Noah Clarke

Noah woke up extra early the next morning. He woke up hoping that the day before was all just a nightmare. But sadly, he knew it wasn’t. Noah went to the closet, got a white T-shirt, a black hood, his skinny jeans with the chains hanging and got dressed.

He went to the bathroom, brushed his teeth and looked at himself in the mirror. He thought he looked the worst he has ever looked in his life. His eyes were blood red from crying all day yesterday and during his sleep. His face was pale from lack of energy. He really didn’t want to go to school but he knew that missing the second day of school would probably be a huge setback for him and also for his attendance.

He put on his black converses, grabbed his book bag and went downstairs. Noah’s mother now knowing what had happened yesterday didn’t say anything to her son, and he made no effort either. He went right past her and the pantry and then she said “Do you want something to….?” But then Noah slammed the door; leaving his mother with her words stuck in her mouth.

To Noah’s surprise, Nicholas was standing right outside of his door. Noah slowly raised his head, looking at Nicholas in the eyes. Nicholas said “I…I’m so sorry” trying to hold back tears. Noah sniffled a few times before falling at Nicholas’ feet crying savagely. Nicholas helped him up and Noah hugged Nicholas strongly as he kept crying. “I just want you to know that you still have me, and I will always be there when you need me…” Nicholas said still desperately trying not to cry. “Thank you” Noah said. “Thank you so much” he continued, still crying. As all of this happened, Noah’s mother watched from the bedroom window; trying to understand who this boy was. “How long have you been out here waiting for me?” Noah asked in between sobs. “Since 5:00” Nicholas said. “I didn’t know how early you would wake up, and I wanted to be here to comfort you so…I waited” Nicholas replied sympathetically.

“I think that maybe we should go out and do something today to get your mind off of what happened” Nicholas continued. “Why should my life even go on, after this?” Noah asked softly. “Why go on, when the only person you have ever deeply cared for is gone!?” Noah exclaimed. “Because there is more to discover in life” Nicholas replied. Noah and Nicholas stared into each other’s eyes.

Then Nicholas leaned in as he said “It’s going to be ok, because I will never leave you” and then kissed Noah softly on the lips. Then they started walking toward the bus stop. Noah’s mother watched the entire scene from her bedroom window. She had mixed emotions. This explained her son acting like he was hiding something. This explained her son never having a girlfriend or even ever talking about girls. This explained the way he dressed, how he always hung out with only girls, and how he never liked being around boys his age.

Her only son was gay, and she was furious. The entire day Noah wasn’t thinking about Nicholas for the first time. He was thinking about Christie and how his nightmare and his real life had gotten so mixed up in only three days. He thought about the fact that he still had Nicholas though and he wasn’t completely alone.

He thought about the fact that he did find that special someone, but he didn’t want to find them this way. It’s like he lost someone and gained another. At lunch Noah sat with Nicholas, but they didn’t talk. During GYM Noah got hit with so many dodge balls, he got a migraine. But he didn’t care. He whizzed right by his mother which was about to say something. She figured he still felt pain and that she should wait to confront him about his “sexual issues” as she thinks of it. Noah took a bath brushed his teeth and fell into a dreamless sleep. Until moments later that he remembered he had a date today.

He got up, went to his closet, and picked out a long sleeved blue and black striped V-neck shirt and his black skinny jeans. He put on his blue converses and went to go put on more eyeliner which was running since he cried in the morning. He put on a black faux-beret (the droopy ones) and headed down stairs. He took his wallet off the counter and was about to open the door when he heard his mother’s voice “Noah, where are you going?” Noah turned around and saw his mother sitting on a dining room chair. “Out” he replied. “With whom?” she asked curiously. “I’m sure you saw him this morning…mom that doesn’t stalk people at all” Noah replied as he slammed the door, again leaving his mother with her words crammed in her mouth.

Noah sat on the sidewalk and a few minutes later, Nicholas came walking. Noah blushed as he saw Nicholas walking towards him. He thought he looked stunning. “Hello Noee” Nicholas in a flirtatious way. The nickname Noee triggered thoughts he didn’t want in his head at the moment. Christie and himself walking down the street laughing. Christie and himself having ice cream while laughing together. Then Noah started crying right on the sidewalk. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to remind you of…” “No; it’s ok…I’m fine” Noah said trying to stop crying. “Where do you want to go?” Nicholas said, changing the subject. Noah had stopped crying now. “There is a bus stop a block away, we can go pretty much anywhere we want right now” “We’ll, I have been wanting to go to the movies” Noah replied. “Ok, movies it is” Noah and Nicholas walked to the bus stop and took the bus to the mall.

Inside the mall they walked to the movies and got their tickets. They saw a scary movie and Noah was hugging Nicholas the entire time yelping. Then they headed out for the bus stop. As they walked they noticed that they were being followed. They started walking faster. Then they heard a voice say “Hey fagots, over here!” someone exclaimed. They ignored the comments and started speed walking. Then they heard running behind them so they started to run. “Hold on fairies” a different voice said. “We just want to play!” they continued. Noah and Nicholas kept running; and then they caught up to them. There were 6 guys, about their age.

Two grabbed Noah by the arms and one grabbed him by the legs, and the other three did the same with Nicholas. They took them both into a forest that was right next to the mall. They went into the deepest, darkest parts of the forest. Then the three that were carrying Nicholas took him away somewhere as he struggled to get free. The other three put Noah on the floor still holding his arms and legs. The one holding his legs sat on Noah’s stomach and took a handkerchief out of his pocket and tried to put it over his mouth, but Noah struggled.

“Don’t worry buddy, I’ll give it to ya soon” he said as he grabbed his head and slammed it against the floor. Noah didn’t have the strength to move his head so he just laid there. The guy put the handkerchief over his mouth and reached into his pocket. Noah looked and when the guy took his hand out of his pocket, there was a condom in his hand. Noah was nearly unconscious as the guy took off his pants and drawers. Then, he raped him. Noah struggled to get free, but the guy’s grips were too hard to fight his way out of them. Noah felt a rush of panic run through him as he fainted.

When he awoke he was laying next to Nicholas who was unconscious. “Nicholas?!” he exclaimed. “Nicholas, wake up please!” he continued. He looked at Nicholas’ body. He wasn’t wearing any pants and he had knife wounds and bruises all over his body.

“No!” Noah exclaimed. “You promised; you promised you wouldn’t leave me!” Noah yelled in between sobs. “Don’t leave me alone; don’t break your promise!” Noah continued. “I thought I had someone there; that’s what you said and because of that I forbid you from leaving me here!” Noah said as he now realized that yet another person was taken away from him. Noah was exhausted; he fell beside his dead soul mate and fell asleep…