A Beautiful Lie

Bryce pulled up to Michael’s house and watched as his friend bounded happily down the sidewalk. He got in and gave Bryce a big toothy grin. But it wasn’t the smile that caught Bryce’s eye; it was the metallic gleam from the silver hoop hanging off his lip. He couldn’t quite believe his eyes.



“What’d you do?” Bryce asked incredulously.



“Remember how I told you that Fergie’s girlfriend got her piercing certificate.” Michael started.



“No, because you didn’t.”



“Oh, sorry. Anyway, I had her do my lip for me last night. Of course, Fergie claimed he had nothing to do with it, so he didn’t get any flack from mom and dad for it.”



“Didn’t your parents freak out?”



“My dad did, but my mom’s convinced that it’s just a phase so she’s alright with it. What do you think?”



Bryce caught himself staring at the metal and wondering what it would feel like to brush against his lips. What it would feel like against the sensitive skin on his neck. He could just imagine the chill running down his spine. He imagined it might be cold at first, then it might heat up, as the situation got more intense. As much as he tried he couldn’t get the thought out of his head.



“Um, Bryce… What’s wrong? Do you wanna lick it?”



Bryce shook himself out of his thoughts. “What did you say?”



“I said, what’s wrong? Do you like it?” Michael reiterated. “Is something wrong Bryce?”



“I’m sorry, I guess I just kinda zoned out.” Bryce lied. “I do like it though.”



Michael wasn’t accepting his excuse. He knew something was wrong. Bryce had been acting strangely for the past few months and he didn’t know why. There had to be something wrong. Maybe it was something to do with his family. He couldn’t imagine what could be bothering him that much. Maybe his parents were talking about getting a divorce. Or his mother was sick. Or his sister was sick. Or his father… No, Bryce would be happy if his father was sick. He really didn’t like that guy very much. But he didn’t know why his friend wouldn’t confide in him if something were wrong. He always used to talk to Michael about anything and everything, even about his awkwardness with masturbation.



“You’ve been acting so weird lately, Brycey. I would really like to know what’s going on. You know you can talk to me, you always have.” Michael informed him.



“Nothing’s wrong. Nothing’s going on. I think you’re just reading too much into it.” Bryce was hoping he would let it rest at that.



“I hope so. But really, you know you can talk to me about anything. And that’s really all I can say cuz I can’t force anything outta ya… Or can I?” Michael cocked an eyebrow.



Bryce went stiff and swerved a little but maintained his handle on the steering wheel. Michael got freaked out, grabbing the door handle. “There’s nothing to get out of me, really.”



“Alright, alright. I can take a hint.” Michael conceded. “So, I’m still grounded until tomorrow but I wanna go swimming at your place when I’m free, ok?” It was more like a command and not a request for approval.



“You have a pool too, Mike. Why do you like mine so much?”



“Two words: less people.” Michael said. “So, it’s a date then.”



Bryce lost control of the wheel again for a second. He tried to catch his breath and Michael tried to pull his fingernails out of the upholstery. “What?”



Michael looked confused. “Why the hell did you freak out like that? It’s just a saying. I didn’t mean anything by it. Shit, I’ll never say it again if it makes you that uncomfortable.”



Bryce swallowed hard. He didn’t know why he overreacted that much. It’s not like Michael figured out why he was acting so strangely. “I’m sorry. I really don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Bryce lamented.



Michael looked over his friend, concerned. He didn’t say anything, though. There had to be some reason Bryce was keeping secrets from him. And if he’s keeping a secret from Michael it must be a pretty big deal. He resolved to never bug him about it anymore… at least not while he’s driving.



*



In homeroom, Michael and Bryce noticed that Tyler wasn’t there. Michael saw Bobby walk in the room out of the corner of his eye. Bryce noticed that subtle mischievous lip raise, the Michael Shaughnessy signature up-to-no-good look. And with the new metallic addition, it looked even more sexy-err… sinister. Bryce corrected his own thoughts.



“Hey Bobby, I see your buddy isn’t here today. He too chicken shit to face the fact that I kicked his ass?” Michael taunted.



All the kids around laughed at him. “Screw you, Shaughnessy. You freak.”



“Whoa, how original. Did you come up with that yourself? Or is that one of Tyler’s lines that you so eloquently regurgitate?” Michael asked rhetorically.



“Whatever.”



Michael chuckled, acknowledging his triumph over defeating the enemy. He looked over at Bryce with that award-winning smile, and made Bryce’s heart skip a beat. Bryce mentally reprimanded his heart for doing that. He wasn’t allowed to have a crush on his best friend.



*



On their way to lunch, Michael was in one of his chatty mood and he was talking Bryce’s ear off. He seemed to be in a good mood ever since showing up Bobby Hamilton in homeroom. Bryce always tried his best to listen to Michael but when he was like this he wasn’t always easy to understand. Sometimes he would talk way too fast his father’s accent would unintentionally pop up and he’d run his words together plus he would throw in Irish slang, which Bryce never could quite wrap his head around. But one thing he said made Bryce stop in his tracks.



“I was thinking I might ask Brooke Pressio to the prom, ya know, just to piss of Tyler. Wouldn’t that be priceless if she said yes?”



Bryce felt sick. He thought he was going to throw up, right then and there. His stomach was twisting and contorting into all kinds of shapes other than what it should naturally be. He ran into the nearest bathroom and Michael trailed behind him, yelling out to ask him what was wrong.



Bryce pushed right into an empty bathroom stall and bent down over the toilet. He waited for something to come out, but it didn’t. He just knelt there and hyperventilated into the bowl. Michael busted through the door and immediately to Bryce’s side.



“Brycey, you ok, dude?”



Bryce couldn’t respond. He couldn’t talk. He could barely even breathe let alone form a complete thought and communicate it. Having Michael so close to him, packed in that little stall only twisted his stomach even more.



“Well, at least you’re not puking. I didn’t think you were sick, but you could’ve fooled me.”



“You eat… I’m good.”



“No, you’re not. Are you having a panic attack or something? You’re hyperventilating. That can’t be good.”



“I’ll… fine.” Bryce managed to say between gasps of air.



“No, you’re not fine. You should go home. I’ll catch a ride with Derek or Tom.”



“No.”



“Yes, now stop fighting it. The nurse is right across the hall. Maybe you could go to the nurse and calm yourself down. At least enough to drive yourself home.”



Michael grabbed Bryce under the arms and hoisted him to his feet. “Put your arm around me.” Michael instructed him. Bryce complied; draping his arm around Michael’s shoulders while Michael guided him out of the bathroom.



They sat in the nurse’s office, Bryce with his head between his legs on the couch while Michael was sitting patiently on a nearby chair. Michael smiled at him when he noticed his friend starting to gain control over his breathing again. “You had me scared there for a bit, bud. I thought you’d never calm down.” Bryce just sat back and didn’t respond. All the hyperventilating had taken a lot out of him; he just wanted to go to sleep. “The nurse says that it’s ok with the principal that I drive you home, because they couldn’t get a hold of you mother. I guess she’s not at home.”



“Drive my jeep?”



“It’s fine, don’t have another panic attack. I’m not a bad driver.” Michael claimed.



Bryce fell back onto the couch, pretending to faint. But Michael knew better, because his friend could never keep a straight face when he was bluffing. He always struggled with trying not to smile when he was joking.



“Very funny, Bryce.”





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