What Never Was

Chapter 1

It was a new year and the final one for High Schooler, Nick Morass. He was a seventeen year old senior and he was ready to graduate and move on to college. Nick lived in Sanctum, Missouri. The city was thirty minutes south of St Louis. Nick finishes his hair and grabs his keys to his 2018 Jeep Wrangler.

The drive to school was a quick one, he was only a few minutes from the school. He parked in the senior lot and saw some of his friends. Nick got out and walked up to them. He greeted them and they hung out in the parking lot until they needed to go in for class. They hated that their school district always started school on a Thursday.

Nick and his friends were joking around when he saw him, a guy he didn’t recognize. This unknown guy stepped out of a brand new black 2019 RC F Lexus. The dude was wearing fitting jeans, a black t-shirt and a white silk looking button up shirt.

He waved to a few people and locked his car as he walked towards who, Nick assumed were his friends. Nick asked his friend Marko who that was. “Dude, you don’t recognize him? I guess he lost a lot of weight and got ripped but that’s that fag who loves you.” Marko says.

“Loved, he started hating me after what we did to him last year. At least that’s what a mutual friend told me.” Nick replies. What he doesn’t say is “Damn, he looks so amazing.”

Nick was gay but he wouldn’t admit it to himself or anyone. It was one of the reasons he needed to get to college. Nick wanted to come out and find a boyfriend but his life wasn’t stable enough to nuke everyone he knows with the news he likes guys.

Nick’s mother was religious and his father was a horrible person in general. His plan was to go to college, get a boyfriend, have financial security and then come out to his parents. Nick was awestruck at the guy who liked him their entire High school career.

Nick’s friends started heading towards the school. “Veren.” Nick whispers before following his friends into the school. He parted from his friends to head to his locker to put some stuff away. When Nick got to the hall where his locker was he noticed Veren next to his locker with their mutual friend Megan Rainer. They were talking and laughing.

Nick walked up to his locker and quietly said excuse me so he could get into the locker. He looked out the corner of his eye to get a glance at Veren. “I have to go, I’ll see you in 4th hour.” Veren says as he walks away.

Megan leans against Veren’s locker and looks at Nick. “Hello darling. How was summer?” she asks Nick.

He closed his locker and briefly told her about his summer. Nick wanted to ask about Veren but thought he better not. The two friends talked more but the bell would be ringing soon to head to class. Nick had to get to the gym for his first period.

Nick and Megan would have the same lunch period so they agreed to have lunch together. He said his goodbyes and ran off to the gym for his first class of the new year.

All of the students met in the main gym and waited for the coach/teacher. Nick saw familiar faces but there was one face that stood out from all of the others. Veren Tempest was standing there by himself. He wasn’t wearing his silk shirt from earlier. He must have put it in his locker Nick thought.

The coach came into the gym and explained to everyone what was expected and everything. He showed the locker rooms and explained by Monday everyone needed to have gym clothes. Class for today was going to be a fun game of dodgeball until the hour was up.

The room was split in half. To Nick’s disappointment he was opposite of Veren. The brunette teen stood in the back and waited. The dodgeball game went on for a few rounds. Nick and Veren’s teams were tied by the end of class. It was in the last five minutes of the class the last round was up.

Veren was in the back as he had been the entire game. Nick was up front. The round started and Nick ran for the first ball he could grab and immediately knocked someone out of the game. The round was going by fast as balls flew all around and knocked boy after boy out. In the end it was Nick and one teammate versus Veren and his one teammate. Veren knocked out one guy and Nick knocked out the other. It was down to them two.

They each grabbed a ball. Nick was nervous. He didn’t want to knock Veren out but he also didn’t want to lose. Nick chose the losing option, he threw the ball knowing Veren would easily block the attack. The brunette knocked the ball away and threw his ball in an easily catchable way.

It seemed Veren knew Nick was throwing the match so he forced him to try harder. Nick dodged the ball and grabbed it after it hit the ground. He turned quickly and threw it at Veren. The ball was flying through the air like a bullet. Veren smirked and ran towards the ball with his own. He jumped over the ball and threw his own and nailed Nick in the face. He fell to the ground and people laughed at him.

