Outed
by Victor Thomas
Chapter 21
When Brian didn't show up the next evening, I started to get worried. He couldn't call me because I was worried that mom or dad might answer the phone. I finally decided to call his house and see if he was there. His mother told me that she thought he was at Mark's house. I called him and he hadn't seen or heard from Brian either. Now I was starting to get seriously concerned.
I finally decided that he had probably got busy and just forgot to come see me. I missed him, but no big deal. Once I moved out to Aunt Sandra's, we'll be able to openly see each other on a regular basis, at least once a month, hopefully more than that, but at least we won't have to hide from my parents.
When I approached the main entrance to the school the next morning, I steeled myself for the disapproving glares, the vicious taunts, and unkind words, all the things that awaited me behind those doors every day. I never failed to experience a sense of dread as I walked into school. Each day, I mentally fortified myself for what was to come.
Nothing could've shielded me from what awaited me, however. As unpleasant as all the other days had been, this day was destined to be infinitely more terrible.
As I walked in, all heads turned toward me. I had grown accustomed to the unwanted attention, but something more was going on. My classmates were all looking at me, staring. Some with disapproval and distaste, but many with sadness and pity. There was a pall over the atmosphere, a dread in the air. I looked about confused, and quite suddenly, I was afraid, afraid as I'd never been before.
Laura, ran up to me, her eyes filled with tears. She placed her hand on my shoulder. My mind reeled in terror and confusion. What could be so wrong?
"I'm so sorry, Scott. I…" her voice cracked and tears ran down her cheeks.
She hugged me, and then stepped back, crying. Others drew near. Ryan, Cody, Brendan, Robert, and even Todd, they were all there, and each of them looked at me with such pity and grief that my heart clutched in terror. Even Allison looked at me with sorrow in her heart. I was lost in a crowd of sadness and gloom. Hopelessness filled the air. I looked from face to face, uncomprehending, disoriented, terrified.
"What happened?" I asked, uncontrolled terror welling within me, as if somehow in my heart I already knew.
"My god," said Laura softly, "you don't even know."
I'd never heard a voice so filled with pity, sadness and sympathy. It frightened me as nothing had before.
She tried to speak, she tried to tell me, but the words wouldn't come.
Suddenly, another voice cut through the haze that clouded my mind, a voice cruel and filled with hate, a voice delighting in other's pain.
"He's dead. Brian's dead. Your boyfriend was killed last night in an accident," said Ashton.
I turned to him. His eyes were filled with malice, hate, and an unmasked delight in destroying my entire world. My heart turned to ice.
No, I thought. It couldn't be true. It was just another dream, a nightmare.
I knew that I was awake, however, as badly as I wanted all that was happening not to be real. It was a trick then, a horrible, cruel, evil joke. I looked into Laura's eyes. Tears ran down her cheeks. I looked from face to face to find many others crying. Brenda and Robert were bawling, their eyes red, tears streaming down their cheeks. Ryan was in as nearly as bad a state. My heart wretched. I tore at my hair and screamed.
My eyes flooded with tears. I couldn't accept it, but it was all real. He was gone, dead. My Brian was dead! My mind screamed. How could this have happened? Why? Oh, god, why? We had been so happy together. Everything was on the verge of getting better for me. Why now? Why?
"One down," said Ashton with a death like grin, "one to go."
The entire hallway grew deathly still. Not one of those standing here could believe what they had just heard. In an instant, my grief turned to uncontrolled rage. I spun on my heel and smashed Ashton in the face. My fist snapped his head around. He promptly kicked me right in the nuts. The pain was intense, but I ignored it completely. I flew into him, my fists flying, smashing into his face, his stomach, and his chest. I knocked him to the floor. He was bleeding from a busted lip and a cut over his left eye. One of his teeth lie on the floor.
He cowered before me. I reached down, grabbed him by his collar and dragged him to his feet. I read the terror in his eyes. He feared for his life, and rightfully so. His little gang wasn't here to help him out this time. It was just him and me, and this time it was to the death.
I punched him once more, putting my entire body weight behind my fist. Almost in slow motion, there was a loud snap as jaw bone broke. He screamed in agony and fell again, clutching his face. I reached out for him again, determined to finally give him what he deserved, death. My hands squeezed around his neck, crushing his windpipe, a strangled scream caught in his throat. His hand clawed uselessly at my chest, and I squeezed even tighter. His face was turning purple, and I slammed his head against the lockers, over and over, just waiting for his eyes to die.
Suddenly, I felt strong arms on me, pulling me back. I fought to escape, but I could not. It was lucky for Ashton that our classmates held me. I have no doubt I would have killed him if I could have gotten my hands on him again. I kept struggling, but I could not break the hold they had on me. I was infuriated. I was totally out of control. All I could think about was killing that bastard, once and for all.
"Scott! Stop it! Calm down!"
I looked with wild eyes into a familiar face. It was Mark. I didn't know when he had arrived. He hadn't been there before, but he was one of those holding me back. I stopped struggling when I saw him.
My mind was filled with grief and pain. Him and the others let me go and the crowd parted as I pushed my way out the front doors. I stumbled as I walked, crying, blinded by my tears. I nearly fell, someone caught me, steadied me.
"Come with me."
It was Todd. He led me away from the crowd and into his car. He drove while I sobbed uncontrollably. Finally, as we reached the outskirts of town, I settled down a bit. He pulled the car to the side of the road and stopped. I looked into his eyes.
"What happened?" I asked him, sobs still racking my voice.
"I don't know, Scott," he said. "The police and sheriff's department are still investigating. An accident of some sort, that's all anyone's heard."
We sat there for a long, long time, stricken with grief. It was all so unreal. It was like it couldn't possibly be true.
My god… Brian was dead.
I felt numb. I asked him to drive me home. I opened the car door, but hesitated before getting out.
"Todd," I said as sincerely as I could, "thank you for being my friend. I know we had a rough few months, but we're over that now. Thank you."
I leaned over and hugged him tight. I kissed him on the cheek before I stepped out of the car and closed the door.
He had a strange look in his eyes.
"Scott, listen to me. You're gonna be okay, man. Please, promise me you won't do anything stupid."
I stared at him, but didn't answer.
"Please, Scott," he begged. "Please promise me."
I looked at him sadly.
"Whatever I do, it won't be stupid. I promise."
He nodded, then took off down the street. As I watched his car disappear in the distance, I was sure that in his heart he knew that I had something planned. He just didn't know what.
I didn't know either, but whatever I ended up doing, it wouldn't be stupid. Payback is a motherfucker, and it was coming for Ashton and his friends. I had little doubt they were involved in this somehow, I just didn't know how yet. But I would find out.
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