Another Day, Another Door

Chapter 4

Patrick and Dan shuffled towards the back of the crowded room. They took their seats as yet another class came into the room. Why did they have to have sex ed seminars in small classrooms?

Patrick twitched a little as a cute, young brunette sat next to him. Dan tried to hide his smile as Patrick shifted around in his seat. He had told Dan all about the girl he liked since 6th grade and here she was sitting by him. 

"Hey Louisa," Dan greeted her, trying to break the ice. "Oh, hi...Dan, right? Hi, Patrick," she smiled. Patrick gave a weak wave then pulled his hat down a little lower. Dan smiled at Patrick's bashfulness. He thought high school crushes were only something you read about in books.

The smile was wiped away from his face as he saw the group Patrick hated walk towards the empty seats behind them. "I don't need this class. I've already fucked liked 20 chicks. I know the ins and outs if you know what I mean," one of them snickered. 

"Geez, I thought school gangs died in the 1950s," Dan whispered to Patrick.

"What was that?" one of them spoke to Dan. Patrick quickly intervened. "He didn't say anything, Lyle. Right, Dan?" Patrick gave his friend a slightly panicked look. 

Dan looked a little disappointed at the cowardice of his friend. He didn't want to get involved in anything so he just crossed his arms and sat eyes forward.

"That's what I thought. So how's Stumpy today? Still trying to lose that baby fat?" Lyle said as he playfully slapped Patrick's cheek. The others in the back laughed and, to Dan's surprise, Patrick did too. But it was a forced, nervous laugh.

"I know why he's here," one of the others chimed in, "He's trying to learn how to lose that virginity of his."

Patrick's face turned bright red and he pulled his hat down farther. "Patrick the virgin. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" another in the group continued. The others stifled their laughter.

Louisa looked around, pretending not to listen so Patrick wouldn't get any more embarrassed. Dan looked over at his friend who looked like he was about to pass out from embarrassment. These people were making fun of his friend's (nonexistent) sex life...in front of the girl he adored most.

Patrick felt all the more worse because everything they were saying was true. He'd never had sex before. He'd never even been to second base with a girl. 

With every passing remark Dan started to get angrier. He, unlike Patrick, had actually gone all the way before so he had nothing to lose. He whipped around. "You guys need to shut up right now or I swear after school I will end you. All of you," he snapped.

All five in the group shut up. They knew he wasn't one to be messed with. He was big, he was protective and he was strong. "You okay?" Louisa asked as she lightly put a hand on Patrick's shoulder.

Patrick felt like everything was suddenly put into slow motion. His breathing increased until he quickly got up and left the room. 

Dan frowned and Louisa felt like she had done something wrong. Of course, it was neither of their faults. It was just the embarrassment had been too much for him to take in. He ran into the nearest restroom and threw up.

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"Hey, are you alright?" Dan quickly sat next to his friend when he got to the clinic. Patrick nodded as he sat in one of the waiting room chairs. "I just took the rest of the day off and came here," he said quietly. 

Dan just sat in silence with his friend, knowing there was nothing much he could say to make this better.

"So now you know my secret," Patrick said, not looking his friend in the eye. Dan furrowed his brow as he looked as his friend. "Hold on. That was your secret?"

Patrick nodded. Dan looked surprised at how anti-climactic his secret was. "Look, I'm sure you're not the only one who hasn't...you know."

Patrick shook his head, "You don't understand. Everyone at school's done it. Even freshman." Dan looked a little grossed out. "That's...weird. But I'm sure most of them are just lying. Trust me, you're not the only one," Dan assured.

"You don't get it. Other people can lie about it. I can't," Patrick sighed. Dan looked confused. "What does that mean?"

Patrick ignored his question. "It was just a secret from you. Everybody else knows about it. I didn't want to tell you because I was embarrassed," Patrick sighed. 

Dan was getting more confused by the second. "How does everybody know it? Why can't you lie about it?" he asked.

"God, I was hoping you weren't going to ask that."

"Sorry," Dan said quietly.

Patrick shook his head. "You'll hear the story eventually from someone else. I might as well tell you now. Here it goes..."

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I know this chapter's out of the blue but I'm a stickler for background stories and it ties in later. Sorry!