Revelations

Hovering over the video, Dae tried to keep his breathing even. Of course, he didn't necessarily enjoy watching the video, no matter how good Evan looked in that specific position, but he was running out of options. He'd made a promise to himself--and indirectly to Evan--after their talk outside of the redhead's workplace that he'd find out what it was Evan needed him to apologize for--and he'd do it. Without a second thought.

Letting out a deep breath he played the cursed video once more but hoped this time he could keep his eyes off of Evan's technique long enough to find out something that could help him. Dae braced himself and started to watch as the video began to play out like always, fighting his selfish desire to shut it off before he could see Evan enjoying somebody else.

But this time around, he tried to focus on everything else in the video; tried to pull his attention away from the red curls--and the beautiful lips--and was able to take in the fact that Evan was not fully naked like his rage had made him think.

Instead, he noticed that the redhead was actually wearing a varsity jacket that was a few sizes too big for him--and only the varsity jacket. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he tried to shut out the breathless moans from Evan's partner. He pulled his attention away from wandering down the redhead's exposed body and tried, instead, to focus on any clue the jacket had to offer.

Luckily in the next frame, Dae was able to make out an insignia on the chest of the jacket--the name of a school he'd faintly remembered hearing about.

Spring County Private Academy.

Relieved that he could shut off the video, he quickly jotted the name into a search bar and pressed enter without hesitation. But when the results page filled with reports of a school shooting from only a year and a half ago, Dae's relief was replaced with fear. Full of trepidation, he hovered over the first article and took a deep breath.

Clicking on the first link led him to an article that began recounting a story about how a small, well-funded private school located a few towns over became the site of a nightmarish plot of revenge. Dae's breath caught in his throat when he read on about a football player who, after a video was released revealing him participating in sexual activity with another male student, brought a gun to school. Ultimately he ended up killing two people and critically wounding a third. The shooter was shortly after detained without further incident.

Dae shook his head at the lack of respect for the deceased in the final part of the article but couldn't stop himself as he skimmed a certain section of it over and over again.

"...Participating in sexual activity with another male student..."

Dae's mind raced back to the video of Evan on his knees, clad in nothing but the varsity jacket that clearly didn't belong to him. His mind raced back to the fear on the redhead's face as he clutched his shoulder while stuck in the lockdown drill.

And suddenly Dae felt sick. He thought back to how he, himself, had treated Evan like an object. Remembered the hostility in the redhead's voice when he'd gripped Evan's arm. Dae choked on the thoughts that Evan could possibly have equated him to the same monster who'd hurt him before.

Unable to breathe, Dae pushed his chair out from his desk and walked over to his window. Throwing the window open, Dae tried to refocus his breathing and feel the cold air on his skin. Feeling utterly devastated, he glanced over to Evan's house out of habit.

And there, on the roof, he saw the familiar ember glow of a cigarette.