Chapter 2

This was a new thing for me. Not knowing how I felt about something, that doesn’t work. I always know how I feel about everyone, everything. I always have a set opinion of everything.

“Aaron…” I whispered, rubbing my nose on the boy’s neck just to pick on him. “I know this sounds odd, but am I at all attractive to you at all?”

Aaron made an odd noise, but shook his head. “No, Daemon…”

I bit my tongue, I was going to ask why, or if it was because of my hair, or anything. But I didn’t. I just got all cold and stayed still. It was okay, really. I could deal with disappointment. I have before. This wasn’t any different. “Do you love me?” I whispered. There were only three people on the bus: me, Aaron, and some creepy poser Goth kid with his head in a bulky pair of head phones. Most days Aaron didn’t ride the bus, though. This is why I was so excited to sit next to him. I don’t get excited, just keep that in your brain, Daemon Everest Cade doesn’t get excited.

“Of course I do! More than the world.” He answered, and somehow it just seemed true.

“Just not like that?”

“I dunno!”

Okay, so he didn’t know. I can work with that, I can help it go from platonic to atomic.

The bus stopped for a group of six or seven kids, and the boy let go of his friend and pulled his knees to his chest after the boy had sat up. Some how, I was expecting a lot more from the boy. Like at least a maybe. Or better yet, a YES MARRY ME. But I should have known. I’ve never been very…easy on the eyes. Not that I’m ugly, not really. Just to most people I’m probably gross or something. Who knows? Maybe it had to do with my personality? Shit.

“Aaron…how’d you figure it out?” I couldn’t help but be a curious little fuck. I was trying to figure it all out myself, remember?

“I dunno. I just kind of, got a crush on a boy, and then I let it get serious.”

“You mean you like…fucked him!?”

“Well, I let the crush develop. He doesn’t know I like him. I actually think he’s straight.

That could have been anyone.

The whole world is straight, right?