Jonah Clarke Is Not Gay

Authors Note: This is my entry for the writing challenge on @taygetsthegay the challenge was to write a story featuring a LGBQT+ characters that centres around Valentine's Day. I hope you like it :)

"For the last time Daniel, Jonah Clarke is not gay."

If Daniel had a pound for every time Isaac had told him that over the past twenty-four hours then he would probably be able to pay Isaac to shut up about it.

"You don't know that," Daniel replies simply.

"He sleeps with girls more often than I change underwear," Isaac reminds him, "and he is the self professed 'ladies' man' of the school."

"Maybe it's just an act."

"Look I get it man, I really do, you like him but if you go up there and tell him that you like him he's going to take the piss."

It is clear that Isaac does not really understand because Daniel does not just like Jonah Clarke, he thinks he probably loves him. And it's not for the same reason all the other girls like him, it's not just because of the long curls that frame his face or because of the gorgeous green eyes that are the same colour as Daniel's favourite pair of boxers. Daniel thinks he loves Jonah because he loves the fact that Jonah always wears the same frayed plaid shirt on a Thursday and that Jonah mouths the words to songs when he thinks no-one is looking. Daniel loves all the little things about Jonah, and that only makes him love the whole package even more.

"Dude," Isaac says heavily, "please don't do this."

Daniel doesn't listen though, he power walks down the corridor and towards his locker where he places his books for the day and retrieves the parcel that has been sat in there for the past few days.

He has to stop for a few moments to steady his breaths and then he heads towards where he thinks Jonah will be.

It is not like Daniel to do this. Daniel would rather stay in his room and play videogames than socialise with others, it just makes him feel anxious. So the only reason he can find as to why he's going out of his way to finally admit his feelings to Jonah Clarke is because it's Valentine's Day. It seems to Daniel that it would be a shame to waste this opportunity; after all, nobody wants to be single on Valentine's Day.

Just as Daniel expected, Jonah Clarke is sat surrounded by his fans at a table in the canteen. Just as he comes into sight, Daniel hears Jonah let out a burst of laughter that makes Daniel feel like melting, but in a totally sophisticated way of course.

"Hi," Daniel says.

He's off to a good start, he's yet to turn into a blubbering mess and he said something that wasn't completely socially awkward.

Daniel watches as Jonah Clarke and friends stare at him in complete confusion.

"Who's this," Jonah tries to whisper to the girl next to him.

In the back of his mind, Daniel faintly recognises her as Jonah's latest supposed fling. He instantly takes a dislike to her.

The table remains silent after Jonah's question. Daniel feels a slight pang in his chest; it hurts to think that to these people he is nothing more than another face on the corridors. He hates that just because he's not as popular as them then he isn't worth knowing.

Eventually somebody speaks up.

"He's the one that had that green hair last week," a boy says.

Daniel touches his hair self-consciously, it is now a dark red that he had been proud of until Jonah Clarke and his friends looked at it with condescending expressions.