Watching as he paused and pulled out his phone, I couldn’t help but chuckle as I watched him reach up and remove the hair band from his ponytail letting his hair fall around his shoulders. Running one hand through it to loosen the strands, he messaged back with the other.
[ClosetNerd10: Is that better babe? Though it may end up back where it started at some point but I’ll try to leave it be. And I cannot believe you’re already flirting with me! Are you just always a flirt or is it only for me?]
Laughing aloud as I sat in my car, I messaged back
[YouKnowTheRealMe: wouldn’t you like to know sexy?]
Still laughing, I watched as he looked around finally spotting me still sitting in my car as he rolled his eyes and turned back to keep walking to his locker. As I waited for a few more minutes, Char came up and knocked on my window looking confused. Getting out of the car, I said “good morning, why do you look confused?”
“What did you do to our poor boy? He looked kind of excited and embarrassed all at the same time as he walked in the building” she asked lacing her arm through mine as we walked.
“Oh I may have told him his ass looked super sexy in those jeans and that I like his hair down which he complied with and then proceeded to say and I quote “I cannot believe you’re already flirting with me! Are you just always a flirt or is it only for me?” and I of course took the opportunity to tease him and said wouldn’t you like to know sexy?” I explained laughing as I spotted Dante just down the hall. My smile immediately fell when I noticed what one of the other players was holding and I mumbled “oh great, this can’t be good.”
“What do you... Oh, no that’s not going to end well” Char said as her phone began to vibrate making us look at each other. Turning back around, I slowly and deliberately walked out of the building towards the gym roof knowing no one would be there. A few minutes later, my phone pinged alerting me to a new message. Glancing at it, I saw it was from Char.
[Char: Well, they bought that you and I got into a fight which is why you left. I also lied to them and told them that you’re my boyfriend, sorry, since they always see us together and that Dante is just my friend. I’m sorry, I know that upset you.]
[Harley: You’re right it did and knowing you had to lie to them doesn’t help either but I understand why you had to do it. I honestly wish I, we, never had to lie to be happy.]
[Char: Dante says to tell you “I know baby, I know.” They still have his phone but he managed to tell me that before he had to go off somewhere with them.]
As I read that message, the rooftop door opened and I heard foot steps followed by talking. Luckily, they went to the opposite side of the roof from where I had gone to sit and think. A few minutes passed before I heard someone yelling homophobic slurs followed by the “oofs” and grunts of someone getting beaten. As I listened, I covered my mouth to stifle my cries as tears streamed down my face knowing that they were beating Dante right now and there was nothing I could do about it. A few more minutes passed before I heard more shuffling, then the door opened and closed before I managed to uncover my mouth and text Charlotte.
[Harley: I think I just listened to them beat up Dante. They didn’t know I was on the gym roof too. I managed to keep quiet but now I’m too scared to move because what if they’re still there and I don’t know.]
[Char: Relax sweetie, I’ll come have a look. Just give me a few minutes to get there, okay?]
[Harley: Okay, please hurry someone is still up here but I don’t know who.]
[Char: Okay, I’m coming sweetie.]
Waiting in silence, I listened as someone moved around on the roof groaning as they did. A few more minutes passed before the door opened and I heard an audible gasp before people started talking in low muffled tones. Seconds passed before I heard “promise me you won’t tell him about this” followed by the other person saying “it’s a little too late for that. He’s been up here this entire time, Dante.”
“Crap, at least they didn’t figure it out” he groaned before I heard Char say a little louder “Har, it’s okay to come out. It’s just the three of us up here.” Getting up on shaky legs, I moved to where I could see them and immediately collapsed onto my knees again as more tears flowed down my cheeks at the sight of Dante being supported by Char as they stood a few feet away. Covering my mouth and nose as I cried at the sight of him, he looked at Char and said “take me over to him, please.” Nodding, they hobbled over to where I had collapsed and she lowered him down to the ground in front of me. Once he was sitting there on his own, he reached up and took one of my hands into his kissing my knuckles before he said “Harley, I need you to listen to me. I’m fine really, I can handle anything those Neanderthals throw at me. I need you to pretend, just for the next few hours, that you didn’t see anything and that everything is fine. I know you hate this, I do too but this is what has to be done to keep you safe. I will not risk you being outed and beaten daily for my sake. I love you and I will take all this on myself if it means they don’t touch you.”
