Sanders Sides HighSchool

10

I find myself walking down the hallways humming to myself. I can't wipe this stupid smile off my face. Roman and I spoke, and he asked me to be his boyfriend. My mom sent me a text and she's going to come pick me up from school, everyone else is outside, but I forgot my headphones. Normally walking alone in a dark hallway would freak me out, but today is such a good day, I don't think anything can ruin it.

"Hey Virgil" A voice says from behind me. I turn around and look at D. "What do you want?" I ask, not in the mood to be talking to this creepy loner. "I heard about Roman" He says, "Ok and?" I ask.

D smiles, putting his hands in his pockets and walks over to me, "I want you to know that a couple of dudes are going to seriously hurt Roman tomorrow. If they know that you two are dating then they will....well, I shouldn't say"

"Why are you telling me this then?" I blurt out. D looks up at the ceiling, "I don't want to see anything that bad happen to Roman. I may not be his biggest fan but I'm no monster. I heard some people whispering that you and he are dating, I could care less, but not everyone thinks the same that I do. I...I'm asking you as Roman's old friend to end whatever you two have going on right now"
I drop my headphones on the floor, taking a step back. "N-NO, this is what I've wanted for so many years, we're happy together, nothing bad is going to happen to us, we all know that you l-love to tell us all these lies." I shout louder than I meant to. D frowns and then looks at me, stepping out of the dark, and that's when I see he has a black eye along with some scars on the right side of his face. "I tried to stop them and this is what they did to me Virgil. These scars will never fucking go away! If they did this to me, then what the hell do you think they're going to do to Roman?!" D shouts back. He then stops and takes a deep breath, closing his eyes. "I know that this is a lot to take in, but there are some people who hate gays. It may not be right, but that's what they believe is right. They may not get you because you got good parents who will make sure that they pay, but Roman? They will find Roman Prince and they will make life hell for him. And you know Roman, he won't be able to hide that you two are dating, he would try to fight them and then he might get expelled from here. Roman doesn't deserve that. I'm...I'm sorry Virgil...but if you really like Roman then you will let him go" D says and then turns around, and walking away.

I pick up my headphones with my shaking hands and walk out of the school and to my moms car.

"How was your day?" She asks turning down the music. "It was good mom, I'm sorry if I sounded rude this morning. Don't worry, Roman and I are going to be taking a break from each other" I mumble sloping down in my seat and looking out the window.

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After a night with two or less hours of sleep, I was up and ready for the day. As in I was on my phone walking through the house and even fell down the stairs....that counts as ready.

I grab some toast, and swing my bag over my shoulder as I walk to the door. Before shoving my toast in my mouth I turn around, "BYE MOM, BY DAD!" I yell as I then eat the toast. I pull out my phone and then look at the time...it's 7:04.....my school starts at 7:30am...and my bus comes at 6:40-6:50ish. I look around, sure enough, there's no one waiting at the bus stop. Nice going Virgil. I think to myself as I then turn around and go back in the house. After telling my mom what happened, we both blasted off in her car to get to school on time. Thankfully I arrive at 7:21. I smile and run out of the car. I sprint through the hallways and almost trip on my shoelace. But I still made it to class on time. I take out my purple notebook and open it up, all of the doodles of thunder and storm clouds take up a lot of the pages, nonetheless I still have to take notes, so I get out a pencil and start writing. My teacher begins the lesson, but is interrupted by the intercoms in the room. "Can we please have Virgil Storm come to the main office?" It blared, and just like that, I was walking in the hallway to the main office. I suddenly feel and arm grab me, I turn around and see D. "D-D....What are you doing? Let m-me go" I say pulling my arm out of his grip. D smiles and looks at me, "Don't worry, I'm not here to cause any problems with you. I'm here to tell you that Roman also got called out of his class, he's in the garden, as will you be" D states putting his hands in his  pockets. I tilt my head, "Why?" I ask. D frowns, "Because, I may not really know you that well, but if your nickname anxiety means anything then I didn't think that you would go out of your way to end a relationship with Roman." D says. I feel my heart speed up, "W-Why would you do that?" I ask. D shrugs, "I told you, I don't wanna see Roman get hurt...so listen...you have three options here. Either you can turn around and go back in your classroom feeling like shit, or you can go out there and help save Roman" D says suddenly standing straighter, making his obvious height very clear. I look up at him, "What t-the third option?" I ask. "I'll go over there and tell him that you can't be with him, that you told me that you hated his guts...the choice is up to you Mr. Storm." he says with a smirk.

I look down at my shoes, feeling smaller than I ever have in my whole life. I just got the prince of my dreams...and now I have to let him go?

"I-I'll do it..." I mumble walking past D and to the garden. I don't bother asking how he was able to get Roman and I called out of our class for this, he would probably just lie, that is his thing after all. He's the liar and i'm the anxious mess, and Roman is a hero, a prince. And that's never going to change. I'm never going to get better...I'm never going to be normal..I'm never going to be good enough. Roman is always going to be so many levels above me basking in the radiant light lost in his creative thoughts, and I'm always going to be over here in the dark with my storm clouds with my anxiety lost in my self-destructive demons.

I walk, putting one foot on the grass, I feel the cold fresh air hitting my face. I put my hands in my jacket and walk over to the table that we always go to. Were I can see Roman sitting on top of the table, looking at some birds fly bye. The sun is shining over him, I squint from the brightness and look away, were I see storm clouds coming. I get to Roman, "hey..." I say standing in front of him. The shorter male smiles and stands up, "Hey Virge! I was gonna pick you up today but you didn't come out of your house so I figured you already came to school or something. Are you OK my darling? You seem...anxious" Roman said looking up at me. I took a step back, away from him, but still looking at him. I have to be strong so Roman won't be weak.

"Listen Roman, we need to talk" I say, I see Roman frown as he looks at me, horrible way to start. "I uh...I don't...." I try to say but drift off as I look into his blue eyes. I have to look away, and see D in the distance leaning against the pole looking at us. I have to do this. "W-We're done" I say.

"W-What?" Roman asks, I see tears start to form already. I feel my throat close up, and my own tears start to come. "WE ARE OVER!" I yell. "W-what...But V-Virgil...I don't under-" Roman tried to say, his smile slowly starting to disappear because of me, but I need to stop him and get it over with before I break down. "What? You didn't think we'd actually end up together did you? Roman, look at me. I'm a fucking mess, I've got my own issues to deal with, I'm already going through a lot with a normal life, how the hell do you expect me to deal with your messed up life?" I shout. I see Roman flinch, and then start to cry. "B-But"
"There is not but, there is nothing but the truth...and the truth is...." I say looking at him "The truth is that I'm a mess...the truth is that you're going through shit right now. The truth is this whole world is horrible, and it seems to only be getting worse. The truth is...we can't  be together right now...I...I can't be with someone like you, and you can't be with someone like me, because that's the way life is, that's the way that it has to be...this...this is over.." I say standing tall. Roman starts to sob as he covers his face. I start to walk over to him, Roman turns around. "Roman I'm.." I start to say, I reach over and put my hand on his shoulder, Roman flinches and then turns around, "Your what? Y-You made it pretty clear what you think.....I'm sorry to bother you your highness" Roman says, bowing. He then looks up at me and turns around, running out of the garden

I just stand there, replaying what had just happened,  until I break down crying. I pull up my hoodie and sit there, crying. I feel my makeup splattering all across my face, but I don't care. I deserve it. I pull out my phone and text my mom, I'm going home