You Cannot Run Forever - Chapters 1 to 6
Title : You Cannot Run Forever - Chapters 1 to 6
Rating : PG
Genre : Fluff, Violence
Author's Note : So, I did this to make your lives easier. This way, you don't have to go and look for each chapter individually, but just look at one giant post. Unfortunatly, this fic was too big to post, so I had to split it. So here are chaptes 1 to 6, and there will be a link for chapter 7 to the epilogue at the bottom after you've read the fic. So I hope you enjoy :)
Chapter 1
The name’s Anthony Padilla, and this is the quite complex story of, well everything that happened up until now. I cannot see into the future, so it has to stop there. If anyone can I’d like to know what happens next for me, if at all possible.
Anyway, I guess I’ve got to start at the beginning. Before I met Ian, before Smosh, before my life went to ruins. It started at my old school, where life was awesome. I got great grades, was the captain of the football team and had the most amazing girlfriend, Kalel. Everyone there loved me; some even idolized me and would copy everything that I did. Sure it was a bit creepy, but you cannot choose your fans, right? However, it was a lie. I had a secret that only Kalel knew, not even my parents were aware of it at the time. I was gay, and I still am. You could say that I’m happier now than in high school.
By now, I guess you’re wondering why Kalel knew. Well, that’s because I told her. It was our first date, and I decided to tell her, that if we were to become an item then she should know now that I’m gay. She was just a ‘beard’, a way of hiding who I really was. Kalel was fine with it, saying that it would be a nice change to her previous relationships. That’s how it went, for three years we ‘dated’. From freshmen year to junior year, we were the school’s number one couple. However, all good things have to come to an end.
A month before we broke up for summer and moved into our final year of high school, we decided to break up. Kalel thought that I shouldn’t spend my final year living a lie. I had to agree, as I was getting pretty tired of pretending to an entire student body. We agreed that we would come clean, tell them everything. Of course, we knew that it would come as a shock but it would eventually blow over.
Ha. We told our friends, who told their friends, who told the entire school. Suddenly, everything changed. People started throwing things at me, calling me fag and pretending to throw up whenever I walked near them. I lost my status, starting to free fall further and further down the popularity chain. When you’re at the top, it’s a surprising long way down. As we neared the last week of the school year, things got worse. Guys, people that I’d played football with for three years, started to beat me up. I’d frequently come home with a bloody nose or a black eye. The only way to tell my parents how it happened was to tell them the truth. They weren’t shocked; telling me that they expected it ever since I started liking the Spice Girls.
So as the punches rained down on me like hail stones, I couldn’t help but hear the threats. I was starting to get death threats, by people who didn’t even know me. Nobody stopped them, just ignored them. I did too, thinking that they were just empty threats like that they would beat my brains out. Then, a switch blade was found in a locker of the guy that threatened me. It was the last day of school. My parents were informed, as were his, and we all went into the head’s office and tried to figure out why he hated me so much. All he said was that I’d lied to him and he wanted revenge.
That was his excuse. So, what did my family do? We ran; not looking back. We ran out of fear, out of blind fear. We started again, keeping our name the same. It was a way of remembering our past life, without having to mention it. I spent my final year of high school making new friends, and keeping under the radar. I came out immediately, not wanting to repeat what happened before. They were more forgiving at the new school, not necessarily caring about the new gay kid. That was where I met Ian. Sure he was a bit cautious to begin with, but he settled once I established that I didn’t have feelings for him.
Now, we have Smosh. We have fans, fans that idolize us. I cannot help but think that this is how it was, before everything went wrong. It’s the fear that keeps me up at night, thinking how I might fall this time. Who I might lose, and who might never forgive me and want revenge.
Chapter 2
I guess that you could say that everything went downhill (again) about two months ago. It was a Saturday and the sun shone through my curtains. Light crept through the split between them and began to blind me. I rolled out of bed and, angrily, closed them shut, expelling the ray of white light from my room. I didn’t notice Ian standing in the doorway.
