Sit Back, Gotta Catch My Breath

"... I cheated on you..."
My stomach dropped. Did he really just say what I think he said? A lump grew in my throat. I gulped before speaking. "W-What?"
I watched as a tear slipped down the older boy's cheek. "I -I cheated on you, J-Jack... With a-another guy..." He looked away from me as more tears escaped his eyes.
I removed my hand from his and looked down at the ground, trying to hide the pain on my face. He cheated on me? I never thought Alex would be the kind of guy to cheat... "Can..." I took a deep breath. "Can I ask you why you did it?"
He looked back over at me and we locked eyes. He just stared at me, not saying a word.
"Alex, why did you do it? Why did you... ch-cheat on me?" My vision started to blur from the tears forming in my eyes.
"I really don't think there's an answer to that," he finally answered, looking away from me again, "I cheated on you. No reason, really." He gulped and clenched his fists. "Just... leave, okay? I w-want to be alone."
And with that, I turned on my heel and rushed out of the room before I started crying like a little baby. How could he do this? I mean, has the last seven and a half months meant nothing to him? I ran down the hall and out the front doors of the hospital. I didn't even worry about the cold air that engulfed me. I was numb all over. Couldn't feel a thing. The pain of knowing Alex cheated on me killed me. I mean... Why? How? Was I not good enough for him? Was he bored? But if that was the case, why would he feel so guilty about it?
Unless it was all just so I wouldn't be as mad at him for cheating...
I wrapped my arms around myself as I walked along-side the road towards my house. It was a half hour drive, so who knows how long it would take me to get home? But, honestly, it didn't matter. I just didn't care about anything right now. I was in too much pain.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I looked at the hole in my wall and then down at my bloody knuckles. I sighed and sat down on my bed. I just couldn't wrap my head around the fact that Alex cheated on me. And who did he cheat on me with? I don't know of any other gay guys in the school. I mean, I'm sure there are some, but I didn't know them. Apparently Alex did, though.
My phone buzzed in my pocket and I looked at it. Rian was calling. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down a little bit before answering.
"Hello?" my voice cracked.
"Jack? Hey. So, what's going on?"
I was silent.
"Jack?"
"I'm here," I finally said.
"Well, what happened? C'mon, man. Keep me in the loop, here."
I took a deep breath. "Um... C-Can you come over? I'd rather tell you in person... And I could really use a friend..."
"Sure thing, man. I'll see you in about ten, okay?"
I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "Y-Yeah. Sounds good. See you then." I hung up my phone and set it down on my bed-side table. And I just sat there on my bed in silence until I heard someone calling my name from upstairs before making their way down the stairs.
Rian peeked around the corner at me. When he saw my tear-stained face, he bit his lip and sat down next to me on the bed. Before he could ask me what was going on, I leaned over and burried my face in his chest and began to sob. He hugged me tight and just let me cry until I couldn't cry anymore.
When my eyes seemed like they weren't going to produce any more tears, I pulled away from Rian's hug and looked at him. "A-Alex... Alex cheated on me... And then tried to k-kill hims-self..."
Rian's expression changed from confusion to understanding and sympathy. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and shook me a little bit. "That's sucks, man... I really don't know what to say with this one..."
I looked down at my shoes. I didn't know either.
"Who did he cheat on you with?"
I shrugged. "H-He wouldn't t-tell me..."
"Damn... Well, you wanna go out somewhere tonight? See if we can get your mind off of things for a while?"
I shook my head.
He sighed. "Well, I'm sorry I'm not much help."
I shrugged again. "You're k-kinda helping by just b-being here..." I looked over at him. "Th-Thank you."
"Anytime. You're like my brother. I'm always here for you."
We were silent for a few moments before I finally spoke up. "Why did he do it, Rian?"
He seemed surprised by the question, but his expression quickly returned to a look of sympathy. "Honestly, I don't know. You guys always seemed so happy together. He looked at you like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time..." He sighed. "... If I didn't know any better, I would say it was against his will, but if it was, wouldn't he tell you?"
That's when it dawned on me. What if it was against his will? What if he had to do it to keep from getting beat up or something? That would explain why he felt guilty. In fact, it would explain a lot of things. I looked Rian in the eyes. "Rian... you're a genius."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I walked down the hallway, keeping my eye out for one person in particular. Since I was really lanky and not strong at all, I had Rian and Zack following me for backup in case I needed it. I turned the corner, and, wouldn't you know it, there he was. Broc. Ever since Rian and I's talk last night, I had this gut feeling that Broc had something to do with all this.
"Hey, asshole!" I shouted across the hall at the muscular boy.
He turned to look at me as I walked over to him. He crossed his arms and his eyebrows pulled together. "What do you want, Barafag? Where's your little bitch?"
I clenched my fists. "I know you had something to do with it. I know it's your fault Alex did what he did."
A smirk grew on the boy's lips. "What exactly did he tell you, faggot?"
"Nothing! He wouldn't tell me anything! And I think it's because he's scared you'll beat the shit out of him! You are one sick bastard, you know that? Whatever you fucking did, you're going to pay for it."
The large boy laughed loudly. "What makes you think I had anything to do with whatever you're talking about?"
"Because I know you!" I was literally shaking with rage by this point. "You're a fucking asshole and you find joy in making others feel like shit!"
"Yeah. So? Doesn't mean I had anything to do with whatever your boyfriend did. What did he do, anyway?"
"You know damn well what he did, because you made him do it! But I'll humor you. He cheated on me."
His smile grew. "Look, Barafag. Although I find it funny that that little fagoot could even find anyone to cheat on you with, I have no idea what you're talking about."
Before I knew what I was doing, I was shoving Broc against the lockers, adreniline rushing through my veins. He began chuckling, and I shook him so the back of his head hit the lockers, making him shut up. He glared at me and shoved me away from him, making me stumble backwards. He grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and shoved me against the lockers.
"Listen here, you little fucking faggot," he growled, "You better watch your fucking back. Othewise, you're gonna end up like your emo boyfriend."
I gulped. Okay. I was scared now. I looked to my left to see Rian and Zack pushing their way through the crowd who was expecting a fight. They both grabbed Broc and puled him away from me. The athlete turned around quickly and swung at the two, his fist colliding with Rian's jaw.
And with that, Zack hit Broc, and that was when the fight started.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What do you have to say for yourselves?" the principal asked us as she looked at Broc, Rian, me, and Zack.
We all just sat there in silence. The only thing I had to say wasn't very helpful.
Unfortunately, my though slipped from my mouth before I could stop myself. "All I have to say is that Broc is a homophobic asshole..."
The principal shot a look at me. "Mr. Barakat, watch your mouth. That kind of language will not be tolerated."
I rolled my eyes and slouched into the chair. I looked at the other three boys. Rian's jaw had a huge bruise on it, already, along with a split lip and darkened cheekbone. Zack had a black eye and was gripping his side, which, I'm guessing, meant a possibly broken rib. Broc's nose was clearly broken, and the nurse had to pop his jaw back into place before we came to the principal's office. And, as for me, I wasn't sure how I looked, but I had to wipe a lot of blood off my face after the fight, so I doubt it looked very good.
And Broc never actually confessed doing something to Alex. Though, he said some things during the fight that kind of gave me an idea. And what came to mind just pissed me off even more and made me feel sick to my stomach. And now I completely understood how Alex was feeling and what could've drove him to attept suicide. All I have to say is: Broc is one sick fuck.

Notes