Don't Hold Your Breath

One. Fucking Week. 
It's been the longest most painful three weeks of my life. 

And its almost over. 

But something tells me, this week is going to go by painfully slow. 

"Ryan, you're zoning out again." Kaela said poking me. I turned my attention to the front of the class as the teacher was assigning project partners. What kind of teacher assigns projects one week before school gets out? especially for a senior class!? We should be out partying and not doing school work. 

"Olivia Chester and Brian, um, Gabe Sierra, and Brittany." oh, poor Gabe. stuck with most annoying flirty girls in the entire school. They're going to be all over him. although it is kind of funny. I looked over and Gabe had an expression of horror plastered on his face. I couldn't help but laugh at least a little bit. He saw me laughing and flipped me off. 

"Ryan, Kaela," I quickly turned to her and gave her a high five. ". . . and Taylor." Both of our faces dropped when we heard that last name. No. Fuck. Worst week of my life. 

I looked over and noticed that Taylor didn't’t look so happy either. I glared at Gabe who had a “Ha ha” Smirk on his face. 

The teacher continued to read off  names but I tuned her out. Absorbed in my own problems. 

“This fucking sucks.” Kaela muttered under her breath. She really hated this guy. He’s been tormenting her ever since she moved here. 

“I know. This week is going to be horrible.”

“Well just think about what’s coming at the end of this week.” She added trying to at least cheer me up. 

That’s true. That’s what I’ve been thinking about for the last three months. 

“I miss him.” I pouted. 

She sighed. “You lasted nearly three months. I think you can last another week.” 

“You have no idea how long this week is going to be.”

“Seven days?” She smirked. 

I rolled my eyes. “Ha-ha” I added sarcastically. 

Then the bell rang, signaling the end of school. 

“Alright, have a nice weekend everyone. I’ll see you all Monday.” The teacher announced sending us off on our merry way. 

I turned to Kaela. “So do you want to do this today after school and just get it over with?” 

“Sure why not? But I’m not talking to him.” She crossed her arms and glared in his direction. 

“Fine I’ll do the talking.” I sighed and walked towards him. 

I walked up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and his expression was unpleasant. 

“You’re coming over to my house over school. We’re going to work on this and finish it so we can go back to ignoring each other.” I said harshly. 

“Fine. Now leave before people see me talking to you.” He waved me off. I flipped him off before walking away. 

“This is going to be hell” I muttered to Kaela as we walked out of the classroom. 

~*~

“Aunt Amy!” I called as we walked into the house. 

“Yes dear!?” She called from somewhere in the house. 

“I have some people over, we’ll be in my room working on a project for school.” I called back. 

“Okay! don’t let the devil in!” I rolled my eyes and led them to my room. 

Kaela took her spot in my chair and I sat on my bed. 

I caught Taylor eying one of my MCR posters. 

"Dude. My Chemical Romance? Are you serious? They're just a bunch if f-" Kaela cut him off by "Accidental" stomping on his foot. Hard. "Ow! Fuck. What the-" 

"Oops." She said in an "sweet innocent" tone. I chuckled and rolled my eyes.

Kaela took her spot in my chair and I sat on my bed. 

"Alright so, since I don't have a computer, Kaela can you do the power point?" She nodded. "I can make the poster, and Trevor cam do the presentation." 

"Its Taylor." he growled through his teeth. 

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes. "Lets get to work." Just then Kaela's phone rang interrupting my thoughts. 

"Hey hun...Yup....good...of course..." Well I wasn't hard to figure out who was calling. I grinned to myself. "Here Ryan. Make it quick. We gotta get back to work." I nodded and took the phone. 

"Hey Bren." 

"Hey Ry, guess what." 

"What?" 

"I can't believe I forgot to tell you. But Blivy is coming with us when we visit you!" 

"That's awesome! But why?" I questioned. Why would he want to come? I mean I know he's cool with Brendon and everything but…

"He wants to see Gabe." I could practically hear him smile. I had a feeling this was his doing. 

"You're kidding. Dude, Gabe's gunna be ecstatic!" 

"No, Ryan don't tell him. I want it to be a surprise." 

"Alright fine. Only one more week babe. This is going to be the longest week of my life."

"I know, mine too. I love you." 

"Love you too babe." I could just tell I was making Taylor uncomfortable. Muahaha. He made a gag face but I ignored him.

