Catch Me When I Fall

Oof.

"Every good team starts off hating each other." Mr. Burns tells us. Tyrone looks at me, his expression a mix of unfazed, mocking, and doubt. I chuckle quietly, and when Tyrone looks away like he doesn't care, I see a ghost of a smile pulling at the corners of his lips. Which in turn makes me smile harder and suddenly be unable to stop smiling for the next few minutes.

For the rest of the period, my mood is boosted, to the point that I'm surprised and even disappointed when the bell notifies us that it's the end of the school day. 

I mean, who doesn't want to watch a dreamy dude being all athletic and stuff? 

Not that that's what I was doing the whole time. I definitely did normal gym stuff and didn't constantly check out Tyrone.

We head inside, where everyone but me goes to the locker room to get changed out of their gym clothes. I just walk over to my own personal locker and pack up my bag.

It was a good day, even considering my typical dumb Khai shit. Still, I'm happy it's over and I get to go home now. 

I brisk walk through the hallways and happily exit the building, breathing in the fresh autumn air as I step outside. I close my eyes and smile, then do a little spin because... well, follow the dopamine.

But then someone calls out to me, and I realize I'm not alone and someone definitely witnessed that.

"Hey, new kid! Where you goin' to so fast?"

"Uh... home. I think that's a pretty reasonable thing to be eager for when school's out." I reply, turning around. 

I note that the person who talked to me is not alone. He and the two other guys accompanying him are all unfamiliar - which makes sense because I barely know anyone but Tyrone – yet they seem to vaguely know me. They've probably been in some of my classes and I just didn't notice them. 

There are smirks on their faces, and they say nothing else as they approach me. I feel suspicious but I'm also curious why they hold interest in me.

"What was the name? Tyrone... oh ahem uhh... I mean Khai." The tallest says, and his friends laugh. 

And then I realize they're making fun of me. I don't know what to say, but maybe it's a good thing. I'll probably just say something that'll give them another reason to make fun of me.

I also realize these might just be the same guys who tried to trip me in math class.

"Do you have a crush on him or something? That's so gay."

I look down at the floor, so nervous suddenly that I don't dare move. Again. That seems to happen to me a lot. Sure, I'm upset by their words, but I don't like confrontation. I'm not the kind of person who can stand up for myself.

Especially after one of the guys shoves me. 

Not expecting it, I fall backwards to the floor.

"Pfft... look how weak he is. What a twink. Ooh, I bet he's into that to. Maybe we should leave before he starts checking us out too."

Please do. I think. 

But they stay and continue taunting me by chanting 'faggot.'

I attempt to regain my footing, but one of them is behind me and shoves me forward. I fall onto my knees, and the guy grips onto my hair and pulls my head back so I'm forced to look up into the faces of the other two.

And then the tall guy spits in my face.

"I bet he likes that, too." He sneers, and the others start laughing again. "Are you gonna cry, pretty boy?"