When I finally realised his presence, I was awake and getting dressed for a day of nothing special. The first thing I saw when I looked at Ian was that he was in his boxers. Just his boxers. My heart began to beat faster; well anybody’s would gay or straight. He has this sense about him that can make anyone weak at the knees. Maybe it’s his deep, cool blue eyes that are so blue that you could just jump right into them, like a swimming pool. Or maybe it’s his attitude, the way that everything just seems to brush off him. Perhaps I’m being silly or, most likely, I’m in love. To hell with it, I’m in love. It’s kind of ironic really, that I’m in love with a guy who wasn’t sure about being my friend, until we’d established that I didn’t have feelings for him.
Anyway, Ian walked up to me and gave me a hug. At first I was in shock, why would he just do that? Then I remembered Dave had broken up with me last night. We’d been going out for five months, so it did come as a surprise. Still, if it got me a hug from Ian, then I should break up with people more often. Ian slowly walked away, and I immediately missed his stubble upon my cheek. I looked at him, as he looked at the floor. Finally, after what seemed like a millennium of waiting, he said,
“Dude, your room smells and looks like shit. Aren’t you gays supposed to be clean or something like that?” I knew he was joking, but he was right. I hadn’t cleaned my room in a month or so and had forgotten what the floor looked like.
“Are you saying that I’m messy? Well, let’s look in your room then and compare, shall we?” I said and sprinted past him. However Ian, who still had his pace from the track team in high school, beat me to it. He spread himself across his door. His face seemed to say, ‘Rip me to shreds, go on, I dare you.’ I playfully pushed him out of the way, and opened his door. It was spotless; everything was in its place. There weren’t any clothes on the floor, cereal bowls weren’t stacked to the ceiling and there was a scent of flowers. I turned around and said
“Are you sure you’re not the gay one?”
“No, I’m just clean and don’t want to start a colony of roaches in my underwear drawer.” Ian didn’t sound bothered that I called him gay; I did it all the time. I was always saying that the fan fictions written about us were only half way there; all we needed to do was convert Ian over to the pink side. He’d just laugh and carry on opening mail like it was nothing.
I turned around to see Ian getting dressed. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I just turned back around. I wasn’t going to have him figuring out my feelings, not just yet. I turned around again to find him still only wearing his boxers.
“Why haven’t you gotten changed yet? Do you want to have a lazy day today?” I honestly wasn’t bothered what he did, I was just glad I could still see his boxers. What I didn’t expect was Ian to push me onto his bed and kiss me. I pushed him away and looked at him. His face was red; it looked like he’d only just realized what had just happened. I slowly got up, and exclaimed
“What was that?!”
“Sorry, I’ve just always wanted to do that and . . . . you were in my room and . . . . I thought that I wouldn’t get another chance like this again. Forgive me, please Anthony.” His eyes were starting to weal up and a solitary tear went down his face. I wiped it away, and kissed him on the cheek.
“Like I wouldn’t.” That was how it all started, how I got the only thing that I wanted. How was I to know that it could all end so soon, and in a dramatic fashion? How was I to know that they would find me again, the people that ruined my life, the people that would ruin it again.
Chapter 3
For two weeks, Ian and I gradually told everyone that we were together. We started with our parents, as it’s only polite to do so. My parents thought that I had been dating Ian ever since we started Smosh in 2005 so it was fun telling them that they were wrong. I went with Ian to tell his parents that he was gay and dating his best friend since high school.
It was rather awkward, as Ian’s father only wanted his son to be happy, but to also have the exact same life as he did. He wanted his son to grow up and settle down with a girl, hold down a stable job with a steady income and have two children. Telling Ian’s father about Smosh was bad enough; he didn’t see how two straight guys could live together and make money from uploading idiotic videos onto a website. So, when Ian had to tell him the truth, we were surprised to see that he didn’t hit the roof. He just smiled and sat in his chair as we explained. I’m not sure if he knows about ‘:putnam:’ but one battle at a time.
Then, we told our friends who took it well and were surprised to find out that we didn’t realize sooner. They told us about all the time’s that it was so obvious to them that we were perfect for each other. That conversation lasted for three hours, and we also received a list in case they missed something. Finally, it was time to tell the fans. We did it the only way we could, with a camera. We confessed our love to the world, and waited for the hate mail. Instead we received supporters.
