In The Closet

Chapter 3

*TW- Self Harm

Danny went through his usual day trying to focus on his classes but he couldn't. He hated not having many classes with Taylor but maybe it was a good thing, that wouldn't help him focus. Maybe he was just over thinking this, everyone eventually gets feelings for their best friend right? Well usually it happened when its a guy and a girl.. Not a guy and a guy.. And not if you're straight. This was so frustrating. These feelings will go away with time, right? The bell rang and it was finally lunch time. He stood up from his seat and started putting things into his backpack. 

"Daniel, stay after class" Mrs. Adams told him. 

Danny sighed and put his backpack on his shoulder and walked up to her desk. 

"You wanted to see me?" he asked. 

"Yes, I was looking over your grades, and the start of the semester you started out strong but slowly your grades have went down" Mrs. Adams told him and handed him a sheet that showed his grades over the semester. 

Daniel Rossi

test/homework

94

90

84

72

64

Danny sighed as he looked at his grades dropping. 

"You need to pay more attention in class Daniel" she told him. 

"I am trying" he informed her.

 "Clearly not enough" she told him. "You need a parent signature on your test, I suggest doing a makeup test to get the grade up" she told him. 

"Do I really need to get a signature?" he asked and she nodded. "Yeah I'll get back to you on that test" he told her and started to walk out of the class. 

"Well you need to keep your grades up if you want to continue to play football!" she called out as the door closed behind him. 

Danny looked at the paper and sighed, shoving it into his backpack. He went to the bathroom and threw his bag against the wall and then leaned against the sink trying to take deep breaths so he didn't have a break down. He looked at himself in the mirror, on the verge of tears. He then remembered he had a lighter in his bag, he smoked socially with the football players so it was always nice to have your own lighter. He looked around the bathroom and then under the stalls seeing no one was in there. Danny grabbed his backpack and went into the stall and opened his bag, grabbing the lighter and leaned against the wall inside the stall. He lifted his shirt and clicked the button on the lighter having the flame come out and he held it against his stomach, it didn't directly touch him, but he gave enough room until the flame touched him. He winced at the pain and then turned off the lighter, seeing a burn mark forming. He took a sigh of relief and exited the bathroom stall and headed to the cafeteria. 

Taylor was sitting at the table with the other football guys ignoring there rude comments they made. He then looked over and saw Danny walk into the cafeteria and smile. He stood up from the table and went over to greet him. 

"Hey you! Where were you?" Taylor asked. 

"Oh I had to go to the bathroom and stupid English teacher had to talk to me" he told him. 

"About what?" Taylor asked.

 "Just about my grades, nothing crazy" he shrugged. 

"Well come sit and have lunch so I don't have to deal with these assholes by myself" Taylor laughed.