I moved to shove Kenneth away from me and run to Phil, but Kenneth grabbed my arm. “You’re with me,” he hissed, smiling pleasantly. “Now kiss me again.”

                “No,” I whispered, shooting him desperate eyes. “Please, no.”

                “I’m so glad you asked me out last week Nick,” Kenneth said happily, loud enough for Phil to hear. He moved down and forcibly kissed me.

                I looked back over at Phil and my heart shattered at the sight of him. He looked so hurt and heartbroken. The agony in his eyes was killing me.

                He dropped his head and shoved his hands in his pockets. He turned and slowly sulked off and out of sight.

                “Kenneth!” I cried. “Why did you have to do that?!”

                “Because you’re with me Nicky. I never stopped loving you. Now you’re going to pretend to be happy with me. And if you don’t, I’ll be sure to keep rubbing it in Phil’s face. I’ll make him feel like complete shit,” he said, grinning.

                “Leave him alone,” I begged. “He didn’t do anything to you!”

                Kenneth held his hand out to me and raised an eyebrow. “You know what you have to do, Nick,” he said smugly.

                I miserably took his hand in mine and walked him to his first period class. He kissed me deeply before smirking and disappearing into his classroom.

                I made my way to first period and silently sat next to Molly. She frowned deeply and wrapped her arms around me.

                “I can tell you don’t want to talk. When you do, let me know,” she said quietly.

                I gratefully hugged her back.

                The day crawled by until it was time for lunch. Molly and I sat at our table and I anxiously watched the doors in case Phil came out. I had to do something. I had to try to explain.

                The door opened and I grew excited. But my face fell when Angel walked over to us, Phil not in sight. He sat down next to Molly and gave me a curious look.

                “Have you seen Phil?” he asked, a little nervously.

                My face fell even more. “I saw him this morning,” I said.

                Angel sighed. “I saw him right before first period. He looked really upset. I’ve never seen him so upset, and I’ve been his best friend since we were two. I think he left school. I just want to know what’s wrong with him.”

                Oh my lanta. If Phil didn’t kill me, the guilt would.

                “Hey Nick.”

                I jumped and glanced at a smirking Kenneth. Molly glared at him and shoved me over to the edge of the bench. She sat next to me and put her feet up.

                “No room for you,” she said flatly.

                “Nick wants to sit next to me,” he said, setting his tray down and smiling at me. “Right, Nick?”

                “Molly, move,” I said silently. “Let me sit next to him.”

                Molly glared and stood up, shoving Kenneth back roughly. “Leave Nick alone. I know you have something to do with why Phil’s so upset,” she hissed, keeping her voice low so that Angel couldn’t hear her.

                Kenneth smirked triumphantly. He glanced at Angel. “Hey, I know you. Aren’t you Phil Brooks’s best friend? Angel?” he asked, completely ignoring Molly.

                “It’s not pronounced like that,” Angel said with a sigh. “It’s pronounced like ‘on-Hell’. I’m from Puerto Rico.”

                “Sorry,” Kenneth said. He shoved Molly out of the way and sat next to me, wrapping an arm around my waist and kissing me.

                Angel stared at me in confusion and I mentally shot myself. He knew. Now he knew I was the reason his best friend was so hurt.

                “I thought you and Phil…” His eyes widened a little and then narrowed. “What the fuck Nick? I didn’t think you were that kind of guy. It’s your fault he’s so upset, isn’t it?”

                When I stayed silent, he glared harder. “Fuck you. He liked you. He was trusting you. He always talked about you. You just led him on to crush him, you asshole,” he snapped, standing up.

                He grabbed an apple off his tray and chucked it at my face. I yelped and ducked. Kenneth caught it and glared at Angel.

                “Go,” he growled. “Before you piss me off anymore. Don’t yell at my boyfriend.”

                Angel stormed back inside and I groaned and banged my head on the table. “Oh my lanta,” I groaned.

                “I hate when you say that. You overuse it,” Kenneth said, rolling his eyes.

                “Don’t diss my catch phrase,” I whined.

                Molly sat down where Angel had been and glared at me. “I warned you,” she growled, as if Kenneth weren’t sitting right there. “I tried to warn you Nick.”

                I dropped my head in defeat as she got up and left. Now it was just me and Kenneth. If he had never come back, none of this would be happening!

                “Cheer up Nick. I know you’re upset right now, but if you actually try in our relationship, you’ll be happy. Like you were when we first started dating the last time,” Kenneth said, gently stroking my cheek. He kissed me and smiled happily. “Yea, you’ll be happy again. I don’t like seeing you all upset.”

                He suddenly got a suspicious look. “But let me see your phone,” he demanded, holding his hand out.

                Having nothing to hide and really just not caring anymore, I gave him my phone. He scrolled through it for a few minutes before handing it back to me.

                The bell rang and we got up. He took my hand in his and walked me to my next class. He smiled and kissed me deeply. “Cheer up,” he whispered before walking away.

                I went into the classroom and dropped into my seat. My phone buzzed and I pulled it out and flipped it open.

