No More Mio Amore

Chapter Sixteen

 


December 16, 1999

Daphne looked in the full-length mirror and frowned. “Are you sure I don’t look fat?”

Justin rolled his eyes. “I told you a million times! It looks the same as it did in the store. Now, hurry up. I’m not supposed to be in the girl’s bathroom,” he whispered.

“You go ahead. I’m going to fix my eye shadow,” Daphne replied.

“I’ll wait for you outside the door to the banquet hall. I’m not walking in alone,” Justin groaned as he walked out of the bathroom and into the hotel hallway.

“Taylor!”

Before the name fully escaped Chris’ lips, Justin found himself pressed against a closed hotel room door. He kneed the larger boy in the groin and turned to open the door.

“You fucker!” Chris roared and sandwiched Justin against the door, pushing it closed.

“What the fuck, Chris?!” Justin screamed. He placed his hands against the door and tried to push Chris backward but the other boy was much stronger and held him in place.

Chris ground his erection against Justin as he squeezed the boy’s neck. “Shut up! I just want what you want.”

“I don’t want anything from you,” Justin hissed. “Get off me, now!”

Chris wedged his hand in between Justin’s pelvis and the door. He cupped Justin’s crotch and squeezed Justin’s flaccid penis. “Just calm down,” he growled. “You’ll like it. I know you dream about it.”

Chris’ cell phone went off in his pocket. Millie’s programmed ring caused him to slightly release his hold on Justin. “Keep your faggot mouth shut,” he warned. “Or I’ll fucking kill you.”

Justin could hardly breathe with Chris’ body pressing him so tightly against the door. He tried to suck in breaths. He felt light-headed, dizzy and could only whimper in agreement as Chris answered his phone.

Chris took his hand off Justin’s dick, grabbed his phone and flipped it open. “Yeah, babe?” he asked in a seemingly normal voice.

“Where are you?” Millie asked. “You said you were going to the bathroom. What’s taking you so long?”

“I left something in the room, I’ll be there in a minute,” he replied.

“Well, I’m on my way there. Maybe we can have some fun. This dance sucks,” Millie said.

“No… Fuck!” Chris yelled. He threw his phone to the floor and backed away from Justin. “Get out of here!”

Justin turned around, scared shitless, he wasn’t sure what to do. His chest hurt as he took in deep breaths and scrambled for the door’s handle.

“You tell anyone about this and you’re dead, Taylor.”

Justin didn’t answer the other boy. He opened the door, slammed it behind him and dashed out of the room. He was shaking as he reached the corner of the hall that led to where he was supposed to meet Daphne. He stopped and leaned against the wall to right his clothing, still trying to breathe normally and process what had just happened. Justin had no idea what to do.

“Justin, are you okay?”

Justin’s red face paled when he saw Millie standing before him. “I’m…I’m fine,” he whispered.

“Are you sure?” Millie asked, touching Justin’s shoulder.

“Yeah,” he whispered, gravelly.

“Okay…well, I’ll see you at school.”

“You’re not…you’re not coming to the dance?” Justin asked.

“No,” Millie replied, grinning. “I’m going to have some fun with Chris. If you know what I’m saying,” she replied, giggling.

He couldn’t imagine her having any fun with that psycho. “Okay,” he said slowly.

Millie waved and started to walk down the hall.

Justin had images of Chris taking his anger out on Millie flashing through his head as she walked away from him. He felt guilt clawing at his nerves and it forced him to yell her name. “Millie!”

Millie smiled and walked back over to him. “Yeah?” she asked in a hopeful voice.

“Be careful with Chris,” Justin said softly.

Millie laughed and playfully pushed Justin’s chest. “I’m on birth control, don’t worry.”

“That’s not what I mean,” Justin said. “I’ve… I’ve heard things, about the way he treats girls. It isn’t very nice,” he lied.

