No Never Yes||Prinxiety||

I Lose My Image- Roman

"Can't you see, just how much I love your tragedy!"

CW: Homophobic slurs 

I stood on the end of Virgil's driveway, shaking with anger. I reached into my pocket and found my phone and Logan's car keys. I'm not sure which scared me more: the fact that I had completely forgotten Logan's car at the party or I had 5 missed calls from him. No, I take that back. It was definitely the missed calls.

"Roman, where were you?! We've been calling since 9!" Logan was outraged. "It's 12 o'clock!"

"It's kind of hard to explain, but no worries! I'll go get your car!" I winced as I said it.

"Where...is my car?" Logan's voice was quiet and terrifying.

"Back at the party?"

"And it's still at the party because...?" He sounded like I was about to confirm his biggest fear.

"Um, well... I didn't take it with me... I went to someone else's house," I sighed. "It's fine, I'm calling an Uber and going back for it."

"Whose house are you at?" Patton had apparently grabbed the phone from Logan. "Where are you?"

Before I could even answer, Logan said it for me. "Were you not listening? He's obviously at Virgil's. I showed you the post."

"What post?" I was suddenly very scared, as evident by my voice crack.

"Roman, kiddo, open your Instagram." Patton was using that tone he only used to avoid people freaking out. So, naturally, I was freaked out.

I frantically opened the app, and the first picture I saw was me. And Virgil. Making out on the front lawn. I let out a strangled yelp. I kept flying through the photos, and they progressively kept getting worse. The last image was of us getting into a car. The account that had posted the photos was the anonymous account every person at school feared: North_Shore_High_Drama. The caption was simply: I guess we know which way Roman Princeton and Virgil Sanders swing 🏳️‍🌈.

"Roman, it's okay, just relax." Patton was desperately trying to calm me down.

"It's the opposite of 'okay', Patton! Everyone knows! And that's not good, because I was just yelling at Virgil!" I was on the brink of a full meltdown. "Oh my God, everyone knows!"

I scrolled through the comments frantically, and my heart sank with every post.

"Can't believe I almost wanted to sleep with Roman! Crisis averted."

"If you listen close enough, you can actually hear Roman lose all credibility."

"Hope he was at least good- if he wasn't worth it, guess he lost all his friends for nothing."

"Roman, take deep breaths. Call an Uber, get the car, and come back to my house, okay?" Logan was trying to maintain a steady tone.

"Logan? I'm scared." I whispered into the phone.

He just sighed. "I know."
——

I jumped out of the Uber, looking for Logan's car. I saw it and ran for it, but I stopped halfway when I saw a group of boys standing in front of the car. No, no, no, no...

"Well, looks like the fag decided to show up. Wondered when you would come back for your buddy's car." One boy stood in the front and I recognized him as the boy Virgil had fought.

"C'mon, guys, let me just get the car." I tried to sound tough, but it wasn't effective.

They all laughed. "No, fag, I don't think we will. You don't run the school anymore. You don't get to tell us what to do."

"Just let me go. Why do you care?" I couldn't keep the fear out of my voice.

"Aw, he's scared. You see," The boys pushed me down onto the ground and put a grimy sneaker on my chest. "I think you're a freak. You're broken. You don't deserve to convince yourself you really have a soulmate."

I tried to speak, but he pressed harder into my chest and I wheezed. "Hm, let's do what we came to do, boys."

"HEY! GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

I turned my head and saw what looked like Logan running full speed, holding his phone out. "I have 911 dialed right now, and unless you want cops here, leave!" Patton was close behind him. The boys suddenly ran, afraid.

"Dammit, I shouldn't have let you go get the car! I'm so stupid."Logan looked like he was fighting back tears. I wanted to tell him I was fine, but between what I thought was a bruised rib and the mess going through my head, all that I could get out was "...Logan?" I touched my shirt as I tried to stand up, my ribs aching like hell.

"Oh, Roman," Patton really was crying. "We have to get you to the hospital. Now."

I pulled out the keys and tried to smile. "I'll drive." Then I passed out.
——
I woke up with my head throbbing and the sound of a monitor beeping. I groaned and I heard my mother. "You're awake! Oh, my poor baby!"

I hadn't even opened my eyes completely when I felt her arms wrap around me. It hurt, but I didn't have the heart to tell her. "...hi."

"Give him a moment, Mrs. Princeton, he has 2 broken ribs." Logan sat in the corner, being very careful not to touch Patton. My mother didn't know, and we never intended to tell her.

"Those horrible, horrible boys, attacking my child completely unprovoked!" She was quite hysterical and I shot a look at Logan, who shook his head. So, she doesn't really know why.

"What time is it?" I tried to sit up.

"It's 5 in the evening. And don't sit up, yet. Patton spoke very softly.

"They really clobbered me, huh?"

"I want to have those boys expelled! They could have killed you!" My mother paced back and forth.

"No, wait-" I was cut off by a new voice.

"Roman? I saw a vague purple shape peak into the doorway. The voice sounded terrified and quiet.

It took me a moment to realize who it really was. "V-Virgil?"