Falling Asleep on a Stranger

Waking up never felt so great. My alarm went off at 6:30 a.m. on the dot and I sprang up in my bed with a stupid smile plastered to my face. I knew today was going to be a good day, and I couldn't wait to get that started. I danced over to my dresser and looked at my reflection in the mirror; even my hair was cooperating today. I yanked the clothes I had set aside for today and ran towards the bathroom. I was so excited I forgot there was a closed door, and I banged my head into the door. I fell down onto my back. I reached up to my forehead to find a huge bump and a little blood. I groaned and sat up, and I knocked on the door. Vic called out from inside and seemed a little frightened.

"Yeah, it's Vic, I'm... I'm in here. Sorry." I called out to him saying, "No big deal, just got a little excited and slammed into the door. Take your time." I decided against getting up, because I was still really tired, and I really didn't want my headache to get worse. But I knew Vic would be in the bathroom for forever, because of his stupid hair, so I got up slowly and stumbled to the kitchen. I reached above the fridge for a few breakfast bars and inhaled them. I was starving.
Vic finally came out of the bathroom, hair perfectly pin-straight, and I ran in there to shower and get my stuff together. I jumped into the shower and thought about the day ahead of me. No tests, no assignments due, probably no homework over the weekend. This Friday was looking really good.

The past few days had been extremely awesome. Tony and I had spent pretty much every lunch together this week, and I had hung out with him last night at his house. His mom was pretty cool, and we pretty much just played guitar hero the entire time. I'd never tell him this, but he would start singing and humming to himself quietly while we played, and it just made him all the more cuter.

Ugh. I couldn't start that up again. Everything about Tony made me so happy. I finished my shower and got dressed, this time wearing a plaid blue shirt and some black skinnies with holes in the knees. After drying my hair I grabbed my beanie, changed my lip ring, and waited for Vic in the living room. God, this kid took forever to get ready. He finally emerged from his bedroom and we walked to school. We hadn't spoken much in the mornings this week, but I wanted to ask him about his date with Jaime on Monday night. He still hadn't told me anything about that, and I was extremely curious. Tony hadn't known much either, all he knew was that Jaime and Vic had gone out of the city for a few hours, and came back just in time for school. I figured I would ask him today, before anything weirder started happening.

"So Vic, you gonna tell me what's going on with you and Jaime?" I asked.

"Oh, uh, well... You know how he took me out Monday night?"

I cleared my throat and rolled my eyes. "No, not at all. It's not like you woke me up in a panic or anything." I smirked and he just rolled his eyes back at me.

"Well, that night we went to one of his buddy's shows in Haven, and we had some drinks there, and I had a really good time and everything but uh, like, after the show we went to a little cafe that was still open, and uh, well, by the end of the night we weren't at the table chatting and making small talk anymore."

Vic kinda looked a little guilty, like he had just committed murder or something.

"...And what happened, exactly?" I asked him, suddenly really suspicious of him.

He looked a little sheepish as he said, "Well, uh, things kinda got a little out of hand and we kinda..."

"Vic, you didn't hook up with him, did you?"

He looked so guilty.

"Vic, why the hell would you do that?!"

"It was really early in the morning and I was drunk, and, I don't know, but it's not like it was bad or anything. I mean really."

"Vic, you didn't even know him that well. Why would you even think about something like that?"
"Well I couldn't help it, I just thought... I thought it would work. And it did." He nodded, signaling the end of the conversation.

I groaned in disgust. How could someone just do that? I didn't understand what changed his mind and what would possess him into thinking that was okay.

"Look Mike, I know you're not exactly proud of what happened with Alan and you, but-"
I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and he followed suit.

"Do not bring my previous relationship into this conversation. I was in a completely different situation. It's not like I had JUST MET HIM EARLIER THAT DAY." I looked at him with hard eyes, and he seemed to shrink a bit. He closed his eyes and started walking again. I waited until he was in the school before I began moving, trying to remember the good feeling I was in when I woke up this morning.

Tony was waiting for me at my locker, and that helped bring the feelings from earlier this morning back. I smiled at him and hugged him before unlocking my faded blue locker. "Morning, bro." He grinned at me and leaned against the lockers. "Good morning sunshine, what brought that smile to your face today?" I asked him. On Wednesday and Thursday, whenever I was looking at Tony, he seemed to be smiling constantly. I had been wondering since yesterday morning what brought that on.

"No particular reason, just been happy. What about you, mister 'I smile every moment I possibly can'?" He winked at me and I could feel a slight blush flowing to my cheeks. He was the reason for my smile, but there was no way I was going to be able to tell him that.

"No real reason for me, either." I winked back at him and I motioned towards our first period class.

