Damn, the Power Went Out? Okay.

Trigger warning: abusive parent and suicide attempt (not graphic)

***

The electricity just went out.

Shit.

I look over at Draven. He's staring at the phone in his hand, completely unaware that the elevator just stopped. Because of the chat bubbles reflected on his glasses, I can see he's texting someone. I wonder if he has a girlfriend or something.

Not that I care, of course.

After sending a message or two, he glances up and looks around, seemingly perplexed at the lack of light or movement.

"Did the power go out?" Draven asks.

"No, the elevator stopped in the middle of going down and the lights just happened to turn off. Of course the power went out!"

"Okay." He scans the room and sets his eyes on the corner of the elevator farthest from me. He walks over to the corner and plops down with a small "oof." That guy could be told he was burning in hell for the rest of his life and he'd just respond with a meek "okay."

I glance at Draven for a few seconds while he's playing a game on his phone. His hair is a complete mess, but somehow he makes it look hot. No, not hot. Angelic. Fuck, that's worse. It looks good is what I'm trying to say. It's dyed a pastel pink that looks nice on him. Fits his alabaster skin and everything. His thick, angular eyebrows are also dyed the same pink, making it seem like he was born as a pastel goth. To be honest, Draven was the reason I even found that term.

I could never look as good as him. My features are so sharp it looks like I'm pissed off even when I'm smiling. My bright green eyes don't help either, as you don't find many green-eyed bastards in this city. My dark unruly hair almost reaches my

shoulders and is always covering my eyes so no one will see the pain behind them.

Okay, that was a joke. I'm not interesting enough to feel anything.

I see Draven every night on the same elevator heading to the same floor. We never talk, only exchange a brief look and a nod of the head. We don't need anything more than that. On rare occasions, he tells me random facts about animals, or more specifically, snails. Did you know that most snails are hermaphrodites and that their sexual organs are on the backs of their heads?

Draven's features are pretty feminine. Soft jaw, soft lips, soft nose, soft...eyes that are looking directly at me.

"Is there something on my face?"

Shit, I can't believe he caught me staring. Fortunately for me, I'm full of sarcasm. "Other than the twenty-eight piercings you have and the colored contacts you're wearing, no, there's nothing on your face." Wow, I'm such a terrible person.

"I only have seven piercings though..." Draven says in a small voice as he gently rubs on his lip piercing. I wonder what it would be like to press my lips against his. Goddammit Conner, stop thinking such impure thoughts. How unholy I am. Such sin. Draven offers me a weak sigh and a slight smile as he goes back to playing his game. I really am a dick, aren't I? I need to say something nice for once.

"I like your haircut. It's new, right?" I am so bad at this. What a human trainwreck.

Draven eyes me carefully. This is the first time I've ever said anything nice to him. "Yeah, I got it two days ago."

"Oh, cool."

He looks back down and continues playing his game. This is why I don't ever have any normal social interactions. All of a sudden, the lights turn back on and the elevator goes down to the first floor. Destiny is having a love-hate relationship with me today.

"This is where I get off. Bye." He always bids me farewell with the same words and a tiny smirk that makes me melt every. Single. Time.

"Off to the land of Nod," I respond. I always respond with that. Nothing will ever change between you two my mind keeps telling me. Don't expect anything from him. Do you really think you're a good match for him? First, you're a guy. Second, you're a horrible person. Third, you're a depressed son of a bitch The voices in my head are very blunt, to say the least.

But then, the wolves came.

Alright, that's another joke. Draven casually turns around (something he never does) and looks at me squarely in the eyes.

"I like you."

Wha–what? I must be dreaming. This can't possibly be happening. I search around for cameras because this isn't real. This is just a prank and someone is going to yell "gotcha!" once they see my face.

"Uh...pardon?"

"I like you. You don't have to say anything; I only wanted to get it off my chest. I've been feeling...weird...around you, and I think I like you. Anyway, I'll be on my way." He smirks at me again and leaves me standing there, completely and utterly stupefied.

Yay?

***

Thank Christ, the power is working today.

I nod my head at Draven but he doesn't notice because he has his head down. I guess yesterday's confession is bothering him, which is fair since I didn't say anything besides "pardon?"

He sits in the far corner again and reads something on his phone. I should be a decent person for once and sit next to him, so I do. He notices me moving closer to him and inches away as if I had some contagious disease. I mean, I do have what you call "the gay."

Draven takes a deep breath and starts rambling. "You...probably hate me now. I mean, I'm a guy and you're a guy too and I know nothing can happen between us and I'm so sorry I just couldn't keep it to myself anymore I needed to get it off my chest please forgive me can you at least keep nodding at me when I enter the elevator I know I'm not even worth a word from you so you know but ple–"

"I think I like you too." What am I doing? WHAT AM I DOING???

Flabbergasted, Draven looks at me intently, blinking rapidly. "I knew you were an asshole, but I didn't think you were a dick. Don't joke around with me, please. It's hard enough being gay, thank you very much."

