Velvet Pill

Hex was on his computer, checking to see if Owen had sent him anything. A worrying link showed up with his band's name. He clicked it, and it was a gossip website. The headline was about how he was interested in dating Din. How could this happen? Nobody was supposed to know his feelings for her. He was so distraught, he hoped to god that Din didn't see it. He tried to read through it with tears in his eyes.

"Fuck!" He screamed, and smacked his monitor. Who would do such a horrible thing?

"I was contemplating not showing you that, but you needed to see it." Owen stood in the doorway.

"… Does she know?" He lowered his head.

"I'm not sure, I never asked her. I think it'd only be fair if you asked her yourself." Owen said.

"How did it get out? How? I never told anyone, not even you." He pointed to Owen.

"It was a surprise to me too." Owen said.

"Is our house bugged? I've only ever said it out loud to myself." He started to look for recording devices in his room.

"That would fucking suck if there was, maybe buy a bug jammer?" Owen said.

"It's too late now, they know everything. Fuck." He kicked a clothes hamper.

"Now calm down, maybe there's a silver lining in all this." Owen said.

"I don't see a fucking silver lining, this is a disaster, an absolute shit show." He flopped down onto his bed, defeated.

"What if she likes you back though?" Owen said.

"That's impossible, she's way out of my league, you know that." He lifted his head up.

"Don't say that, you can't quantify likes in terms of leagues." Owen said.

"She's beautiful, she's got an amazing singing voice, there's no way." He flopped his head back down onto the bed and rolled onto his side.

"Oh, don't get so down on yourself. There's always a chance." Owen said.

"Get out." he said.

"What?" Owen asked.

"I said get out!" he shouted, he got up and slammed and locked the door in Owen's face.

It was a few days later, and he still hadn't left his room. Owen kept emailing him to come out, but he would just delete the messages. It was over, all over. He looked to his wrist, which was bandaged. He couldn't help it, he felt so helpless, a complete loss of control. The only thing he could control was his body, as always.

He usually snuck out at night to take his vitamins, eat, and use the bathroom, but only when everyone was asleep. He looked at the blood stain on his slide-out keyboard desk, and felt instant remorse. He regretted what he did in his moment of weakness, but it was already done, and he couldn't take it back.

He thought she hated him, since not once did she ever try to talk to him through the door like Owen did, multiple times. Owen tried to convince him to leave his room, but it was no use. He couldn't continue knowing that his feelings were laid bare for the whole world to see.

His window unlocked and snapped open by some unknown force, and a familiar gloved hand with familiar claws. He sat up and looked outside. Elaine was there, grinning at him.

"Get the fuck away from my window, asshole. I don't have time for you." He tried to close his window, but it was being held open.

"Now now, friend, you shouldn't act that way towards a guest." She winked.

"You're not a fucking guest, leave already." He went further into his room and started to throw things at her.

"So rude!" she yelled as a can of pistachios bounced off her head.

"I said fucking leave!" he shouted.

"Wait, what's that on your wrist?" she asked.

"None of your fucking business." he snapped.

"Those look suspiciously like bandages. Want me to heal you?" She sprouted two black wings and flew up to him. She outstretched a hand, but he slapped it away.

"No, I don't need healing, Get the fuck away from me." He said.

"Don't be silly, of course you do." She managed to grab his wrist after the first slap.

"Ow, fuck! You're hurting me, let go!" He tried to pull away, but her grip was too strong.

"I'm grabbing hard because I knew you'd try to pull away. Now, hold still." she said.

He started to squirm, the last thing he wanted was Elaine to barge into his room. He didn't need saving, he needed space. Red markings appeared around his wrist, and he felt the wound on his wrist close up. Elaine grabbed the end of his bandage, and unraveled it. A jagged scar was all that was left.

"Wait, it left a scar? That's weird." She looked at the red mark on his wrist.

"I did it with my sword, that's probably why." he said.

"You… You did it yourself? Why?" She looked up at him, worry etched onto her face.

"I don't need to give you a reason, just get out." He had half a mind to push her away, but he was already so rude to her, so he pointed to the open window instead.

"Fine, but I'll be back." She turned around and flew out of the window, it shut and locked by itself.

"Who was that?" Din shouted through the door.

He hadn't heard her voice in days, just hearing it made him tear up.

"N-Nobody." he lied.

"Open the door." She boomed, and knocked on the door.

He didn't know why, but he felt he needed to open the door for her, even though he never opened it for Owen. He went up and unlocked the door, and slowly opened it. He knew her seeing him so miserable would be a bad thing, but he couldn't keep himself locked up anymore, especially if she asked him to open his door again.

"Are you crying? Oh my-" She noticed the bloody scar on his left wrist, and put a hand over her mouth.

"Is it… Really over?" he whimpered, and sniffled.

"Oh my god, Hex, what did you do?" She grabbed his hand.

"I'm so sorry." he cried, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Owen! You need to come see this!" Din shouted.

"N-No. Don't get Owen. It's alright, I just..." he said, and held his other hand out in front of himself.

"Never mind!" she shouted, and looked back to him.

"Thank you, I just… I just wanted to apologize, to you. It's true, but they twisted my words, and, and… I just can't change how I feel." he sobbed.

"I know, I'm not mad at you. I thought you needed space, so I didn't say anything. I didn't think you'd hurt yourself over it. I should have told you earlier that I feel the same way." She frowned.

"Wait… You do?" He was so relieved, but he also felt even worse about hurting himself.

"I was guessing that they twisted your words a lot, too. Don't worry about it." She waved her hand a little.

"So… Are we… You know… Together, now?" He wiped the tears from his eyes again.

She grabbed his arm, pulled his arm away from his face, and kissed him on the lips.

"Of course." She smiled.

"I… I...Love… You..." he croaked, tears rolling down his face again.

"You don't have to cry, it's alright. I love you too." She hugged him.

He spent the rest of the day trying to get the blood stain off of his desk. He had already cleaned the blood off of his wrist, and picked up the bloody bandages from the floor. He was so relieved that she felt the same way. He spent the night in a dreamlike state. He was so happy. He had written lyrics when he was locked in his room, and decided to change them at the end of it.

Read the rest of the book here: https://www.moonquill.com/book/113