Miserably Loving You.

Twenty four more hours until the end of school on Friday, and then I get to enjoy my first weekend as a senior... And by enjoy I mean I'm going to attempt to sleep eighty percent of it, and probably not wear pants. But... If we're being serious, I rarely ever wear pants as is.

I smiled at my lunatic sister who was jumping and waving her arms around in the air. Though I try to keep as neutral and indifferent as possible, she always had a way of bringing out a little bit more of me than I'd like to admit.

"Oh my gosh, Leighton... You won't believe what happened to Gage and I today." She groaned, sounding completely exasperated.

"Oh really? I won't?" I quipped as I unlocked the car doors.

"Violet-"

"No Gage, he needs to hear!" Violet said, interrupting her friend. "These seniors were harassing him in the hall and I went up to them to make 'em stop and one shoved me!"

"He didn't shove you." Gage sighed. "He got in front of you... I don't even think he touched you."

"Shut up!" She laughed. "But really, Leighton, what do you plan on doing about this?"

"Violeeeet!" Gage whined and I couldn't help but laugh. It was endearing that he didn't want to trouble me, but I really wasn't about to just let him get bullied.

"I'll take care of it." I said as I turned on to our street.

"Leighton, it's fine... You don't have to do anything." Gage mumbled, and I could tell he was embarrassed by this, but clearly he wasn't going to stand up for himself... And I wouldn't be around next year so might as well help this poor kid out while I can.

I guess you could say that I was an underdog too before I sprouted up two feet and filled out a little bit more. I really don't think Gage was going to be as lucky as I was though, poor kid will probably always be short.

"I know I don't." I said in a matter of fact tone. "Just don't worry about them. It'll be fine."

Instead of stopping at my house, I kept going straight. I really felt bad for this kid now, and him trying to keep me from worrying just made me feel even worse.

So I drove silently to the nearest place with milkshakes, and since Gage protested against getting anything, I had Violet -who was more than happy to use her brothers money- order for him.

I think Gage must have thanked me nine or ten times by the time we got back to the house, and really all I could do was laugh and shake my head.

I really didn't think a milkshake was that big of a deal, but he was acting like it was the only present he had ever received. It was kinda cute actually.

I parted ways with the two kids and went straight to my room once we got home. Since it was still the first week of school, I didn't have any homework, so of course once my door was closed I did what every normal teenage boy does and took off my pants and played mindless hours of Mario Kart.

By far this Wii U was the best present I have ever received, so it really made me laugh at how grateful Gage was for a freaking milkshake.

Not that I wouldn't have been grateful if the tables were turned of course, but he acted as if I just handed him the Holy Grail of milkshakes!

I turned off my game a few hours before dinner and went downstairs to see my lovely mother slaving away in the kitchen.

So to follow tradition, I hopped up on the counter and quietly watched until she noticed me there.

And of course, like always, she ended up dropping something from the startle of seeing me there.

"Dammit Leighton!" She laughed as she picked up her wooden spoon. "Are you really sitting on my counter without pants on?"

"Yes, but are you really about to stir that sauce with the spoon you just picked up off the floor?"

She laughed again and tossed the spoon into the sink before grabbing another. "Touché. But really, get your nasty butt off my clean counters."

I sighed exaggeratedly and did as I was told before going over and kissing the short woman's forehead.

"What are your plans for this weekend?" I asked even though I knew exactly what she was going to say.

"Well I'm staying with Kris again this weekend... Are you guys okay with that?"

"Yes mom, we're fine with you taking a break from your motherly duties to be with your secret boyfriend." I chuckled. "But really, you should bring him around sometime."

"You know how Violet feels about this..." She sighed. "It's been eight years since your father and I divorced... I think it's just best to keep him at a distance for now."

I shrugged and scratched my stomach. "I'll talk to her eventually."

"You're a good boy Leighton. Now go put on some pants or shorts before dinner. I think Gage is staying again."

"Wouldn't surprise me." I laughed as I made my way out of the kitchen and to my room, but before I could reach the sanctity of it, my sister was screaming my name.

"Holy shit, what do you want?!" I groaned as I flung open her door.

"I wanted to ask if you wanted to watch this movie with us! It was in your queue and it's finally on the watch now list!"

I rubbed my face irritatedly before nodding. "Yeah, let me just go put on pants first."

"Oh who needs pants!" Violet huffed, and I glanced over at Gage quickly to see his face was bright red.

"Clearly I do, your friend doesn't seem to be breathing properly." I chuckled before heading back to my room and slipping on my sweat pants.

When I got back in to Violets room, I quickly found a comfortable spot at the end of her bed and relaxed against the hard wall.

"Uh... Here..." I glanced over at the small barely audible voice to see Gage holding out a pillow for me.

"Oh thanks!" I said, offering a thankful smile, but he was already looking away. Well... I tried right?

--------------------------

The next day at school I kept my eyes peeled every time I saw Gage and Violet. It wasn't that I was looking for trouble, nor was I excited that I was potentially setting myself up for something I couldn't handle, but something needed to at least be said.

So far I wasn't having any luck, which was kind of a relief in itself. Maybe I wouldn't have to worry about dealing with these guys until next week... Who knows!

I sighed as I sat down at the lunch table, a few people I knew had stopped to ask how I've been, but quickly left after realizing their other friends could hold a much better conversation than I could would.

"You always look so sad Leighton." Violet sighed as she sat down in front of me.

"I'm not, I'm just sitting."

"Yeah well you could try smiling once in a-"

"Well what do we have here?" I looked up to see three stocky guys standing in front of us. They kind of looked like disgruntled benchwarmers... You know, the kids the football coach didn't really want on his team but had to keep anyways? "Is this your boyfriend?"

The look on Gage's face was nothing short of completely horrified, so I was guessing it was safe to assume these were his... Bullies -for lack of a better term.-

"N-no..." Gage said quietly.

"What's that fag? I can't hear you." I stood up then, and the ring leader had the audacity to put his sausage fingers on me to try to push me back down. "Did I say you could stan-" but before he could finish, the base of the palm of my hand went straight into his nose, completely flooring him and startling his friends.

"You might want to get him to the nurse." I said, making sure to keep my tone as completely disinterested as possible. The more monotone you are... The more crazy people seem to believe you are.

I heard a few tables clapping, but I didn't bother to pay them any mind. I didn't do it for them, and I hardly even did it for Gage.

He put his hands on me, and I had to put a quick stop to that. So if that helped Gage in the process then so be it.

Once the boys scrambled away with their "fallen" leader, I walked into the lunch line finally and grabbed myself a oddly unhealthy looking salad and some chips before heading back to the table where Violet was laughing hysterically and Gage looked like a trauma victim.

"Holy shit Leighton." Violet gasped between laughs. "I didn't know you had that in you!"

I shrugged and sat down before opening my salad and tossing aside the unwanted plastic looking hard boiled egg pieces.

"Hey... Uh... Leighton?" I looked to my left to see Gage standing beside me now, clearly he was either way too quiet, or I was way too interested in cleaning out this salad because I didn't notice he moved.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you." He mumbled before wrapping his arms around my neck in a tight hug.

To be honest, it startled me at first, but the warmth he emanated was actually kind of welcoming.

So I firmly squeezed his arm before patting it, in my own sort of way of showing affection I guess.

"Yeah man, of course. Don't mention it."