The Perfect Boy

Approaching Revelation

I didn't see Ben at all for the following four days. I asked around but nobody knew where he was or if he was sick. I dared not ask his best friend, Anthony, he was my bully after all.

So, on the fifth day since appearing in my room, I saw him entering the school gate. He looked very pale. The usual radiance was non-existent on his face today. He briefly glanced at me, but looked away and paced in the opposite direction.

I grabbed my bully from behind. He turned his head towards me. I shielded my head with one hand instinctively. But instead of showing anger, his face was full of remorse.

"Bbeeen, c.c.cannn w.w.wee t.t.t.alllkk?"

"I think you don't wanna do that. I am a bad person, you know"

"Bbut, I just wwant to know why you came into my room that night."

"Forget about it, will you? Forget about me. You will get hurt again if you don't" he brushed away from my clutching hand.

"You asked for my forgiveness. I want to hear more before I do it." He looked at me with a disbelieving look and walked wearily.

"Where have you been for four days? Have been sick? You don't look well."

"Look here, Drury, get away from me" Wow, he started using my last name again. Not a good sign.

"I will not stop bugging you until you talk."

He stopped to consider for what seemed like forever.

"Fine, meet me at the usual place we met at the Cottonwood Butte." I remembered that place very well. We'd had picnics, sunset watching and goofed around much at that place.

"Ok, see you there after school," I replied and walked away from him. I was determined to get answers from him, even if it killed me.

The remaining of the school hours was rather uneventful that day. I didn't see Osaka at all. He had a team project and told me that he wouldn't be able to see me all day today. Andrew was being a good brother to me today. He saw me sitting alone in the cafetaria at lunch and came to sit together with me. He knew something was going on. He tried to get it out of me. After sometime, he succeeded and I started talking.

"Ben came into my room a few days ago"

"What?  What?  What did he want from you?!!  Did he do anything to you? Did he hit you?"

"No. He did nothing of the sort. We just sat in silence and I watched him cry in front of me."

"I am confused. Why would he do that? Did something happen? Did he tell you why?"

"No, he hasn't. That's why I was going to meet with him after school at Cottonwood Butte."

"Be careful with him, Asp. You know what he has done to you. I'll come along with you, just to keep an eye on you."

"No, no, I want to go by myself.  I want to settle this with him once and for all."

"Come on, don't do that.  You don't know what he might do to you!"

"No, Drew.  By the way he looked last we met, whatever was going on, he didn't show anger at all." 

"Ok, then, but don't give into him until you know for sure what he says truly comes from his heart."

"I will do that, Drew. Thank you for your concern bro." Andrew shuffled my hair.   I held his hands above me.  Even I was two years older than him, he always had his way with me and maybe because I let him do that and like him doing that to me. I threw a banana peel at him and he ducked, chuckling his way from me.  If you didn't know we were brothers, you'd think we were best of friends.

The time was ticking. And it had come to that dreaded moment, the end of school hours.