Veren however landed on the opposite side of the arena and was disqualified which meant the match was tied. The bell rang and Veren turned on his heel and walked out. Nick wanted to run up to him and talk to him but he was gone.

Nick ran to his locker because he needed to get to history class, but first went to his locker. It was by luck but Veren was at his locker talking to Megan. Nick took the chance and walked up to the two. When Nick and Veren’s eyes met though, Veren looked away casually. “I’ll see you at lunch darling. I have to get to psych.” Veren says as he walks off.

Megan notices Nick and rolls her eyes. “I swear, that’s twice you ran him off. It’s the first day, can you be reasonable?” Megan accuses.

“What? I didn’t run him off! He just avoids me.” Nick says defensively.

“Well he is going to be joining us for lunch. You better be nice and not be your usual hating the gay guy for liking you at one point, dude.” Megan says.

Nick holds his hand up. “I swear.” Megan narrows her eyes. “Good, because I like you jerk but he is still my best friend. I’m glad you both have the same lunch as me. He is pretty close to the lunch room too so he may be there before you. He has short story for lunch hour.” Megan says.

Nick feels his heart skip a beat. “Short story? Oh boy, that will be two classes we have together.” Nick says as he rubs the back of his head.

The warning bell went off. Nick parted from Megan and said he would see her later. His second hour was nothing too exciting. He liked history but he just wanted the day to be over already. Though he was excited he had at least two classes with Veren and they would have lunch together.

Class came and went and Nick went to his next class which was a computer class for web design. To his great surprise, Veren walked in and the seat next to Nick was the last available one. The teacher came in a minute after the bell and told the students where they choose to sit would be their official assigned seats.

Nick felt his chest flutter in joy. He couldn’t help but inwardly laugh at the irony of him liking Veren after he horribly rejected the guy freshman year and then made him suffer for the next two years. The teacher talked about everything they would do for the next semester.

The rest of the class the students were allowed to play games on the computer. At one point when Nick was moving his mouse while playing spider solitaire, he touched Veren’s hand. It sent a chill through his body. Veren jerked his hand away and uttered a sorry.

Class ended and Veren ran out of the classroom like he was on fire. Nick sighed but he knew he would be with Veren again in their 5th hour class. The young brunette walked out and went to his next class. Veren was sitting in view of walking through the door in the first row. To Nick’s joy, there was a seat behind him. He walked around and sat right behind Veren.

Nick could smell the cologne from Veren. It smells like vanilla and lavender. He admired the beautiful white silk button up shirt. It revealed his gorgeous back and Nick just wanted to reach out slide his hand up and down. He knew he couldn’t because Veren was afraid more or less of him.

Half-way through class the bell rang for lunch and the class was dismissed for a half an hour. Veren stood up and Nick moderately shouted his name. Veren stopped and looked at Nick. “We both have lunch plans with Megan so I was thinking we could walk to lunch together.” Nick started. Veren looked at Nick like a dog looks at their master when they make an odd noise and they are trying to figure out what’s going on. “I just mean that she wants to know that we can get along and I want you to know that I want to get along with you.” Nick finishes.

Veren chuckles, turns around and walks away. Nick follows behind him and asks if that was a no. “It’s not a yes.” Veren says. Veren continues to walk away and Nick follows behind him. Veren looks back while walking and spots Nick. “Guess you didn’t hear me.” Veren says. Nick walks a little faster and walks side by side. “I did but I am going to walk with you.”

Nick hears a whatever and the two walk in silence to the lunch room. Megan sees them and walks up to her friends. She greets them. They all went to the line to get food. Megan tried getting all of them to talk but Veren wasn’t having anything to do with talking to Nick.

Nick talked mostly with Megan but occasionally tried to talk to Veren. When he wouldn’t respond, Megan kicked Veren. He gave simple responses. The three friends got their food and went to a table in the back of the cafeteria. Veren talked more openly despite Nick being there as lunch went on.

