17 years later
 
Beep! 
Beep! 
Beep!

Virgil groaned as he rolled over in his bed. He did not want to get up yet. He grabbed his pillow and covered his ears trying to block out the shrill noise coming from his clock.
Beep!
Beep! 
Beep!

Okay this was really getting on Virgil’s nerves now. He threw off his pillow and glared at the evil machine that demanded his attention, to see that it read 6:15 am.  He picked up the clock and shook it. “What did I ever do to you? Huh? Why the hell do you have to wake me up so early?” He finally sighed and set down the clock and hit the snooze button before flopping back down upon his bed. 

Ah, peace and quiet. 

Just then the sound of knocking came from his door. 

Frick!

“Virgil you need to get up!” The voice of the head matron came through the door. “Now! You may only have one more month of school left before the break but that doesn’t mean your done yet.” Virgil sighed before he rolled off of his bed onto the floor with a loud thud. Hearing the thud the head matron knew that he would be getting up and left to finish making his food. The rest of the kids didn’t have to get up for a few hours.

Virgil slowly dragged himself into an upright position before standing up. He slowly made his way to his closet. Okay, what to wear. Virgil looked at his closet and sighed “Let’s see here black, black, oh look at that more black. So many choices so little time.” He rolled his eyes and grabbed one of his black shirts and pulled it on, then did the same with his pants and socks. After that he quickly grabbed his baggy jacket off of his rolling chair. He sighed in contentment as he felt his security blanket once again around his shoulders. It made him feel safe.

Once he was ready, he went downstairs to see what the head matron had prepared for him. He was being quiet, so he wouldn’t wake any of the kids up. He was the oldest in the orphanage. No one ever wanted to adopt him. Hell, they couldn’t even get anyone to foster him. Said he was too much trouble when they tried. No one wanted him. He could understand that. Who could ever want him around. Clearly his parents didn’t if they just left him on the doorstep of an orphanage. In the rain. 

At this point Virgil had given up on ever getting out. His only option was that in a year when he turned eighteen and they would kick him out. He knew that the head matron didn’t want to do that to him, but what could she do. She couldn’t let him stay when he was legally an adult. 

He was still lost in thought as he sat himself down at the dining table in the mess hall. “Hello? Earth to Virgil, come in Virgil.” The head matron was waving her hand in front of Virgil’s face trying to get his attention. Virgil jumped as he snapped back into the real world.  

“Sorry Miss Miller, I was just lost in thought.” Virgil mumbled, but held a smile in his eyes. He knew exactly what she would say in response. He could probably mouth along to it. 

“Virgil, how many times have I told you? Don’t call me Miss Miller it makes…” She started but Virgil finished for her.

“It makes you feel old. So, that's why you have everyone call you Mary.” Virgil said with a smirk.

“You did that on purpose, didn't you?” She responds narrowing her eyes slightly. 

Virgil just smiled and winked at her. Virgil loved Mary; she was the closest thing he had ever had to a mom. Mary of course loved all the children of the orphanage, but she always had a soft spot for the boy since she was the one who found him on her doorstep all those years ago. She even let him take her last name since the necklace they found with him didn’t have one. So he became Virgil Miller.

“So Mary, what kind of food did you destroy today?” Virgil said grinning widely.

“You set one tray of food on fire and this is what happens!” She complained wildly. “I am an amazing cook and you know it! I made one mistake!” Virgil couldn’t hold back his laugh at her dramatic outburst. She glared at him but only half heartedly she loved seeing the boy smile. She could never figure out why no family had adopted him. He was an amazing boy. With a bright personality. Yes he dressed in dark clothes, but what teen doesn’t at one point or another. 

“Well, are you gonna tell me what you made or not?” Virgil asked interrupting her thoughts. She smiled before she darted out of the dining room into the kitchen. Virgil just sighed and waited for her to return. 

“Happy Birthday to you!” Virgil heard her sing. Oh shoot what day is it. “Happy Birthday to you!” Maybe if he ran he could escape. “Happy Birthday dear Virgil!” Nope to late he’s doomed. “Happy Birthday to you!” He glared at Mary with and evil passion.

