Words Unspoken

Homeschooled OR Hurt - Short Story

"So why do you not have friends? Were you homeschooled?" the boy asked. "You're so likable." He looked down, a small smile on his face and anyone who knew him would say it was forced.

He stood from his chair and turned away from the boy to face the door where his best friend awaited him with open arms. But before he walked away, he said –

"I wasn't homeschooled, I was bullied."

–with that he walked away, and only his friend could see the swarming pain that filled his eyes, pricking his orbs like thousands of needles, forcing tears into his eyes. Making them shimmer like glass as the salty liquid swayed from side to side like the leaves in the trees.

His friend enveloped him in an embrace, arms folding around his body protectively. He pressed his face into their shoulder, trying not to cry. The two shuffled in tandem outside of the classroom. When they were outside, the other pulled away a few inches. Upon seeing his teary eyes they held the shaking boy close once more, lifting a hand to his silky hair and rubbing their fingers into his scalp, soothingly scraping their nails from time to time over the soft strands. He shut his eyes tightly, squeezing the drops out of his eyes, where they would roll down his nose and onto the other's shirt. But the other didn't seem to mind. Whispering soothing words in his ears.

After a while they pulled away to an arms length, their hands clasped together between them.

"It's okay to be hurt, it's alright not to be okay. I know putting on a face isn't as easy as it seems. It's okay not to be perfect. Because it doesn't matter if they think you're perfect or not. What matters is what you think of yourself. And I for one think you're the perfect one in this relationship." He looked up at the other with his wide doe eyes for a moment before breaking out into a fit of giggles.

"Where did my dressed in black badass friend go all the sudden? And when did you become a sappy little fucker?" He said between giggles. They fawned a look of mock offense.

"Watch your language."