The Love Story

Dedicated to:

Megan Finley- Bitch

Angel Blalock-Youll get whats coming to you.

Chris Mangelini-Why did you lie

Archangel-fuck you

Eric Jenkins- try and kill me now

Ben Pegram-All bark, no bite

Seth Pretty-Why can't you leave me alone

Lucas Moore and, Brady Collins- What did I see in you basterds

Justin Yi-fucking stupid fat tard

Jose Jamillro-What did Carmin see in you?

Kristen Murphy-I love you

Nicole Honaker-I love you too

Kyra and Megan-Thanks for the help

Kiane-thank you for walking to class with me

Sam Jester-Thank you for keeping my secret

Mackenzie, Hannah, and Taylor-I was weird wasn't I

Becky-I am sorry for focusing on myself and not you. I love you and always will.

Megan and Jessica- Thanks for the shell. It's in my room… Somewhere

Lindsey Mcguirk-It was stupid of you to put up with me, but I'm glad you did

Hunter Allen-Thank you seat buddy

Courtney Adkins- You are my bestest friend ever

Mackenzie Lester-Science is fun

Stephine- I'm still holding you up on that offer

Alyssa Chaney-I love you. If you ever need to talk call

Courtney-thank you tiny for your big help

And

Jacob Pritchett-I don't know what to say to you. I guess I should Say thanks and fuck you.

July 20 2021

1 year. Today is 1year since I first met you and I can't get you off of my mind. All my friends say it'll pass but I know better. Love is persistent. It just won't leave you alone until you find yourself on the ground writhing in pain because you've got the love fever and yes even then it still won't stop. It hammers at you. So you call a friend in the middle of the night crying so hard that you can't breathe and then you tell them why you've called and they'll support you on the outside but on the inside they just wish you would get over him and go back to bed but it's not that simple.

So you hang up cause their not helpful and you're on your bed in the middle of the night trying so hard not to make a sound cause if you do you'll wake your mama up and shell get mad cause you woke her up and then shell see that your crying and ask what's wrong and you know that if you tell her shell likely slap you in the face for being stupid. So you tell her you stubbed your toe using the restroom and that you think you broke it. Well, she gets mad anyway and her ranting wakes up the whole house, therefore you feel guilty know that you still have 2 hours till the school bus comes. But it don't matter, that's how I feel now. My friend who really supported me through my sexuality issues was named Courtney. She had the most beautiful blonde hair you ever did see and her eyes were just…Dashing. The best advice she ever gave me were the last words she ever said to me before I watched I horror as she crossed the road to go home and she turned around to wave good bye then that stupid truck came and…

Oops, I'm sorry I'm one for ranting when it comes to the past, but the best advice she ever did give me was this.

"It's better that you don't feel love and want it bad then to know what love feels like and have it taken from you."

I'm guessing that you want to hear my story right about now since you've stayed with me this long, and I don't blame you if you close this story right now and walk away forever cause mind you I would too.

Well, here goes.

July 20 2020

"What the hell Brickman? Who do you think you're talking to, cause you've already got an asswhooping coming and if you're talking to me that makes double the pain"

My name is Thomas Brickman. I'm 17 years old and look handsome at most. I've got dark blue eyes and light auburn hair. My mama tells me I'm a spitting image of my daddy but I'll never know since he left with some hooker off to Mexico the day fore I was born. I aint never had no one to teach me how to man up or stand up for myself so here I am with Lou Mark. He aint nothing but a bully to me. He don't know it yet but after he beats me u my friends are gonna get him for what he did last week. He squirted ketchup and mustard all over me during lunch and Cierra didn't like that much, and mind you I don't mind them fighting my battles for me cause honestly got my own to fight and I'm just a wimp.

"Brickman. I'm talking to you. You got till I count to 3 fore my buddy's grab you and hold you down while I kick your ass"

Let him. I don't care maybe he'll kill me and end my miserable life. My tiny life that the world could do without, but apparently some think I would be better off on earth cause they send me a sucker every Monday.

You see Monday is known as love day when you think of the ones you love so you can get through the day on them. Every Monday they send me a sucker with a note sayin

"Somebody does care."

"3-2-1-0. Get him."

All I remember is the first hit and then I was out like a light bulb without power

I woke up to see the nurse hovering over me with a rag that had blood all over it.

"Well hello there sleepy. You were out a long time and beaten pretty badly. What happened out there?

