All The Way

Chapter Sixteen: Fuck Normal

**Cry's POV**
Mr. Avidan paced the stage, rubbing his temple. Half the class had yet to start practicing their scenes, forcing Mr. Avidan to push the presentations back another week. I don't know why he's stressing so much; he should know my generation is incompetent. My generation. God, why do I have to be part of this human class. Immature. Disrespectful. Horrible taste in music. They argue about inequality, yet harass those that aren't the same as them. Hypocrites.

"Cry, what are you thinking about?" Felix whispered, looking over his shoulder at me.

He still hesitated to sit beside me in class, yet he sat with me almost everyday at lunch. I don't know why he consistently hung out with me. All I did was help him out in a tough time, but I'm sure others have helped him before. Maybe not. Maybe Mark, and I were the only ones who cared about him. Care about him! I scoffed at my own thoughts, Felix furrowing his brow at me.

"Are you okay?" He asked, legitimately concerned.

He reached behind him, resting his hand on my knee. A spark ran through my leg, and throughout the rest of my body, forcing me upright, my eyes wide. Felix pulled his hand away, a shift in his eyes telling me he felt the strange zap of energy.

"I'm fine," I whispered, pulling my mask over my eyes.

"Freak."

The cold word cut through the air like daggers threatening to draw blood. I buried deeper into the safety of my mask, and black hoodie, trying to steady my panicked breaths. I couldn't let Felix see me crack. Why do you care what he thinks? Of course I care what he thinks. He's a friend, I think. A warm, thin hand squeezed my thigh, a wave of relief drowning the anxiety prickling at my soul. I let out a shaky breath, and pulled back my mask, my eyes meeting his. Supportive. Concerned. Happy, yet, incredibly sad. Blue like the morning sky. Blue like the steady waves of the Pacific. I like blue.

"Tell me you're okay," he whispered, another emotion stirring in his eyes.

"Why?"

"Because, if you aren't, I'm going to go punch Alex in the face."

Alex was one of the seniors Felix used to hang with. I looked over in his direction, but he was back to flirting with a girl sitting near him.

"I'm fine, Felix."

The anger in his eyes faded, and he gave me a wary smile.

"Fags."

Both our heads snapped in the direction of the voice. It was Alex, yet again, but this time his words weren't directed at us. Everyone in class, including Mr. Avidan, followed his eyes to the back row of chairs, where Jack and Mark were sitting. Mark had his arm draped over Jack's shoulder, eyes looking down at the script on Jack's lap. They both looked up, eyes wide, Mark's in surprise, Jack's in fear.

"Well, shit," Felix whispered.

**Jack's POV**
Fuck fuck fuck fuck....

**Mark's POV**
Jack was a jittery mess beneath my arm. I heard what Alex had said, but I was surprised to see all eyes were on Jack and I. Jack shivered so much, the script slid off his lap, to the floor. I squeezed his shoulder, trying to get him to relax, but it was no use. Mr. Avidan's expression shifted from shocked to furious, his brown eyes looking back at Alex.

"Alex! Office! Now!" He snapped.

Everyone looked up at Mr. Avidan, more curious about the rare sight of him being angry, than the two gay boys at the back of the room.

"For what? They shouldn't just flaunt their lifestyle around like that! It's-"

"What? Disgusting? Grow up, Alex! It's 2017!"