“Ma-a-r-r-r-r-y-y you know I don’t like celebrating today.” Virgil exclaimed exasperated.

“To bad, suck it up buttercup. Today was the day you were brought into my life, and that is something worth celebrating.” Mary stated in a matter-of-factly tone. She placed his birthday pancakes on the table in front of him. 

“Was also the day I was abandoned by my parents, but hey who cares about that?” Virgil said jokingly. However, Mary did not find amusement in his joke and her smile quickly faded. Not liking to upset Mary, Virgil spoke quickly. “It’s okay though. I like my life. I have you. I have Kyle. What more could I need.”  Virgil said smiling fondly. 

“Ahh, yes, Kyle this ever allusive boyfriend of yours. That I have still yet to meet by the way. Why don’t you ever bring him around? It’s not like we have a rule against people coming over.” She asks slightly annoyed at not having met this boy before. 

Virgil shrugged. “I’ve invited him before. He’s just always busy. He does a lot of extracurricular activities, after all.” He said. The fact that Kyle never came over didn’t bother him. He understood his boyfriend’s business. Marry was still skeptical, but let the topic drop.

“Well you better eat up the bus to get you will be here any minute.” She stated gently. Virgil nodded and began to scarf down his pancakes eagerly. He may have teased her cooking ability earlier, but Marry made some of the best pancakes he had ever eaten. Once he was finished he cleaned his plate up and put it in the dishwasher. Once he finished he looked out the window of the building to see that the bus was coming down the road.

Frick! He needed to hurry. 

He darted back to his room and grabbed his backpack shoving all his books into his bag. Praying that he didn’t forget anything. He darted out of the orphanage without saying goodbye to Marry just in time to catch the bus. He looked out his window to see Marry standing in the threshold of the building waving goodbye to Virgil. He gave her a smile and a two finger salute as his form of farewell. 

He didn’t know what it was, but he had a feeling that today was going to be a good day. 
_____________

Virgil arrived at school with plenty of time to spare. He decided it would be fun to go to Kyle’s locker to say ‘hi’. He usually didn’t have time to see Kyle before class because his bus was always running late. It wasn’t today though. So, he would get to see his wonderful boyfriend even more than usual today. He knew today was going to be a good day. 

Virgil had a skip in his step as he made his way through the halls. Sure, usually he didn’t like standing out, why do think he always wore black? However, he was in too good a mood to care right now. 

Sure he didn’t have your typical family, but he was content with the life he had. He had a kind caretaker, he had a loving boyfriend whom he adored more than anything, and he was thinking about joining a few summer activities so he wouldn’t get bored over the summer. He was thinking of maybe being a techie for some local theater or something. He really liked building props and stuff along those lines. 

He made his way to Kyle’s locker only to find he wasn’t there. Virgil didn’t find it too odd considering Kyle didn’t have to be by his locker at all times. That just wouldn’t make sense. Virgil decided he would ask around to see if he could find him. For a while it seemed like no one knew where he was. Which made Virgil a little concerned, but maybe Kyle was sick and was absent. So he decided to shoot a text to Kyle to see if he was absent.  A few minutes passed.

Nothing. 

Well maybe if he was in fact absent he was just asleep. Like Virgil wished he could be right now. However, Virgil wasn’t quite ready to give up just yet, so he kept asking people who knew Kyle if they had seen him. Finally, he got an answer. 

Someone had seen Kyle going under the bleachers outside with someone. Virgil quickly took off in that direction. Sure he didn’t have that much time left, but he really wanted to see him. Even if he didn’t like celebrating his birthday that much he still wished he could talk about it with Kyle. Yes, they would have time for lunch, but Virgil was too excited to wait. 

He made his way outside and to the bleachers. He was so excited to see him that he didn’t even call out to Kyle he just darted around to see him. 

What he saw shook him to his very core. Standing before him was Kyle his boyfriend. 

With a girl.

Making out. 

“Kyle…?” 

At the sound of his name being softly spoken he pulled away from the girl extremely annoyed “What!?” However, his anger disappeared when he spotted the dark clad boy staring at him in shock. 