"You think we should head to math now, or wait a couple minutes? I don't think Jaime's down there. He's probably with Vic." I shrugged and he gave me a questioning look. He knew they'd been hanging out, but I still hadn't told him about what had happened Monday night.

"Whattaya mean? ...Wait, did something happen that you're not telling me about?"

"Oh, yeah. Monday night, they went up to a show, had some drinks, and they, uh... They ended up hooking up in a cafe." I could feel the scowl forming on my face. I didn't like that at all. Sure, I was happy for them or whatever, but hooking up with someone after not even knowing them for a day?

That wasn't like Vic at all. That was more... my style.

Tony interrupted my thoughts on that, saying, "Oh. Well, are they together now?" He looked somewhat interested, but he didn't look shocked or worried or anything. Was I the only one worried about this? It seemed like it. I hadn't even talked to Jaime about it, but he was probably perfectly okay with everything. Ugh. Why did this bother me so much?

I knew the answer to my own question, but I really didn't feel like explaining to Tony right now. So I just answered his question instead. "I really don't know. I don't even think they know. But that's why they've been away from us all week."

"Hmm." Was all Tony said after that. He mumbled something about getting to math class, and I started to walk, turning around to see if he was following me there. He wasn't, though. He had gone down the other side of the hallway and went upstairs. But wait, our class was downstairs. Why the hell would he be going upstairs? His locker wasn't even up there.

"Ugh. Tony!" I yelled, but he had already made it up there. I ran up the stairs on the other side of the hallway to see him going to Jaime's locker. That was weird; what did he need Jaime's locker for? We were gonna be late to class, and I didn't need to be yelled at this early in the year. But I was too curious about what the hell Tony was doing. I stood out of his line of sight so he couldn't know I was spying on him. He unlocked Jaime's locker in one try and took something out of it, and then ran downstairs to the first floor. I followed him and ran into the math room, running in and sitting down before he could even get down the hallway to the classroom. I caught my breath as soon as the bell rang, Tony jogging in at the last minute. He sat down at his new desk, between me and Jenna, and gave me a small smile. I returned the gesture and looked up to see Mr. Simmons' sitting at his desk with a pile of papers in his hands and a smirk on his face. I felt sick. I was not in the mood to write a pop quiz, and I had to figure out what Tony was doing in Jaime's locker. I raised my hand after the announcements had ended.

"Mr. Simmons, i'm really not feeling well. Can I go to the office?"

"Sure Mike. Take the hall pass."

I nodded and grabbed it as I moved towards the office. I signed out and sauntered towards my locker. It felt so good to be able to get away from all the bullshit of school and deal with my feelings. I wouldn't even have to see Vic and Jaime today, and that was giving me the energy to run home and dance. I grabbed my stuff before remembering that I still had to ask Tony why he was acting strange and why he went to Jaime's locker. I pulled out my phone and texted him.

To: Tony, 8:53 a.m.
Hey, why were you acting weird after I told you about vic and jaime?

I put the phone in my pocket and walked out the door. A minute later I felt my phone buzzing in my pants. I pulled it out and read the text.

From: Tony, 8:57 a.m.
nthing special, just wasnt xpecting tht 2 happen so quickly.

I hated how he didn't type out his words. Actually, that was probably the only thing I disliked about Tony.

To: Tony, 8:58 a.m.
ok. you sure? you didnt follow me to class. where'd you go?
From: Tony, 9:03 a.m.
i had 2 go upstairs nd get sumthing from jaime's locker. i gave him it the other day nd i needed it 4 tech today.
To: Tony, 9:04 a.m.
okay. well im going home so i guess ill talk to you later.
From: Tony 9:05 a.m.
y r u going home????
To: Tony, 9:06 a.m.
im feeling sick. no real reason.
From: Tony, 9:06 a.m.
wait. ill come with u.

Sure enough, three minutes on the dot, Tony walked out of the school and over to me.

"Any particular reason you're coming home with me?" I inquired. It didn't seem like he was one to skip class to hang out with a friend.

"Nope. Just didn't want to spend all day in there without a friend to talk to."

"What about Jaime?" I figured Jaime and Vic were in school today, because Vic hadn't told me any different.

"He's at home. Don't know why."

"Oh." I left it at that. It didn't seem like he wanted to talk. "Well, you want to come to my house, or I yours?"

"How about we don't go home and we just take a walk instead?" He suggested. I shrugged and said "Sure, why not?" smiling slightly. I knew just the place to walk. About half a mile south of the school, there was a bridge going over the river through the city. I figured we could walk there and I could clear my head, get some fresh air. We walked on the bigger city streets and got to the river. The smell of the water was intoxicating as I inhaled deeply. I hadn't been here in so long, I'd forgotten how great it was. Tony seemed to be enjoying himself, so I didn't bother him. About two city blocks away from the bridge, he spotted it.

