzle.

He's just being dramatic, right. This was all a game, right. The meds and the sleep and the greasy- ness and the lack of eating, it wasn't really. Was it?