Chapter 76

“Why the long face?” Peter asked as Dan marched up towards the locker room. He’d already spoken with Peter about working out together in the morning. Peter wanted to make sure Dan was fully healed up from his injury before he’d ‘trust’ Dan to hold a racquet again and not do something stupid. Apparently, Peter was allowed to be reckless, but he was doing all he could, to make sure Dan didn’t permanently injure himself.

“I’m not in the mood.” Dan said as he threw his bag in the corner of the room, harder than intended. The bag opened up, books flying about. He cursed and kicked at a can of tennis balls. He was a mess.

“Yeah, no.” Peter said simply. “That’s not how this works buddy.” The senior’s voice was soft, yet stern. He was standing there, already dressed in his tennis clothes, bag of racquets off to the side. It was clear Peter had beaten him here and was waiting for him. Dan could see Peter had even brough the two of them drinks for their workout.

“Just,” Dan tried to meet Peter’s eyes, but he couldn’t. He should be ecstatic. He should be so happy. He was healed, he was getting new racquets, and they were going to be magical. Everything was going in his favor. And yet, here he was, pissed off at the world. “You wouldn’t understand.” He mumbled.

“What makes you think that?” Peter asked as he moved closer to Dan. Dan sat down, defeated, on the bench in the locker room, burying his face in his hands.

“Your life is perfect.” Dan said, “so, you wouldn’t understand.”

“What makes you think that?” Peter asked as he took a seat next to Dan.

“You’re amazing at tennis. All the girls love you. Your dad’s the freaking principal, so you can do whatever the hell you want. Your life is perfect. Everything in your world, just seems to go right.” Dan growled, fighting his emotions. Why was he getting mad at Peter? If anything, he should be lashing out at Syn. But Syn was a super powered magical being. Peter was here. Peter was real.

“Is that so?” Peter asked, leaning back on the bench, using his hands to keep himself from falling backwards as he looked up towards the ceiling. “You think my life is perfect, so I can’t understand what you’re going through?”

“Pretty much.” Dan said, still not looking at him.

“Huh,” Peter stood up, and without another word, walked over to the door to the locker room, and locked it. Once he’d confirmed he’d successfully locked the two of them into the locker room, he walked back over to Dan, and once again sat down.

“You know I trust you, right Dan?” Peter said after a long moment.

“Yeah, I know.” Dan said, sniffling slightly. Was it the cold weather, or his emotions? The walk to school had been filled with just image after image of his mother, and everything he’d gone through back then. Needless to say, not only had the cold morning air been working at him, so had his mind.

“And, you know I’d do anything I could for you, yeah?” Peter continued. “And I mean anything, not just spending 500 dollars on some new racquets for ya.”

Dan winced slightly at that. “I know.”

“And yet, you still don’t think I’d understand what’s going on with you?” Peter pressed. “With all of that, you still don’t think I could,” Peter’s voice went softer as his hand rested on Dan’s shoulder. “Be a friend to you?”

“I know you’re my friend.” Dan said, finally looking at Peter. The senior’s normally carefree face was filled with concern, his eyes soft with worry. “But,” Dan sighed, “it’s just, personal, you know? Stuff from my past, that I’ve got to deal with. I was reminded of something bad this morning, and it’s brought back a ton of emotions.”

“You sure you don’t want to talk about it?” Peter pressed. His hand squeezed Dan’s shoulder. “Even if you don’t think I can understand, I can still listen. It’s good, to get these things off your chest, you know.”

Dan shook his head. His emotions were still going crazy, and his mood hadn’t lifted, but at the very least, his anger no longer flared at Peter. “No. Sorry.”

“Fine.” Peter sighed, let go of Dan’s shoulder, and slouched forward. Peter stared at the ground for a long moment as he sat there, his forearms on his legs, his hands clasped before him. From what Dan could tell, Peter was thinking about something. Something serious.

“If you don’t want to talk.” Peter said, “how about you listen? Yeah?” His mouth was so close to his overlapping hands, that it almost seemed he was resting his chin on it. Peter’s voice was soft, his tone, uncertain. And his eyes, seemed clouded almost.

“Alright,” Dan said. “I can do that.”

Peter didn’t even smile, his chest heaving slightly as the senior let out another heavy breath. He let out a nervous chuckled, and ran his hand through his hair for a moment. Then, Peter glanced at the locked door once more, seeming to confirm it was locked, and then back to Dan.

“Bear with me for a moment then.” Peter said. It almost looked like his hands were shaking, and Dan could see he was bouncing one of his feet slightly in an agitated manner. “I’m, not too good at this.”

“Good at what?” Dan asked. Peter’s strange attitude change was such a far cry from how Peter normally acted, that if Dan didn’t know any better, he’d swear he was talking to someone else. Peter was Peter. Peter was brilliant, full of confidence. This person beside him, seemed a nervous wreck.

Peter took another breath and looked Dan directly in the eyes.

“Telling people the truth about me and my brother.”