Loving Him

Not So Meet-Cute

Tragically I had to abandon my favorite convenience store. I couldn’t risk going back there and running into that handsome guy again. Guys like him and I shouldn’t intermingle too much, I’d feel too guilty tainting his bright world.

    People like me who only know one thing should remain where they are. It’s the perfect balance of the world.

    My mother used to tell me that things like happiness, or finding love, they were pointless fancies. The true point of living, as she explained, was surviving. She would add people like me and her can only survive if we stick together, discard any thoughts of inviting outsiders in.

Handsome strangers have no place in my little world.

    “There's a new student, he took your seat. I tried warning him but no one ever listens to me,” Les fiddled with his the sleeves of his grungy jacket. Bleached blonde hair coiled around the ends of his ears and his bottom lip jutted out like he was pouting. His gaze is as cold and unfeeling as ever, just one look from him tended to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end—not in a good way.

    A week and a half. That much time had passed since my encounter with the stranger. I hadn’t gone to school in all that time but I had gone back home. I had succumbed to the need to shower and a fresh change of clothes.

    My chest throbs.

    None of my clothes fit me, most of them where acquired possessions. Found in donation bins or stolen from my mom's friends. When it came to dressing myself I had no qualms with who I took from. On more than one occasion I’d been caught sniffing through the school lost and found box for something that could fit me. I didn’t have the luxury to be picky or to be embarrassed either.

    In every sense of the word, I was a loner at school. Bullied by those who thought themselves powerful and ignored by those who figured I was weak. Les Thornton enjoyed giving me his updates every time I missed school for long periods, but we were not friends. Birds of a feather tended to flock together.

    “Is he cute at least?” I found myself asking sliding into the seat in front of Les, I sit sideways and lean my head against the wall. Not only did I have to give up my favorite store now I’d have to give up my favorite seat in the corner of the class. It offered an unobstructed view of the courtyard and a release from the noise of the class. I huffed a sigh, “Even if he is I still won’t forgive him.”

    “He was asking a lot of questions about you too,” Les smiled but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes, he leaned forward with strange anticipation. “Whose daddy did you w***e yourself out to this time?”

    I paused to think.

    The kid, whoever he was, was probably one of those people. He knew of me. It was less likely that I hit on anyone’s parents than it was that they were looking for my mother. At times when they can’t find her, they try to release their frustrations onto me.

    Not that I minded. Having them lash out at me meant they weren’t hurting her. So in some ways, I was protecting her.

    “What a doting son,” Les deadpanned with a roll of his eyes. He perked up suddenly his gaze gliding to the door. I followed his line of sight and my breath stuck in my throat.

    The light hit his eyes at the right angle and their violet color surveyed the room. His raven hair seemed longer than last time but just as silky. His jaw was clenched his mouth set in a firm line the sculpture of his face would put Michelangelo to shame.

    “Ah, it’s you.” My mouth moved before my mind caught up and suddenly his eyes were on me. Steely emotion fixed as he marched over, from the corner of my eye I noticed how most of the girls swooned in delight as he passed them by.

    “I was looking for you.” He said simply as if it wasn’t at all alarming that he was in my class—apparently taking over my seat—and now talking to me.

    Stalker? No, I dealt with stalkers before they tend to be less obvious and way more obsessed.

    No matter how I looked at him he was straight. The type girls could fawn over so why was he looking at me with those eyes.

    Suddenly I got it, like a rush to the head I understood. Straight boys only ever want one thing from guys like me. With a sly smirk, I stood leaned up towards him and grabbed the neckline of his shirt tightly. I had to tug him downwards so that our lips were merely inches apart from one wrong move and we’d be kissing. His eyes widened.

    “Are you curious is that it?” I asked licking my bottom lip dangerously close to his. His gaze flickered down then back to mine. I could almost laugh he looked like a startled kitten. “Business hours are from three to six, and I’m not cheap.”

    “There he goes again,” I heard someone grunt before a girl shoved me back and away from the stranger. I managed not to wince just barely.

    “I swear you do this every time! Not everyone wants to get into your pants, you nympho!” Her name was Amethyst, out of all the girls in my class she hated me the most.

    I smiled at her, “Really? That’s not what Clinton said last week.”

    Clinton. Amethyst boyfriend. Or rather her ex-boyfriend. Of course, I was partly lying, Clinton hadn’t come to see me last week but rarely do others separate my mother's dalliances from my own. Every stranger that comes through our door burns me just as much as her.

    “Poor boy, you obviously weren’t treating him well in the bedroom.”

