16

16

Right after Amantis had gotten ready that morning, he heard a beep from his iPhone. Taking it out of his pocket, he saw that it was from Keevan.

KK: Good morning, Mantis! I have some more exciting news. Are you up?

Amantis quickly replied.

AT: yes, I’m up! what’s the news??

KK: Motavo happened to, um...stop by last night at my house. He told me he wanted to meet with you today! Will you go to Pisces Park at 4?

Amantis’s heart jumped. Motavo wanted to meet with him? That day? He felt his cheeks burn as he typed a response.

AT: um....yes!!! he really wants to meet with me??

KK: Of course he does! He seemed a bit interested in you. I think he likes you! :3

AT: eeeeeeeee!! n_n

Amantis smiled wide and hugged his phone. Even if it was just an assumption, he couldn’t help but get excited by the thought of Motavo liking him. He couldn’t stop thinking about Motavo since he had seen him in the diner. Amantis had developed a crush so quickly. Keevan replied.

KK: Wait, Amantis, what about Vanus? He’s still your boyfriend.... :/

Amantis froze. He had forgotten about Vanus. A chill went down his spine.

AT: oh yeah....I don’t know what I should do!!! I can’t break up with van! what will he say if he sees me with motavo?! D8

KK: Amantis, you can’t keep dating Vanus if you really like Motavo. Van is a total jerk and after what happened at the diner, I can’t see why you would still want to date him!!! >:(

AT: kee, you know that I love van! he was just kidding around and he came to see me later to apologize....

KK: He apologized?

AT: well yeah, he told me he was just kidding and that he was sorry...

KK: He didn't do anything to you?

AT: of course not!!!!!! >8(

KK: Don’t get mad at me! I’m just looking out for you!

AT: I know, but I’m ok!! I can handle myself...!

Amantis suddenly heard his grandmother calling for him downstairs. It must’ve been time to go to school. He typed another message quickly before Keevan responded to his last one.

AT: I have to go, kee. I’ll talk to you later, ok?

KK: Okay, Mantis. Have a good day, and be careful about Vanus... Love you! <3

AT: love you too! ^u^

 

Amantis’s grandmother, Roselyn, drove him to school that morning. He went to an expensive private school about half an hour away from his home. His grandmother usually drove him when she wasn’t busy with work. She was awfully busy and fairly young for a grandma, and she was the head executive of a very widespread corporation for technology. Amantis’s parents had passed away when he was very young, so he had lived with his grandmother for the majority of his life. Roselyn was one of the wealthiest people in the community and she lived with Amantis in a very large estate. Amantis was thus known because of his millionaire grandmother. He was teased for it, so he avoided most other boys at his school. He was also teased for being a “girl” (which was, under argument, only partially true due to his situation). He was forced to leave behind his jewelry and more feminine clothing at home because he would get bullied for wearing them to school.

            When he arrived, Roselyn dropped him off and he entered the school quietly. He went to his locker and began taking out his textbooks.

“Hey, buddy,” came a familiar voice from behind Amantis. He turned around to see Vanus walking towards him, alone. The hallways were empty besides he and Van, considering that they were both there so early for school. Vanus had a white cast on the bridge of his nose from it being broken by Motavo. Amantis tightened his grip on his backpack strap as Van approached and put a hand on the wall next to Amantis’s head, almost trapping him against the wall.

“Hi, Van,” Amantis said quietly, feeling his skin prickle. Vanus gave him a kiss and leaned down to eye level with Amantis.

“What are you doing after school?” Vanus asked in a low voice.

“I-I’m going home to do a science project,” Amantis stammered, trying but failing to think of a good enough excuse. He couldn’t tell Van that he would be meeting with Motavo. Vanus kissed him again and Amantis tried not to squeak as Van’s tongue circled around the roof of his mouth.

“We could do a science project of our own,” Vanus whispered, a smirk playing at his lips. Amantis tensed up and felt his hands clench around his backpack straps.

“S-some other time, m-maybe,” Amantis managed to say, unable to meet Van’s eyes. “I really have to finish this project for class...”

