Stitched up Heart

So Damn Lucky

Rhys wouldn't talk to me for the rest of the weekend. I went to his door again the next morning but he had moved something informs of it so it wouldn't open. Later, I went out to the shops, so if he did leave his room it must have been then because I didn't see him all day. After I went to bed, I heard his door open and he went downstairs. About half an hour later he came back upstairs. I considered going out and speaking to him but I decided against it.

Eventually I got to sleep, but I was still kicking myself. he actually cared about me and I messed it all up.

In the morning I got dressed for school and grabbed my bag. I went over to his door. "R-Rhys?" I asked, knocking gently on the door, "Are you coming to s-school?" I tried opening the door but it was still blocked. I waited a minute but he didn't answer I heard the floorboards creak by the door.

"Lewis..." he said quietly, barely audible through the door.

"Y-yes?"

"I'm not coming to school. Not today anyway. I'll talk to you later, ok?" His voice was hoarse and weak. It sounded tired and worn out.

"Yeah, o-ok." I nodded and walked away from the door. I knew he wasn't going to say anything else so it would be pointless trying to get him to talk.

I sat in the bus, alone, with my headphones in trying to block everything out. I knew that people would ask questions, I'd just have to find an answer. I didn't know what I'd tell them. Maybe that I had cut my hand and he was looking at it, or that I stumbled and he took my hand so I wouldn't fall. Anything that seemed like a reasonable excuse. But what if Matthew had been telling people? Maybe I could say that he'd seen it wrong. But who were they more likely to believe? The popular kid or the nerd with no one to turn to anymore.

I told myself that it would be ok, and it was. Until lunchtime. That's when Matthew brought it up.

I was walking past the canteen, trying to find somewhere quiet to go, when Matthew spotted me. "Hey, its Lewis!" He shouted, "Where's you little friend?" The girls he was stood with sniggered. They were the same girls I'd seen him with on Saturday. Reluctantly I walked over to them.

"What Matthew?"

"You know what I'm talking about. Rhys and you?"

"W-what about us? Were just mates."

"Ha! Are you sure? We all saw you holding hands, Lewis, don't deny that." He said with a smirk.

"I -I stumbled and he took hold of my hand to steady me a-and see if I was alright. You just saw it wrong."

Then one of the girls said, "So you lied to us Matthew?"

He turned to her, "No, I know what I saw," he turned back to me, "you guys were walking round holding hands."

"No we weren't. I-I think everyone knows that. I was there with Rhys and that's what happened. I fell. T-that's all."

Some of the girls started muttering and giggling as they walked off. Matthew turned to me, grabbed my tie and pulled me towards him. "You'll pay for this. For making me look stupid." He whispered and pushed me back. He walked off trying to catch up with the girls. I got my breath back and tried to calm my racing heart. I'd had an anxiety attack during that, but I'd managed to keep it together. I was so lucky they had believed that.

But now I had to deal with Matthew. Well, I'd always had to deal with Matthew; but I had a feeling that things were going to get a hell of a lot worse between us. Luckily, the girls didn't believe him anymore. I'd tell Rhys that they didn't care about it when I got home. I'd tell him that I'd sorted it out and things would be ok. Or they would be for him anyway. After nearly exposing what we had to everyone, I doubted he would want to help me anymore. He'd probably go home tonight and we wouldn't talk again.

At least he knew how I felt. Even if it didn't change anything, it made me feel better.