"Ryan! I made snacks for you and your guests! Come down here and get them please!" My aunt called. 

"Alright Ill be right there!" I called. "Sorry Bren. I'll be right back." 

"Alright." I set the phone down and walked out. 

"Wait I'll help you!" Kaela called after me probably not wanting to he stuck alone in the same room with Taylor. 

Taylor's POV

I can't believe I'm here. I also can believe that I had to listen to that fag sweet talk his fucking boyfriend. I rolled my eyes and sat on the bed. As I did so, I noticed the phone sitting on the bedside table. The phone with his precious boyfriend on the other line. 

My brain hatched an idea. 

I picked up the phone. "Hello, who is this?" I spoke into the phone. 

"Um, this is Brendon...Who is this?" A male voice spoke from the other line. 

"Oh I'm Taylor. Ryan's new boyfriend." a smirk grew on my face while I internally grimaced at the words. 

"W-what? No, that's impossible...I'm his boyfriend." His voice grew unsteady. 

"Not according to him. He told me you two broke up." 

"W-what? N-no. I-" Suddenly I heard Ryan and Kaela down the hall so I muttered a quick "Gotta go" and set the phone down. Kaela walked in holding some juice boxes and Ryan was holding a tray with cookies and fruit slices on them. Out of nowhere Saporta appeared behind them. 

"We found this guy outside so he's going to join us." Ryan announced placing to food on the table by the phone. He then picked it up to resume talking to his boyfriend. 

Ryan's POV 

"Hey babe I'm back." Instead of hearing his voice I heard sniffling coming from the other line. "Brendon, are you crying? What's wrong? What happened.?" There was a pause before he answered. 

"How long?" he mumbled into the phone. 

"W-what are you talking about?" 

"How long damn it!" He yelled into the phone. 

"Brendon I have no idea what you're talking about!" I defended. 

"Don't play stupid! How long have you been cheating on me with...with..." He trailed off as his voice broke. "Pete was right." I barely heard him whisper into the phone. 

"Pete? What does he have to do with anything? And Brendon I-" 

"Save it." He cut me off. Then he hung up before I could respond. 

"Brendon? Brendon!" I pulled away the phone and looked at it verifying that he really had hung up. 

What the hell-

"Ryan is everything okay?" Kaela came up behind me. I didn't respond. 

"Dude. Are you alright?" Gabe then asked. 

What on earth gave him the idea that I would cheat on him? Then it occurred to me. I knew I shouldn't have left the phone in here with him! 

"What did you say to him?" I growled between my teeth as I turned towards Taylor, who had a smirk slapped across his face. 

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I threw the phone on the bed and pushed him up against the wall. 

"What the hell did you say to him!" I yelled in his face. He was still holding on to that ridiculous smirk as he spoke. 

"Oh I don't know. I may have said a word or two about you're new boyfriend here in Alabama." I felt myself flush with anger, and I wanted nothing more then to rip his head off. But Kaela stopped me before I could do so. 

"Ryan, you don't need to do this right now. What you need to do is call Brendon back and explain." She said prying me off of him. I sighed and looked at her. 

"You're right." I walked over to the phone and picked it up. Hoping he would talk to me.

"Well I'm going to head out. And Ryan don't worry. You'll get over it. Just fuck Saporta or something." I glared at him, and went to charge him again, but Gabe held me back. 

"Chill Ryan. Call Brendon, I'll handle this." He said quietly so Taylor wouldn't hear. I sighed and brought the phone back to my attention. I noticed Gabe follow Taylor out and Kaela pat my shoulder reassuringly. 

I dialed his number, several times, but he didn't answer. Finally I gave up on that. Damn him and his stubbornness. 

"Why don't you try calling Jon or something and get them to talk to Brendon?" Kaela suggested.

"Yeah I'll try that. " I went to dial his Number when I realized I didn't have it. 

"Damn it. I don't know his number off the top of my head." I mumbled. 

"Oh I have it in there." She grabbed the phone and brought it up. Why did she have Jons number?

"Why do you have Jons number?" I asked raising my eyebrow. 

"Here." she said ignoring me, handing me the the phone. "Its ringing." 

I forgot about that when Jon answered the phone. 

"Hello?" 

"Um, Jon, are you with Brendon?" I asked. 

