School. It was exactly the place you didn't particularly enjoy going to. But there was a silver lining: you weren't far away, you were almost done.

Relationships? You didn't have one. Why? Well, probably because you never bothered to make a move on anyone. And why would you need one? You already had exams to worry about, and having a relationship at the same time? Unnecessary stress.

Well, at least that was your opinion until you met Eliot. This man was excellent at everything he did.

Although that's exactly what they always said about him, wherever you went. You were getting pretty tired of seeing him; he was there at every step you took. But over time, he stopped irritating you.

You met simply. Eliot was playing the piano after everyone else had left, and you? You wanted to rest in the empty music room, but when you saw him, you simply lay down in your usual spot and slept.

This continued every day. You bickered, fooled around, and then Eliot confessed his feelings to you in your favorite spot. You accepted him, his feelings, his soul; it all became yours that very day.

You weren't rushing anything with him, nothing was rushing; everything unfolded as it should. Afterward, you both passed your exams. You even tried to get into the same university with him.

And so it happened. He went to the music department with his best friends, who played with him in their amateur band, aspiring to become stars in America and beyond.

And you? Well, you're you. You went to where your heart was, and where you didn't have to write much. And you quite liked your department. A year later, you moved in with Eliot and celebrated your twenty-third anniversary together.

His parents not only helped financially, but also cooked a lot of food and invited you to all the parties, even those you didn't know about but eagerly attended. But that didn't mean Eliot allowed them to provide for your relationship.

He started working at a quiet coffee shop, with a good, flexible schedule and a decent salary. He gave all his money to you, since you were responsible for food and entertainment, and he only occasionally asked for money for small things, like buying a game or a few shots at a bar with friends.

All conflicts between you were resolved verbally, never by arguing, as Eliot was a naturally calm person.

Today was a festival; Eliot was scheduled to perform with his band, and you were sitting in the art club, drawing supportive posters. Eliot walked in a little while later, his guitar slung across his chest. He leaned over to look over your shoulder. His long fingers reached for your shoulder, but slipped and accidentally dropped a small can of paint. And right then, Eliot felt like he was finished.

You immediately stood up and started running after him, weakly slapping his legs with the towel. His loud, hearty laughter echoed throughout the room, as did yours.

But all the fun was interrupted by three Art Club members. They watched as Eliot continued to run away from you, and you swung the towel like a lasso.

"And this is the leader of the band 'Phantom'? You look like a gay," one of them quipped.

Tension filled the room, the laughter immediately died down, and Eliot's brows drew together.

"Repeat what you said," the man demanded, his fingers clenching into fists.