Author's note: This is the final chapter, good people. I want to thank you all for reading, and I also want to offer my apologies for the sadness and disappointment I caused with this little story. For everyone who still enjoyed the story, despite its flaws, a big, big 'thank you' from the bottom of my heart! I hope the conclusion will be pleasing.
*****
Andy was all alone now. He did not call Brad and Brad did not call him the next day. Even it was a little strange to think of, that made him feel pretty relieved. He just hoped that it was all over. After all, he had a lot to study and there were plenty of things to do, than sticking around a football player that did not love him or care for him. Andy knew that there will be a lot of gossip, but he hoped that he won't make the headline for long. After all, high school life was never boring, and there was always something else to talk about. He just needed to keep his head high, and pretend not to hear it, until the crowd was going to sink its teeth in someone else's life.
It was Monday again and Andy went to school alone, as he had done for almost four years before Brad. When he got there, he managed to follow another way to avoid Brad and his moron friends. He had almost escaped when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder. He turned to see Brad, standing there, all by himself, regret showing in his blue eyes.
"Hello, Andy..."
"You better make it quick, Brad, I don't have all day, what do you want from me?"
"I know I was ..."
"An asshole?"
"Yeah..."
"And what are you going to do about that?"
"Apologize?" Brad raised an eyebrow to ask for a confirmation. Andy thought that he was really cute that way, but he knew better now. Funny how seeing things for what they really were made him feel suddenly detached.
"Whatever... it does not matter anyway."
"So we're cool now?" Brad tried to hug him.
"Cool? Meaning? I am not upset anymore, if that's what you mean."
"Oh, good! I will pick you after hours!" Brad lowered his head to kiss Andy's lips, but the boy evaded the embrace.
"No, Brad, this is over. I thought that it will be hard to say this to you, but it is not. All you care about is your person. I don't know how I could be so blind! You are egocentric and you treat me badly." He shook his head in disappointment while saying that.
"No, no, Andy, stop, you don't know what you are saying, c'mon, you know you love me..."
"No, Brad, I don't love you. In fact, I am not sure if what I have ever felt for you was love. It was an image I was in love with. I thought you were a good person, but you are not."
"You will regret this!" Brad was furious. He let go Andy and raised a menacing finger. "Everybody will laugh at you. I will tell everybody what we did together..."
"Would you stop already, Brad? Everybody already knows all these. And you know why? Because you told them! How stupid do you think I am? Well, let me break it to you. Not anymore. First, I tried to ignore the rumors, but, after a while, I realized that you were the one spreading them. Everybody knows how you fucked me, so what can you say more?"
"Oh, I can say more..."
"What? Bullocks? Don't go too far, people will know you're lying."
"No, no, there is one more thing..."
"What thing?"
One of the teachers stopped by them and asked in an authoritarian tone:
"Boys, get to classes, stop loitering in the hallways!"
They parted, Brad sneering and Andy wondering what Brad had meant by that. He was soon to find out.
***
It was after hours, when Andy got face to face with one of Brad's friend, a tall boy with a solid stature, one that played defense.
"So, Andy, when are you going to make my cock feel happy?" The boy rudely asked, grabbing Andy's waist and pulling him in his strong arms. "I heard that your pussy is sooooo sweet!"
"Let me go!" Andy pushed against the heavy male, without managing to budge him one inch.
"What? Am I not enough man for you? Eh?"
"What are you talking about? Let me go!" Andy struggled to free himself, but for the taller boy it was only a game to let him loose one second and grabbing him close the next one.
"C'mon," the boy said, starting to chew Andy's ear, "Brad told me how you got banged for testing before he tried you on and how he got tired of you, so he told me to feel free to try you, too..."
"What?" Andy felt blood ringing in his ears.
"Yeah, everybody knows now that he hired Jack to fuck you first, so that Brad won't be forced to break you."
Andy felt tears in his eyes. That was way too much. He could not believe Brad to be such a coward and so mean to say that he was not his first. Now, the bully was feeling him up and he could not escape. It was awful, he felt like dying inside. And all that thing about Jack, that must had been a lie, it was impossible... but yet, pieces of information were falling together, completing the puzzle.
The party. Jack's sudden interest in him, the kisses, the missing date, the fight in the parking lot, those unsaid words... It was true, but for the fucking part. So Jack had to return to complete his job, Andy thought bitterly while still struggling against his assailant. The boy was sneering while he tried to get his hands in Andy's pants from behind to grab the gorgeous butt.
"Let the boy go!" A strong voice made the bully stop and turn to see who was daring to challenge him.
Andy saw Jack, standing there, the same dangerous fire in his hazel eyes.
"Don't you think you must deal with someone more of your size?"
"With you, skinny?" The bully was laughing, but he let Andy go from his hands.
"Yes, me."
With no further ado, the bully launched himself at Jack. But Jack, being lighter and flexible, just got out of the way, making the bully meet the concrete with his face. People were gathering again to watch another fight. Andy was sitting in a corner, terrified, looking at the fight with his heart clenched. He was terribly afraid that Jack was going to get beaten really badly. He was supposed to hate him for what he had done, but Andy could wait to hate Jack till all this was over. He heard two girls not far away from him talking vividly:
"They are fighting over Andy!"
"Oh, what does this boy have and we do not? Boys don't fight over us like this!"
"Oh, you heard what Brad has done? He started spreading rumors that Andy is a slut!"
"I don't believe it. Frankly, Brad has been a jerk with Andy and I think Andy really loved him. Now he is just trying to get back to Andy for dumping him when he could not bear it anymore."
"Yes, I heard that Brad is a moron. A girlfriend of mine told me that he is not even good in bed."
"Yes, me too, I heard that, too. I don't know how Andy was so patient and understanding with him. But he is such a good boy, he has always been."