People started to subscribe to our channel, saying that they were waiting for us to finally come out and say what they all already knew. The out pour of supporters came like a tidal wave of praise; people we didn’t know were saying thank you and well done. The post office started screaming at us, insisting that we get another P.O. Box as the mail was becoming unbearable. We felt like nothing would ever stop us, like it would continue forever.
One day, I think it was a Sunday, Ian and I were walking through the park. As we neared a park bench, Ian sped up and sat down.
“Why do you want to sit down? Is there something you need to say?” I was worried; was he going to confess, that it was all a lie? Did he really love me or was this some cruel game of his.
“By the look on your face Anthony, you think that I don’t love you. I do, so get that sick thought out of your head. Like I would ever stop thinking about you.” Ian looked hurt, like he was surprised that I would even think about him leaving. Now that I think about it, it was rather silly. Ian continued, “Anthony, there is something I have to tell you. Melanie called me last night. She said that I was being a fool, that I would be better with her. She said that she was the only person that I could ever be happy with.”
Melanie had never been nice to Ian since he broke up with her. She was always trying to find ways of making him love her again. We’re not sure what she’ll try next though, so we are always on guard. After Ian told me, I felt as though I had to tell him about before I moved to Sacramento. Tell him about the bullying, the death-threats, everything. I just couldn’t; I hadn’t spoken about it in years. How would I react? No, more importantly, how would Ian react? I knew what I would do, I’d become a crying mess. My words would be drowned by tears, but would Ian stay to comfort me? I had to tell him.
“Ian, there’s something I have to say.” Ian looked up. He obviously wasn’t thinking what I was when he told me that, he was the kind that believed that only cheating could break apart a relationship. “Ian...”
“Well, well, well. Look what we have here. The fag that ran away and his boyfriend.” I knew that voice. I turned around, and found myself staring face to face with my ‘friends’ from before I moved to Sacramento. They found me. Of course they found me, they most likely watch Smosh.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us? No, let me. I’ve finally found you Mr. Padilla and now I can finish what I started.” I knew right then that he wasn’t a friend, but my assailant, the one that brought the knife to school. I noticed the knife come out of his pocket as Ian squeezed my hand.
Chapter 4
I stood up and pushed Ian behind me. He was not going to get hurt because of my stupidity or my past. He had found me, so what was he going to do? I didn’t notice Ian look from behind me, not until he spoke,
“I’m sorry but you haven’t introduced yourself. You said you would, and then instead decided to threaten him with a knife.” That was my Ian, always making sure people did what they said they would.
“I am sorry but I did get caught up in the moment” said my assailant. He didn’t put his knife away, but he simply handed it over to one of his henchmen. He looked at me and began to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” I had to ask, as Ian was getting very uncomfortable.
“It’s just so like you Anthony,” answered my assailant, “You hid behind people just so you aren’t the one to get burned. Just like back in high school, before you ran away. Was it because of little old me?” I felt my face burning, reddening. Still, he talked “I will give you one day to explain to him who I am. Tomorrow, meet me here. Alone.”
He turned and walked away as did his henchmen. A few of them threw rocks at me; others just walked, not wanting to be left behind. I turned around to look at Ian who was picked bits of gravel out of his hair. I was used to it but Ian was almost in tears. I knew that at some point people would attack me for our choice, but not him.
I took his hand and basically dragged him home. I heard Ian telling me to stop, to slow down. I just carried on, never slowing, just wanting to get home and hid away from what I’d feared all my time in Sacramento. When we finally reached home, I fumbled with my keys and couldn’t get them into the key hole. I finally threw them on the floor; Ian picked them up and slotted the key into the door. He opened the door and let me shuffle in. I only took five steps before falling on the carpeted floor and cried. I made a wet patch on the floor, but it could be cleaned later. My knees and elbows were red from carpet burns. I think that my red face returned due to carpet burns. Ian stood over me.
He knelt down next to me. I didn’t care when he stroked my back, when he gave me tissues, when he lifted me up with his strong arms and placed me on the couch. I slowly sat up and immediately began to start crying again, placing my head in my hands. Ian took my head in his hands instead and faced me, saying
“Anthony, please tell me. I can’t help you if you don’t tell me. Who is he? How did he know your name? Please.” I finally looked up, and wiped away any remaining tears. Through sobs and break-downs, I managed to tell Ian everything. My previous life, when I had Kalel and how it went downhill. When I’d finally finished, I said
“Ian, I’m so sorry that I didn’t tell you before but I couldn’t. I know I’ve been selfish and stubborn. You had a right to know. I should’ve told you before we started going out, before all this. Forgive me.”