“Virgil! What are you doing here? You never get to school this early?” Kyle asked in disbelief. 

“What am I doing here? My bus got here on time! What are you doing here? With her?” Virgil asked tears pooling in his eyes. This could not be happening. 

This could not be happening!

“Virgil I can explain!” 

“How!? How can you explain this!? How can you explain my boyfriend, the man who has been my best friend for years before he was even my boyfriend, is kissing someone else!? And a girl! So what you’re cheating on me and your bi? You could have told me at least that? Do you not trust me? Do I mean so little to you?” Virgil asked his words an unyielding flow of emotions. 

“Virgil please!” 

“Virgil please what? How can you explain this to me? I want to understand why you’re doing this to me?” Virgil demanded still holding onto the hope that what Kyle had to say would fix everything. So, they could go back to before he ever saw any of this. 

“Virgil, I knew I should have told you but I didn’t know how to do it without hurting you. We were after all best friends before we ever started dating.” Kyle stated guilt clear in his eyes. He sighed before he continued. “Virgil, I can’t be with you anymore.” 

“What are you saying?” He asked denying what he had just heard.

“Virgil I’m breaking up with you.”

With those words Virgil felt his heart begin to crack. 

It hurt.

It hurt so bad.

“Why? Kyle?”

“I just don’t love you anymore. I’m in love with someone else.” Kyle explained as he reached out to the girl taking her hand and pulling her into his embrace, making Virgil flinch. She had an icy smile on her face. Clearly gloating for her victory. Virgil knew her type. The kind of girl that went after the guys who were unattainable until they got them and then they left them. How could Kyle not see the wicked glow in her eyes. How could he choose her over Virgil.

“So that’s it! Your breaking up with me? On my Birthday!?” Virgil sceremed feeling rage flow through his core. Kyle flinched.

“I forgot that today was your birthday…” Kyle mumbled.

“Did you also forget that today was the day that I was abandoned on the doorstep of an orphanage!?” Virgil seethed, at this point he didn’t care that Kyle looked guilty or the fact that he was almost in tears too. If he actually cared he wouldn’t be holding that bitch in his arms right now.  

“Virgil… I’m sorry.” Kyle tried lamely.

Virgil couldn’t take it anymore. He turned and ran. He ran and ran. Away from school, away from those bleachers, and away from Kyle. He ran until his lungs burned for air and he had to stop. When he did stop, he collapsed and just cried. He sobbed until there was no tears left to cry. When he had finally stopped crying he called the one person he had left to turn to.

“Virgil? Shouldn’t you be in class.” Marry's voice came through his phone immediately calming the distressed boy a little. 

“Marry?” Virgil’s voice cracked as another sob racked his body.

“Virgil? What wrong? What happened?” Her voice came through scared and concerned.

“It’s Kyle. H-he cheated on m-me, and I f-found out. So, so he broke up with m-me.” He cried 

“Oh, Virgil sweety. I’m so sorry. Do you need me to come pick you up from school.” She asked gently. On the inside she was ready to throttle this Kyle kid for hurting her precious boy, but there would be time for that later. Right now her main concern was Virgil. 

“I’m n-not at the s-school, right n-now.” He explained. “I had to get away! I had to- I couldn’t- I needed to- I-”

“Shh, it’s okay Virgil. Everything's gonna be okay. Just tell me where you are and I’ll come get you.” She said trying to calm the boy down. 

“Um, okay.” Virgil actually didn’t know where his running blindly had taken him. So he had to look around for familiar markings. Once he spotted some road signs he was able to tell her where he was.

“Okay Virgil I am on my way. Do you want me to keep talking to you until I get there?” She asked gently. 

Virgil nodded, only for him to remember that she couldn’t see him. “Yeah, please don’t go.” Virgil could hear Marry get into the orphanage van as the engines roared to life and the door slamming shut.

“Okay, I’m not going anywhere I promise.”

“Thanks.” 

No sooner had Virgil spoken his reply did he hear tires squealing, he heard Marry screaming, a loud crash, and then…

Silence.  

Hope you enjoyed the first real chapter ;-)