𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝙵𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙱𝚡𝙱)

Track 56 | 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀

➤ ➤ ➤

Going back to school that Monday was a travesty.

Ari and I persevered through a sea of scrutinous eyes and unrelenting mouths, tossing intrusive questions and invasive remarks at our faces. All day long, we were poked and prodded about our relationship and what happened at the party and whatnot. 'Are you guys dating?' 'Are you gay, Harvey?' 'Did you guys fuck at that party?' 'How long have you guys been fucking?' 'Who's the bottom?' 'Incredible performance last night, guys!' 'You two are so cute!' 'Way to show off, fags.' 'Harv, what happened to you being straight?'  'Harvey switched teams!' 'Harvey, are you in love with Ari?'

"I am so fucking pissed that I wasn't there to witness it in person," Harley grumbled at the lunch table, rewatching the video of us over and over.

"Will you stop replaying that video?" I groused, tossing a crumpled up napkin at him.

"I can't, it's hot," Harley shrugged, making Eden roll her eyes out of disgust. "Every time I watch it I get more turned on. I already beat off several times to it over the weekend." He then put his phone down and turned to his tiny fox boyfriend sitting beside him. "What do you say, Levi? Let's make out on this table right now. I'm inspired and motivated."

Everyone gagged and groaned with contempt. Levi shook his head and pushed Harley's face away as he attempted to shower the fox in sloppy kisses.

"How does it feel to be the center of attention all day?" Torrence asked Ari and I with a smirk.

"Yeah, you guys are, like, the most popular kids in school right now," said Eden.

Ari and I looked at one another, not sure how to answer. "It's... uhhh..." we both stuttered in perfect unison. 

"It's not... great?" I answered for the both of us.

"What's the general consensus?" Torrence continued to press. "Have you lost any friends yet?"

"Hope not. Some of my classmates haven't looked me in the eye, but overall, my friends have been mostly supportive. They've just been teasing me about it, though, and that's it. I don't think any of them really have it in them yet to tell me sincerely that they 'accept me' or whatever."

Laying low, I scoped out the cafeteria, noticing some tables whispering and other tables directly pointing at us. And then at one table, Maisie with her girlfriends. Maisie was staring at me from across the room with a lonesome, heartbroken sadness in her eyes, like a lost puppy. We had made direct eye contact for a few seconds. She didn't look away despite me noticing. It was like she wanted me to know I betrayed her or something.

"...Aaaanyway," I slowly pivoted back to the table, "everyone's gonna forget by tomorrow. I don't think people in this school care enough about Ari and I to keep this going throughout the rest of the school year," I reassured everyone, especially Ari, though I wasn't too sure of it myself.

"You sure?" Eden raised an eyebrow. "Up until last Friday, everyone in the entire world and their mother believed you were straight."

"Well—"

"It's the type of straightness that no one ever questions. Someone would look at you and not even think to question your sexuality. It's the most shocking."

"But—"

"Here they are!" Lizzy miraculously appeared out of nowhere and approached our table—which she rarely did. "How are my little showstoppers doing this fine Monday morning?" 

She came up to Ari and I from behind and threw her arms around our shoulders with intense force, ruffling the hair on both of our heads aggressively. She was accompanied by two of her friends and Fiona, who immediately sat down at our table next to Torrence.