“Anthony, you forgave me for kissing you when I was only wearing my boxers two weeks ago and you’re also helping me against Melanie. Why wouldn’t I?” Ian moved closer and lightly kissed me on the cheek. He took my hand, took a deep breath and said “I’m coming with you to fight that monster.”
“No, you can’t. If anything were to happen to you because of me, I could never forgive myself.”
“But if you got hurt and I wasn’t there to protect you then I would never forgive myself either.” Ian was very convincing. I nodded my head,
“OK, you can come. However, please don’t get hurt and if he brings his knife, get the police. I’m not having you stabbed.”
“It’s nice to know someone cares” replied Ian, as I slowly fell asleep on his shoulder. Yes, it was.
Chapter 5
The next morning, Ian and I went back to the park at around noon. I’d tried to convince Ian to stay behind last night, but he wasn’t having any of it. He’d just cut my sentences short with kisses, and try to start talking about a different subject. In the end, I just gave in. He made me a promise, however, that if there was any violence where he might get hurt then he would go and run for the police. This was my fight, not his.
We walked to the park in silence, not holding hands. It would bring back the fear and tears that we’d expelled the night before. Last night, we spent most of it crying and telling each other that we would be fine. I didn’t believe a word of it, and neither did Ian but now wasn’t the time to be pessimistic. The gang came into sight, and we saw what they were doing straight away. They were beating up a defenceless kid.
“Hey get off him.” I turned around to see who said that, then realized it was me. “Your fight’s with me, not the kid.”
“Somebody’s grown a back bone over the course of 12 hours. Oh wait; you’ve dragged your friend along for protection. You’re still the coward you always were.” My assailant’s henchmen cackled evilly and I couldn’t help but picture them all as witches standing around a cauldron. Ian stepped in front of me, and said
“I chose to come here, Anthony didn’t want me here but I came. You still haven’t said your name. I’m getting quite annoyed with saying the same thing.”
“Fine, my name’s Dave.” That was his name, Dave. He had the same name as my ex boyfriend who went out with me for five months, before I confessed my love for Ian. I looked at Ian and smiled. He smiled back. Dave got angry and asked “What’s so funny about my goddamn name?” I looked at him square in the eyes and said
“My ex was called Dave” At this Ian couldn’t contain it anymore and burst into laughter. Suddenly, two henchmen started to run towards Ian. Quick as a flash I turned around and shouted, “Run Ian.” He didn’t need telling twice. He sprinted away, and stopped to where he could see the action, but not be a part of it. I honestly would’ve preferred him to have run all the way home, but I was glad he still wanted to help.
The two men returned with a smile on their faces. One of them grabbed me, pulling both my arms behind my back and the other punched me in the stomach. My body propelled itself forward in some sort of recovery position. From the angle I was at, I saw Ian run and knew that something was going to happen. The man that punched me grabbed my neck and pulled my face up so that I could see what would happen. I immediately saw the knife. My mind filled with panic, but I hid it and calmly asked
“Why do you want to kill me? What did I do to you? All I know is that you want me dead because I lied to you in high school, but that’s not an excuse.”
“Fine,” Dave replied, “The reason is because I hated you, with your perfect girlfriend and great grades. I’m gay and got punched all the time, while you hid and sometimes joined in. So when you came out, I was filled with rage. I still am.”
“I never punched you. I swear I never did.” I was scared, anybody would be. I saw Ian out of the corner of my eye with a police man. I slightly smiled. Then I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and my shirt was starting to get wet. I looked down and saw Dave’s knife. He smiled at me and left his knife inside me. The man holding me let go, and watched as I fell to the floor. I could hear Ian scream and the sound of his feet got closer. I looked up just in time to see Dave get put in handcuffs by the police.
Ian knelt down next to me and pulled the knife out. Ian stroked my hair saying,
“Anthony, please don’t go. I’m nothing without you. Please.” As my eyelids closed, I felt Ian lift me up and bury his head into my chest. Before I blacked out, I heard an ambulance and Ian screaming at Dave.
