The Journal [boyxboy]

The Journal {17}

                I didn’t think I would ever be happy again. But here I am, bursting with joy despite how shitty my day was initially. I guess Francis just knows how to cheer me up.

                Of course when I woke up this morning, I was still sore from last night. But I pretended that I wasn’t. I didn’t want to raise my parents’ suspicions. It was one thing to date a boy. Having sex with a boy is a completely different story.

                So, I crawled out of bed, was glared at by my parents, and made my way to school. Of course I was nervous about how today would go, since Amanda and Chad had beaten me up yesterday and I didn’t have the twins anymore.

                But just the same, I-

                -walked into the school, my bag slung lazily over my shoulder. I didn’t expect to find Francis in the morning, since he usually didn’t turn up until lunch or the end of the day.

                I went to my locker and exchanged my books. I turned to leave and found myself hiding behind my locker door.

                Callahan and Damien walked down the hallway, laughing together. My heart sank as I eyed the vicious bruise on Damien’s cheek.

                We had been friends since we were little kids, and now that was ruined. That bruise on Damien’s face proved it. It would be a long time before they would even consider forgiving me or Francis.

                Still, they had lied to me about Francis. He wouldn’t say that stuff. Hell, he told me he hadn’t said that stuff. And he wouldn’t lie to me.

                I ducked behind my locker as they came closer to me. I knew I was being cowardly, but I just wasn’t ready to face the twins yet.

                “Nope,” Callahan was saying. “Tay Jardine is way hotter!”

                “I don’t know man. Ellen DeGeneres is quite the silver fox,” Damien said.

                The two stared at each other before laughing. They walked by my locker, no doubt seeing me but pretending that I wasn’t there anyways.

                Just like my parents.

                I dropped my head and shut my locker, slowly leaving the hallway and heading to class. When it was almost lunchtime, I found myself becoming nervous.

                “Nash?” Ms. Michaels came and sat next to me. “Are you alright? You look nervous.”

                “Can I stay in here next period?” I blurted out before I could stop myself. Chad and Amanda couldn’t get me if I was in a classroom with a teacher.

                “Of course you can. Is something wrong?” she asked.

                “No. I just don’t want to go to lunch,” I said.

                She bit her lip. “Nash, I heard Callahan and Damien talking about you and what happened yesterday. How Francis did that to Damien’s face,” she said.

                “He thought Damien was hurting me,” I said defensively.

                “Nash…has Francis ever hurt you?” she asked.

                My mind flashed to the faded bruises on my wrist. I shook my head at Ms. Michaels. It was none of her business. It had been an accident.