"It's because of that boy, isn't it?" mum said, pacing around the foyer, hands knotted together. "He's not the one that Jamie told me about, is he? The one from the bowling alley? She said he had tattoos, and that god-awful lip ring. It must be him. Is he why you're acting up these days?Wes, why are you hanging around with someone like that?"
For a second, Sofia's image flickered in my mind.
'There's no way you could be friends with someone like that.'
Everyone says the same thing about him, this boy that I loved. They didn't know how he really was, how everything seemingly rebellious action had a reason. How his facade of truancy was rooted in hard work behind the scenes, of late nights pouring drinks and early morning fixing cars. They didn't know that behind every punch was a gentle hug, a comforting, protective, Nico-like embrace. They only saw as deep as his tattoos, never further.
My closed throat loosened as guilt swam inside my stomach like tadpoles about to morph into frogs, growing and building until they had burst free. I clammed up in Principal Myers office, unable to bring my pathetic self to defend Nico, even after he defended me time and time again.
He's given me so much, and what did I give him in return? An expulsion and a bad reputation.
Grasping my guilt, I looked at mum, eyes firm.
"Nico isn't like that, mum. Don't talk about him like that when you don't even know his name," I said, voice biting. Mum took a step back in surprise, startled by the razors in my voice. Her shock soon withered into anguish, tears forming in her eyes.
"Wesley, you can't speak to me like that," mum whispered, grasping me firmly on my bicep. "Wes, this isn't like you. Is he bullying you? Blackmailing you? Wesley, you can tell me. I can see that he's a bad influence, just look at hi-"
"You can see that he's a bad influence?" I repeated, scoffing at mum's words. Heat spread through my, my own 'last straw' falling to pieces. Shaking her hand off me, I turned towards the stairs, stones in my heart. "Sorry, mum, but considering your judgement with men in the past, I can't say that I trust what you see."
I turned before I could see mum's face, though I'm sure from the way her body stiffened, it was a painful and ugly sight. Running up to my room and slamming the door, I threw myself onto my bed, limp and numb.
After spitting out those words that should have taken a weight off my shoulders, I only felt heavier and guiltier. I didn't have to see mum's face to know that what I said cut deep. My teeth hurt as I bit down heavily, burying my laborious sobs into my sheets. Not being able to say anything in front of Daniel and Alyssa, unable to find my voice to defend Nico with Principal Myers, but spitting out such hurtful words to my own mother?
Why couldn't I do anything right?
"What's wrong with you, Wes," I whimpered quietly, hitting the crown of my head with my fist. "Why are you like this? God damn it."
It took me a long, long hour to even move from my bed. My stomach rumbled, acid burning with its emptiness, but I didn't want to leave to confines of my room. Not even bothering to shower, I pulled on my most comfortable clothes and crawled into bed, even though my clock hadn't clicked past four in the afternoon yet. Pulling my blanket over my head, like the soft fabric would shield me from everything, I finally checked my phone for the first time since everything unravelled. 28 messages, two calls.
Benny - 2:44pm
Wes omfg
Are u ok
I
Fuck
Benny - 2:45pm
When u get out of princ myer's call me
Are u ok?
Ur not suspended are u?
If u are Im skipping class with u
Benny - 2:46pm
Btw I found out what happened to Daniel
Broken nose and a fked up face
Dick deserved it tho
Praise bloody fuckin karma
Overheard that he's getting suspended
YOU ARE READING
Sheets | ✓
Romance[BxB] Waking up next to someone after having a little too much to drink was no new, riveting story in this day and age. Waking up next to another boy, when you were also a boy, was a little more interesting, but still nothing to write home about. B...