                “Oh my lanta,” I moaned as a random number appeared. Except, I recognized the number. It was Shaw’s. Dammit! Kenneth had been deleting my contacts! Ugh. He had done this the first time we had dated, too. It was so obnoxious.

                I added Shaw’s number back to my contacts before reading the message. It was him asking me if I wanted to hang out with him afterschool. I replied yes and then went to focusing on my school work, needing a distraction.

                Afterschool, I made my way to the park. I sat down on a swing, realizing I was probably early. I sighed and stared up at the sky.

                I looked over as a car pulled into the parking lot. Shaw jumped out and grinned at me. He waved to the car as it pulled away and sped off before skipping over to me.

                He frowned when he reached me. “Uh-Oh. That’s not the expression of a happy Nicky. What happened?” he asked, sitting on the swing next to me.

                I sighed and explained everything, hating myself with each word I spoke. Poor Phil. This was all my fault. If I had just stood up to Kenneth, this wouldn’t be happening!

                Shaw pat me on the back sympathetically. “Just tell him off Nick. I know you don’t want to, but it’s the only way to fix this whole situation,” he said.

                “I can’t do it Shaw,” I said quietly. I knew I couldn’t. I had never been able to stand up for myself like that, and it wasn’t changing now. I just wish I knew if Phil hated me.

                                                                                ***Phil’s POV***

                I sat in my closet, my knees hugged to my chest. My mom didn’t know I was home, and I wanted to keep it that way. I was in enough pain without her punishing me.

                I held my breath as I heard my bedroom door creak open. “Phillip? Are you in here?” mom called impatiently. She sighed and slammed my bedroom door. I let out my breath and rested my head against the wall.

                Nick.

                I had really fallen hard for him. I had never had such strong feelings for anyone before. And I had truly believed he had fallen for me. But I guess I was wrong. He had just played me.

                Why did he have to do that? What had I ever done to him? What had I done to deserve this? I wasn’t a fucking game! I was Phil Brooks. I was a human with feelings. Why did Nick have to treat me like some kind of game? Just drop me when he gets bored of me. Ha. I get it. I was worthless to him.

                The phone rang yet again and I listened as it read out Angel’s dad’s name. Ah. Angel kept calling the house, but my mom kept ignoring it. I didn’t want to talk to him anyways. I didn’t want to talk to anyone.

                I just wanted to know why Nick had done this to me. That’s all I wanted to know now. I had really, really liked him. I had been planning to ask him out this week.

                But he was dating that Kenneth kid. Had asked him out last week, I guess.

                I ruffled my hair angrily. God dammit. Why did he have to do this to me? No one had ever made me feel so hurt and upset and confused before.

                My closet door suddenly slid open. The sudden rush of light made me wince and blink wildly. I looked up at my mom guiltily.

                “Hiding in the closet. How fitting, you fucking faggot,” she growled, grabbing my arm roughly and forcing me to stand. “Why didn’t you tell me you were home? I called you name Phillip! Are you deaf?”

                I shook my head slowly. “No, I heard you. I’m sorry mom. I was just…I was upset,” I said honestly.

                She slapped me and I bit my lip in pain. “I don’t care if you’re upset! When I call your name, you come to me!” she snapped. “You stupid, disrespectful shit!”

                I hung my head in shame. She was right. I was stupid, I was disrespectful. Hell, I was worthless. I was stupid for letting Nick play me. Now I was disrespecting my mom. What the hell was wrong with me?

                Mom dragged me out to the kitchen and shoved me. I stumbled a little and caught myself on the table. I looked at her nervously.

                “Get me a drink. Now,” she snapped before going into the living room. I heard the sound of the TV turning on, and hurried to get her a drink.

                I grabbed a beer and took the cap off before bringing it out to my mom. I handed it to her and began to slowly make my way back to my bedroom.       

                “Phil!”

                I turned around and dropped to the ground in surprise as she flung the beer at me. It shattered and I squeezed my eyes shut as I felt the glass cut my face.

                “I didn’t want a fucking beer! You’re so stupid Phil. Can’t you do anything right? Go make me dinner, and maybe I won’t make you sleep out on the pool deck again,” she growled.

                I nodded obediently and moved towards the kitchen. “Phil, wait,” mom called and motioned me over.

                I went to her and frowned deeply. “I’m sorry mom. What do you need?” I asked. I was such a terrible son. I couldn’t even make my mom happy. I deserved to be punished.

                Her foot shot out and connected with my stomach. I fell to the ground, choking. She began to kick me, just like she had when she caught me watching TV.

                She finally stopped and glared at me. She pointed at the kitchen. “Go,” she snapped and kicked me in the head.

                I crawled into the kitchen and sank down against the counter, my body sore. I gently touched my face and drew my hand away, bloody. My poor mom. She deserved a better son than me.

                I pulled myself to my feet and checked my face in the reflection of the sliding glass door. I was bleeding from various spots, but I would be fine.

                The wounds from my mom would heal. The ones from Nick, not so much.