“I hate how macho you pretend to be. I know you’re hurting but right now you’re so focused on me and ignoring your own pain. I hate that you have to pretend to be fine when in reality you’re probably internally screaming at the injustice of it all. I don’t want you to pretend or be strong for me. Yes, I’m physically weaker than you but I can handle the emotional pain. I’ve been doing that my entire life but I refuse to do it in front of you or Charlotte because you’re the only ones who have ever truly seen me” I said getting a little annoyed at him for pretending to be okay when I knew he wasn’t.
“Okay, that’s fair. I’m sorry for pretending to be fine. I just didn’t want to look weak to you” Dante said looking away. Reaching up, I gingerly took his chin in my hand and lifted his head to force him to look at me before I said “you could never look weak to me. I know why you’re doing this and I know why you aren’t fighting back. So, please just be yourself and show me every part of you no matter what you think I want to see. I’m not someone you will ever have to pretend with.”
“Thanks for that babe. It’s really exhausting to have to keep up the act all the time though I guess I don’t have to do that with anyone anymore but I probably still will here at school” Dante shrugged. Rubbing my thumb against his chin, I just smiled at him and debated kissing him when Char said “since we’re all missing class anyway, why don’t we go to lunch several hours early?” Just as she finished that question, the tardy bell rang making us all chuckle.
“Yeah, let’s do that since it’s not like they’re actually teaching the day before break anyway and I’d much rather spend my last day of sanity with my two best friends” I smiled glancing between Char and Dante.
“Should we take him to the ER first?” Char asked gesturing at Dante.
“I’m fine guys, really. I wanna spend as much time with you guys as I can before Harley has to leave for the week” Dante said removing my hand from his face and interlacing our fingers.
“Aww look at you two being all gay” Char teased making all of us laugh before I stood up and said “come on, let’s go enjoy our day together before I’m carted off to boredom.” Moving to stand next to him, Char and I lifted Dante up laying an arm across each of our shoulders to stabilize him as we walked down the stairs towards my car. As we walked, I asked “did you even manage to get your phone back from them?”
“Actually, no but I don’t really care. There is nothing on there to give away who the sexy guy I’ve been talking to is and all the numbers are in my head aside from Chars’ but I’m sure she’d willingly give it to me again” Dante shrugged. Looking over at Char, I rolled my eyes and she giggled as Dante said “what? If they’d have had it a few days before everyone found out, they may or may not have found some pictures of Harley on my phone...” As my eyes snapped to him, he blushed making me laugh as we hobbled down the stairs. As we crossed the parking lot to my car, someone behind us said “oh look it has friends” making me tighten my grip on his wrist slightly as we maneuvered around to look at whomever was talking.
“Emanuel, we’ve already been through all this. You already knew Charlotte is my friend and Harley is her boyfriend. She asked him to help me, nothing more than that” Dante said wearing a mask similar to the one I knew I was hiding behind.
“I don’t believe it for one second. Why would a straight guy help some disgusting imbecile like you?” Emanuel sneered. Before Char could say anything, I said “my girl asked me to help her, what do I care what you believe as long as she’s happy?” I could see the smirk she was trying to hide out of the corner of my eye as I blankly stared down the stupid homophobic fuck in front of us.
“Like Harley said, I asked him to help my friend and neither of us give two shits what you think or believe. Now, give Dante back his phone and leave us the fuck alone since you clearly aren’t a decent human being” Char said basically taunting him into doing something where it could be seen by anyone looking out the window at that point in time or on camera since the parking lot was being filmed. Dropping it at our feet, he said “oops” in a fakely apologetic tone that made me want to roll my eyes. As Char began to move to get it, I said “no babe, I’ll get it. Do you think you can hold him for a few seconds?”
“Yeah sweetie, I can hold him” she said knowing what I suspected might happen as I bent down to get the phone off the pavement. At the last second, I caught movement from above me and dodged to my right leaning on my hand instead of falling on my ass. Glaring up at him, I said “thanks but no thanks, I don’t need you’re help. You can go now.” Smirking, he turned and walked away thinking he’d won that when in reality he hadn’t. When we were sure he was out of ear shot and I was back on my feet, Dante asked “are you okay, Harley?”
