*Garroth's POV*

"Garroth, are you sure you're alright?" Aphmau asked from behind me, gripping my shoulders, after her and Katelyn's dance got over with.

"Yup," I lied, ringing my hands together, shifting uncomfortably in my seat.

She's not stupid, she knows when we're lying.

But what's the point of ruining her prom, just because we're an emotional brat?

"I know you're lying, Gar," Aphmau sighed, leaning down to rest her head on my shoulder. "If you're not having fun, you can tell me. I don't want to ruin your big night."

"You're not ruining my prom, Aph, I assured, reaching over to grab her hand and squeeze it. "I am having a good time. I've just got a lot of stuff going on," I tapped the side of my head with my free hand, "up here. Life's weird."

"True that," she giggled under her breath, squeezing my hand tighter. "I like your flower. Where'd you get it?"

"Laurance," I answered too quickly, without thinking about the repercussions of that response.

"Oh~? Laurance~?"

"Oh, don't start with that, Aph," I rolled my eyes, letting go of her hand. "He's just toying with my feelings again, is all. Getting me all worked up over nothing, just to tear me down again and again."

Aphmau sighed again, moving to rub my back with her hands. She didn't say anything else, which really put me on edge. Afterall, she is the ultimate chatterbox. Especially when the conversation is about other's romantic feelings. I love her to pieces, but sometimes she can be a bit pushy when it comes to other people's relationships.

"Do you want me to leave you alone?" She whispered into my ear, her voice sounding shaky and heart-broken.

Yes.

No.

"I don't know," I stood up, putting my hands in my pockets. "I just need a minute to think. I'll be right back..."

"Okay, Gar. I'll be right here if you need anything."

"I know you will..."

With that, I made my way out into the hallway. I sauntered down the empty hall, listening to the slightly muffled music booming from the gym. I glanced out the front door of the school, noticing a familiar glimmer of pink hair.

Ivy...

"Ivy?" I called to her, opening the front door.

She jumped, dropping something she was holding onto the ground quickly, and stomping on it. "Gareth!"

"What are you doing out here?" I asked, beckoning her to come inside.

"Why don't you want to be with me, Gareth?" She asked, bluntly, stepping inside. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"W-What?" I stammered.

"Am I not pretty enough? What does that stupid potato—" she was referring to Aphmau, "—have that I don't? Why don't you like me?"

"I don't like Aphmau like that. She's just my friend..."

"Why don't you like me, then?" Ivy cried out, sniffling loudly. "Why am I not good enough for you?"

Dear Irene, why do you hate me?

"Ivy... I'm—" Damnit, I wish I wasn't so socially awkward and could just tell her. That would make life so much easier for me. "...You're just not my type. I'm sorry. You're a wonderful girl, but... I'm sorry..."

Ivy scoffed, tears streaming down her face. "You're the worst, Gareth!"

"But I..."

Ivy shoved me out of the way, storming down the hallway. I groaned, leaving to the first room I found. And that room just so happened to be the men's bathroom. I opened the furthest stall, slamming the door shut, and locking it. And, before I knew it, I started to cry.

Oh, how I would kill for some juice right about now. And not the kind the school is serving.

Stop thinking like that. We promised to be off the stuff.

Promised who, exactly?

Ourselves.

Yeah, well, we also promised a lot of things that we weren't able to keep. It's inevitable at this point. We're just going to load unkept promises onto our backs, until we collapse trying to hold them all up. What's the point of trying, anymore?

A knock at the stall door snapped me out of my thoughts. I immediately forced myself to stop crying so loudly, and tried my best to calm myself down. No need to try and make this night any worse by having some stupid jock making fun of me, and spreading rumors around the school that the "popular, preppy boy was crying alone in the bathroom on prom night".

Although, I guess it wouldn't be "rumors" then. Moreso just gossip, since it's true.

Not the "popular" part, though. Our reputation has just been going downhill ever since Gene.

"Uh, there's someone in here," I choked out, unsure how to respond exactly.

"Garroth, I know that's you in there," a soft voice spoke up.

Crap.

"Laurance?" My voice cracked, and I immediately tried my best to wipe away my tears.