I lied.

"I fell and my head slammed into the wall. That's all I remember."

"Oh" she said not believing me. "Okay"

She walked out and I could see someone else she was talking to standing in front of her. Then she walked in with the other guy behind her.

"Now" she said. "Thomas this is Eros. Eros this is Thomas" I smiled and waved at him. The next few minutes she checked me to make sure my vital signs were good then she helped me get up and I was free to go.

"Thomas, you and Eros have the next class together. I would like you to direct him there."

"Yes ma'am." I said

"So where did you come from." I said to start a conversation. It was time for lunch anyway so I just took us to the lunch room.

He had smooth short curled brown hair and brown eyes. H was exceptionally beautiful.

"Greece," He said. "My mom moved here after she got fired and was offered a job. What about you? Where did you come from and what happened to your face?"

"I come from this little town of Boddy, Nebraska, and I fell into a wall."

"Walls don't leave black eyes and busted lips and scratches on your arm so deep that that a wolverine could have done it."

"Well that's my story and I'm stickin to it. So where did you learn English."

"At the school I went to we were required to learn it, but I would have found any language much easier."

"Yeah it is the hardest language to learn. Even people who were born speaking it need to take it."

'That's true."

Then my friend Cierra came up to me in line. She gave me a hug then looked at my "battle scars."

"Was this Lou and his gang. They are the type who like to scratch people. I don't know why I'm asking I know it was Lou, that basterd. I'm already getting him today for what he did to you last week, and know this. It seems he can't get the message. Me and the girls will get him. Why did he do it this time?"

"He didn't say," I said. "But I'm sure it was the usual."

"He needs to fuck off and leave you alone. If he doesn't like that your gay he just needs to leave you alone. Goddamn why is he so stupid. He makes me want to hurl, but don't worry. I'm gonna get him today, and I'll get Alyssa, Samantha, and Becky to help me. We will give him worse than the hell he's put you through since you came out. You might never see the bitch again after we get done with him."

"Okay well this," I said pointing to Eros. "Is Eros. He's the new guy from Greece. I just met him like 5 minutes ago in the nurse's office. We have the same lunch 5thand 6th period together. Isn't that cool."

"Yeah,"she said as she winked at him. "That is cool. So gorgeous how'd you get so sexy."-

"Cierra" I said out loud surprised

"What a girl can't have fun. Gosh." She said as she flung her hair around her face. Then she turned, and walked away.

"So," said Eros. "I was right. You didn't fall into a wall."

"No," I said stoically. "No I didn't."

Then I turned and got into the lunch line and left Eros staring at me in a daze.

Weeks passed but they felt like years. I didn't talk to Eros during the entire few weeks/. He was always trying to get my attention, but I just ignored him. One day Cierra stopped by my house to see me. I opened the door, and she walked in. So did Eros.

"Come on Thomas. Tell me what's wrong. You've been ignoring him for weeks now, and he thinks it's something he did."

I sit on my bed, Cierra across from me in my desk chair. Eros is down stairs with my mom. I sigh. "He didn't do anything. I just didn't want him to know." "What do you mean? Didn't want him to know about what? "My sexuality." She looks at me real hard and laughs. "That's what your worried about. He already knows about that, and yet he came to me asking what's wrong with you."

"Well, if he doesn't care then why is he talking with my mom instead of me?"

"Cause he thinks he did something to upset you. I've already told you this."

I sigh and lay back on the bed, running my fingers through my hair. Cierra sighs as well. Then I hear footsteps in the hall

It's Eros.

He walks in since the door is open. Cierra stands and I do as well. We just stand that way for a few minutes, then I look up and he is looking at me.

"Look, I say with sadness in my voice. "I'm sorry for ignoring you. Thought you didn't want to be my friend because you knew."

"I don't care if your gay or not. There are lots of people like this and know one of them more than anyone else will ever know him."

We stand silent for a while. Cierra shuffles her feet, and speaks.

"Me and Sam are going to The FastCream. You guys are invited."

Okay we say at the same time.

"Well, I'll go pick up Sam and meet you guys there. Is that alright."

"Yeah," Eros and I say at the same time. "See you in a few."

Lou got his ass kicked. I saw Cierra do it. She had me hiding behind a bush when Alyssa came out and started squirting ketchup on him. Then Sam came and poured milk on him. Finally Cierra came and hit him in the face.

