Dirty Little Secret

Chapter 2

The rest of the week went excruciatingly slow. Dan's kindness had lasted two seconds before he went back to being a complete jerk. I tugged my jacket closer to me trying to be as warm as possible. Louise hadn't been able to come into school because she had a doctor's appointment at that point she felt really uncomfortable when I mentioned it so I decided not to push her on that topic; she can tell me when she's ready.

Louise insisted on picking me up from school and driving back to mine because my loft was the best for making dens. Every first Friday of the first week of school we have a movie marathon night; this will be the first time without our ex-best friend. Don't get me wrong, I don't tend to hold grudges about things however what she did was despicable. She outed me to her so-called-boyfriend simply because she thought he was going to dumb her. Jokes on her though, a day later he left her for someone else and she had lost Louise and me.

I was about to pull my phone out of my pocket when I couldn't help but observe Dan leaving behind a Joe Sugg. Joe was one of Dan's most loyal disciples, along with Casper, but then again he was by far the worst. I had only communicated with him once and from what I can recall it went more or less like this:

"You make me so angry!"

"Ok-kay"

I have no idea what I had done to him but he treated me like I had gotten his sister pregnant, slaughtered his dad and then burnt down his house because I was bored.

"Hey!" Joe yelled. I guessed it was at me however I continued to look forward and prayed to sweet baby Jesus that Louise would arrive soon. "Hey, I'm talking to you!"

Maybe if I began walking home and texted Louise to meet me there he would leave me along. I began walking, picking up my pace as I heard footsteps behind me. Before I could cross the road I felt a firm hand on my shoulder whirling me to face him only to be encountered with his hard fist.

"OW?" I screeched in surprised.

"Oh look!" He smiled sarcastically, "It talks."

He started to walk past me but not before he warned me to never overlook him again. It took everything in me to not burst into tears. My left cheek felt like I had just placed my straightens on it; however that's not what worried me. How was I meant to explain it to my parents?

I hurried to my house and began running upstairs however my mum got to me before I could get completely upstairs.

"Where's Louise?" She asked curiously.

"It got cancelled" I lied continuing to face away from her, "she's still at the hospital."

"Oh well that's too bad, I made some-" she began to ramble before I cut her off.

"I'll talk to you later I really have to pee." I yelled as I ran upstairs.

I looked at myself in the mirror in disgust. My cheek had begun to swell up causing it to look so much bigger than my right side. A purple bruise was peeking over my naturally red cheeks. Quickly I ran some cold water over my towel and pressed it to me cheek as a hiccup escaped from my throat. That was the gate opening as I stopped fighting it and slip down the wall in tears.

Other than just anger, pain and mortification I felt guilt. My parents pretended to be okay with my sexuality since they love me nevertheless the only thing I had received from coming out was more bullying. Perhaps it was because I never got the chance to properly do it. Louise had agreed to be there (along with my friend at the time) and we would sit down with them, over tea of course, and I would tell them that I liked boys. But no, they had to find out through several egotistic boys thought I had a crush on them and felt that the headmaster needed to tell my parents that I was a pervert. I didn't even know who half of them were yet Nancy would draw pictures of all the football team shirtless and post them on her Instagram then get praise for it.

"I'd chime in with a haven't you people ever heard of closing a goddamn door?! No, it's much better to face these kinds of things with a sense of poise and rationality..." my phone began to chant. I immediately pressed decline not in the mood to explain to Louise what had just happened.

LOUISE: WHERE ARE YOU, PHILLIP?

PHIL: NOTHING EXPLAIN ON MONDAY. I'M SORRY BUT I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD COME TONIGHT...

I changed into my pyjamas and began watching Netflix meanwhile binging on prawn cocktail crisps.

"Phillip Lester!" Louise exclaimed as she burst open the door. I hid under the covers.

"Louise I'm tired please leave." I yelled back.

"I don't care!" she laughed trying to remove the sheets from me.

"I'm naked?" I lied even though I knew that it wouldn't stop Louise.

"You don't sleep naked now tell me what's wrong," Louise sat down next to me allowing me to keep the covers to hide my face.

 "Promise you won't tell my parents?" I asked bracing myself to come out of my cocoon.

I took the silence as a yes so I slowly revealed my face which made Louise cover her mouth in disbelief.

"Who did this?" She gasped touching around the bruises.

"It doesn't matter..." I sighed, it's not like Joe would listen to Louise and the last thing I would want is Louise getting in between the small Sugg's wrath, "Could you get my some ice and then we can watch some movies?"

Louise nodded slowly before getting me my ice. It had only been a week in school but I could already tell it was going to be a lengthy and dramatic one.