He's Been Damaged, He's Been Misused

Chris looks at his shorter friend, puzzled, confused. Kevin was trying to ask Ricky a question, but he wouldn’t respond to him. Ricky just sits there, body turned so that his back is toward the two of them.

Whenever Kevin would flirt with him, Ricky would just kinda glare at him or ignore him completely. It really hurt Kevin, he just wants to be Ricky’s friend, but he doesn’t know what he did that was so wrong.

“Ricky… Rick… Did you hear me, or are you ignoring me again?” Kevin tries one last time. Kevin sighs sadly as he gets no reply. He turns to Chris, looking up at him.

“Why does he hate me so much? We used to be such great friends a month ago,” Kevin whispers to Chris, but Chris can only shrug. Chris has been wondering the same thing.

“I don’t know.”

The bell rings, and students quickly get up from lunch tables and hurry out of the cafeteria to get to their classes. Ricky jumps up faster than ever, stomping out of the room as he slings his bag over his shoulder. Chris and Kevin can only watch sadly as their friend storms off.

“I’ll talk to him about it,” Chris then says, but Kevin rolls his eyes.

“You say that every time, Chris,” Kevin reminds him. “This time won’t be any different.”

Chris sighs at himself. Kevin was right. He did say that he would all the time, but he never had the balls to actually ask him. He didn’t want Ricky to lash out at him, like in ninth grade when he asked if he was gay. He had made it quite obvious, even though he really wanted to stay in the closet.

But Chris knew that he’d definitely ask him about it today.

Chris hugged his friend before exiting the cafeteria, making his way to his own class, the last class of the day, thank God.

Class had flew by as fast as it approached, much to his approval, and he slings his bag over his shoulder. He went to the front of the school where he’d meet Ricky so they could walk home together. They both lived in the same area, a couple streets apart. Ricky was leaning against the wall as he waited for his older friend, standing up straight when he saw him.

“Hey, Chris!” Ricky chirps happily and his face brightens.

“Hey, Ricks! How was Mrs. Johnson?”

Ricky huffs, and Chris laughs. He himself had Mrs. Johnson a couple years ago when he was a Sophomore like Ricky. He fucking hated the witch, and he knows that Ricky hates her as much as he did, if not more.

“If the purge ever becomes real, she’s the first on my fucking list,” Ricky answers as they start walking.

“No need to wait for the purge,” Chris smirks, and Ricky rolls his eyes, but smiles himself.

This is the Ricky Chris knew and loved, not the bitchy one that unleashes in the cafeteria. Not the clingy one he often got whenever Kevin or any other person approached Chris. Not the shy and red-faced one that always stared at him.

Speaking of all of that, he could ask him now, get it over with.

Chris takes a deep breath, letting it out as he braces himself.

“Ricky,” Chris starts to get his attention. “We need to talk.”

Chris sees Ricky raise an eyebrow, and Chris continued, looking straight ahead. He needs to get this over with, he could see the sign that read the name of Ricky’s street.

“You’ve been acting… weird, lately. What’s wrong?”

“I- first, promise you won’t hate me.”

Chris blinks. He didn’t lash out, so it might not be that serious. Then again, he just asked him to promise not to hate him. That only made him grow more curious.

“I promise.”

“Okay. So, I… Ikindalikeyoualot,” Ricky says, slurring everything into one word, making it impossible for any other person to decipher what he just said. Chris knows his best friend too well, though, and listened to him do this plenty enough times. He continues. “And I just get jealous when people approach you, and especially when Kevin flirts with you. And you’re just… gorgeous, too, and sweet.”

Chris is, in fact, surprised by his answer. Ricky likes him? He’s not sure if he even feels the same, though. Chris thinks deeply about this.

“Chris, please say something,” Ricky begs, pulling Chris out of his thoughts.

“I- I’m sorry, Ricky. I love you, but as a friend. I hope you understand.”

Ricky nods and hums, telling him that he did. Neither of them say anything else, Chris surprised and feeling a bit bad, Ricky heartbroken and, well, rejected. He saw it coming, why did he have to tell him?

They stop at the corner of Ricky’s street so they can share a quick hug before Ricky turns the corner, Chris moving forward.

Chris decided that when he got home, he’d text Kevin about what he just heard. He had a right to know, after all. Right?