Title: Lips
Genre: angst, mentions of suicide and , do not read if sensitive topics!!!
Prompt Used: "Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes."

Joe had never liked being in front of people, but sometimes, things happen that one can't avoid speaking up. Sometimes there are things one just has to say.

The day started out as any other, just another school day in which he felt like he was on the outskirts of a life that he could lay no rightful claim to. Everyone seemed too happy, so perfect on the outside… everyone except for him, at least.

Shouldering his book bag, he tucked his head down and walked through the corridors of his high school with his arms crossed defensively over his chest, not wanting to confront anyone yet. He could hear the whispers as he moved past, they way that conversation seemed to drop as he neared, and he fought to keep a blank expression on his face as he went. This was something he had expected, something that he had steeled himself for before getting out of his car that Monday morning.

It ate at him, the knowledge of what had happened, killing him slowly from the inside. She had been so full of life, his best friend in all the world; popular and pretty, either hated or wanted by everyone that she came into contact with. And then it had happened. 

They’d been in his car on Friday, driving to the beach, when she’d broken down. He’d seen it coming… he’d known her for too long to not see it in the way she carried herself. There was some secret she was hiding, something that he didn’t know the truth of but could see it eating her up from the inside. She’d broken down, though, tears slipping down her cheeks as she stared out the window. He wanted to ask her what was wrong, but thought that if he asked then she’d shut down again, and so his hands only tightened on the steering wheel and he’d kept his mouth shut.

He wished now that he hadn’t.

When they reached the beach, she’d seemed to cheer up, being much more like her bubbly self. They’d chased crabs across the sand and drawn pictures as quickly as they could before the waves came in to wash them away; it felt like childhood all over again, a free and fun afternoon. He straightened from writing something in the sand, something that he desperately wanted to show her, but found that she was nowhere in sight. Concern creased his brow and he set off down the beach, calling her name as he went.

It was for naught, though… he found her body at the bottom of the rocky cliffs, broken from her jump. Tears blinded him and his heart broken into pieces as he gathered her to his chest, his written words forgotten as he screamed out for help.

The waves came along to wash them away, removing all traces of his love confession forever.

His attention was pulled back to the present when something hit his crossed arms; he blinked to clear his vision and he saw that there in front of him stood the cause of all her pain. The boy seemed so perfect, so loved by everyone in the school body, but Joe knew the truth, knew what he had done to her. Anger built inside of him but before he could say anything, the larger boy placed his hands on Joe’s chest and shoved hard.

He tripped backward and fell, landing hard to sprawl on the floor of the hallway; the whispers around them quieted as everyone wanted to hear what went down between the two young men. Joe looked up at the other, tears gathering in his eyes, and the bigger boy shook his fist in his face.

“Everyone’s saying you shoved her, Joe!” he shouted, mocking anger making the veins on his neck stand out, and an agreeing murmur ran through the crowd at his words. Joe had already known what they thought, but hearing it out loud somehow made it hurt more. The tears he’d been fighting back spilled down his cheeks and he choked back a sob before he pushed himself to his feet.

“Leave me alone,” he said quietly, and pushed his way through the crowd before the bigger boy could catch him. He found himself on the steps of the school as the first bell rang, taking big gulps of air to try and calm his racing heart, but he knew what needed to be done. What needed to be said. He just didn’t know if he could do it.

‘Joe… did you know she was pregnant?’ her mom’s words came unbidden to his mind and he choked back another sob as he stood on the steps