I reach over and grasp his knee, regarding him fixedly. His eyes are wide open and his lips are slightly apart, perfect for kissing. God, Draven is scared I hate him and here I am thinking about kissing him. What a douche. "I legit like you too, man. I can prove it to you if you want..." My eyes go down to his parted lips. I really want to kiss him right now. If I don't kiss him, I swear I will die.

"You're...not messing with me?" Draven glances at me hopefully, his beautiful eyes shining.

"Of course I'm not! Do you really think so little of me?"

"I mean, you don't exactly have the best track record."

"You know, that's a fair point." I grin at him and he grins back. I'd do anything to make this moment go on forever, but alas, the elevator has stopped on our floor. Draven grips my hand lightly and, after several seconds, lets go of my hand and sighs.

"This is where I get off. Bye."

"Off to the land of Nod, I suppose. See you."

He grins again and kisses my cheek. OH MY GOD HE KISSED MY CHEEK ASdisajDOJASIDAKSD asdslDMNJasreuiNFAJSFNearjifIE. "See you."

Draven waves and walks toward his car, never looking back.

***

The elevator screeches to a halt and the lights go out.

Again.

I sit down with Draven in the corner. We nod at each other and smile. Well, I smile. Draven just winces as if he's in pain. Then I notice the bruises covering one side of his face.

"Hey, uh...you have a little something..." I tap on my left cheek.

Draven's mouth falls open almost imperceptibly and he veers his cheek out of my sight. "I fell down the stairs in the lobby."

"Do you really expect me to believe that?"

Draven looks at me for a moment, as if debating whether or not to tell me. Ultimately, he relents. "I came out to my dad as gay yesternight. I think you can guess what happened next."

I stay silent and gape at him. "Your dad did that?" I say, pointing at his purple bruises and his black eye.

"I probably deserved it. He was drunk anyway."

"THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT OKAY!"

"Okay..." Draven says in his signature minute voice. How can he think it's okay that his own Goddamn father beat the shit out of him??? "Either way, I haven't been the best son, and he needs to take his anger out on something. Might as well it be me since I'm such a fucking waste of–"

I lean over and kiss Draven on the lips as it's the only thing I can think of doing. I can't just sit there doing nothing as he says some derogatory bullshit about himself. He gasps and stares at me in shock. I break off the kiss and sit straight, not daring to cast an eye on him. Without warning, Draven tilts his body towards mine so he can kiss me back, his silky hands tenderly caressing my cheek.

All too soon, the kiss is over and Draven returns to his previous position. Sitting back down like L Lawliet from that one anime Ashley likes. He grins at me warmly and rests his head on my shoulder.

Is this what romance is like?

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Draven stick his hand in his coat's pocket and open his mouth as if he's about to say something, but thinks better of it and takes his hand out, staying completely silent.

The elevator's lights turn on again and it goes down to floor 1 where we both get off, Draven's hand lightly touching mine.

"This is where I get off. Bye." He gives me one last beaming smile and walks toward his car.

"...Off to the land of Nod."

Once again, Draven turns around, but he avoids my eyes. "Thank you. Goodbye."

Goodbye?

Instead of heading for his car, though, Draven heads toward the bus stop. Or something.

As I watch Draven turn around the corner, I see a shred of white fall from his pocket and flutter to the ground in front of me. Upon closer inspection, I see that the white shred is a tiny strip of paper.

"Hey, Dra-" I look up from the note and see that Draven is nowhere to be found. I read the note quickly and start panting. Dropping the note to the ground, I run to the nearest bridge as fast as my body will let me.

"I shall take my leave in the river blue,

Therefore I will give you my farewell, adieu.

"The love of the people I adore

Won't help because there is nothing worth living for."

***

I finally get to the bridge. I look around but don't see Draven. Oh shit, is this the wrong bridge? Wait, is that–

"DRAVEN!"

He doesn't see me. He doesn't see me...

"DRAVEN, DON'T DO THIS."

He's on the edge of the bridge, looking down at the dark blue water. It suddenly starts to rain, as if God Himself is in tears watching Draven take his life away.

"I LOVE YOU!"

Finally, Draven snaps out of his trance and turns to face me. His face is wet with tears and his pink hair is blowing in the wind. Upon noticing it's me yelling, he starts to cry harder and harder.

"I...I love...I'm sorry." Draven stretches his arms out and leans forward. I sprint as fast as I can.

But I slip and fall.

When I recover and get back up, I see Draven step off, his eyes never leaving me. I dash to the edge of the bridge and blindly clutch at the air.

I–I have his arm!

I look down and there he is, gazing up at me, streams of tears still on his face. Groaning, I hoist him up with all the energy I have left. Once Draven is over the edge joining me, I pull him in close in an embrace and he buries his head in my chest, sobs racking his body. I hold him for what seems like an eternity and I pat his head lovingly.

When we break apart, I kiss the guy who gave me life while he was struggling with his.

"I love you. You're going to be okay. You're going to be okay."