"Open the door, please. I want to talk with you..."

"How'd you know I was in here?"

"I figured you would be. Aphmau told me you were acting off, and I decided to come check on you. I heard you crying... Garroth, please talk to me. Tell me what's wrong... I don't know how to help you, but I'm trying my best here. This isn't my area of specialty."

I took in a few deep breaths, trying to relax myself. Even though I didn't really want to, I needed to talk to someone. I had to get something off of my mind, to help lighten the load of burdens I carry. Although, I doubt Laurance would want to hear that he is the cause of some of those burdens. Maybe I won't mention those ones.

Or maybe I will. Who the hell knows anymore? I surely don't. I'm just a stupid, hormonal, gay teenager who hates himself. What do I know?

I unlocked the stall door, hesitantly opening it. To my expectations, Laurance was standing there, being his most adorable self he could be. His pale blue eyes were warm, giving me the most sympathetic look I've ever seen. His stupid smile was plastered onto his face, like always, yet somehow this was the most comforting smile he had ever given me.

"Do you need to talk?" He asked.

"No," I lied, forcibly holding back tears. "I don't want to do anything, right now."

"Garroth, I didn't ask if you wanted to talk. I asked if you needed to," Laurance backed away from the stall entrance, allowing me to step out of it. "You don't have to talk to me, or anyone, if you don't want to. But, I just am curious if you need to talk someone- anyone- and getting something off of your chest."

I stared into his eyes, for what felt like an eternity, before speaking up with an actual verbal response, "yes... I probably should..."

"If you want me to, I could go get Aphmau."

"No, not Aph..."

"Well, do you want to talk to me?"

I thought for a moment, and mentally decided that was probably the best idea. With the slightest nod, Laurance gestured for me to follow him. Leading me out of the bathroom, we snuck down several hallways, trying our best to avoid being caught by any lingering chaperones. Eventually, we made it to the courtyard, where he brought me over to the single tree, in the center of it all.

The two of us sat down beneath it, and I brought my knees up to my chest, resting my head in between. "I'm sorry to drag you away from prom."

"Don't worry about it. I'm the one who came and found you... So, what do you need to talk about? I'm here to listen..."

I anxiously picked at my fingernails, trying my best to control my breathing better. "I don't know where to start..."

"Take your time. We still got plenty of hours of the night left."

I regained my composure, and turned my head to face Laurance. He was patiently staring straight ahead, occasionally sneaking glances at me. To think that I thought that I hated this guy.

He's amazing... To think that there's someone, aside from Aphmau, who actually cares so much about us.

...I think I just realized what this is.

What?

I guess there's another self-promise we made that we couldn't keep.

...

We promised ourselves that "we would never fall in love". And look where that got us.

I'm in love with him...

Damn it.

"There's something that I really want you to know, and I've been wanting to tell you for a long time. If I tell you, that'll life a heavy weight off of my shoulders. But, whatever I say to you tonight, do you promise to just keep it between us? Please?" I practically begged, my hands uncontrollably shaking.

"Of course I promise."

I turned away from Laurance again, my heart speeding up. Holy crap, I can't believe I'm actually going to say this to Laurance Freaking Zvahl of all people. What has the world come to?

"Laurance," I started, preparing myself mentally. My Irene... "I'm gay."

His head snapped in my direction, and he stared intently at me. I squeezed my eyes shut, not wanting to face him at all. Crap, I messed up. Why the hell did I say that? I'm so stupid!

"You're gay?"

I hesitantly nodded, fighting back tears. This is it. He's going to hate me.

"Wow, uh, that's not where I was expecting this to go," Laurance cleared his throat, and I made the choice to actually open my eyes and glance over at him. "I didn't expect that..."

"I'm sorry," I apologized, sniffling.

"What are you sorry for?"

"For keeping that a secret from you, Laurance," I dragged my finger through the dirt, refusing to make any eye contact whatsoever. "I understand if you don't want to be my friend anymore."

"Garroth, why would I ever not want to be your friend?"

I looked back over at Laurance, tears forming in my eyes. I couldn't hold them back anymore. "I don't know..."

