Room 315

CHAPTER FIVE

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I felt my jaw clench and my muscles tighten out of pure anger, and that was just from hearing the name of that dick who decided to mess with Tony's feelings and use him like that. I felt myself slowly loose control of how I was feeling but I was quickly able to catch myself right before I slipped. I silently urged Tony to continue his story as I sat there patiently, there was no real reason for me to be impatient with him when he's so vulnerable like this. He took a deep breath and latched his hand onto mine before he started speaking again. I smiled slightly at his gesture but it was quickly replaced with a serious expression as I gave him my undivided attention,

"When I first met Milo, I still thought I was straight and that I would eventually find a girl that I loved. I had never really thought about my sexuality because it was never brought up with my parents and I wasn't really exposed to that kind of territory. My parents were, however, very supportive of my choices and really helped me find myself which is what I'm really grateful for. Anyways, Milo was the reason I found out that I was no longer attracted to girls. That little spark, which was barely there in the first place, that held attraction to girls, was almost instantly gone when I met him. For a while, I completely denied my feelings but still hung out with him almost 24/7 because we were best friends at the time. After a while I had gotten over the fact that he would never like me back, and I accepted it, but I could never really get over the pang of jealously whenever a girl flirted with him," I feel so bad for Tony. There's no reason he shouldn't be able to live the life he wants with the person he wanted. It made me angry, "One day when I was walking to class with Milo, he pulled me into the bathroom and made sure nobody was in there before he locked the door. I remember this day like it was just yesterday. He turned towards me as I looked at him oddly for doing whatever he was doing before class, but then he did what I would've never expected him to do - he grabbed me and pulled me into a deep, passionate kiss that told me almost all of his inner amotions just through his actions. I, of course, kissed back at the time Because my crush actually liked me. After we pulled away he asked me breathlessly, 'tony, will you be my boyfriend?' And I when I say I was ecstatic I mean I was so happy at the moment it felt like nothing else mattered." Seems like the perfect ending to the perfect romance to me. But I know better then to think that life had any happy ending in store.

"But, the only thing I asked of him was that we stay low key for a little while until I was ready to go out on dates in public with him because I was still trying to convince myself that I was ready to tell the world that I was gay. He told me that he understood and he gave me one final kiss before we left the bathroom and continued our day like it was any other. My life had finally felt complete, and all that was left was for me to come out to everybody. That night I came out to my parents and they were super supportive, and I told Milo that I would come out to everybody else the next day because I was finally confident in myself. I came to school the next day, feeling happy and excited, but that mood was quickly dampened from the harsh glared and awful looks I was receiving from people, and on top of that, I heard my name being thrown around like crazy among the gossipers of the school. Now here's where my life goes to all living hell-" I frowned deeply and squeezed Tony's hand in reassurance before he continued, "I noticed a huge group of people surrounding something in the cafeteria when I entered. I walked up to because I was curious and my heart was shattered. In the center of the circle stood none other than Milo, speaking in a fake-scared voice and talking about how I 'practically forced myself on him' and how I was 'actively trying to get with him' yesterday in the bathroom. I broke down then and there. After that day I was constantly bullied for being the 'crazy gay kid' of the school. I was called names. Beat up. But the worst part was that Milo had forced me to stay in a relationship with him where he would tell me I was better off being invisible and the quieter and smaller I made myself the more people would like me. This all continued and my self esteem went downhill from there. It continued for months until I finally gained up the courage to leave town, find another school, and change my phone number and all contacts. And I guess that brings me to now."

I stared at him with a mix of shock and sadness after hearing everything Tony had gone through. Nobody deserved that. I reached my hand up to Tony's cheek and wiped a tear that he hadn't even known had fallen. I pulled him into a tight hug and spoke calmly in his ear. "Listen Tony, no matter what happens, you aren't alone anymore. I'll always be here for you and I promise I'll always keep you out of any more toxic or broken relationships you could possibly get in." I felt him snuggle deeper into the crook of my neck, which was where his head was resting after I had pulled him into a hug. After a little bit of him having no response I noticed that his breathing had slowed and he was sleeping peacefully while wrapped in my arms.

I gently peeled him off of me and laid him down on the bed. I took off his hoodie, leaving him in the navy blue t-shirt and black shorts he had put on earlier. I gently pulled the bed sheets down and laid him under them before I pulled them back over him. Tony snuggled deep into the covers of his comfortable bed, a ghost of a smile resting on his lips. I smiled contently at him before I turned around and went back into the walls to give him the privacy he deserves after all he's been through. I stayed in the walls for the rest of the night, my mind clouded with thoughts of how bad Tony must've had it at his old school, and that definitely kept me preoccupied for the rest of the ever growing night.