"Are... Are we going to that bridge over there?" he asked shakily.

"Yeah, it's one of my favorite places in the city. Why, something wrong?"

"Oh, uh, no, I'm just not a fan of heights. That's all." He tried to pass it off as nothing, but I saw right through his facade. He was completely terrified.

"Oh god, Tony, i'm really sorry, I had no idea. Here, why don't we just go to this really sweet cafe instead? No bridges, I promise." I was freaking out and I felt so bad. If I had known he was afraid of heights, I wouldn't have taken him here.

"Yeah, uh... Okay. That'd be alright." He seemed relieved that we weren't going near the bridge, and relaxation washed over me. That was a close call. I wouldn't want a frightened Tony on my hands. I'd be scared shitless. But I suddenly remembered something about him that had me wondering the last few days.

"Oh, Tony, got a question for you."

"Shoot." He grinned.

"Monday, when Jaime and Vic showed up for lunch, I heard Jaime mumble something about turtles to you. What's that about?"

"Oh, that, haha. Turtles are my favorite animals. So at my old school, my friends called me turtle one day, and it kinda stuck. You can call me turtle if you want." His cheeks blushed slightly-was I seeing things?- and I said that would be pretty cool. We got to the cafe around 10:30, just when they were opening their doors.

"Hey Mikey! How are you!" The owner, Austin, shouted at me. Austin and I had known eachother since I was five. He was my next door neighbor for the longest time.

"Hey Austin, I'm great. Can I get a cappuccino and, uh... Tony, what do you want?"

"Oh, uh, I don't even know. Do they have a French vanilla?"

"Like hell they do. It's the greatest one in town. Austin, one cappuccino and a French vanilla for my friend Tony." I called to the back where Austin was fixing my drink. We sat down on this couch in the far back and I turned the TV on. Some basketball game was on, but neither of us were paying attention. Tony was looking around the shop, and I was looking at Tony. His curious eyes roamed around the small shop, looking around with awe written plain on his face. He looked completely enthralled with the room he was in. And it was then that I realized that I liked Tony way too much than any sane person would after knowing someone for just a few days. But I couldn't just tell him; I had to tell him more about me. And I had to start by learning more about him.

"I don't mean to interrupt the sight-seeing you've got going on, but I have to ask you something. Don't get offended or anything, but i'm just curious."

"Okay, go ahead. The floor's yours." He half smiled, but before I could ask him, Austin danced in with our drinks. "Here you go kids, enjoy!" He strolled back into the kitchen with so much enthusiasm that I had to hold back a laugh. He did look kinda ridiculous, though, and I did let one small giggle go. Tony smiled at my laugh and he seemed to go red in the cheeks. Oh, how cute he looked when he blushed. Before I let my thoughts get too far, I blurted out the question.

"So I was just wondering if you've ever dated anyone?" As soon as I said it his smile disappeared and I felt like the world landed on my shoulders. I felt so bad and I didn't even know why. I just hated not seeing Tony happy.

"Uh, well, I dated this girl named Jolie in the ninth grade for about 7 months, but she, uh, she ended up leaving me for some guy named Mitch or whatever. And then last year I dated another girl, but only for like two weeks. It wasn't even real, so." He shrugged with- boredom? Disinterest?- his empty brown eyes. I felt so bad for bringing it up, and I felt even worse after he said it. Now I was in some deep trouble. I liked a straight guy. There was no way in hell this was going to turn out good on my part. Before I could beat myself up over that, he asked me the same question.

"So how about you? Ever dated anyone that caught your eye?" He seemed to be intent on digging up this part of my past. He had eager eyes and he asked the question with such interest that I couldn't resist answering right away.

"Well, in grade nine I met this one... person," I started. I didn't want to just come out with GAY written on my forehead in the presence of a straight guy. "And, extremely long story cut very short, we dated up until the end of August. So, right before school started." I shrugged it off like it was no big deal, but he looked like he regretted asking me. Why would he regret that? He was just being curious.

"Was it a girl? Or a guy?" He asked with the same curiosity from before.

"It was a guy. His name was Alan. Alan Ashby." I shuddered slightly at his name and looked down. I felt almost disgusted at his name, and saying out loud wasn't helping.

"Alan Ashby, the ginger kid who goes to Fairmount?" He said with resentment in his voice. My eyes opened wide as I heard him.

"Y-Yeah, how'd you know?" I was shocked that he had any idea who he was.

"He used to be my best friend, until uh, well, something happened between us and we uh, we just stopped talking."

I was completely freaked out. How the hell did he know who I was even talking about? Alan couldn't have known Tony. Alan had just moved to Clairemont this year, this summer actually. How in the world did they know about eachother?