"Victor." It was a voice that was so familiar to the young man, a sweet voice that filled him from the tips of his dyed black hair to the ends of his long toes with excitement.
Melissa. She was an angel. Nothing could compare with her long gold locks that tumbled down from her back like a cascading waterfall, her big brown eyes that looked like chocolate.
"Oh, hi Melissa." Victor could have slapped himself. Why did he have to sound like such a. . .a. . .well, so damn dorky?
"Oh hi yourself!" She giggled. "I want you to meet someone today! Let's meet after class; you know, at the usual place." And she was gone.
A cold hand gripped Victor's heart. "Meet someone"? Who? Maybe he wouldn't go. That was it! Give her an excuse, say he needed to ask Professor Jawz something. Victor nodded, it was perfect. "If I don't meet the person than nothing will change." Or so he thought.
Somehow he had ended up at the place where Melissa and he always met up; it was a small cafe about a five minute walk from school called The Leaping Cat Cafe.
Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Why did I come?! He kept berating himself until "Victor?"
He froze.
"Victor, here he is." Melissa's happy tone wafted to him through the haze of dismay that had surrounded him the moment Victor had entered the room. Slowly turning around he put on his fake smile. "Hi Melissa. Sorry I'm late."
Melissa grinned and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "You were early, silly! You know that. Anyway, meet Carl. He's my boyfriend."
Victor looked Carl up and down. He was a tall guy, taller than Victor by approximately two inches. he had thick brown hair that was in a sort of comb-over style that was popular these days. His eyes were a watery sort of blue that most women found attractive, Victor hated those eyes. Carl was strong looking, like he worked out; unlike Victor who, no matter how much he worked out, always looked like a skinny girl.
"It's nice to meet you, Carl." The words were pulled out of him as if by a a pair of pliers.
"Whoa! He really is a guy. Dude, I always thought people were kidding when they said that he was a guy, like, dude."
Victor bristled invisibly. He hated people like this twat.
About 20 minutes after they had sat down, Victor claimed some prior engagement that he had completely forgot about until now and that, no he really couldn't miss it because it was really too pressing, and, what a shame it was that he couldn't stay longer, but engagements simply must be kept, and so, with many pleasantries, Victor walked out the door.
This was hell. Weeks passed and Melissa and Victor grew farther and farther apart as Melissa started hanging out with the popular people and Victor stayed in his own little place.
The days were so hellish that Victor studied his ass off until he graduated one year after entering the high school. He then went on to Harvard University at the age of 16. Victor made himself attractive, he stopped coloring his hair black and let it stay its vibrant red color. People suddenly started talking to him, hanging around with him. Victor went through partners so quickly; it was like a blur. Men, women, it was all the same; none of them were her.
WHACK!
Victor's eyes snapped open. His cheek felt like he'd been slapped by a fish.
"OW. AUCK. WHAT THE--" He looked around and saw Leon.
"Get up. No time to be lazing about."
"Gee, thanks. I love being slapped awake by fully dressed young men with crazy hair." Sarcasm spiked Victor's jovial tone.