Origami | YA LGBT

Lizard

Early summer nights are simply beautiful. That same evening, my footsteps joined the whisper of a soft warm breeze while a full moon was shining above me. As I reached home, I felt like a bunch of butterflies were making any kind of mischief in my belly. I started to question myself if I was really ready to meet a guy or even to show up as the new gay in town. But then I shook my head in reject. No, I had to be strong. <<This is what I was expecting for a long time>> . A sudden smile invaded my face when I remembered the first time I'd said this words to myself.

When I was twelve, I was in the athleticism team at school. I desperately wanted to be the fastest boy across the country and my everyday routines were as severe as my strict diet at home. Basically, running was my life then. 

One gorgeous spring morning, I was stretching with my group on the field while Coach Merton was giving us a kind of motivational speech. We were competing against another local team in a sort of obstacle race. The winners would have the chance to move on in the tournament and represent the district on it.

Bad news were that all the boys and girls from school would be watching the demonstration. Generally speaking, I was never a really popular dude among my equals. So I often suffered the side effects of being an outcast. One of them, of course, was bullying.

Mark Tucson (the bad ass) and Harold Johnson (a.k.a. The Pug, due to his undeniable resemblance to that breed of dogs) were pleased to tease me anytime. And that special day was not the exception. In fact, I was standing next to the Gym entrance, with my skinny curved body and my long white tee waiting for my turn when they come across with me.

'Move, dork' Mark said as he pushed me harshly against the gym's wall and the two of them left unpunished to the bleachers. To my luck, a "do not touch" sign was hanging over my head and suddenly I realized my back was completely drenched of green paint.

<<Who in this world came up with the awful idea of painting such humongus building green? Fuck off, Mark.>> I said to myself as I unsuccessfully tried to remove the paint with my clean hand.

'Liam... LIAM!' Coach Merton sounded really impatient 'You are up. Come on!'

'Coming' I shouted without even caring about my incident when I ran into the field. Athleticism was everything to me and I couldn't even conceal the idea of leaving the competition from which I had been training so hard.

And there I was. Running, jumping, and even spinning, with an intense green paint all over my body.The crowd seemed shocked of my aspect and a complete silence invade the scene. Actually  I felt quite confident as I took several distance from my competitors. 

About to end up the race, I faced the final obstacle which consisted in crouching under a net and crawling all the way to the goal. It was halfway the task when I heard The Pug's voice coming from the terraces.

'WIMP! Look at him! Looks like a fucking lizard.'

And then I froze. Something inside of me prevented my body to continue. I was terrified thinking of all the people laughing at me at that same moment...

'Come on, lizard!' Robert was yelling from the first row and trying to cheer me up 'LI-ZARD! LI-ZARD!'

'LI-ZARD! LI-ZARD!' Helen and Mindy joined him as well.

Then I felt how the other competitors were struggling to get under the net. I was about to lose.

'LI-ZARD! LIIIII-ZARD!' the cheer had amplified and got louder and louder 'LIII-ZAAARD!'

It was like a spell, some kind of witchcraft. Suddenly, I started moving forward.

<<All this effort, all the struggle. This is what I was expecting for a long time>> I thought as I was standing, running towards the final mark <<Come on, Lizard!>>

When I reached the goal,  Robert, Helen, Mindy, Coach Merton and the entire team came over and started to jump along with me, at the cheery sound from the crowd.

'LI-ZARD! LI-ZARD!'

When I was looking for the door keys in my bag, I couldn't help laughing at the memory. My life was so different nowadays, but the lesson I had learned remained deep inside of me.

<< No matter if you are being teased or bullied. Pay no mind to them, bruisers. Pursue your dreams, embrace your self-confidence and be surrounded by the people that makes you feel good. >>

I had to trust the Lizard once again. No green paint could tear me apart.