Gasoline | BxB

-13- Truth

"Hey" Henry whispered walking over to Maddox in the school corridor, the blonde was taking some books out of his locker and slammed it shut staring daggers at Henry, that's when Henry noticed the black eye he was sporting, it looked nasty...

Subconsciously Henry pushed his hands behind his back, he'd burnt his palms on a candle the night before after getting home from the police station. He didn't want Maddox to see the uncomfortable burn marks it had left.

"Hi Henry" Maddox replied calmly squinting at Henry slightly his normally shiny blue eyes completely dull.

"We need to talk" Henry told him. Maddox looked hesitant, but reluctantly nodded his head then followed Henry as they weaved through the crowded, bustling hallway until they reached the music practice rooms, they crept into one shutting the door then taking seats in front of a piano.

"Did you talk to Cory?" Maddox asked out of the blue his eyes not meeting Henry's and instead gliding over the glossy piano in front of them.

"Yeah, I did" Henry answered shortly still gazing at Maddox's black eye uncertainly.

"I thought so" Maddox confirmed nodding.

An awkward silence filled the air as Maddox ran his fingers over the keys, not putting enough pressure on them to make sound but just tracing them along the smooth surface.

Henry looked around the room awkwardly not sure what to say or how to broach the subject of the obvious elephant in the room marred into Maddox's eye.

"What happened to your eye?" Henry asked quietly. Glancing at Maddox for a second.

"I continued to be a hot, sexy, charming but clumsy person" Maddox joked sarcastically, trying to make light of it, but Henry didn't find it funny. He was worried instead.

"I slipped in the shower" Maddox eventually supplied after another awkward silence. In an attempt to fill the quiet Henry shuffled forward on his uncomfortable stool reaching out and beginning to play the piano.

His fingers shifted through keys finding combinations that he thought sounded good and playing them smoothly, he'd been really interested in piano as a kid but his parents thought it was too feminine. They wanted him to playing sports like soccer and football, sports which he had no interest in whatsoever yet had to do them to stay on their good side, they couldn't find out about his sexuality. They'd definitely disown him. Then he'd be on the streets.

Henry continued to play a playful tune as Maddox watched his gaze softening "I didn't know you could play" He commented with a small smile.

"I'm not that good to be honest" Henry replied modestly.

"Have you ever had lessons?" Maddox asked.

"No" Henry answered shaking his his head sadly.

"You should, I could teach you at some point?" Maddox offered smiling up at Henry as he began to play leaning over pressing the keys rhythmically. Henry watched him before replying.

"Can't, my parents think it's too feminine to play piano or any instruments really, but especially piano and violin. They have a real thing against boys playing music. They can barely tolerate male singers even" Henry explained shrugging.

"Fuck them" Maddox responded rolling his eyes sassily "Music doesn't make you any less of a man, your parents are proper wankers"

"Yep" Henry agreed shortly.

"I know the feeling, Cory can be an arse sometimes" Maddox told him.

Henry hummed in response listening as Maddox continued to play. "How are you coping? With the whole Sierra thing?" Maddox questioned his usual sassy, jokey demeanour replaced with a deep thoughtfulness.

"I'm doing okay" Henry replied tears welling up in his eyes "fuck man, no I'm not" he added afterwards.

"It's okay, it's not something you can get over quickly, losing someone so close to you, but she loved you so much. You know that right?" Maddox said kindly.

"No she didn't, I killed her" Henry confessed unable to hold back anymore, he couldn't keep what he'd done hidden. He'd killed his best friend.

Maddox's eyes widened as he shuffled away from Henry slightly "You- you killed her?" He whispered stuttering slightly.

"Not on purpose, but yeah. I set that fire" Henry told him quietly a tear sliding down his rosey cheek "we went back into the forest after dark, lit a fire and ran, she got lost in the smoke and broke her ankle I think, I tried to look for her but she didn't reply"

Henry looked away, Henry thought he had fucked up surely. Maddox would report him to the police and hate him forever, he'd think he was a killer.

Unexpectedly Maddox nodded with understanding. Sympathy gleaming in his dull blue eyes. "It's okay, I know you must feel so guilty, but it wasn't your fault. Not really. Neither of you could've guessed it would've got so out of hand so fast. It's okay Henry" Maddox told him nicely, putting a hand on Henry's shoulder.

"Thank you" Henry choked back rubbing the salty tears from his eyes not allowing them to fall in front of Maddox.

"Don't thank me ginger, just stay away from the New Heights Club and Cory for me okay?" Maddox requested.

"Erm, sure" Henry whispered back. He understood why Maddox wanted him to stay away from the New Heights Club, but Cory? Why Cory?

"Don't tell anyone by the way" Henry suddenly said gazing sternly into Maddox's eyes.

Maddox chuckled lightly "Obviously, not exactly gonna rat you out to the pigs" Maddox reassured him confidently.

"Just promise you'll stay away from the club and Cory? Promise me" Maddox pressured determination lacing his words.

"I promise" Henry replied linking his pinky finger with Maddox, Maddox smirked sassily nodding his head in appreciation. Their hands interlocked slowly as Henry's heart rate picked up, neither let go as they looked nervously into each-others eyes.

Suddenly they both leaned in, their lips connected passionately kissing softly, Henry felt butterflies in his stomach as they kissed, it felt so right.

Maddox then leant back ripping his hand from Henry's grip and staring at the floor doubtfully. He hurriedly stood up abruptly sprinting from the room.

"Maddox!" Henry yelled after him standing up, but it was too late. Maddox was already out the door and Henry could hear footsteps racing down the now quiet corridor. Henry collapsed back onto his stool sighing heavily.

He didn't know if he'd done something wrong. Should they have kissed? Maddox didn't like him in that way after all. Maybe he didn't want it and Henry had just forced it onto him?

If Maddox didn't like him, how would multiple boys at the same time? He wasn't able to even get a single boyfriend let alone two or three. Henry stood back up guiltily heading to his first class late feeling a numbness take over inside his stomach.