So Where Does that Put Us (boy x boy)

Chapter Five - Ben

Until I see her, mouth open in a contorted scream. Eyes wide and a mirror of his own. She glares at me, accuses me. Your fault, she seems to say, all your fault.

He starts crying. The bell rings. And then he's gone.

Justin just bolts out of the classroom, tears streaming down his adorable little face. I mean, his thin and hollow little face.

I run after him, scanning the hallways frantically. Nothing.

Maybe he saw her too. Maybe that's why he started crying.

Maybe I'm not alone in this...

I can't get the image of her face out of my head, even though she only appeared for a fleeting second. She had just vanished, like my imagination couldn't hold onto the apparition any longer. I wish I could say it was the only time I saw her.
But I keep seeing her at night, when I shut my eyes. She never speaks but I know what she says: your fault, your fault.

Even when I tell myself there's nothing I could have done, that I didn't know, it doesn't help. It doesn't make the feeling go away. Gripping the edge of some locker, I focus on reality. I have too.

Justin couldn't have gotten to far. I start pushing through the crowd to find him, heading towards the courtyard. Unfortunately, someone else spots me.

It seems every time I talk to him, I start disliking Griffin even more. I've almost started hating him at this point. It takes a great deal of effort to hate someone so I don't usually give anyone enough credit to warrant hate. Yet the twist in my stomach whenever I see him only seems to get worse and I find myself grinding my teeth together whenever I see him. He practically stole my best friend from me and that certainly warrants the irrational, raw, hatred that starts boiling in my abdomen as he walks toward me. I swallow, squeezing my fists as the small, but buff, dude stops me. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

Does this guy never mind his own business? His smooth voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard to me but I force myself to sound pleasant. "Get out of my way, Fiergang."

Okay maybe I wasn't trying to sound pleasant. I shove past his shoulder, trying to walk away but he shows up yet again, like an annoying bug that just won't die. He flexes his muscular arm and I roll my eyes. "I don't think I will," he says, leaning on his toes to try and meet my height.

Only he's still too short. "I have stuff to do, dude, so if you would kindly get out of my way that'd be much appreciated."

"This has to do with Justin, doesn't it?"

I don't respond, walking towards the courtyard.

He stops me yet again, tapping the atom shaped lapel pin on my blue blazer. I look down at his fingers and grab his hand, yanking it away. This time I stop playing nice. "Leave. Me. Alone."

Griffin winces as I twist his hand before letting go, walking towards the double doors that lead outside. Justin could be anywhere by now. "Wait," Griffin says after I make it about five feet down the marble laid hall.

"What now?" I turn around, half of me wanting to keep on walking.

He marches right up to me again. The nerve. "Where is he? Where's Justin?"

Just won't take the hint, will he? "Since you're so close to him apparently, why don't you tell me?"

"You little bitch."

"I think you're the one who's little here."

"He's my fucking boyfriend," he says, crossing his arms and furrowing his eyebrows, "tell me where he is."