Week Four: Senior Year

Rich POV

It was Monday. I hated Monday. It was not all bad though, the last week of school and all that. I yawned and went to the bathroom where Jake was already brushing his teeth.

"Hey dude," he said with the toothbrush in his mouth. I smiled and rolled my eyes. My hair was a tragedy. I guess it didn't matter, I had finals tomorrow, if I didn't look like shit I'd be concerned for my grade.

Jake looked as perfect as ever. He did everything perfectly. After he washed out his perfect mouth he gave me a quick perfect kiss. "Morning breath," he laughed as I giggled.

I can't believe in just a year my life had changed so much, but then again...

I was so much happier than before.

-Flashbacks-

I woke up in a cold sweat. I flinched as I looked around. Jake was sleeping beside me on a chair. A blanket covered his back.

Jeremy groaned from behind a curtain. I smiled. That antisocial headphones kid had been by a lot to see him. It was sweet actually. He would sing little songs in a different language, and talk about his day. Once he even came to see me. He told me Jake was in a different wing of the hospital getting his legs recast.

"Feels like you're misthing a part of yourthelf, doethn't it?" I said as I heard him groan. "Hurth like a motherfucker too." I paused and looked down, "be honetht...what are they thaying about me in thchool?" I said nervously.

He held his head as he looked at me sadly. "That bad?" I said defeated. I should have known this was coming.

"Look I'm sor-" Jeremy started and I waved to cut him off.

"It'th okay, I'm finally free of that thiny happy hive mind." I chuckled and looked at him, "Now the ladieth are going to learn to love the real Richard Gorinthki....and the dudes..." I smiled and let out a disbelieving laugh. "I am totally Bi."

He looked at me weird, but his family came in so he started talking to them. I ignored him until they started talking about girls. I was good at talking to girls. "NAH MAN YOU TELL HER THAT TH-SHE EXTHICETH YOU THEXUALLY!" Oh my lisp. The struggle is real. I hope they understood that.

Wait. My lisp.

My SQUIP!

Oh god Oh God! Hello? Hello! It was silent. Total and complete silence. I thought it was out of my head, but I never thought I would feel this drastic-

I started laughing. Jeremy looked at me strangely as I laughed so hard I woke up Jake. "Waz so funny?" He mumbled rubbing his eye.

I looked at him and smiled ear to ear. If I could move from my cast I would have hugged him in delight. After three long years my head was silent as ever. "Jake..." I said as if I had never tasted the word on my tongue before. It felt different. Or maybe that was just me.

"Hey, are yo-"

"Shut up tall-ass!" I snapped as Jeremy tried to ask something. I gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry, old habits..." so maybe not everything had changed.

Jake's parents were in the other room. I crooned about how I had missed Jake's play. Jake said I wouldn't have wanted to see it anyway. It was a real nightmare. I told him it couldn't have been that bad, and he just gave me a blank look.

I felt as though I'd missed something.

Whatever!

Jake looked at me and smiled. Timid and coy were not words I'd associate with Jake Dillinger, captain of the Football team, and Model UN president.

He looked bashful. "H-hey Jake." He laughed at my strange antics.

"I missed you Goranski." He said smiling at me. I didn't hear a no homo so I decided all this queer-bating shit was over. I didn't have anything stopping me anymore.

"Hey, Jake, this might thound weird but, wanna...go hang out thome time?"

"Oh, sure man!"

"I meant like out on a date."

"Oh. OH! OOH! Yes! Yes yes yes! Of course! That...that doesn't sound weird at all!" He laughed and hugged me.

Pain.

He apologized after.

-End of Flashback-

Jake was getting his casts off today. He'll need to be in a splint for a while, but he can finally walk without crutches. Which is good because I can never say that word.

I take my toothbrush and lather on the toothpaste. Jake goes into the other room to call his parents.

When I'm done in the bathroom Jake is in tears. "What'th wrong babe?" I say coming up to him and hugging him.

"T-they can't call anymore, they are moving somewhere, and they wouldn't tell me where. They're leaving me again...God I don't know why I'm crying, I just- I thought I would be used to this by now. I'm almost 18." He said wiping his tears. I push his hands away as more tears trail down.

"No, Jake, it'th okay. It'th going to be okay, I promise. Losing them might never get easier, but think about it you still have so many people who will never leave you." I took his hand and kissed the matching class ring he had on his beautiful finger.

When I had given it to him I had made a promise. I would never leave him. He would never leave me.

He smirked and tussled my hair. "You're a little weirdo." He laughed and I laughed too.

"Yah, you right, you right. Fight me!" I laughed and he pushed me over. I flailed and got up as he laughed. "Oh, you're so lucky I'd never hit a cripple." He laughed harder as I tackled him anyway.

We stayed that way until I heard my bus leave my house. Whoops. Jake looked at me and smiled. He held up a signed release form excusing us on a doctors note. "Dude, I love your doctor." I said.

He looked at me and rolled his eyes amused. I kissed him.

God help me I absolutely love Jake.