Boarding School Boyfriends

Chapter Six

The following Friday, Dan, Will, Woody, and Charlie decide to go into the town after lessons finish to go to the fish and chip shop, then go and hang around in the park for a little bit. The weather isn't too bad, so they saw no reason not to.

"I think everyone is about ready to kill you after the fire alarm," Will tells the trouble makers as they leave the school gates and start towards the bridge that separates the school from the village. Dan wanted to go into the village, but Will didn't really seem to be up to it before now. He's relieved to be out of that stupid school, even if for just a few hours.

As a matter of fact, part of Dan wishes that the others would bring Kyle up. He feels so intrigued about the boy for some reason, and he wants to know about him- but not in a stalkerish way.

The grin on Charlie's face spans from ear to ear and a look of pride sets on his features. "Good, at least we can get out of this Hellhole, then, huh?" He jokes, making Woody and Dan laugh. Will doesn't smile. "Anyway, it's tradition now! They should be used to it. It's not my fault."

Dan waits for Will to speak, but the boy just nuzzles his face further into the collar of his coat and stares forward with stormy grey eyes, so he decides to speak instead. "I mean, if I didn't get the heads up, I think I'd be annoyed, too," Dan laughs, looking over the barrier on the bridge and into the grubby, almost brown water beneath it. The dullness of the water reflects on the town, which holds a similar dirty, boring look. The group go quiet, so Dan speaks again. "You know, Woody, I spoke to Kyle in music."

"Oh yeah? 'bout what?" Woody has changed out of his school uniform and into a Plymouth Argyle t shirt and has wrapped a scarf, sporting the same green and white, around himself. "Were any of his friends there with you?"

Dan shakes his head, shoving his hands into his coat pockets to save them from the nipping cold. Despite the fact the sun is out, it's awfully cold. Especially when it becomes covered by the clouds. "No, it was just me and him. We spoke about music, mainly. That's all. He's not that bad, really. He was kinda nice to me."

"Yeah, probably not that bad when he is alone." Woody scoffs, shaking his head. "I'd still be careful around him though, Smith. It's easy to hide under sheeps wool if you're a wolf."

Dan nods, finding the wording of Woody's sentence a little strange. He doesn't question it, though, instead focusing on the food as they approach the fish and chip shop. They agree that Will and Charlie will order the food whilst Dan and Woody remain outside because the shop is quite crowded.

"Look, Dan. Can I just ask you something?" Woody asks quietly, standing close to the boy, who just nods in response. "Are you gay?"

"Not really..." Dan frowns- he's thought this over billions of times in his head, but he never thought he'd have to articulate it. "I mean- I'm not. But I'm not necessarily straight, either. I just kinda think that if I like someone a lot, then why not, you know? No matter what their gender is. Or gender identity. Or whatever. We're all here for one life, so why not just love the person you want to?"

Woody shrugs. "Alright then, I guess I didn't think of it like that." He waits a beat. "Just whatever makes you happy, Daniel,"

A smile breaks on Woody's face as Will and Charlie come out of the shop with hands full of food, large pieces of newspaper holding mountains of chips and cod the size of their hands, small tubs with gravy or peas in them.A smile breaks on Woody's face as Will and Charlie come out of the shop with hands full of food, large pieces of newspaper holding mountains of chips and cod the size of their hands, small tubs with gravy or peas in them. They head towards the park.

"So Mrs Baker told me that, because of the fact I put that firecracker down the loo, I can't go to the toilet during lesson." Charlie scoffs, rolling his eyes. "She's so stupid."

The others just laugh as they eat, watching the people as they pass, some with dogs. "I can kinda understand why," Woody is half way through his portion of chips and sits on the bench next to the other three. "I mean, I genuinely thought you were going to be excluded or something."

Charlie just laughs. "They can't get rid of me. Where would they send me?"

Dan frowns and exchanges a look with Will. "To your parents?" Will questions, seemingly testing the water with his question.

"Nah, I caused too much trouble for them to want me back. I don't care. As long as I'm laughing, I'm okay." Charlie looks at the other three with mischevious eyes, a knowing look that makes the other three wonder what he's planning.

"Oh..."

"Oi, Danny boy. Don't look now, but your favourite person is heading this way," Woody teases, looking quickly between Dan and the group of boys who enter the park.

"Fuck off, he's not my 'favourite person'," Dan rolls his eyes, but looks over to them. Kyle, like Woody, is also out of his school uniform, but he's sporting a jumper with the NASA logo on it, and a fitting pair of jeans. Dan feels his cheeks warm slightly, knowing that he has the same jumper. "I wouldn't even consider him in my top ten."

"You have a top ten of your favourite people?" Will questions, cocking an eyebrow.

"No, because as it happens, I hate everyone. So I don't even have a top three."

"Wow. Thanks!" Charlie chirps sarcastically.