Best Friends [UNEDITED]

Chapter 9

Lucas's POV

"So, would you like to tell me your name?" The man says after my check up with the school nurse.

"You first." I say cautiously. The man laughs.

"Thomas Smith. I'm the history teacher here, and the guidance councillor." He replies. I'm a little embarrassed that I didn't trust him enough to tell him my name first, but he seems to have taken it lightly. "Your turn."

"Lucas Duggan," I say, putting out a hand to shake his. He shakes my hand with a kind smile. "Thank you for helping me."

"No problem, it's my job." He lets go of my hand, letting his face fall serious. "Could you tell me who did this to you?"

I shake my head. The man gives me a skeptical look.

"And why not?"

"Because, I basically did this to myself. I'm to blame." I hang my head in shame. Mr Smith puts a hand on my shoulder.

"You couldn't have done this to yourself. You need to tell me who did this so they can't do it again." He says. I shake my head, not looking at him. He sighs. "Okay, would you like to go to class? Because if you're not comfortable you could stay with me."

"If it's no trouble I'd prefer to be away from big groups right now." I say, only partly lying. Honestly, I'm hiding from Noah. I hate it when my mom gets mad at me, or when teachers yell, but Noah getting mad at me really hurt.

"Okay, come with me." Mr Smith stands up and helps me up as well. I limp down the hall, and, luckily, he slows his walking so I can be at pace with him.

We walk into an office with Mr T. Smith written on it. He sits down at one side of the desk and I sit on the other.

"So, if you can't tell me who did it, can you tell me why?" He asks after we're sat down.

"They're homophobes. They treated a friend of mine very poorly." I state simply.

"Ah, so--if you don't mind me insinuating--you're homosexual?"

"Well, no, i..." i trail off. I've never thought about my sexuality. I never had to because I've barely made contact with anyone that I'm not related to in my whole life. "I've never thought about it." I say honestly after a moment of silence.

"Well, no rush. No reason to put yourself in a box, you just be who you are."

"Oh, but I don't think I am--"

"I have some papers to grade if you don't mind. You can read or draw or do whatever you'd like just please not too loud." Something that would usually be said scoldingly, is soft and gentle. I nod, taking out my phone and headphones. I plug them in and put on my favourite podcast, We Have Concerns (We Have Concerns is mostly science based. It's my favourite podcast and is really interesting and funny, I definitely recommend!).

...

When the final bell rings, Mr Smith walks me out of the school.

"Would you like me to drive you home, Lucas?" He asks.

"I think I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, thank you."

I walk home after waving to Mr Smith. I look down at the clothes I'm wearing: more of Noah's stuff.

When I get home, I change into my own clothes and pack up the other outfits he had loaned to me in a shopping bag. I'd guess, after the burst of anger he had, he wouldn't want to be my friend anymore.

I walk to his house. Slowly. Regret and pain holding me back. When I approach the door, I take a deep breath. I knock gently on the door.

After a second, Aaron opens the door.

"Oh, hey Lucas!" He says with a smile. "I'm guessing you're here to see Noah."

"Uh, yeah." I say shyly, hoping Aaron won't ask me about my black eye or my bruises.

"Great, he's upstairs in his room, go on up."

I nod and take off my shoes, but leave on my jacket. I walk up the stairs. knowing Aaron is watching me, I try to walk like nothing is wrong.

I make it to Noah's room and knock quietly.

"Come in." I hear him say on the other side of the door. I open the door and walk in. When he sees me his eyes light up. He jumps off his bed and hugs me. My breath catches in my throat. I thought he was angry with me? "Thank god, you're okay!" He cries, "I came back for you and I couldn't find you anywhere, and then I didn't see you all day in school. Where were you?"

"Mr Smith helped me out. You didn't send him?"

"No." Noah releases me, sitting back down on his bed, his face covered with his usual smile.

"I just came over to give you back your clothes. I thought you wouldn't want me to approach you later." I hand him the bag.

"Why not?"

"Cause you're mad at me. Cause I messed up. C-cause you don't want to be my friend anymore."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, you were angry with me so--"

"Because I'm angry at you you think I'm going to throw you away?" He raises an eyebrow at me. I shrug. He chuckles lightly. "Lucas, you think too much."

"I thought you said I don't think?"

"Well, you didn't think when you went to confront twelve athletes about something you know nothing about." There's humour in his words, but I can hear some bitterness.

"I'm sorry."

"Do you want to know why I was mad?" My only response is to nod and Noah pats the seat beside him. I sit down. "I was mad because I was worried about you. I didn't want you to get hurt in the first place, but I didn't speak up and say so, did I?"

"Well, you told me I should ditch the idea. I should have listened to you."

"Yes, you should have."

"But, don't you think they will back off a little more now that I beat up Scotty a little bit?"

"That's not how I see it." I voice says behind me. I turn to see Scotty standing in Noah's doorway. I stand up, in front of Noah. "Calm down, pipsqueak, I just came to talk to him."

Noah tugs at the bottom of my shirt. "It's fine, Lucas," he says, "you should go."

I turn around to face him. "W-what?"

"You should go." He repeats.

"You're choosing him over me?"

"I'm not choosing him, he just wants to talk."

"But--"

"You should go Lucas." Scotty says patronizingly. I turn around and glare at him.

"Fine." I huff, stomping out of the room, anger fuelling my speed all up the road and back to my house.

I can't believe him.