Jagged Edges

I get to the music room early, knowing that Treason will head straight here instead of to study hall. Guilt is still eating away at my insides over the Seth situation and I know it won't subside until I talk to Treason. The music teacher is nowhere in sight when I get here which I'm grateful for. That would be unnecessarily awkward.

I settle on the piano bench and watch the door dutifully. Treason walks in mere seconds later and stops short when he sees me. "Gian. Hey. What're you doing here?"

"Sunny, I wanted to talk to you. Do you have time?"

"Uh. Yeah, sure. Talk about what?" He asks, still standing.

"What happened on Saturday-"

"There's nothing to talk about." Treason interrupts. I can practically see his defense mechanisms fall back into place as if we hadn't made any progress at all.

"W-what? Sunny, you almost kissed me. I think-"

"It was a mistake."

"I- You- Really?"

"Look," He sighs, sitting down next to me, "I didn't know about Seth."

"Seth? How'd you find out about Seth?"

"L'von told me last block."

I sigh and run a hand through my hair. "Sunny, I didn't meet Seth until an hour before that happened. He came over yesterday out of the blue and asked me out. I . . . I wasn't thinking when I said yes."

He stays quiet for a second. "But you did say yes. You're going, right?" He confirms. "I think you should go."

I sit in shocked silence for a second and stand, making my way to the door. "Then I'll go."

Treason waits until I'm halfway out of the door and calls me back. "Gian! We're . . . we're still friends, right?"

The look on his face nearly breaks my heart and I find myself wrapping my arms around his waist. "Of course we are, Sunny. Nothing is going to change that."

Treason hugs back tightly before letting go and turning to the piano. I can hear the melody float down the hallway after me and I feel the tears well up in my eyes.

What does this mean? He wants me to go out with Seth. Does that mean that Saturday really was a mistake? I mean, just because he's gay doesn't mean he likes me. Or am I making a big mistake by actually going through with this? Am I passing up a really good chance at a really good thing? I don't know anything about Seth. I mean, I hardly know anything about Treason either but at least we're friends. 

Friends. Friends.

God, I've never hated a word more in my life. 

I yank the library door open harder than intended, attracting the attention of most of the occupants. When they see that it's only me they return back to what they were doing.

Bradley smiles at me waves me over, motioning to the empty seat next to him. I sink into the hard plastic chair and try not to cringe at his confused look.

"What's up? Is something wrong?"

I sigh and glance around to check for eavesdroppers. I trust Bradley completely. He's proved to me that he's more than trustworthy over the two months that I've been here. I tell him the full story, from the moment I realized that I like Treason to the conversation in the music room.

By the time I'm done he's speechless and the bell is ringing. "Wow Gian, that's tough. I don't . . . well I think it's worth giving this Seth guy a chance. I mean, you're not technically tied down and Treason doesn't really seem . . . ready, you know?"

"I know. I'm just . . . really bummed out."

Bradley gives me a sympathetic look almost immediately replaced with an eager grin. "Do you wanna hang after school? Get your mind off this mess?" 

"That sounds amazing but I have GSA after school."

"After that then. I'll go with you so we can leave straight after." He suggests.

"You really wanna go to GSA?"

"Hey, it's the Gay-Straight Alliance, right?" Bradley grins. He nods his head down a hallway suggesting we have to part ways now. "I'll see you there."

Bradley is the most amazing straight guy I've ever met. Between him, L'von, and my dad, I have hope for the future of the world.

I might be able to make it through this after all.