“Oh, what no flirty babe now? Suddenly, I’m Harley?” I asked quirking a brow at him in disappointment.
“Sorry, I just... I got scared alright. I know if I was terrified, you probably were too” he said looking down instead of at me.
“Relax Dante, he’s picking on you. You’re right, he was just as fucking terrified as both of us were” Char chuckled as I put Dantes’ arm back around my shoulders.
“Come on, let’s get out of here” I said pocketing his phone before wrapping my arm around his back to help support him. Walking the last few feet to my car, we carefully slid Dante in the backseat before climbing in the front. As I turned to look at him, I dug his phone out of my pocket while Char put the car in drive. Holding up his phone, I smirked and said “I wonder what kind of pictures of me used to be on here.” This time it was his turn to laugh before he winced and said “wouldn’t you like to know babe.” Laughing, I handed him back his phone as Char said “you know you really should put a lock on that thing.”
“Oddly enough it does but they somehow figured out what it was though I never told anyone. Maybe I need to change it to something that has nothing to do with me” Dante said thoughtfully staring at his phone.
“Okay, let’s not focus on that. Let’s focus on having fun today since this next week is going to be a living hell, literally” I said turning back to look out the front of my car.
“Okay, I vote food first and then we go back to either my house or Dantes’ and hang out the rest of the afternoon until you have to go home” Char said as she drove us towards the diner.
“I’m cool with that plan though I’ll let you guys decide whose house we end up at” I smiled looking out the window.
“No body is at my house right now but they’ll be back around one. What about you Char?” Dante asked.
“Mom is home but she won’t mind. She’s also a nurse and could help us patch you up” she said glancing back over her shoulder.
“Okay, we should probably go there then since I doubt any of us would be able to do what your mom can” Dante chuckled making me smile as I glanced over at Char.
“Alright then, Har why don’t you call mom and let her know we’re bringing her a patient” Char teased making me laugh.
“How about we wait until after we eat first or would you guys be willing to get our food to go and just take it back to Chars’?” I asked.
“Let’s get it to go and we’ll get something for mom too” she giggled as Dante said “I’m good with either plan.”
Pulling into the diner a few minutes later, Dante said “just order a burger with fries and a chocolate shake of some kind for me. I’ll wait here so we don’t get so many odd looks.”
“Alright. Harley, do you want to wait with him while I go get the food?” Char asked turning to look at me.
“Sure, just pick something you think I’ll like” I smiled at her before she turned to get out of the car. Once the door closed, I turned sideways in the seat so I could see him and asked “are you really okay?”
“Don't worry so much, Har. I'll be fine once Chars’ mom patches me up” he smiled at me but something about it looked fake.
“I heard everything, you know. So, how are you emotionally?” I asked as he looked down at the blank device in his hand. Taking a deep breath, he said “not good honestly. I know most of what they said isn't true but it still hurts, ya know?”
“Yeah, I know but knowing they're wrong will save you from doing something they wish you would do” I sighed glancing back towards the diner before he said “you sound like you speak from experience.”
“No, not me but someone I used to care about a lot. He used to be bullied and only told me about it two days before he killed himself” I said as a tear rolled down my cheek.
“I'm sorry babe. I didn't mean to bring up painful memories” Dante said reaching up to wipe my cheek.
“It’s okay, I understand why you asked” I shrugged turning to face him more before continuing “while I have battled depression in the past, I’ve never hurt myself. Though I can’t promise I will never try but I’ll do my best not to.”
“Fair enough babe. I like you being honest with me about things that matter” he shrugged giving me a sad smile.
“I think every conversation we’ve had up to this point is important but I’ll try to keep being honest with you in the future” I said giving him a shy smile as the car door opened and Char handed me a pile of boxes before heading around the car to get in the drivers seat. As we drove back to Chars’ house, she kept glancing sideways at me. One time when she did, she caught me watching and quirked an eyebrow in question. So, I just subtly nodded letting her know everything was fine before giving her a small smile. When we got back to her house, her mom met us at the door to help me get Dante inside as Char carried the food.
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