Chapter 6 - Ian’s POV
I was in the ambulance with Anthony, which was all I cared about. I rang his parents and told him everything, then mine and finished with our friends. When we got there, they put Anthony in another room and connected him up with machines. His parents came not long after they had finished. His father pushed me out of the way so they could both stare at their son in an unconscious state. His mother cried, and I knew that they would turn on me, blame me.
I managed to find an empty chair and silently cried. What would I do now? Anthony was my everything; he was the first person I loved truly. Sure Melanie would say that that inside I loved her, but she would have to get over it. I stared at Antony’s parents who didn’t even think about anything else. Well I wasn’t either so they can be forgiven.
My parents came in an hour after Anthony’s did. They asked if I was ok, then went and asked the same to Anthony’s parents. Now, when strangers come and ask if you’re ok and you’re in a hospital with your son who has a stab wound, how would you act? They got incredibly defensive and when they found out that they were my parents, well then they started to blame me. They said that I should’ve helped Anthony and then he wouldn’t have got stabbed. This only sent me into hysterics.
My mother comforted me, saying that if I hadn’t gone to get the police then the person that stabbed Anthony wouldn’t be in jail. I knew that was true, and I also understood his parents reaction. I knew about Dave, and they were being protective of him. I looked at my parents, and suddenly heard a voice,
“I hope whoever did this goes to jail for an eternity” I looked around to see who’d said it, we all did. A small part of me immediately thought of Anthony. He could’ve woken up, saw his parents yelling at me. No, it was the doctor. He showed his parents the medical exam he did and then took him away to x-ray him. As he passed, I asked to see the results. The doctor asked if I was family and I answered no, I was just his boyfriend. The doctor, looked around and quickly showed me, telling me what it meant. I felt like he wasn’t meant to be doing this, like I was breaking the law just looking at Anthony’s fate.
Anthony had two fractured ribs and a concussion. The doctor said he was lucky, the knife didn’t hit anything important, so he wouldn’t need an operation jut some stitches. He would also need bed rest for a week after he left the hospital. We’d already missed this week’s episode of Smosh, I thought, how many more would we lose. When the doctor left, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to be faced with Melanie. She threw her arms around me saying
“Ian, oh I knew I’d find you here.”
“What makes you think that I wanted you to find me?” My voice was harsh and stale. Did she not know about Anthony, or was she intent on getting me back, no matter what had happened.
“I came as soon as I heard. Are you alright? Do you want me to comfort you?” She was just being annoying now. I didn’t want her here, but she just wouldn’t go. She kept handing me tissues and patting my back; I just pushed her away. My parents recognised her and made her leave. I had a feeling that she would come back, but I didn’t care right now.
I walked into Anthony’s room. He was all alone, and the only sound to be heard was the beep of his machines and his slow continuous breathing. I sat in the chair next to him and held his hand. Tears started to fall down my cheek again, I couldn’t believe it. He was my angel but here, in a white gown and in a hospital with a wound, he was my fallen angel. I had always seen his wings and could’ve sworn that heavenly beings sang as he talked.
Suddenly, I felt his hand enclose around mine. Anthony was waking up! I saw his eyes open and had to fight the incontrollable urge to kiss him right then and there.
“Hey Ian” he said; his voice was weak and gravelly. Then, a loud beep came from a machine that Anthony was hooked up to. I turned to face him, and his eyes had closed themselves again. I ran out of the room, shouting
“Help! Somebody! Please!” Nurses ran inside with trolleys, and one of them pulled me away saying that she was there for comfort. I pushed her away, thinking that it was Melanie again, and started to run for Anthony. Two male nurses held me back as I collapsed on the floor.
As I heard the familiar monotone of beeps, I slowly got up and walked back in. Anthony was still alive. A rush of relief flooded me. The doctor walked in, and different people filled him in on what had happened. I told him that Anthony had woken up, but it wasn’t of much use to him. I asked if he would have to operate on him, but the reply was that they’d have to do more tests before coming to that conclusion. I swore that I would never leave his side, not until he was back. Not until he came back.
CLICK HERE FOR CHAPTERS 7 TO THE EPILOGUE : http://gogglevon45.livejournal.com/5346.html#cutid1