Painted On

A Night for Secrets

        

Connor

Connor had moved to a new college for senior year. He was still living his lie of a life, but he was becoming more and more interested in changing that. He was thinking more.

His first day of classes had gone well, at least from what he could tell. People were nice enough.

"Hello." Connor looked up nervously as a boy sat down next to him, bringing him back from whatever daydream he'd been having.

It hadn't been the boy's blue eyes, or beautifully curly hair, or slender build that caught Connor's eye initially, those were just things he'd noticed as the boy organized his stuff.

No, it was the fact that the boy's tank-top revealed at least fifteen visible tattoos, and that was with his legs entirely covered by his jeans.

"I think there's only one person you need to look out for," Ricky had said. "That would be Troye. You'll recognize him. He's got like a hundred tattoos. He's a heartbreaker. He even tries to get with the straight boys, I've heard."

When he didn't get a response, the boy Connor assumed to be Troye continued talking. "What's your name? I'm Troye."

So he was right. Connor pulled the sleeve of his jacket lower over his wrist, biting his lip nervously. "Connor."

"You're new here, right?" Troye asked.

Connor nodded, wondering what someone like Troye wanted with someone like him.

"I can show you around if you want," Troye offered.

Connor tensed up as Troye smiled at him. "I'm not too sure if that's a good idea," he said politely. Troye's lips parted in surprise and he frowned, sitting back in his chair.

"You've already heard rumors about me." It wasn't a question.

"Hard not to," Connor said.

Troye sighed. "Look, I promise I won't force you, but give me a chance. You've never even talked to me."

"I'll think about it," Connor replied.

Troye cracked a smile at him, pulling Connor's notebook over to him and scrawling his number down. "Call me."

Connor wasn't sure when it happened. But he started hanging out with Troye more and more. They became fast friends, best friends actually, and one night Troye invited Connor over to stay the night. Connor was reluctant at first, but Troye promised that it would be strictly platonic. Connor knew that Troye wasn't really as much of a bad boy as everyone said, he just wasn't sure why his friend put up the façade of one.

"Mind if I change real fast?" Troye asked, holding up a t-shirt and smirking at Connor, who was sitting on his bed.

"I guess not," Connor replied.

Troye kept talking as he tossed the shirt he was wearing into his closet. "What movie do you want to watch?"

But Connor wasn't listening. His eyes were glued to a relatively circular scar on Troye's side. He stood up, standing in front of Troye, who had frozen when Connor's eyes landed on the scar.

"Wh-what happened?" Connor asked, reaching out with a trembling hand and gently running his fingers over the scar.

The t-shirt Troye was holding fell to the floor as he sank down against the wall.

"I didn't mean for you to see that," Troye said softly.

Connor sat down next to him, quietly waiting for him to say something more. But Troye didn't say anything.