Halo's POV

The rest of the night for me was rather uneventful, and on Wednesday Troy didn't glare at me once at school. Of course, he didn't even look my way.

Then came Friday. I was in the old music room, playing a cover of ULTRAnumb by Blue Stahli, when Troy walked in.

"The tutoring session is after school," I said flatly.

"I know. But look under the piano," Troy said, gesturing at the base of the piano. I looked under it. There was a nice, a really nice black guitar case, and a box of 12 picks in different sizes. I pulled the case out from under the piano. "Open it."

I opened the case, and my jaw dropped. It was a sleek, black, brand new McKarick Acoustic 6 string Guitar. McKarick was the best of the best guitar brands, and their guitars always cost well over a couple thousand dollars. "Woah," I whispered, afraid to touch it for fear that I'd smudge the perfect shine it radiated.
(A/N: I made up the brand, deal with it.)

"It's yours," Troy said. "I had my brother help me find a good one, because while I know my way around some songs, I can't tell you shit about guitars."

"I- I can't take this," I said. "I could never accept something this expensive."

"It's payment for the tutoring, ok? I got an B on the homework today, when I normally get a D. That's a two whole letter grade difference, all because you helped me. Just accept it, ok?" Troy said.

"Thank you," I said in awe. "This... this is beautiful."

"Play something on it," Troy said. "Try it out."

"Ok." I picked up the gorgeous instrument, selected a pick from the box, and strummed it once. It sounded amazing. It was perfectly tuned already, so I began to strum out Sarcasm, remembering that he said he liked Get Scared.

"You've got me shaking from the way you're talking, My heart is breaking but there's no use crying,
What a cyanide surprise you have left for my eyes, If I had common sense I'd cut myself or curl up and die- Sticks and stones could break my bones, But anything you say will only fuel my lungs!
So Don't mind us we're just spilling our guts!
If this is love I don't wanna be loved!
You pollute the room with a filthy tongue,
Watch me choke it down so I can throw it up!
Don't mind us we're just spilling our guts!
If this is love I'd wanna be hanging by the neck
Before an audience of death!
You could be the corpse and I could be the killer, If I could be the devil, you could be the sinner, yeah, You could be the drugs and I could be the dealer, Everything you say is like music to my ears!
Don't mind us we're just spilling our guts!
If this is love I don't wanna be loved!
You pollute the room with a filthy tongue,
Watch me choke it down so I can throw it up!
Don't mind us we're just spilling our guts!
If this is love I'd wanna be hanging by the neck
Before an audience of death!
Failure find me, To tie me up now, 'Cause I'm as bad, as bad as it gets!
Failure find me, To hang me up now, By my neck cause I'm a fate worse than death!
What a cyanide surprise you have left for my eyes, If I had common sense I'd cut myself or curl up and die
Don't mind us we're just spilling our guts!
If this is love I don't wanna be loved!
You pollute the room with a filthy tongue, Watch me choke it down so I can throw it up!
Don't mind us we're just spilling our guts!
If this is love I'd wanna be hanging by the neck
Before an audience- Don't mind us we're just spilling our guts!
If this is love I don't wanna be loved!
You pollute the room with a filthy tongue, Watch me choke it down so I can- Don't mind us we're just spilling our guts!
If this is love I'd wanna be hanging by the neck
Before an audience of death!"

"This guitar is amazing, thank you so much," I said when I was finished.

"It's the least I could do," Troy said shyly. Wait, shy? Since when was Troy Steel shy? He picked up the school guitar. "Can I play something for you?" I nodded, still in awe that I was now the owner of one of the best guitars out there, while Troy began to play a different Get Scared song.

"You're a mess, tangled with your confidence,
You think you haven't sinned,
Well you're unstoppable,
Your walls are impassible!
I think you're better off looking alone,
The boys that chase your hips can just go find their way home
And at the end of the day you think to yourself
'My body is a product bein' sold on a shelf
Tell me I can change
Tell me I can change'
Well I know your laying back,
Contemplating your own death
Well just look at what you've done,
Don't you dare forget the sun, Love!
Cold white walls keep you from your pad and pen,
You wanna stab again,
I can't believe its half this hard,
You never knew your mind was dark!
I think your better off looking alone
The boys that chase your hips can just go find their way home
You can dig so deep for scars
You never knew your mind was dark
Come on and breathe with me,
Breathe with me, oh!
Well I know your laying back,
Contemplating your own death
Well just look at what you've done
Don't you dare forget the sun, Love!
You look down on me so casually, in everything I know
You look down on me, but not right on me
Did I wreck this broken home?
Dear Diary,
Life is trying me
Can I get a sign?
Or a two of mind, a piece of mind
Can I get a sign, can I get a sign
Well I know your laying back,
Contemplating your own death
Well just look at what you've done
Don't you dare forget the sun, Love!
You look down on me so casually, in everything I know
You look down on me, but not right on me
Is it plain to see that life trying me?"

Troy sang softly. His voice sounded as beautiful as the guitar he'd bought me.

"You're a good singer," I said.

"Thanks," Troy replied. "Hey, I was wondering,  you maybe wanna-" he was cut off by the bell ringing.

"What?" I asked when the bell ended.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to take the tutoring to my place tonight?" He asked, his eyes looking a bit nervous.

"Isn't your brother going to be there?" I asked. "It'd probably be better if we stick to tutoring at my place."

"Yeah, good point," Troy said. "See ya after school?"

"Bye," I said, and we walked off to our individual classes. I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that Troy had just left his question at that, I would have been fine with taking tutoring to his place if he wanted, but damn. This guitar was the best thing I'd ever owned. I'd have to find a way to thank him. But what do I, a guy who barely gets by, give a rich guy like that? He'd already given me a phone and a guitar, but how could I repay him? I put the guitar away in its case, and took it to my truck, where I spent my last class, study hall, waiting for the bell to ring.