The Tree in the Forest

Chapter Ten

                                      ~~~

Highschool is finally here. You're scared but you're also happy that this is the first year in the last four years of this hell called school. Besides college, obviously.

It was already November, but it sure didn't feel like it had been that long. Karkat wasn't there that day. You didn't know where he was, but he had been getting sick a lot recently, so you figured he was at the doctor's office.

It felt weird without Karkat here at your side. Even though you two were only friends, he made school bearable.

During the past few years, you'd been discovering a lot about yourself. You've fully come to terms with the fact that your gay. It's not like it makes you any less of a person. You remember how Bro had a big argument with some of your aunts and uncles about it when you told them. A few of the ones he argued with said they didn't consider you their nephew anymore.

Frankly, if they're going to be assholes and act like that, you don't want them in your life.

Roxy and Rose have also moved to Houston. It took them a while to get used to how hot it was here. They had asked you how you stand it, and you had only replied with a small shrug and told them that you were used to it.

Rose went to your school and Roxy landed a job at the store in downtown. Luckily, Karkat's brother also has a part time job there, so you guys get to hang out more since you both go there after school.

Unfortunately, you still had an undying crush on Karkat. He knew about you being gay, but no one at school did. He didn't know that you still had a crush on him, however. It's been going on for years and you wished that it would stop, but you still wanted it to be there.

Love is confusing.

You still remember that night when you two were still in sixth grade and he clumsily danced with you in your room. You don't know how he didn't realize how badly you wanted him as a boyfriend then. Then again, you remember that he was eleven and you were twelve and you two were really bad at noticing emotions.

Today was particularly boring. Even though Karkat wasn't there, you had John, which made it at least a little more bearable.

  John and you haven't really been as close as you used to be. John had become friends with Vriska of all people. Rose was friends with a new girl called Kanaya, so she didn't hang out with you as often as you would've hoped.

  Either way, you and Karkat and made some new friends. There's Terezi, Kanaya, Sollux, Aradia, and Jade.

  Jade was John's new stepsister. He didn't like her very much at first, but they quickly grew on each other. They've been step siblings for around a year now.

  Kanaya and Terezi were some of Karkat's friends that you had been introduced to a few years prior. You'd known Terezi, but you weren't really friends with her until now. Kanaya didn't really come into the picture until just over a year and a half ago.

  Sollux and Aradia were a couple that had held up for a surprisingly long time. They'd been together for two years. Normally teenagers picked one, left them, and moved on down the line.

  "Dave, look at me. Geez, you're a massive fucking loser sometimes," Vriska whined, snapping you out of your thoughtful haze. Ah, yes. Spiderbitch.

  "What, Vriska? Can't you bother John about this?" You mumble back. You didn't quite get along with Vriska.

  "No, I can't. Now, I need to ask you something. Where's Karkat? Terezi's been wondering since this morning, but she doesn't have lunch with us. Have you already forgotten the schedule?" She asked.

  "I don't know. I think he's at a doctor's appointment or something. He's been sick lately," You say back. She takes quick note and soon goes back to leaning over John's side like some neglected puppy.

  You go back to eating your shitty lunch. Thanks, Michelle Obama. You made the school lunches taste like shit slammed on a tray.

When lunch finished, you'd hoped that Karkat would've checked in, but he didn't. You didn't have a phone, mostly because your Bro can't get one for you and you can't afford one. That means you can't get a hold of him. You don't think he has one either. If he does, he never told you about it.

The day went by quickly, your classes making it slow down a little, but not much. You left as soon as possible, trying to escape the assholes who love to find something to pick at, like your shades or how pale you are. You might as well be sick yourself with the way your complexion is.

When you went outside, you saw Terezi waving you over. Naturally, you went over to here to see what she wanted. She seemed worried which was distressingly out of character for her.

"Hey, do you know where Karkat is?" She asked. You groaned and shook your head.

"No. I don't. How many times do I have to answer this in one day?" You sighed. You were getting tired of saying the same thing over and over again.

"Oh, okay. It's just that he was really tired and sick yesterday, so I was hoping that he hadn't come down with some crazy disease or something and wasn't heading to the doctor's for it," She had hopped right back to her cheery self, her ginger hair seemingly lighting up right in front of you as she smiled wide, braces and all.

"Oh, I didn't know that. You met up with him yesterday?" You glared at her from behind your shades, silently saying 'Don't even try it, bitch'. Jesus, you're being possessive.

"Yeah, just for a second, though. He didn't look good. He was exhausted. I think school's finally doing a number on him," Terezi explained. You nodded as she went on about how Karkat should really look into sleeping well and such.

  Eventually, you two said your goodbyes and she headed off to her house, and you, obviously, went to yours.

  Today was uneventful.

                                      ~~~

Oh shit. Getting ready to break everything that's happened up to this point

I've been saying that for a while now but it's probably going to be a reality in like a few chapters. This is where the major plot comes into play. The biggest rising action if you will.

This is going to be fun.

Anyway, I've got to go devise a plan to break Dave's heart. B-bye~

~Ghostie