Hazard (Completed)

2

"He beat me up again..."

"What? Again?"

"Well, he sort of choked me.... With his shoe."

"Fucking Christ," Anthony shook his head and put down his slice of pizza. "Wait Lester did that? He never touches you."

"Yeah that's what's so weird about it," I rubbed the back of my neck. It's always a comfort when I do it but I can not stand it when other people touch my neck.

"Hey are you gonna play this time?" Anthony asked switching through the tracks on his new Mario Cart game.

I shook my head but I guess he didn't see, "No."

"You must be pretty damn upset. You haven't eaten any pizza-"

"I'm not hungry."

"And you don't want to play Mario Cart!"

I crossed my arms and sunk deeper into his couch. "Hmph!"

Anthony sighed and put down his controller. He got off from the old beanbag chair and sat up on the couch next to me.

"Dan, why is this messing you up so badly?"

I adjusted myself so I was lying on him. He had to lay back on the couch to support me and still stay comfortable.

He doesn't mind my cuddling anymore. We've been friends since middle school. The first time I went over to his house, it was really cold and his mom forgot to pay the bills and we couldn't go to my house because the weather report said there is a high chance that we would get snowed in. We went to his room and grabbed all the warmest blankets, which was like three at that time, and wrapped them around out bodies. I was still pretty cold and Anthony seemed to be too. He then told me the strangest fact I've heard, "We should act like penguins. Hug each other to stay warm from each other's body heat." At first it was a little awkward, obviously. But after a while of desperate need of warmth, we sunk into it and the awkward vibe disappeared. After that I made excuses that I was cold just to embrace in his warmth. He'd give a blanket and I'd complain that it didn't help and I proceeded to prop myself on top of him. And that kinda just stuck.

"I... Don't know. It just is I guess. He's like," I tried to think of a good comparison, "the China doll you don't want to get dirty and I'm the dirt and shit at the bottom of his shelf."

Anthony wrapped his finger around my hair and let it go. He did always like to do that. Anthony didn't say anything at my remark, he was probably sad.

I turned to look at him. He stared at me. I stared back. I could see a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"Anthony? You ok-" I was interrupted when he placed his finger on my lips telling me to stop talking.

"You are not dirt and you are not shit. I have told you millions of times, you are the China doll, he's the raggedy doll that wishes to be you."

I hugged him and listened to his heart beat. "You say a lot of sweet things, and-and sometimes I believe you Anthony- I really do- but sometimes I just don't see it."

"That makes sense I just don't want that thought to take over you, ya know? I'm a little ok with you having those thoughts occasionally, everyone does, but I just want to tell you how great you are, everyday."

I smiled, how did I ever get a friend so great like him? He played with my hair and I let him.

"Thanks Anthony, let's play Mario Cart so I can beat your ass!"