"Who do you think you are going around beating people up cause they are different then you. If you don't like them leave them the fuck alone and get on with your life."

Cierra kicked him in the balls and walked away with Sam and Alyssa behind her. Eros and I walked around the school and met up with her.

"That was awesome." I said. "I've never seen anything like that before."

"Thanks," she said.

Soon Eros started spending the night at my house and we would go out and watch movies, and eat out. I actually felt like someone cared, but I started worrying. Eros just moved here but I've been getting the notes ever since forever ago on Monday so I started wondering who was sending them.

It didn't take long to find out and it would change my life forever.

It was Tuesday after school. I stay after school to help set up anything that needs to be set up for activities. This time it happened to be the prom. It was senior year and I had no one to go with. I was the last one to leave for home. The gym needed a little more trimming so Mr. Sanders stayed to help me.

He was a good-looking teacher, and was a model, so he said. He had black hair. He was Mexican, and much more.

I was standing on the step stool trying to staple the last trimming onto the wall, when I slipped.

I know I would have died if Mr. Sanders was not there to catch me but what he did scared the fuck out of me.

He caught me in his arms, my heart pounding, and smiled. I looked into his eyes and saw lust. He bent down and kissed me. Now he was a 30 year old teacher, and I was a 17 year old student. That would be molestation. For a second I gave in to his perfectly formed lips, his buff arms. His delicious abs, but then I thought of Eros.

I shoved him away and spoke.

"Let go of me."

"What," he said. "Don't you want me? You seemed to enjoy the suckers I gave you."

I turned to walk away but he grabbed my arm and smiled an acid smile you're not getting away. I want you and you want me."

Then he took the stapler and stapled a stale in my arm. Then he punched me. Lights out.

I woke up on a bed, well tied to a bed. The room was dark, and I was silent. A whimper escaped my lips, and turned into scream. Then I heard laughter.

"Nice scream," said Mr. Sanders. "Could you scream like that when I fuck you?"

Then the light cut on. I looked up and saw him standing at the foot of the bed, nude. If I wasn't scared as hell I would have thought he was good looking, in the nude, of course, but I was scared. So I just closed my eyes.

He climbed on the bed.

He kissed me.

He raped me.

When it was over I opened my eyes, tears streaming down my face.

"Hey bitch," I said. "You didn't hear me scream."

With the little bit of courage I had summoned up from somewhere, I spit in his face... Then to my horror I found myself laughing, and I said.

"Fuck you. This is a part of me that you'll never take away from me."

He kept me tied to his bed for a week. I had no food or water, and was subject to his wants and needs. One time he hit me so hard my arm snapped. Yet he never made me scream, no matter what he did to me.

He was at the school one day when I heard someone knock on the front door.

"Help." I screamed. "Help."

"Hello." They said.

"Help me please."

"Hang on the guy said. I'm calling 911."

Tears of joy trailed down my face and an hour later police and fire trucks were outside to free me. I was naked so the man gave me his yellow jacket and gave me to a firewoman, who took me outside.

It took a minute but soon my eyes adjusted to the light, and I saw almost the whole town. Then they erupted into cheers when they saw me. The lady put me in the back of an ambulance and took me to the hospital

I stayed for a month, and missed the prom. Cierra and Eros come and see me every day. Sometimes they spend the night.

One night when Eros thought I was asleep I felt him grab my hand.

He said, "I love you Michael Brickman. I love you. Don't leave me here alone. If you go I will have no one except for the girl's butt they can't give me what I need. You can. I'm Gay and I love you. If you live, I will never leave your side. I love you."

I loved him more than anything I've ever loved after I got out of the hospital, and he told the truth he never left my side for a long time, but it wasn't destined to be. Since I missed so much school I had to repeat senior year. I soon found out that while I was at school Cierra and Eros were hitting each other up.

So one day I skipped school to see if it was true, and it was. I looked in his window and saw them in the bed together. My life with him flashed before my eyes. The first kiss, the first date the first everything. Then I relied it was all wasted, and I never talked to them again.

Now here I am 1 year since the first day we met sitting in my bed clutching the post cause the pain hurts so much. I think of him, but he forgot me. They now live in Greensboro, North Carolina and have 2 kids. I'm sitting at home waiting for school to finish so I can decide which college to go to. Then the pain flashes again in my chest. Tears start to stream down my face and think of one word that has so much power and sadness and agony.

I cry out in pain as another flash comes and I say the word.

"Eros."