CASTIEL'S POINT OF VIEW}
I grew up being watched by those around me, particularly my parents; it was as if they were always there, waiting for me to make the slightest mistake—I never did. I tried to be flawless; I put up the brave typeface that said I was never afraid of anything, and when I think about it, I never truly feared anything until the day I learned I wasn't the regular kid everyone assumed I was.
And now, what I feared the most was this.
"Are you gay, Castiel?"
Confrontation.
The question caused me to pause in my seat. I took a swallow and carefully lifted my head, only to discover my teammates around me in the school cafeteria. I shook my head slightly, realizing that the majority of the students were now watching—it was the only thing they excelled at anyway.
"What?" I managed to get out without losing my voice.
"You heard us, Cap. Are you getting it in the ass like those freaks?"
"No!" I answered without missing a beat. "Why the hell would you ask that?!"
"That's not what Maya said. It turns out you never went to her with the condom; claims you went into a room with that freak and stayed longer than normal. Unless you are just as weird as that guy, why would you ever enter a room with him in the first place?"
I frantically clenched my fists, pushing the person in front of me back as I leaped to my feet. "That offers no proof at all. Mary is just mad I went with some other girl than her. You can't believe someone as desperate as her. I never went into a room with Warren."
"So you even know his name?"
Fuck it! "Doesn't everyone know his name?!" I threw my hands in the air and placed them on my hips. Then I realized my question had been met with a shaking of heads. No one knew his name.
"I know his name!" From his place at the table, Sage raised his hand, drawing looks of disapproval.
"Look, Cap, we don't believe a single word you said; no one in this school does."
As I noticed everyone's scrutinizing stares, I suddenly felt nauseated. At that point, I felt like a prey caught in the middle of predators. Like the odd one out. "How do I prove that I'm not fucking gay?" My teeth gritted, masking the urgency in my voice.
They grinned, and I felt little in their presence, like an ant about to be crushed with one foot. "We know how you can prove it to us. Tonight, meet us at the park. A single minute late would simply prove us justified. Do your best, Captain. Everyone's watching you."
Anxiety traversed and settled in my veins and a sore spot developed in my throat as I exchanged a glance with Sage and the inkling in his eyes told me this wouldn't end well.
I was being watched.
*~*
I would do anything to blend in—to clear those uncertainties from their minds. That was why I stood in the deserted park under the blanket of darkness in the sky and the frigid breeze crashing against my face hidden behind my hoodie while being encompassed by my teammates and they watched me like vultures with wicked intent. I gazed back, attempting to hide my clammy palms in the pocket of my hood.
"What do I have to approve that Mary is nothing but a lying bitch?"
"Her name is Maya."
I scoffed and rolled my eyes. I approached them with a step. "You honestly believe I have time to memorize the names of all the girls I fuck and throw themselves at me? Just say what you fucking want so we can get this day over with!"
"You are very keen to disprove our assumptions."
A wave of anger shot through me. I was doing everything to make them believe; why were they being so damn difficult?! My eyes burned with rage and I reached out to grab the collar of the one who said it. "You are a piece of sh*t, you know that? I'm still your captain and I won't tolerate the fucking tone." I pushed him off. I wish Sage was here; he was always on top of things.
"Here's what you should do to show us you are not a faggot. Your little freak of a boyfriend always leaves the library a few blocks from here at precisely 10 p.m. Tonight, he is the target."
"He's not my boyfriend but fine, I will do whatever."
Warren would forgive me, wouldn't he?
*~*
It was 9:55 p.m. when we arrived at the block of the library they claimed Warren frequented. We stood a few feet away from the massive building, waiting, and at precisely 10 p.m. Warren walked out with a black hoodie over his head. He went in the opposite direction from us.
"How did you know he was here?" I inquired. I had no idea he would be in this library at this time of night. Just because we were dating did not imply that I was aware of every move he made. I loved his demeanor of being sly and enigmatic.
"That is not important. We need to follow him."
They were already after him before I could ask any more questions, so I had no choice but to follow them.
We shadowed Warren's steps without him looking back until they had enough and cornered him in a dark alley. His gaze fixed on me in an instant, and I wished I could disappear.
"Where are you headed, freak?" They clustered around him like files.
I wanted to sink into my hood but I wasn't given the chance to, as I was shoved to the front, a foot away from Warren.
"You're not a faggot, right? Prove that to us. Teach him a lesson," the taunting voice whispered beside my ear.
There was a hollow emptiness in the pair of eyes that stared at me. They were cold and impassive, lacking any emotion or expression. I felt a chill run down my spine as that blankness seemed to peer into my very soul. His eyes were like bottomless pits that seemed to swallow all light and all of my emotions. It was chilling and haunting, like staring into the abyss. As I looked into them, I felt an all-encompassing helplessness that flooded my veins and took a bone-crushing grip on me. I didn't realize I had taken a step back until the sound of mocking laughter reached my eardrums.
"If you can't do it, you can just watch us."
What happened next seemed to happen in an instant. I was yanked back and before I could blink, a bottle was mashed on Warren's head. My eyes widened as blood rolled down his head, but he remained motionless as if a bottle had not been broken on his head.
"Still acting tough, huh? Have fun withstanding this!"
A knife, but I grabbed it before it could reach Warren. "Are you out of your mind? What are you doing with a knife?!" I shouted but promptly, both my arms were grabbed and I was held back.
"His worthless life doesn't matter. No one is going to notice he's gone anyway," a smirk.
I watched with wide eyes as the knife was launched at Warren but this time he dogged and fought back, swinging a punch at the one with the knife to his ass.
Quickly, the others also brought out their knives and launched at Warren.
"Stop! You are going to hurt him!" I screamed, struggling with the hands that held me in place.
"Does it hurt that you can't save your little boyfriend?" One of the guys holding me back laughed next to my ear. "He probably infested you with his virus but don't worry, Cap, we are going to get rid of him and fix you."
Fix me? The phrase fluctuated in my mind. Then I saw two knives inserted into Warren's stomach, and he dropped to his knees.
"Warren!" I clamored, mustering my strength to break free from my shackles and rush to his side. "You fools. You stabbed him!" I exclaimed as Warren dipped to the bitterly cold ground.
"We didn't expect him to just take it. Fuck! We need to get out of here. Come on, Castiel." They reached for me but I swapped their hands away.
"Now is not the time to be the nice guy, Castiel. If we get caught, we'll bring you down with us. He is going to die soon enough, and we cannot afford to go to jail. Consider what your folks will fucking do! What will everyone think?"
My body and brain froze at the sound of my parents.
"If you come with us right now, we will never doubt the fact that you're straight."
The more I listened, the more I realized I was a fucking coward—I loved Warren but I feared my parents more. So I ran.
*~*
"911. What's your emergency?"
"T-they stabbed him."