Getting Wilder ✔️

issue twenty-third: making headlines

I couldn't sleep that night. My mom and Kay were so happy to see Arfie that they spent the entire time doting on him. I forced a smile when they placed a glittery hat on his head and fed him everything that he was still allowed, which was most of the things. Arfie spent his time looking at everyone with adoring eyes and wagging his tail, basking in all the attention. 

I felt nauseous every time I looked at my mother and wondered what would come of her bright smile if I told her about my dad. I couldn't bring myself to be that brave. I felt like someone was repeatedly punching me in the gut. The air kept rushing out of my lungs when my mom laughed and played with an overexcited Arfie. After I decided I couldn't take anymore, I made an excuse for homework and rushed upstairs. I lay in bed with my physics notes for optics in my hand and gazed at it blankly. I brought my dinner back up to my room and ate quietly, watching reruns of 'Friends' for the hundredth time.

At night I slept with a heavy heart. The way Wilder had rejected my touch after the stranger's call, my dad cheating on my mom and the entire situation with Matt came crashing back to me. I hadn't had any more threatening messages, but I still felt uneasy. As if I expected something to be lurking in the shadows and strike when the time was right.


                                                                                                *

Next morning, I left for school much earlier than I usually did, afraid that I would run into my dad. The thought of facing him still made my throat choke up. What would he even say? And worst of all, what if he chose the other woman and just left?

No way. He wouldn't do that. But then, a while ago I wouldn't have believed that he would be with other women and yet I had seen it with my own eyes. 

I reached school when it was still early, but somehow, I felt a strange discomfort in my stomach. My senses tingled. It took me a while to realize that people were staring at me and I quickly reached for my phone to pretend and use it, wondering when they would get over the Matt fiasco.

The moment I unlocked my phone, however, my eyes went wide. I saw seventeen missed calls, from Ray and Cam and a bunch of text messages. I didn't think much of it. They had a habit of calling multiple times even in non-urgent situations. However, I knew that seventeen was a bit too much. Even for them. All of their texts kept asking me where I was and why I wasn't picking up the phone. I knew however that I had a good enough excuse for that.

The uneasy gnawing in my stomach increased when I realized that people were not only staring but also whispering. I picked up my pace, resisting the urge to run to my class when finally I reached the familiar door and opened it, panting as I stepped inside the classroom.

The moment that I did, however, a group of my classmates stopped talking immediately, making me realize that they were perhaps talking about me. They stared at me, unabashed and I tore my eyes away from their unflinching ones. I spotted Cam and Ray sitting at the very back of the class, engaged in deep conversation. I made my way hurriedly to them and sat down, relieved when the group of people resumed their talking in hushed whispers. 

 "Cam-"

"Nico, why the fuck didn't you pick up the phone?" Ray asked in a scandalized whisper as she got to her feet and slid into the empty seat in front of me, turning around to face me. Cam sat on the bench to my left, shaking his head and looking forlorn, his forehead wrinkled in worry.

"I...I had an emergency," I said, way too anxious to recall the entire Arfie episode. "What-?"

They exchanged worried glances and Cam sighed, reaching into his pocket to fish out his phone. My heart raced rapidly as he scrolled through something and finally lifted the phone to my face and showed me a photograph.

Wilder and I in the car.

My heart slid down to the floor as I gaped at the picture. The light was low, but it was clearly visible. It appeared like I was straddling him, our mouths locked in a fiery battle of passion. The picture seemed to be taken from somewhere towards where Brad's house stood.

My fingers turned cold, trembling. "Wh...h-how?"

Cam shook his head and sighed, biting his lip. "Wilder is getting a lot of hate," he said softly as my blood turned to icy streams. "For cheating on Kendra. And hiding his sexuality. They broke up, but not before everyone got to know about this."

"It's a scandal, Nico," Ray whispered softly. "The entire school is hating on him. And...well-"

They exchanged worried glances again and I lunged for Cam's phone, holding it with my shaky fingers as I saw the image. It was posted by one of the anonymous accounts that I had blocked. The single picture on their feed. Two thousand comments spammed below it.

well Evans is definitely not as timid as I thought XD

excellent score for evans, negative for collins lol

damn, that poor hoe kendra

whoa what an asshole

seriously???? I knew something was off with these guys. they seemed too nice anyway.

pair of fags totally shitted on kendra man, fucking insensitive even for collins

I took a shuddering breath, my head reeling. The comments went on and on, most of the hate directed towards Wilder. I handed the phone back to Cam, my brain refusing to form coherent thoughts. I took heaving breaths, feeling suddenly violated. How had everything come to this? Why would someone do such a vile thing? I wondered with another pang of terror, how much had this person seen? It was humiliating.

"Shit," I shook my head. "Fuck...this...this is really bad."

Cam bit his lip, shaking his head in distress. "Nico...I don't even know what-"

"Hey, Evans!"

My body seemed paralyzed at the horrifyingly familiar drawl. I turned around to where Matt was sauntering over to us. I couldn't believe he had taken the pain of leaving his own class just to come and bully me. But of course, there was no way he was going to let this opportunity slide. It was unbelievable that he had stooped this low to get revenge. Had he been spying on us? Waiting for an opportunity? 

I balled my fists in defiance, my fingernails digging painfully into my palms. He smirked, his eyes glinting malevolently. He even seemed to have grown enough balls to come on his own, not flanked by his usual bodyguards.

"Heard you got a good pounding in your ass that day?" He made a crude action with his hands that made poison fill my insides.

Sniggers followed his words and I felt my face heat up. I didn't know what to say. "Fuck off, Browning."

He scoffed. "Big talking, twink." He shook his head and sighed. "Man, I thought that shit about Collins was a rumour but you guys were really going at it the entire time?"

"Matt," Ray said softly. "Please...just leave."

He gritted his teeth, his eyes fixed on mine. I watched, trying to act defiant even though my heart beat a hundred miles an hour. He walked closer to me and leaned over the desk, grabbing my collar and pulling me close to his face. I stuttered, feeling the strangling weight on my neck. My heart jumped to my throat in panic as I looked into his cold, icy blue eyes.

"Matt!" Cam said, trying to pry his hand off, however, Matt was almost twice his size and didn't so much as flinch.

"I told you. You'll wish you were never born, asshole." He pushed me roughly away so my head banged against the wall, the wind was knocked out of me and I let out a short whimper of pain, hating myself immediately for it. Cam was on his feet, trying to ward him off, however, Matt had already turned, striding happily away as he left the classroom, whistling.

The three of us sat stunned, at a loss for words. I fished out my phone and decided to call Wilder. I was even more worried for what this would do to him than to me. Especially, since all the vile comments were directed at him. The phone rang eleven times before I hung up, cursing under my breath. I called him, again and again, each time getting the same response. I texted him a few times, desperation clawing my insides like a vicious beast.

"He...he won't pick up," I whispered, biting my lip.

"Nic," Cam said, sighing. "I...I don't think you should approach him right now."

I gaped at him, disbelieving. "I should. This...this is all my fault."

"No," Ray shook her head. "It was a consensual thing. You're not the criminal here, Nico. And as much as it hurts me to say this...you...you should try to stray away from the entire situation and hope that someone fucks up worse to shift the spotlight. "

I leaned against the wall and shut my eyes, my stomach feeling like lead. How could I let it go? This was going to affect him worse. 

A while later, Miss Whitman walked into the room and started the lesson on calculus. I gazed at the board, unseeing. The symbols looking like utter gibberish to me. Something was gnawing at my insides and somehow I knew, things were going to get much, much worse. 

I hoped I was wrong.

So...the drama has begun. How do you think this will affect their relationship? 

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