Drowning In River (BoyXBoy)

1: Fighting with the Current

People. There are all types of people. The human race is coated with a thick blanket of labels. There are the popular kids, the jocks, the rebellious pranksters. All types of people to walk down the halls of Lincoln High. Some are loved, some are feared, and some are just ignored as if their existence is just an existence and not a life to be noticed. I'm just an existence.

I'm the kid that sits in the back of the class room, my glasses hanging from my nose as I pretend to read so I don't have to acknowledge the painful unacknowledgment I receive from the important people that surround me daily. The only reason anyone speaks to me is to ask for help with homework or to ask if I'm new. As I said previously, I go completely and utterly unnoticed. Hell, I'm not even worth being bullied. I'm absolutely transparent.

I'm not complaining, of course. If people actually cared enough to notice me, they'd judge me. I'd be on the wrong end of a bully the second the truth escaped someone's lip. But no one knew. Well no one but my best friend Taylor. My only friend Taylor. So I was safe. I was okay. Being invisible isn't a curse when you are gay.

His name is River Sinclair. Senior class, a grade above me. He's tall, lean, with black inky shagging hair and the most electric blue eyes I've ever laid my eyes on. His leather jacket always stands at a stark contrast against his porcelain features, and his features are so carefully sculpted and sharp. He'd be even hotter if he'd smile, but he only ever frowns or smirks. I've never seen him actually smile, and I've never heard him do more than chuckle, not laugh. But I guess that's for his reputation. Everyone here is keen on their damned reputation.

Girls chase after him as if he's some type of rock star. He has the look for it after all. But, he dismisses them. Always has. I've never understood it, and I've tried not to think about it, him, to much. Otherwise, I'm just another groupie in line to be rejected. He'd never notice me anyway. No one does.

"How do you even digest that? Like seriously." Taylor says, staring disgusted at my hamburger. She is a very high believer in a bulimic vegan life style. Puking up every ounce of the shit she considers food. After five years of her determination to rip her stomach to pieces, I stopped fighting with her over it.

"You take a bite, chew, then swallow. Your stomach does the rest. If it works right that is." She rolls her eyes and takes a bite of her salad, swallowing as if it's painful.

"Yeah, I'm almost certain you'd be the one to swallow the meat." I shrug and laugh, shaking my head.

"You, my friend, swallow more meat juice than any vegan within the galaxy. And it might be the only thing you don't puke up afterwards." She punches my arm and laughs. Not very many friends can joke about their gayness, veganess, and bulimicness, but we aren't normal people. What ever normal is.

"When are you going to make a move on Sinclair. You've been eyeballing him for like three years now. What's the worst that can happen?" I glare at her, her bleach blonde hair framing her very thin, tanned face. I would find her very beautiful if it weren't for the two undeniable facts caused by our extreme problems. She is all bones and I'm all gay. So, yeah. I can't be particularly attracted to her, but mainly because I'm blinded by dudes. A particular dude. River Sinclair to be precise.

"Hmmm. Well, I could be rejected, probably pretty harshly, then the entire school can find out I'm trapped in the closet, a very comfortable closet I might add, and I won't be invisible. I'll become the joke of the school, and the victim to every bully here. So, yeah. Nothing to bad." She rolls her eyes at my sarcasm and takes her third bite of salad before tossing it into the cafeteria trash can. I sigh, but don't comment. I'm not in the mood to fight.

She looks as if she is about to say something, but stops and her lips break into a smile. A very creepy smile I might add. "Speaking of the sexy devil. God, if you didn't have dibs I would so blow him." I cup my face in my hands and groan before I look behind me. Sure enough, there he is. Jesus, he's so beautiful. One hand shoved into his jacket pocket, the other holding a tray containing a burger and fries. He goes to walk out the cafeteria, he never eats in here, but he gets stopped by two jocks. Jakob Bryant and Jarvez Clinton.

"Dude, seriously! I didn't sleep with your girlfriend. Christ, I might be the only dude in this damned school who hasn't, but I didn't. So leave me the fuck alone." River hisses as he attempts to shove past them. He's probably talking about Holly, the homecoming queen, cheer captain, and biggest slut in school. Jakob grabs hold of River's arm and punches him in the face. Within moments both football players are over top of him and bashing into him. He fights back, getting punches in, but he's out numbered and everyone else in being their stereotype.

"Dear God, don't let me die." I jump up and run over there, slamming my fist into Jarvez's head, knocking him to the ground. I hear a gasp flutter through the cafeteria, and both boys look at me shocked. It gives River the upper hand and he switches positions so he straddles Jakob. (I'd love to be straddled by him) I go back to Jarvez, slamming my fists into him. It doesn't take much really, I don't look like I match up to the school linebacker, but I'm not bad at fighting. I've had practice with my four older brothers... And my dad.

People are recording. I'm being noticed. Oh my god. I didn't think this through. I'm being noticed. People are seeing me. No. No. No. Jarvez stops fighting back and I jump up and run from the cafeteria. I hear Taylor call after me, but I keep running. My head feels like it's about to explode. I wonder what will explode first. My heart is expanding just as quickly. I need to hide. I need to get away. What was I thinking. River could have handled himself. Dear God, I was noticed.

A hand grabs on to my shoulder and I'm spun around. I look up at the tall lean figure, my eyes lingering on the intense electric blue. I swear my heart stops.

"River?"

________~|~
Picture of River to the side or the top.

NEW BOOK EVERYBODY!!

I'm sincerely sorry for my loss of interest in I'm Looking At You, but it happens. I can not promise when or if I will get back to Gage and Eris, but for now feel free to read Sierra and Jake's completed story or River and Carter's story, which is what your currently reading. I love all of you so much and I'm so thankful of every last one of you. Vote! Comment! Tell me what you think!