Dusk (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 15 - Evasion

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I lay in my bed and mindlessly scrolled through twitter, my energy almost nonexistent. It'd been five days since I'd talked to Rowan, and I felt emotionally drained.

Anytime Erik had invited him over while I was there, I would make some excuse to leave. I didn't think I could be in the same room as him without the feeling of deep humiliation sweep over me.

I'd also come to the realization that I seemed to be the only person who he personally knew that didn't know a thing about him.

I remembered how everybody had acted as if nothing had happened that night at Nemesis, after his friend had shown him his phone and they left in a panic. And when Ben had said they knew of someone that could 'teach him a lesson,' after asking who'd hit me. Everybody in that room had looked at Rowan. What the hell was I missing? Why was I the only person out of the loop?

Ben seemed like the one who knew the most. But he was unapproachable. Erik would know...

No. Stop this fucking obsession. Just take the rejection and move on.

I sighed, trying to change my train of thought. I swiped from my home page on twitter to see what was trending.

But what was so different about me that I wasn't allowed to know about anything? Why did he kiss me and then immediately push me away?

He knows basically everything about you.

My parents could tell I was spiraling. They'd ask me about my classes eight times a day, and if I wanted to join them in their movie nights, an offer I promptly rejected when seeing the Notebook CD in my mother's hands. Sometimes I'd walk in a room and my mom would be quietly talking to my dad, concern painted on her face. This would wash away when they'd notice me, and loud cheery voices would quickly replace their not-so-subtle whispering.

They definitely thought I was depressed.

Maybe you are?

After my fourth time dodging him at Erik's this week, Rowan had sent me a text, saying you don't need to keep avoiding me.

I hadn't responded. I didn't know what to say; the rejection was too fresh on my mind.

Of course, I couldn't ignore him forever. I didn't want to, but at the same time, I would've rather forgotten him than be near him, see him, and have the hundreds of questions endlessly circle through my mind with no answers like a black hole.

The door to my room opened and my eyes stayed glued to my screen. The twitter page was still waiting for me, I hadn't read a single one of the trends.

"Honey, your father and I have made an executive decision."

I broke my eyes from the screen to blankly stare at my mom.

"Which is?"

Oh god, please don't be therapy.

"We talked about family bowling night a while back. Tonight's that night. Get ready, we're leaving in ten."

Never mind, I'd prefer therapy.

She closed the door behind her and left me to change. It was three and I was still in my pajamas, though to be fair it was Saturday and I hadn't planned on leaving the house at all.

I rolled out of bed and grabbed jeans, pairing them with a random shirt from my closet. I was not in the mood to go out.

My phone buzzed and I saw a message from Erik pop up on my screen.