“Ver, me and Nick are going to Six Flags this weekend. You want to come?” Megan asks. Veren shrugs. “Maybe. Does Nick plan to find a way to dunk my head in water? Maybe push me down some stairs again?” Veren says.

Megan sighs. “Veren.”

“No he’s right.” Nick starts. Veren and Megan both looked confused. “I did some bad things to you, me and my friends. I didn’t know how to respond to your feelings and I acted like an idiot. I am sorry.” Nick finishes.

“I forgive you Nick… the same forgiveness you gave me that day after class when I tried to settle our little feud.” Veren says before getting up with his tray.

He walked away without a goodbye. Megan asked Nick what he meant. To his shame Nick had to tell her about what he did. After Nick found out about Veren liking him, he told the whole school which humiliated Veren. He then retaliated and began a feud for the next year. junior year though, Veren apologized one day after class and Nick shook his hands and made it seem like everything was cool. It was on his way to the bus after school that Nick and his friends attacked Veren and brutally beat him up. They dunked his head in the toilet, they threw him down some stairs and each took turns beating him.

“Nick you prick. How could you do that? He never told me about it.”

“I was stupid. Megan… how do I get him to believe me?”

“You don’t make Veren do anything. He can be hard to get through. You have to try hard. I don’t know. Just do.” Megan offers as advice.

Nick went back to class after Lunch. Veren was already at his desk. He didn’t even look as Nick walked by him to take his own seat. The rest of the class went uneventfully for the first day.

In his next class, Nick was disappointed to not see Veren but it was shop class so it was unlikely to be chosen by Veren. The first day was boring as it always is with any class. Nick was excited to be able to build stuff. There was only one class left for the day and then the soccer team meeting.

The last class was debate class, Nick’s guidance counselor recommended it for college. Debate class at Vallis High didn’t actually do debates though, as they had no debate qualified teacher. Instead they did drama competitions in preparation for a big drama competition in the spring.

To his delight, Veren was sitting on the teachers desk laughing with Megan. Nick’s heart beat so fast. He had four classes with Veren. Oh this would be a great year for Nick but for Veren, it may not. He wanted nothing to do with Nick.

The soccer player yelled for Megan and the two friends laughing at the teacher's desk turned and saw Nick. Veren frowned and Megan smiled and got up to greet her friend with a hug. Nick explained why he was in the class and he was happy to have the last class of the day with Megan.

Veren took a seat and pulled out his phone while Nick and Megan talked. Those two joined Veren and sat at desks by him. It was Fate, thought Nick. He had such a huge chance at winning Veren over now. He would just need Megan to help him, but that would mean coming out to her.

The teacher came in, she went by Mrs. Z or just Z, if you were liked students. She was the only drama teacher so most students who were in debate had taken all of her other classes. Nick was an exception. Mrs. Z welcomed her favorite students and explained the goal for the year which was to win the competition

There wasn’t anything planned for the class for the first day so they just played Apples to Apples because Cards against humanity or What do you Meme were to racy for school. Everyone in class played and had fun. To Nick’s surprise he was able to get Veren to pick his card almost every single time he was picking. They were funny cards to Veren and it pissed him off that Nick had the winning cards with him.

Once class was over Nick said bye to Megan and Veren. He ran off to the locker room so he could change into his practice clothes. It was a meeting but there was still going to be practice for the veteran players. Tryouts wouldn’t be for another week.

The entire team gathered out on the field. Nick was the Captain and he talked to everyone before their coach arrived. He talked about how it was their year to win and go to Nationals. While he was talking, Marko interrupted and pointed up into the bleachers. “That fag is here man. He must want to watch your ass.” Marko jokes.

“Leave him alone man. It’s our senior year. It’s time for fun and prepping for life. No need to bully him.” Nick said in his defense. He wondered why Veren was in the bleachers. He had a camera and a notebook. Maybe he was in Newspaper.