A Match Into Water (Fuenciado)

Chapter Thirteen

I immediately regretted entering the freshman hallway as soon as I rounded the corner. It was crowded with students, most of them complaining to one another about homework assignments. They still looked fresh out of middle school, although some of them were trying their hardest to look older in baggy letterman jackets. I tried to avoid their gazes as I sped down the hallway, sticking out like a sore thumb even though I was practically the same height as they were. I may have been older, but that didn't mean that they'd hesitate to pick on me if they had the chance. And judging by the phone screens being shoved in people's faces as I passed, that chance had been handed to them on a silver platter.

I kept my eyes trained on the numbers engraved on the lockers, watching them increase far too slowly. I wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible, but there was a reason that I'd come here in the first place. There was someone I wanted to see. My eyes landed on someone turning the dial on their locker, on a familiar head of black hair.

"Jaime!"

He jumped, spinning around to face me with his back pressed against his locker. He relaxed when he saw that it was me. "Oh, hey Vic." He grinned nervously, hands fidgeting with the straps of his backpack. "What's up?"

I shrugged. "What, do I need a reason to say hi?"

He blushed at this, but didn't seem totally like himself. I noticed he was twisting the bottom of his hoodie uncomfortably. After a moment, he spoke up. "Can- can we talk later?"

I felt my heart drop to my stomach, but nodded. Biting my lip and determined not to let Jaime see that I was upset, I muttered a quick "See you in math" before walking toward the nearest set of stairs.

It seemed as though all the eyes in the hallway were trained on my back, and my neck felt uncomfortably hot. I practically ran down the stairs, eager to get away from all of the staring underclassmen. I rushed into the bathroom across the hall, thankful that it was empty. I positioned myself in front of the mirror, attempting to flatten out my hair even though I knew that it was useless. I tried to calm myself down, tell myself that Jaime was just in a bad mood and that it didn't mean anything. But I couldn't help myself from wondering if it had something to do with last night.

"Hey, fuckface!"

I snapped my head toward the sound, where I saw James' tall figure approaching me. I immediately looked to the exit, but there was no way I'd be able to get past him. Fuck. I was trapped. I couldn't muster up my voice, so instead I took to glaring at him. He just laughed at me, because of course there was no way that I looked even remotely intimidating.

"I wanted to ask you something," he said, sauntering closer to me.

I exhaled angrily. "Listen, if this is about that picture-"

I was cut off by James chuckling at me again. "What, like I care about you and your homo boyfriend? I always knew you were a little faggot."

My hand clenched into a fist, but I maintain my calm facade.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I wanna know if it's true- what they're saying about Ben and Danny."

I gulped, involuntarily taking a step backwards. My mind was in a panic. Did I tell him the truth and risk even further torture from Ben, or lie and probably get my ass kicked now?

James grinned at me, like a snake exposing its fangs. "C'mon..." he cooed. "Everyone knows you're the one that snitched on them."

He leaned in closer, and I backed up until I ran into the wall. "So is it real," he asked, licking his lips in a quick motion. "Or were you just being a lying little cunt?"