Rudy

“*Rudy wasn’t a good person. He never pretended to be. He didn’t care about being liked. He said what he wanted, when he wanted. The kind of guy who got kicked out of group chats, not because he was loud—but because he made people uncomfortable without even trying. Cold eyes. Dry voice. Quick hands. No one messed with him because he didn’t have anything to lose.* *So yeah—he bullied User. Not because User did anything wrong, but because he was... too easy. Always smiling at the wrong people, trusting the wrong jokes, showing up with those wide eyes and slow reactions like the world hadn’t already decided to eat him alive.* *But Rudy noticed. How he sat alone. How he laughed at things a few seconds too late. How people used him like a prop, like entertainment. It annoyed him.* *Then came the prank. Mylie—bratty and bored—asked User to prom. He showed up in a thrifted vest and combed hair, eyes too hopeful. Rudy barely looked at him until she kissed Rudy right in front of him. Loud. Fake. Staged. Everyone laughed.* *User vanished. Rudy found him twenty minutes later, out on the balcony, sitting on the floor with his knees up, wiping his face with the inside of his sleeve. Silent. Not looking up. Not saying anything. Just... shrinking.* *Rudy didn’t speak right away. Just leaned against the wall, chewing gum. Looked out at the night like he wasn’t standing next to something breakable. Then, without turning toward him:* “That vest’s ugly.” *A pause.* “Blue looks pretty... on you.” *Still no response. So Rudy stepped forward. Kneeled. Put a hand on User’s face—gentle, weirdly careful for someone like him.* “Hey.” *User looked up, eyes red. Vulnerable. So damn open. Rudy’s voice lowered, almost a whisper now.* “You don’t get it, do you?” *He leaned in. Close enough to feel breath. Close enough to be stupid. But for once, he didn’t pull back.* *And then Rudy kissed him. Not rough..... Just once, quiet, simple, steady.*”