    “Elliot Preston your tongue is as foul as your dirty heart.” Amethyst screeched. She jabbed a finger into my chest, and I winced from the sharp pain it sent down my ribcage. I managed to remain standing flashing her a coy smile. “If you knew what was good for you you’d keep your damned mouth shut!” She swiveled on her heel quickly and fixed the boy (my stalker) with a firm glare. “And you, don’t fall for his nasty tricks. Bunnies only know how to do one thing.”

    With that that she stomped back to her seat. Some of her friends openly snickered at me while the others fanned her red face. I rolled my eyes and looked up at the boy.

    Bunny was the nickname my mother and I shared. Anyone from our neighborhood knew it was our little title. The Whores of our sanctified Babylon.

    “I didn’t have the chance to introduce myself before, my names Wren.” The boy scratches the back of his neck awkwardly. His gaze trailed to Amethyst before he focused on me. His eyes suddenly filled with determination, “I need to talk to you.”

    So he needed to talk to me now. Les grabbed the edge of my sleeve and tugged I glanced down at him impassively. His mischievous smile lit his face dangerously as he placed one hand to block the view of his mouth and in a loud whisper said, “If you don’t want him I’m sure I could take him.”

    The thought of Les doing anything irritated me enough. While true we shared some sort of understanding I never trusted him, could never and would never trust him.

    “After class, the west hallway.” I flash Wren a sly smile. “Don’t be late.”

#

After class, I stopped by my locker and took my precious time emptying my bag into it. On one hand, I was wasting time in hope that Wren would simply give up and disappear, on the other I genuinely didn’t have the strength to carry my bag anymore. Amethyst’s little jab hadn’t been too kind to my still weak physical situation.

    On days like these, I needed to remember to bring some aspirin. Mom had a whole cabinet in the restroom dedicated to pain medication, usually, I wasn’t supposed to touch it. Every now and again I risked stealing a few to stop the pain. I didn’t think I would need it since a week had already passed but all it took was a small nudge and I was in hell all over again.

    After the halls cleared I sighed and started towards the west wing. That part of the school was usually blocked off but it had become the frequent hangout for the ‘delinquent’ kids who couldn’t sit still in class. As long as no one was starting fires teachers pretended to look the other way. I rounded the corner expecting to see a few stragglers, students who had yet to choose from the numerous empty classrooms to hide out in, what I don’t expect him standing there.

    He looked out of place hands in the pockets of his jeans as he leaned against the wall looking strangely relaxed. Wren from a distance looked like he could be an athlete, his thick jacket couldn’t hide the heavy muscles underneath, the varsity baseball player maybe?

    His defenseless stance was almost hilarious. The day before I stopped coming to school Philip Cornwell smashed Jessie Zucker’s face into the wall—it left a huge hole and a bloody mess. Seeing Wren standing in the spot where Jessie fell unconscious I almost wanted to laugh.

    His gaze shot up as if he’d sensed me and he pushed off the wall.

    “While I’m flattered, I thought I made it clear that I don’t want a relationship with you.” I huffed coming to stand in front of him. I needed to crane my neck to look him in the eye. How annoying. “Ah but its weird. I swear I’ve never seen your face before but this is the second time we’ve met isn’t it? Don’t tell me you’re actually stalking me?”

    “Ah no, I just…I’ve been in love with you for a while now. I thought that guy was gonna hurt you so I just kinda blurted out how I felt,” His cheeks actually had the audacity to redden.

    “I’m not a saint you know. I’ve been known to stab a couple of people,” Once I stabbed someone once. It had been in self-defense and afterward, I kept seeing blood on my hands. “Besides my name is there anything you know, anything you really know?”

    He hesitated. His right shoulder hiked up slightly his gaze moved downwards his fingers twitched.

    Ah, so he does know, I thought sheepishly. So he knows and yet he’s confessing again.

    “I’m not cheap, even if you try sweetening me up the prices won't change.” The memory of my bed plays in my head. “And we’ll have to do it at your place. Base price is usually—”

    “For a while now,” He interrupted harshly. “You’ve been saying that but didn’t confess in hopes that you’d sleep with me. I want to go on a date with you, a proper eating and talking date.”

    My stomach growled at the mention of food and I waved a hand dismissively. “You know what it is that I do right?”

    Wren nodded he met my eyes at resolutely stated, “I don’t care about that. I just want to go on a date with you.”

     That time I did laugh. Hiding my mouth behind my hands I nearly keeled over from the pain. He inched forward as if he was going to comfort me but I waved him off. Chuckling I wiped stray tears from eyes and faced him.

    “Well, free food never hurt anyone. Why not?”