Closeted

Chapter four

Miles posted the photo on his MySpace account. Alex had said it was fine you couldn't even tell it was him and he knew Miles badly wanted a public relationship. He felt guilty he couldn't treat him the way he deserved. He felt very shitty person because of it.

He walked into school mindlessly. He was at his locker adjusting his tie when Eva came over. "So who is it?!" She asked happily. "Who's who?" He said raising an eyebrow. "T-the person you posted." She cried out. He smiled. "Um...I can't exactly say." She frowned. "B-but...I'm your best friend ya can tell me anythin' Mi." She said. "Well, not this. It's bad enough I get bullied because you outed me." She looked down. "Miles 'm sorry really." She'd apologized hundreds of times. "Sorry doesn't exactly fix the issue but I suppose it was fine."

He was looking forward to going over Alex's later for tutoring. He hoped they make out a little at least. Knowing Alex...he'd probably get his insides rearranged. He smirked at the thought. He had been avoiding them for a while, Alex's mates. He ducked into corridors and hid in different empty classrooms. He was quite good at it, but walking from lunch he'd been with Eva and had forgotten.

"There's Miles tha faggot." One of them said pointing. Miles rolled his eyes. "Just ignore them." He said to Eva who looked extremely guilty. He went to his locker. Eva and him parted. The lads didn't let up.

"Did ya see what he posted?" Jamie asked them laughing. Alex felt out of place and embarrassed. "Yeah," Alex said nodding his head. "Surprised there's another gay at this school," Nick said chuckling. Alex twiddled with the ring on his pinky uneasily.

"Can you lot jus' leave him alone?" Alex asked. "Wha do ya have a little crush on him?" Matt asked snickering. "No! It's just...he's not worth the time honestly." "I say he is." Nick chimed in. There was no hope of saving him.

"Gay boy," Jamie said throwing his hands into Miles' shoulders. "'M not gay." "He's trying to deny it..." Jamie said laughing. "Everyone already knows yer secret," Nick said. Jamie shoved him onto the floor. Miles groaned. Alex was pissed. "Can ye jus' leave me alone?" Miles cried out. "Can ye jus' leave me alone?" Matt said mimicking him. Matt picked Miles up by his collar. There was fear in his eyes. He had his hands up hoping Matt wouldn't hurt his face. "Matt enough," Alex said. That's when Matt punched him in his stomach. "Ah." Miles groaned and slowly fell to the ground. Nick and Jamie laughed. "Aw, the fag's crying," Jamie said.

"My turn?" He suggested going over to hit him. "Stop it! Stop it all of you!" He shielded Miles with his body. "Al ya can't be serious c'mon. He'll be fine." Jamie said. "Yes, I can," Alex said. "Yeah picking at 'im a little is fun and all but this is too much. Ya could seriously get caught. And he hasn't done anythin'." Alex said. "Move em." Nick moved to Alex. "Stop!" He said trying to get out. Matt began kicking Miles. Alex got free and pushed Matt away.

Miles spit out blood onto the floor. "Fuck you." He said groaning. "The fuck did you jus' say?" "I said fuck you!" Miles got up. He was angry. "Aw, he's mad," Matt said laughing. Miles punched him straight in the nose. "Aw, he's gonna fuckin' get it!" Matt said. Alex grabbed Matt. "Fuckin' run!" Alex said to Miles. He bolted out the door. Matt ripped away and went after him. "He'll fokin' pay!" Alex and the rest of the lads looked at each other worried. Alex ran after them. He found Matt chasing Miles through the small town of Sheffield. He ran past the nursery and into an alley. He was cornered.

Alex was still running behind. "P-please," Miles said feeling small again. Instead, Matt punched him square in his jaw. He began beating him. Alex ran up but by then the damage had been done. Matt walked away smirking. "A-are ya okay?!" Miles was coughing up blood. His face was bruised. Alex held his face. "Baby I'm sorry," Alex repeated over and over sobbing. "Are ya okay? 'M so sorry." Miles didn't reply. He wiped his nose covered in blood. "'M going home Al."

"Lemme come wif' please!" He begged the other boy. He felt extreme remorse and guilt. "I wanna be alone." He said sniffling. He grabbed his bag and walked away. Even though it was freezing he walked away. He felt blood trickling from his nose when he entered his house. He prayed his mum wasn't home. "Miles ya should be in school!" She said. "Oh um yeah." He had his hood on so she couldn't see his face. "Why are ya lookin' down?" She asked confused. "'M just in a bad mood." He mumbled trying to push past her. "Ya keep skippin' school Mi. I won't allow you have to go back, babe."

"No! Just leave me alone." He said trying to push past her. That's when she saw his face. She looked confused. "Oh Miles..." She said confused. His eye was swollen shut. His cheeks were puffy. His lip was bruised. His whole body hurt. He felt like he'd collapse any moment. "Just leave me alone!" He went upstairs and locked his door. "Miles what happened?"

"I just fell!" He said as blood spat from his mouth onto the floor. He groaned in pain from his bruised ribs. He staggered to the bathroom and grabbed a cloth. He applied it onto his wounds tending to them. They'd never been this aggressive to him before. He ran bath water and began stripping. His whole body ached he just wanted to slip into the bath and forget everything that had just happened. He put some music on and he didn't realize how tired he was. The warm water was soothing like a blanket. He winded up falling asleep.

Miles woke up to a knock at his door. "Mi you've been in there for a while." She said concerned. "Sorry fell, asleep mum." He dried himself off and got out. He went into his room and began to get dressed. He groaned at the aching pain in his face. He pulled on a hoodie not wanting to be seen. He tried to stay in his room but his mum of course came knocking.

"Mi what happened to yer face? Why aren't ya in school? We never had communication issues before. Come out raight now Miles!" She said knocking rapidly. She continued for about 5 minutes until he opened the door annoyed. "Finally. Now w-what happened?" She asked holding his face. He sat down. "I got into a fight is all."

"With who?" She asked. "A lad from school." He said not looking at her. "Did ya fight back?" She asked very concernedly. She couldn't believe someone would do this to him. "Yes, it's because I fought back it was so bad." She was lost. He sighed. "T-they pick at me cause I'm gay. Is tha' what ya wanted to hear." He said upset. "Aw Mi...I am so sorry. How do they even know? Why did'ja tell em Mi?" She asked cluelessly. "B-because Eva accidentally told them. So now everyone knows..."

"Aw, babe so sorry." She said sadly. "It's okay mum. I just avoid them. Today I weren't so lucky."