Van suddenly gripped Amantis’s upper arm, right in a spot where there was a new bruise. Amantis had to bite his tongue to keep from crying out in pain. Vanus leaned down to Amantis’s ear.

“Mantis, baby, don’t you care about your boyfriend?” he whispered, tightening his grip on the bruise. “I’d hate it if either of us got hurt.”

“V-Van,” Amantis cried quietly, feeling tears well up in his eyes. “N-no, I do care about you, I...I love you...”

“That’s what I wanted to hear, baby,” Vanus said, sounding satisfied. He released Amantis’s arm and kissed him gently. Amantis was trembling as he kissed back, too afraid to oppose. Van pulled back and smiled.

“I’ll see you later,” he said quietly, winking. He walked away from Amantis, leaving him leaning on the wall, trembling and rubbing his arm in pain. He wiped his eyes quickly. He couldn’t break up with Van. He was too afraid.

 

The final bell of the day rang. Amantis quickly left his classroom and headed out of the school after gathering his books from his locker. He didn’t want to see Vanus again or anyone else at his school. He would focus on seeing Motavo after school. The excitement returned to his stomach and he couldn’t help but smile to himself as he got into his grandmother’s car to be driven home. Roselyn drove quickly because she had a meeting at four, and she didn’t say much to Amantis besides asking him how his day was and if he needed any help with schoolwork. Amantis was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to make any more conversation. When Roselyn finally brought him home, Amantis kissed her goodbye and hurried into his house.

He brought his things into his room and changed out of his school uniform, putting on a light violet button-up shirt and a pair of skinny jeans. He put on his golden hoop earrings and his necklaces. He had gotten them when he was younger and he had become attached to wearing them on special occasions. He brushed his curly brown hair and adjusted his glasses in the mirror before looking back at the clock. It was 3:30, so he should have been leaving around then for the park. He felt his stomach turn. Would Motavo even show up?

 

He had been waiting for thirty minutes. It was 4:30 and Motavo still hadn’t showed up. Amantis sighed and twirled his earring around with his index finger, feeling disappointed. He kicked his feet as he sat on the park bench alone. Had Motavo forgotten, or had he just not wanted to come? Amantis felt a bit like crying.

“Amantis?” called a voice. Amantis whipped up his head, expecting Motavo, but shrinking back a bit when he realized it was Vanus on his bike. Van wheeled over next to Amantis.

“What are you doing here, buddy?” Vanus asked, a smirk on his lips. “Done with your science project already?”

“N-no,” Amantis replied quickly. “I came here to...to meet up with my science partner. But he...didn’t show up.”

“What bad luck!” Van said with mock sympathy. “I guess you’ll just have to come and hang out with me and my friends, then.”

Amantis tensed up and flinched a bit. He felt his heartbeat quicken.

“U-um, I...” he tried to start. He couldn’t think of an excuse to not come along with Vanus. Van grabbed Amantis’s wrist and pulled him over to his bike.

“C’mon, Mantis,” Vanus said with a smirk. “We’ll have fun!”

“O...okay,” Amantis said in a near whisper. Motavo hadn’t showed up. Amantis had no choice but to go with Vanus. Maybe Motavo really hadn’t wanted to see him, after all.

“Cool,” Van said, throwing an arm around Amantis. He leaned over and kissed him, his lips rather forceful. Amantis apprehensively kissed back, then suddenly saw something behind Vanus. It was a tall boy, dressed in black, a ways away, standing beside a tree.

Motavo.

He looked as if he had arrived just in time to see Vanus kissing Amantis. Amantis’s blood went cold. Motavo stayed still for a moment, watching the kiss with no expression. He then turned slowly, pausing halfway, and started quickly walking away. Amantis felt like he was going to cry. Motavo had come, but Amantis hadn’t waited long enough.

“Let’s go, Mantis,” Vanus said, pulling from the kiss and helping Amantis onto his bike. Amantis silently sat with him on the seat, holding back his tears. He looked over again and Motavo was gone. Amantis stared at his feet as Van started pedaling on the bike.

Amantis had no chance with Motavo to begin with.