This Is Ourselves Under Pressure
Riddle of Revenge
QUINN’S P.O.V.:
The constant restless movements from the bunk below kept me from my sleep. I shoved my pillow over my ears but the sounds of their movements… They rang in my ears, vibrating off every curve and corner. I wanted to moan and block out the sounds, but then they would know I was listening and they would know how irritated they made me and I couldn’t do that. I wanted to crawl down the steps and bash Gerard in the back of the head… Bash him in the head for stealing the only guy I’ve ever trusted… Ever loved… Ever wanted… Ever needed. I strained my whole body to keep from climbing the steps to the bottom bunk.
The next morning…
I woke up at two in the afternoon; the cause of a sleepless night, in pajama bottoms and some old t-shirt. I looked around but no one else was on the van. I jumped from the top bunk, hitting my head on the roof. I opened the ‘front’ door, letting the blinding sunlight into the van, momentarily blocking my vision. There were a few hills that surrounded the empty space where we had parked for the night. They were large, spacious hills; hard to see over. Yet, over the tall hills, I spotted the back of a matted head. My heartbeat raced; I had to think fast.
“Bert!” I screamed over the hills, cupping my hands around my mouth. His head whipped around, only for his eyes to drop to the ground when he realized who had called his name. I ran over to him, not realizing how far he really was. “Can I talk with you for a minute?” I asked quietly, out of breath. “I’m here, aren’t I?” his voice was impatient.
I stood silent for a moment as I figured out what I was planning on saying.
“Are you here to say what I think you’re going to say?”
I didn’t reply for loss of words, so he spoke instead: “I take that as a yes. What do you want me to say, Quinn?” his rough voice made me wince. Pause. “You, of all people, Quinn, should know what it’s like.” Bert’s ears were red; fuming. I shrugged as if dismissing his screaming. His nostrils flared, outraged. “But I do know what it’s like, Bert…” I protested. And I did, I knew exactly what it was like to be discovered, to know the pain of having to hide the one you love from the world. “Then stop acting like a child, Quinn,” he yelled, maybe a bit too loud. “I’m acting like a child?” I yelled almost as loud, “You’re the one yelling at me for something I never even questioned!” I stalked off, possibly as outraged as he was.
As I was walking back onto the bus, Gerard passed me, unknowingly. “Where’s Be—“ I cut him off with a look that could kill.
I wanted Gerard gone. I wanted revenge.
The constant restless movements from the bunk below kept me from my sleep. I shoved my pillow over my ears but the sounds of their movements… They rang in my ears, vibrating off every curve and corner. I wanted to moan and block out the sounds, but then they would know I was listening and they would know how irritated they made me and I couldn’t do that. I wanted to crawl down the steps and bash Gerard in the back of the head… Bash him in the head for stealing the only guy I’ve ever trusted… Ever loved… Ever wanted… Ever needed. I strained my whole body to keep from climbing the steps to the bottom bunk.
The next morning…
I woke up at two in the afternoon; the cause of a sleepless night, in pajama bottoms and some old t-shirt. I looked around but no one else was on the van. I jumped from the top bunk, hitting my head on the roof. I opened the ‘front’ door, letting the blinding sunlight into the van, momentarily blocking my vision. There were a few hills that surrounded the empty space where we had parked for the night. They were large, spacious hills; hard to see over. Yet, over the tall hills, I spotted the back of a matted head. My heartbeat raced; I had to think fast.
“Bert!” I screamed over the hills, cupping my hands around my mouth. His head whipped around, only for his eyes to drop to the ground when he realized who had called his name. I ran over to him, not realizing how far he really was. “Can I talk with you for a minute?” I asked quietly, out of breath. “I’m here, aren’t I?” his voice was impatient.
I stood silent for a moment as I figured out what I was planning on saying.
“Are you here to say what I think you’re going to say?”
I didn’t reply for loss of words, so he spoke instead: “I take that as a yes. What do you want me to say, Quinn?” his rough voice made me wince. Pause. “You, of all people, Quinn, should know what it’s like.” Bert’s ears were red; fuming. I shrugged as if dismissing his screaming. His nostrils flared, outraged. “But I do know what it’s like, Bert…” I protested. And I did, I knew exactly what it was like to be discovered, to know the pain of having to hide the one you love from the world. “Then stop acting like a child, Quinn,” he yelled, maybe a bit too loud. “I’m acting like a child?” I yelled almost as loud, “You’re the one yelling at me for something I never even questioned!” I stalked off, possibly as outraged as he was.
As I was walking back onto the bus, Gerard passed me, unknowingly. “Where’s Be—“ I cut him off with a look that could kill.
I wanted Gerard gone. I wanted revenge.