"This story is about the boy I loved. This is about his suffering. This is about my suffering. All of it due to one thing. Affluenza."
TW : Key themes of suicide.
Sebastian Grey. Golden boy, trust fund baby, and Braylen Adams' mortal enemy. Braylen...
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"CAN YOU TELL me now?" I press, nudging Robyn's shoulder. It was gym class but we'd both faked stomachaches to get out of the two-mile run. Thus, we were sitting on the bench still in our school uniform in a heated battle of chess and laughing at the kids running across the wide lawn.
Robyn giggles. "All will be revealed in due time, my friend."
I glower at her. "Come on, Robs! Since it's my sexuality don't you think I should know where we're going this Friday?"
"You'll talk me out of it," she argues, moving her knight over onto the left side of the board, snagging my bishop. I sigh. "Have you spoken to Sebastian?"
I shake my head. "Yeah, but I've been trying to avoid him. Surprisingly hard since he's not even in school."
Robyn makes a face. It'd been a week since the Great Chlorine Caper and almost three weeks since the Halloween Bash. Yet, people hadn't seemed to stop talking about either.
"Can you believe he pulled a knife out? He's totally a serial killer!"
"Forget that! His pranks are hilarious! Office in the pool? Priceless."
"I'd let him kill me gladly! Have you seen his eyes? And those arms, ugh! He's so hot!"
It took a lot out of me not to turn around and yell at whoever said that. It was stupid, but it felt like since I liked him nobody else could. When I realized it'd be best for everyone else if I kept my cool and my distance, I retreated.
Sebastian has texted and called me every single day since we had dinner with his family. My weeks had been full of Sebastian, day and night. And the more time I spent with him, the more confused I was about who I was.
"Running from the problem won't solve it," Robyn grumbles. "Big whoop, Braylen. You like somebody. It happens to be a boy. It doesn't have to be this...difficult."
I shake my head. "He's Sebastian Grey! You said it yourself: he's made my life a living hell. There's no way he'd ever feel half as much as I do for him and that's for the best. We wouldn't work even if he was gay."
Robyn sighs. "I know what I said. But you two are different when you're around each other."
"What do you mean?"
She licks her lips, thinking. "Before the Bash, I'd never really seen you two interacting on any other grounds than a stupid prank. But the way you were worried about him and wouldn't let him go, the way he clung to you like you were the only person he'd ever seen. The nail painting, sideway glances...you two are special, Braylen. It's like you two move together, this secret language that only you guys know."
"You're delusional," I mumble, moving a pawn. It was a weak move, but I couldn't stop thinking about her words. "You think he could like me?"
