She Came From the Shadows (James and Tera: book 2)

1

Tonight was a night for every high schooler to remember. Prom night. It was the night where everyone finds a date and dresses to their finest, having fun in their school to celebrate how close you are to graduation. Most of the times it's supposed to be a beautiful night of music and dancing with your significant other.

But that's most of the times. It doesn't apply for me.

I looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was brushed neat, my eyeliner was straight, and my eyebrows were plucked neatly. I made sure my black tie was straight. I was wearing a dark leather jacket over my ash colored vest with pants to match. This suit was my style, and I loved it so much.

I stared myself in the mirror. I was going over everything to make sure I looked as perfect as possible. So far, everything was perfect. The only thing I was missing was-

"Hurry up! They're outside already!" I heard my mom call.

"Coming now." I called back, turning off my bedroom light and closing the door behind me. I walked down the hallway towards the living room.

As I entered, Mom was standing in the doorway sounding so happy. "Oh my, you all look amazing!" She squealed.

I had to put on my happy mask because I wasn't used to showing my feelings in front of them. I didn't want pity or to bring everyone down.

I put my happy face on and walked up behind her and put my arms around her neck. "I'm here."

She turned and looked me up and down with a look of happiness on her face. "My boy! You look so damn gorgeous!" Mom had tears in her eyes.

I cringed. "Mom, don't cry. It's nothing to be teary about."

She shook her head and laughed. "I'm sorry, you just look so handsome." She turned and gestured outside. "Take a look out at your friends. Oh my, James, you look so handsome yourself, and Brooke and Tera, God you two are so beautiful."

"Ouch, forget about us?" I heard Terry's sarcastic voice say.

Mom snorted. "Terry you look like a dear. Kai, you're handsome as well."

"So Kai looks handsome, and I look like a freakin' animal?" Terry asked.

Mom crosses her arms. "You'll look like road kill if you keep pushing it."

Terry looked down. "Got it."

She laughed and shook her head. "Honey, go out and get together with them. I want to take some pictures of all of you."

I kissed her cheek. "Yes ma'am."

We took group pictures together. First the girls took pictures together, then the guys, and then the couples, and Mom thought it would be a good idea to get a picture of the singles, which was Terry and I. It kind of hurt...

Once we were done, we said goodbye to Mom, and I hopped in James's new blue Jeep Cherokee that he recently saved up to get. He had been saving for a while now ever since he got a job at that bar, and it looks like it payed off. It was parked behind Kai's Corvette. I was going to ride with James and Tera while Terry rode with Kai and Brooke.

Our favorite music channel was playing Baby I Love Your Way by Peter Frampton, and we were all three singing along with it. I loved these kinds of nights with them. It made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. But it was just never enough. It always seems like torment seeing how happy they were. I envied them so much. Even Kai, who was able to have someone as sweet and kind as Brooke, was able to find someone to make him happy.

"Alright all you old school metal heads," the broadcaster on the radio said. "We've got a real good playlist ready for tonight. This next one is for those whose had their hearts broken before or recently. It's Love Hurts by Nazareth."

Tera leaned back. "God I love this song so much." She said.

James let out his lovely laugh. "Yeah. It is pretty good. It's just weird because I haven't really had my heart broken."

I laughed. "Really? Tera hasn't ever broken that little vulnerable heart of yours?"

He shook his head with a smile. "Shut up. It was one time, and she and I weren't even together then."

Tera reached over and grabbed his hand. "Besides, he's mine now, and I'm now letting go of my claim."

I forced a smile. "Yeah... Well at least you don't know how bad love hurts until you've had your heart broken."

He laughed. "Yeah, that's true."

I nodded with the same smile on my face. "Yeah. But hey, can't feel how bad love really hurts if you don't love anyone at all, right?" I joked.

Deep down it hurt. Sometimes I wondered what dating a girl would be like. There were plenty of them in school who wished I was straight, while others resented me and rejected me because of their own stupid religious views or phobias. It's just crazy how there weren't any other gay guys around here.

I looked down at my wrist. I always put some makeup over my arms to make them look more natural and not noticeable. I didn't want to be sent to a therapist if someone saw my arms without the makeup. They would see the cuts and scars I have, and they'd have my ass locked in a hospital. It would break my Mom's heart.

I looked out the window at the setting sun. I can't wait to get out of this place, out of this town. I wanted to travel the world and meet new people. There was someone out there for me, someone who would love and appreciate me. I just needed to find them. I needed to find them.

Because tonight, tonight was only the night of my suffering to continue in my loneliness...