Can We Create Something Beautiful?

-Blake's POV, weeks later-

Eric and I are the greatest friends. He was a wonderful person. He was really shy, but once you got to know him, he doesn't shut up. Aidmoon still hadn't met him, though.

He and I had a project together. It was for English class. We had to act out a scene from a musical or play. Of course, we were both completely empty when it came to knowing anything along the lines of theatre. Maybe some dialogue from Romeo and Juliet would be alright. Can't go wrong with Shakespeare.

We walked into English and sat next to each other. Eric's eyes were bloodshot. He had bags under them. He was wearing sweatpants and a red sweatshirt. He wasn't wearing any makeup and his hair wasn't straightened very well.

"Eric, are you alright?" I asked.
"No."
"Why?"
"Can we hang out later? I'll tell you then." I nodded.
"Of course we can. My house this time."
"Okay. Thanks, Blake."
"No problem." I gave him a reassuring smile. He half smiled at me and turned back towards his book, a generic vampire novel.

The teacher came in. "Hello, class. I hope you all have a play in mind!" he said, clutching a rose in his hand. Our teacher is named Mr. Raudelunas. He was cynical and loved dark humour and literature. He despised Valentine's Day. He was married, so we didn't really know why. We rarely saw him smile or laugh, but when he did, it was when he asked if we had our homework, or if he was about to give us a pop quiz. Despite all of this, he was still my favourite teacher.

"Aidmoon! Lanette! What's your play?" he asked, clasping his hands together.
"Its not a play persay, but we're acting out a scene from the movie Flowers For Algernon!" Aidmoon said, peppy as always.
"I guess that's fine. Frank, Keyonna?" he continued. He asked everyone until it came down to us.

"Mr. Light, Mr. Bliss. Your play?"

I looked at Eric, who shrugged. I gave him a smile and said "Uhh, we wanna do the final scene from Romeo and Juliet. But no kissing." Eric blushed and looked back to his book.
"Ahh, a classic tale of forbidden romance. Adorable. Now, class, open your literature books to my personal favourite, The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe."

-after school-

I caught up with Eric and Aidmoon. When they both got here, I politely introduced them. They sparked up a conversation instantly. That's what I loved about Aidmoon. She always knew what to talk about.

I drove her to Jared's house and drove to ours. On the way, I said "Eric, I gotta tell you something." He turned his head, his big brown eyes staring straight into mine. I could tell he was still sad.
"What?"
"I...I have an apartment with Aidmoon. My parents couldn't support me and Aidmoon's disowned her for being bi. We got jobs and got an apartment. Its pretty nice. I uh...didn't tell you because I thought you'd think I was weird and poor."
"Why would I think that? I love you, man. You're my best friend. My only one, at that."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I'm glad I met Aidmoon today. Maybe she likes me..."
"I bet she does. Its hard for someone not to like you." He blushed and looked out the window.

"I just want someone to care about me like I care about them, y'know?" he muttered.
"What do you mean?"
"Well...I have a huge crush on this guy. I really, really like him. But I know he doesn't feel the same."
"How do you know?"
"I just know. How could anyone love me?" He looked helpless. I hated seeing him like that. Someone so beautiful, so sweet, so considerate...yet so broken. I wanted to hold him and tell him that I cared. I wanted to kiss away the pain. But whoever this guy is...better not play with his feelings. I won't have it.

"Is that why you're so sad?"
"No. I'll tell you when we get to your place, okay?"
"Okay."

We got to my apartment. I brought him over to the couch where we sat down. He opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't.

"Hey, you can do it. You can tell me. I believe in you."
"N-No, I can't...I'm scared..."
"Do you want me to hold your hand?" I said, not thinking before I spoke.
"Y-Yeah, actually. That'd be nice." I gently squeezed his hand. He took a deep breath.

"Well...my dad still lives over in Vancouver. My mom and him are still in a custody battle. My mom got full custody over me for the time being, but he gets to come see me once every six months. I don't wanna see him..."
"Why not?"
"Promise you won't tell anyone?"
"I promise."
"Well...do you see these bruises and burns?"
"Yeah...?"
"He did that to me. He'd hit me, burn me..." He lifted his shirt snd showed me a scar on his back. "...cut me, even."
"Why haven't they gone away yet?"
"I don't even know. But I'm afraid to see him, Blake. What if he hits me again?"
"He won't hit you again. I promise."
"If he sees me, he will. And when he sees me, I don't want you there. What if he hurts you...? My dad would do those kind of things..." A single tear fell out of his eye. I was instantly heartbroken.

"Eric...if he hurts you, I'll be there to bandage up your wounds. I care about you. So much." I hugged him tightly. He softly cried into my shoulder, absolutely shattering my heart into millions of pieces. I couldn't bear seeing him this way.

"Stay here, Eric. Okay? I'll be right back." I ran to my room and grabbed my guitar. I began to sing to him.

Isolation by choice

I am spin like grass

My body withers away

Indeed I've forgotten to nurish my shell today

My enemies beseech me all day long

And they started use my name as a curse

For I'm a disruption of wasted faces left

And my groaning bones cling to my flexed flesh

Fuelling my unshattered self

Miss directions of my mind

Feuling the hunger of my selfishness

As I lose myself within your thoughts

So faster lessons unknown

Unconscious still it screams

Dispelled predators shadows my thoughts and often haunt my dreams

For daylight shades the wicked and nightime reveals the retch

Within ourselves we share the concern that our voices shall never be heard and their poison till the end of the world

For I have victim ashes that stale bread

And mingled my drink with the weeping dead

Whos days are like a light that the shadow unknown

That master them selves and their tounges turn back to stone

Ohhhh

Fueling the hunger of my selfishness

As I lose myself within your thoughts

So faster lessons unknown

Unconscious still it screams

Dispelled predator shadow my thoughts and often haunt my dreams

So faster lessons unknown

Unconscious still it screams

Dispelled predator shadow my thoughts and often haunt, they often haunt my dreams

Isolation by choice

"Blake...that was amazing."
"Thanks. I wrote it the other day. I wasn't feeling the greatest..."
"Its perfect, alright? Y-You're perfect."
"You really think so?"
"Yeah."
A smile spread across my face. "You're perfect, too."