“What?” Millie gasped in shock. “Chris wouldn’t…”

“Millie.” Justin looked her in the eyes. “I’m serious, okay? Chris is dangerous. You shouldn’t be alone with him,” he said in a deeply serious tone.

The girl frowned and shifted from foot to foot nervously. “I thought you guys were friends?” she asked.

“We’re not,” Justin said firmly.

Millie huffed, “So how do you know?”

“I just do,” Justin replied.

“I think you’re jealous,” Millie sneered.

Justin backed away from her. “I’m not jealous, Millie. I’m just trying to help you.”

“Whatever, Justin! You had your chance with me. I heard about you and Daphne. Maybe it’s you that doesn’t treat girls right!” she yelled and turned and ran down the hallway toward Chris’ hotel room.

“Fuck,” Justin mumbled and ran his hands over his face and walked around the corner.

“Justin, I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Daphne yelled, running toward him.

Justin cleared his throat and straightened his posture. “You found me,” he said in a barely there voice.

Daphne eyed him suspiciously. “What’s going on?”

“I had a fight with Chris,” Justin told her. He wasn’t going to tell her the truth, he didn’t want to ruin her night and he knew if he didn’t admit to something she wouldn’t leave him alone about it.

“A fight?” Daphne squealed. “What do you mean?”

“It was nothing,” he lied. “He started saying shit.”

“He was trying to get in your pants, wasn’t he?” Daphne whispered.

“What?” Justin asked, alarmed.

“That’s it, wasn’t it?” Daphne demanded.

“Something like that,” Justin admitted. “Come on.” He grabbed her hand and led her toward the doors of the banquet hall.

“But, Justin… I want details,” Daphne whined.

Justin stopped and gave Daphne a huge hug. “I love you, Daphne, and I love that you care about me.” He pulled back and smiled at her. “But this is our Winter Formal. I don’t want to think about any of the bullshit. Let’s go dance and have fun, okay?”

“Are you sure?” Daphne asked, unconvinced.

“I just want to forget about Chris. He and Millie are probably shaking up in their hotel room as we speak. Let’s go have the time of our lives.”

Daphne smiled and nodded her head. “I’ve got the best dance partner,” she told him, kissing Justin’s cheek.

“Me too,” Justin said, shaking off the bad stuff with Chris, for now, and allowing himself to smile and feel happy.
 

****
 

Justin laughed as he walked to Daphne’s car. “I can’t believe someone spiked the punch!”

“Shhh! Not so loud,” Daphne chastised. “There might be a chaperone around.”

“I doubt anyone is leaving the hotel tonight but us,” Justin told her as they reached the car.

“Yeah, it’s a good thing I didn’t drink any of that shit. I told you it was spiked. I could smell it the second we walked in.”

“It was good,” Justin giggled. “You should’ve had some.”

“If I did, I wouldn’t be able to drive us home,” Daphne told him, unlocking her door.

“Hey, where’s my tie?” Justin asked, patting his neck.

Daphne sighed. “I gave it to you.”

“Oh well,” Justin laughed. “Must’ve lost it.”

Daphne looked around and spotted it on the floor of the parking garage. “It’s over there,” she pointed. “Go get it or your Dad will be pissed you lost it.”

“Fine,” Justin grumbled and clumsily walked off toward the black tie.

Daphne got into the car, unlocked the passenger door and started the engine. She smiled happily as the radio played the song she and Justin had danced to minutes before. It had been a wonderful night!

Justin bent down to grab his tie and heard footsteps behind him. “I got it,” he said, assuming it was Daphne.

Chris raised the baseball bat and hollered. “So, Taylor, I’m dangerous?” he hissed.

Still bent over, shocked still, Justin looked behind him at Chris. “What?” he whispered.

“Now you’ll see how dangerous I can be, faggot!” Chris roared and brought the wooden bat down against the back of Justin’s head.

Justin was barely conscious long enough to feel the pain of the bat on the back of his head or to hear the sound of his skull crushing against the pavement from the force of the blow.
 

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