The Impossible is Possible (Ryden)

Chapter 12

It takes Sunday - which Brendon spent at home, being fussed over by his horrified mother - for Brendon to realise he's well and truly doomed.

Though he should be preoccupied with the fact that his mother is crying and telling him that she doesn't know what to do if he carries on getting beaten up so badly, and sobbing in a bored-looking Rodney's arms, he isn't. His mind isn't on the two of them, at all.

He genuinely can't tear his thoughts away from one Ryan Ross.

Whenever he remembers the day before, spent curled up on Ryan's bed with it's owner, kissing and murmuring to one another, a smile comes across his lips and he let's out a light sigh. He doesn't know how it's possible to miss somebody after one night without them, but he does. He misses Ryan more than he's ever missed anything in his entire life.

He just wants to feel Ryan's lips against his again, or even just to lie next to him, playing with the boy's dark hair. It's almost as though there's a magnetic pull within him, drawing him to the thought of Ryan, and it keeps making him blush and smile at the most inappropriate of moments. He's beginning to feel quite like a girl, and that depresses him just a little.

Well, it depresses him until he remembers Ryan, and he begins to smile again.

*

It's Monday morning break, and Brendon sits on a bench with Jon and Spencer. Timothy hasn't been in any of his lessons so far - Brendon guesses he's playing truant or something, for which he's grateful - but neither has Ryan, which worries him slightly more.

Jon and Spencer are so unbelievably wrapped up with each other, that Brendon can't quite understand why nobody seems to have noticed. Spencer told him that they were keeping their relationship a secret to all but their closest friends, but to Brendon, well. It's just so damn obvious, and he only feels the slightest sting of annoyance that he's been the only one targeted for being gay.

This annoyance fades fast, though, because he realises that he'd rather be beaten up than any of his friends. He wouldn't wish it upon anybody. Well, maybe Timothy or Rodney, when he thinks about it, but that's another matter entirely.

"I still can't believe Timothy and that lot did that to you," Jon says, quietly, bringing Brendon's thoughts back to the conversation. He looks down at his feet at the words, a little ashamed. His bruises are still dark and obvious, even if he's wearing long sleeves and baggy clothes. "I'll have a word with them. It's disgusting."

"Don't," Brendon pleads, looking up and meeting Jon's concerned expression. "It'll just make things worse. When you stood up for me in the changing room, he said that he'd hit you too. I don't want anybody else to get hurt over this. It's over now, and he's probably got it out of his system, so there's no point trying to get revenge or anything."

"But he can't get away with it," Spencer protests, shaking his head. "It's just wrong."

"I know it is, but there's no point in --"

Brendon stops mid-sentence, as his phone begins to ring in his pocket. He fishes it out, and answers, curious as to who would be ringing him at this time. "Hello?"

"Hey," come Ryan's voice, and Brendon smiles. "Where are you? I've just got into school and I want to see you."

"I'm in the courtyard," Brendon explains, feeling stupidly excited at the prospect of seeing him again. "I'm with Spencer and Jon."

"See you in a minute," Ryan promises, and hangs up. Brendon puts his phone away and then looks up, to see Jon and Spencer gazing at him questioningly. Obviously, they've got no idea who else Brendon could be friends with at school. He'd be surprised if he were them, too.