"I was... We were at an ice cream shop, and I got up to get the orders... When I came back he was crying. When I asked him what was wrong he ran off mumbling cuss words followed by your name. Care to explain what you did?" 

"Ugh. Damn it. You have to find him. Now! Before he does something stupid!" I ordered. 

"I will when you tell me what's going on!" he defended. 

"Ugh. I was talking to him on the phone, when my aunt called me to come help her, and my homophobic douche bag project partner picked up the phone and told him I was cheating on him while I was gone, and I tried to talk to him but he won't answer his phone." I spoke really quickly. I was surprised that he could understand me. 

"Woah woah. Seriously? Dude. Hold on."  I heard shuffling then his voice appeared on the phone again. "Okay, I'm going to try and call him them I'll call you back okay?" 

I sighed. "Okay."

I set the phone down an felt a tear fall down my cheek. What if he can't find him? What if he doesn't believe me? What if he never wants to talk to me again? Ugh! It's all that fucking idiot Taylor's fault! 

"Ryan?" Kaela questioned. 

"Uh, he's gunna call try and call Brendon. Then he's gunna try and call me back." I answered. 

"Its going to be okay Ryan. Jon will talk to him. Everything is going to be fine." She said sitting down next to me and slinging her arms around my shoulders trying to comfort me. Eventually Gabe walked in. He was holding his hand in an odd manner. 

"Gabe, what happened to your hand?" Kaela asked still hugging me. He came and sat down on the other side of me. 

"The kid wouldn't shut his mouth. So I shut I for him." He said with a smirk on his face. He seemed pleased with his work. 

"Ry, it'll be alright. He'll understand. It was probably just a little unexpected." Gabe tried his best to comfort me as well. I could tell it was hard for him.

Soon the phone rang interrupting our little "touching" moment. 

Brendon's POV

I ran out of the ice cream shop. Jon was probably wondering what the hell was going on. But I didn't care. All I could think about was....

How could he do that to me? There's no way... I thought he loved me! He said he loved me! Countless times! How could he do this?

I felt the tears pour down my cheeks as I found myself in the local park. I sat myself down against one of the trees on the grass. I brought my knees up to my chest and began sobbing and crying my eyes out. 

All I could think was, how could he? I've done everything for him! Fucking everything! I was his first real friend. I even fucking saved his life! I helped him come out of the closet, I even dumped my first boyfriend for him! And this is how he repays me?

"Brendon?" I looked up to see Jon. I didn't respond. I just sat my head back down on my knees. 

"Brendon, I think you need to talk to him." 

"No. I don't need to talk to anybody." I mumbled. 

"Look Bren, it was all just a misunderstanding. He's not cheating on you." He stated sitting down next to me. 

"Oh really? Because I had a nice little chat with his boyfriend."

"No Bren, look. I talked to him. That guy... He was lying. He was just a bully that hates Ryan because he's gay. They got assigned project partners, which explains why he was over. Ryan didn't cheat on you." He explained. 

"That's ridiculous. Why would any teacher assign projects this late in the year?" I questioned. 

"Brendon think about it. Would Ryan really do this to you? He sounded really upset on the phone. I think you should call him." 

I thought about it. Maybe I did over react. Now that I think about it, he did mention a "Taylor" a lot and how much of an ass hole he is.

Maybe I'm just an idiot.

"Damn it! I'm so fucking stupid." I exclaimed

"No Brendon your not stupid... It was all just a misunderstanding. Although I suggest you take this phone call." He suggested holding out the cell phone. 

I wiped away my tears and grabbed it, holding I up to my ear. "Hello?" I barely mumbled. 

"Bren? Thank god. I need to explain-" 

"You don't have to. Jon already told me. I'm sorry. I'm such an idiot." 

"No Brendon, you're not. It's just…how could you think I'd ever do something like that? You know I love you, and only you."

"I don't know. I just... I let Pete get to my head. I was stupid. I'm sorry." 

"You have nothing to be sorry for. You were lied to. And if it makes you feel any better, Gabe punched the guy out. I don't think he'll be messing with us any more."

I let a chuckle escape my lips. I guess Saporta wasn't so bad after all. 

"I miss you." I sighed. 

"I know, I miss you too. One more week babe."

"Yeah. So were good right?" 

"Yeah, were good."