A Big Thank You's to all who have reviewed so far. I hope you haven't been too bored with the pacing of it all. But I've been trying to keep each chapter as one day. This chapter breaks with that rule and takes place over a few. And please don't hate me for the last part. Nothing Troy says is any reflection of my feelings - I am a 22 year old gay guy and would never subject anyone to abuse like that. But there is a reason for it. All will be explained in the upcoming chapters. Enjoy.

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I was on cloud nine the entire weekend. Ever since he left on Friday night, all I have thought about was him. Ok, so it wasn’t good when I slept in and made me and Shar late for our dance class, or when I zoned out twenty times during dinner and Shar actually chucking food at me to get my attention, or when couldn’t even focus enough to carry on with my writing.

Truthfully, Troy had taken over my mind.

On Saturday morning, I sent him a text message, asking if he was alright. At lunch I asked him if he maybe wanted to come over and watch a few older Doctor Who episodes. At night, I asked if he thought we should talk about what happened.

It’s Sunday night and he still hasn’t replied.

I don’t want to be hounding him, so I haven’t sent any today.

I just wish he would text back.

That kiss on Friday night was the best I ever had. It was powerful in a way that no other kiss has been. It wasn’t the mash of lips or the grabbing of head and hair that I had with my last guy, it was sweet and tender.

And my mind has been racing since. Does Troy like me? Is Troy gay? Would he kiss me again?

I wanted to talk to him so much.

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Shar’s been asking me all weekend why Troy left so quickly on Friday night. I told her he had to get home because he had basketball practise early the next morning. I couldn’t tell her he ran out because he kissed me.

How could I tell her that? She’s been all over Troy ever since I can remember. Telling her that Troy might be gay… I don’t want to even think of the screams that would come out of her.

I hate Monday mornings, but today there was something about it that literally made me jump out of bed as soon as the alarm went off. I’d see Troy, eventually. We’d be able to talk, he’d tell me that he likes me - not in the way I said it of course. I mean, who goes around telling people that they can’t keep their eyes of them? – and that he’d maybe like to go somewhere with me after school.

Want a bet?

This Monday would be just like all the others.

Worse.

Shar stops the car in her usual space, not right on the lines this morning I notice as I get out. But I don’t want to cause an argument. I just want to see Troy.

I don’t know why, but I was expecting to see him at my locker like he had done every day last week, so I was a bit… I don’t know… upset I guess that he wasn’t there.

I got my stuff out and loaded in my bag as Shar said something about needing to touch up her lipstick or something – I really wasn’t paying attention – and handed me her handbag.

Of course some of the basketball team would pick that time to walk passed and make fun of ‘the little gay guy with his purse’. I knew Troy was with them without even seeing him. Chad and Jason surrounded him at his locker, laughing at their own private jokes.

Troy looked at me as he shut his locker, but didn’t smile, didn’t say anything, just turned with the others and walked off, nearly bumping into Shar on her way back.

“Golden boy not talking to you today?”

I didn’t reply to her. I just kept watching him walk away.

I never got to speak to Troy on Monday. Every time I’d try, he always turns away, talk to someone else, walk away, or just ignore me completely.

Shar eventually noticed it too. She’s not that stupid. But she never said anything else to me about it.

I just kept my head down, got on with my work, tried to keep my mind on school, and not the basketball player.

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Tuesday was more of the same.

I kept trying to talk to him, but every time he’d see me, he’d mysteriously disappear. It finally came to a head that afternoon. That afternoon I died.

Not really of course.

But inside me, I died.

I finally saw him when I left the drama theatre after school. He was just coming out of the gym, still in his Wildcats outfit. If I thought he looked gorgeous in his normal clothes, nothing could compare to how he looked in t-shirt and shorts.

“Hey Troy.” I said as I walked up to him.

He never stopped, just kept his pace.

“Can’t stop. I have to get home.”

"Troy what's going on?" I said, trying to put on my powerful voice. I failed. "You've been ignoring me for days."

He turned around, his sports bag hitting against his leg as he did.

"I've been busy. I've had things to do?"

"I just... thought it was a bit weird."

"I was busy, alright, what's weird about that?" He said harshly.

"I've been worried about you." I knew I was losing my bravado, but right now, I didn't
care. "Can't we talk about Friday?"

"Nothing happened Ryan." I noticed there wasn't the same pronunciation of my name he usually gave.

I tried not to be angry, or laugh. Funny the emotions you feel at times like this.

"We kissed, Troy."

He dropped his bag and quickly walked up to me, his face angry. I thought he was gonna hit me the way his fists were clenched.

"No we didn't." He said rather too loudly. "I only did it to take the piss out of you."

"But…" my voice squeaked as he carried on.

"What, you thought because I found out you loved me that I would just sit back and say 'okay, keep on fantasising about me and I'll just not say anything'?"

I try to put my hand on his arm, like he had done with me so many times. He shook it off, quite violently.

"Keep your fucking queer hands off me." And he took another step closer so his face was right in mines. "Stay away from me and quit stalking me, poof."

He turned away and picked up his bag, and carried on walking through the corridor, away from me and out of my life.

And right then and there, I died.