"I don't care if you're gay, Garroth. That's just another part of who you are. You're still the same you, and nothing can change that," Laurance smiled at me. "Besides, I appreciate you trusting me enough to come out to... So, what does any of that have to do with tonight?"

Oh, Laurance, dear. You have no freakin' clue how much that has to do with tonight.

"Since you're so damn oblivious," I started, "I've been made fun of almost all of middle and high school for it. Well, not technically for being gay, since most people were never positive I was. Moreso for just being me. It's scary living in a world where you're not allowed to be you, without someone making you feel like nothing or worthless because of it."

"What?" Laurance stared at me in disbelief. "Really? It's hard to believe that people would make fun of you, for anything. You're so popular and well-liked."

"You don't know the half of it."

"Wait...is that what Gene was being a complete jerk to you, about?" Laurance's face grew red. He was practically fuming.

Not quite.

"Um...not exactly. That was for something different."

"Garroth, I can't imagine how hard this must have been on you. I feel terrible for not being able to help you through this sooner," Laurance threw his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer to him. "So, what's going on tonight? What's bothering you, buddy?"

You.

I just realized I'm in love with you, and I just came out to you. That's what's wrong with me tonight.

"I..." I stared into his sparkling blue eyes for just a moment, before turning away once more. "...I don't know. I'm just so overwhelmed with everything. And you asking me to dance with you threw me off, because... Because I'm afraid to drag you down further into this mess I dug myself into. You're already in a rough spot because you're my," I paused, "...friend. I don't need to have it on my conscience that you get made fun of, all because of me."

"Hey, hey," he patted my shoulder. "Who cares what those d-bags think? You're my best friend, Garroth. I would never leave you alone. Why the hell do you think I'm here, rather than inside with my literally insane prom date? Besides, me asking you to dance didn't have to have any romantic connotation. It's not like I have feelings for you, or you have feelings for me. Right?"

Wrong.

"Yeah..."

"I'm really sorry if I made you feel awkward at all, Gar'. I just didn't know."

"You didn't do anything wrong." You never did anything wrong... It was always me...

"So..." Laurance smirked, obviously trying to think of something to lighten the mood. "...Dante."

"Dante?" I narrowed my eyes, staring in confusion at Laurance. "What about him?"

"He's totally gay too, right? I'm not crazy?"

I shook my head, 'tsk'ing under my breath. "I'm not outing my friends to you, Laurance."

"So what you're hinting at is that he is, then?" he chuckled.

"Please don't tell him I told you, he'd kill me. But, he's not exactly gay. He's bisexual."

"Bisexual?" Laurance furrowed his eyebrows.

"You're acting like you've never heard the word."

"That's because I haven't."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Seriously?" He shook his head. "It means he's attracted to both men and women."

"Oh, that actually makes a lot of sense," Laurance nodded along. "I think Cadenza mentioned something about multiple sexualities."

"Yeah, there's a lot. Much more than I can name..."

"So... Since I just found out Dante's bisexual... He's totally into your brother, right? Vylad?"

"He thinks he's so good at hiding it," I chuckled a little. "Vylad's obsessively in love with him, too."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Absolutely. He won't say it, but I can tell."

"Those two would be cute together," Laurance's smirk grew bigger. "I can see it."

"Yeah. Too bad both of them are too much of babies to just ask each other out already."

You're one to talk, Garroth.

"I'm glad we had this talk, Gar'," Laurance genuinely smiled at me, making my heart flutter at both the gesture and the nickname he gave me. "I feel like we've grown closer and closer as friends over these years..."

"I'm really happy that you don't think of me any different. I was always scared you wouldn't want to be my friend anymore if I told you the truth..."

"I'd never leave you, buddy. You're my best friend in the whole world. And nothing can change that."

Even if we don't end up together, I'll always love you, at least as a friend. You are my world, and I don't want anything to change that.

Absolutely nothing can change that...

~~~

A/N- Hey, guys! I'm finally back! I hope you enjoyed, and look forward to future updates from this book and other books I have published. Thanks to all of you who have stuck around with me for this long, and to those of you who are new. You guys are my world, and I love all of you. Thanks for reading, lovelies. 💜