First Time | Protector 3.1 | Wattys2017

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Nolan

       Dad knocked on the bedroom door and I groaned, shifting in my bed so my back was facing the door. I then covered my head with my pillow and pulled my blankets up all the way. "Nolan, are you even out of bed yet?" Dad asked from the other side of the door. "I woke you up half an hour ago and you have to leave in ten minutes."

       I didn't reply. I just closed my eyes, hoping to go back to sleep.

       I couldn't.

       Dad opened the door and walked into the bedroom. "Seriously, Nolan? You have to leave for school in ten minutes."

       "I'm not going."

       "What? You can't just tell me you're not going to school. That's not how it works."

       "I don't care. I don't want to go to school."

       "Nobody ever wants to go to school but they still do," Dad said. "So you better be ready in ten minutes."

       "No. I said I'm not going."

       "You can't miss anymore days, Nolan," Dad said. "You already missed a lot and your grades are seriously dropping. You have to go."

       "And do what?" I asked. "Feel alone? Have people bully me again and again and make homophobic comments? I don't want to go to school today and you can't make me."

       "Nolan, you can't keep avoiding your problems," Dad said. "You have to face them. Need I remind you that I went through what you are going through in high school."

       "Oh, how could I forget that you came out of the closet and was teased and bullied every single day? My bad for forgetting."

       "You know that's not what I meant," Dad said. "You're going to school today whether you like it or not."

       "Make me."

       "You know what? I don't have time to deal with this. I have to drop your siblings off at school so you don't make them late. By the time I get back, you better be ready to go for second period."

       "Not happening."

       Dad left the bedroom, calling, "Hey, Flower! Come deal with your son please!"

       "Mom's a pushover. She's not going to force me to go to school."

       "Yeah, I heard that," Mom said. "And I'm totally going to make you go to school, so you better get out of bed before I force you out."

       "Do it," I said. "I'm stronger and taller than you, anyway. It won't work."

       "What has gotten into you, Nolan?" Mom asked. "You never acted like this before."

       "People change."

       "Yeah, but not all of a sudden," Mom said. "You were perfectly fine yesterday."

       "Fine?" I asked. "I was not fine. I never am."

       "I know this is hard for you, Nolan, but you still have to go to school?"

       I sat up on my bed and looked at Mom. "Why? Why am I being forced to go to the one place where I feel the most worthless and vulnerable? I have no one for me there."

       "What are you talking about?" Mom asked. "Two of your siblings go there, two of your cousins go there, and you have an aunt and uncle teaching there."