In The Spotlight - Solangelo

Chapter Nineteen

I took a deep breath, and stepped through the school gates, bracing myself for the inevitable. After what had happened on Saturday night, I was afraid of what people might say to me. I knew that Will would confront me about it, and I knew that Drew would've told somebody about it. Heck, she probably told the entire school. Everybody would know. And nobody would like it.

For a while, nothing too drastic happened. I still felt like everyone was talking about me behind my backs, giggling and gossiping in hushed whispers. But I just shrugged that feeling away, assuming it was just my anxiety kicking in. However, when it got to break, somebody pushed me against my locker. Actually pushed me. Pushed me with so much force that I fell to the ground.

"Can't believe you kissed Will Solace," they snickered. "That's just so gay."

A group of people surrounded me, cornering me against my locker. "I-I'm not gay," I mumbled, avoiding eye contact at all costs.

I heard a girls laughter, then a voice I recognise. "Oh please, stop lying to yourself!" she taunted. I looked up. It was Drew, the one person (asides from Will and Jason, of course) who knew what happened on Saturday night. "It's not a secret. The entire school knows."

I began to panic. My biggest fear had become a reality. Everyone knew my secret. Everybody would hate me for it. I'd become even more of an outcast than I already was. But then... What about Will? Surely people knew about his sexuality as well. Nobody bullied him after he announced his crush on me, basically outing himself in front of the school. Or maybe people had bullied him, but I hadn't noticed. Because I was too worried about what people thought of me, that I didn't think about the person I cared for most.

"And if you kissing Will Solace isn't enough evidence, Jason told me the truth," Drew continued, making he way to the front of the crowd. "He told me everything. Your sexuality, all your crushes. He told me your secrets. He doesn't care about you. Just as Will doesn't care. Is he here now? No, I doubt he's even at school! He's too embarrassed to admit that a boy kissed him."

My heart rate speed up as she moved closer and closer. I couldn't take this. I needed to get away, or I would have a full-on panic attack, in front of everyone. My reputation was already ruined enough. If I even had a good reputation to begin with.

I tried to get up to leave this horrid place, but Drew pushed me back down. "And now you're trying to run away, like the coward you are. First you hid from the truth, and now you're trying to hide from the crowd. Typical. You may as well just go and die. There is nobody left to-"

"Hey!" A boy pushed through the crowd, and, upon seeing who it was, I immediately felt better. He had come. Will Solace had come to save me. "Leave him alone! He did nothing!"

Drew turned around to face my saviour. "Aww, you came to save your boyfriend. Oh, wait, you don't actually love him, do you? There is no way you are gay as well. He kissed you without conse-"

"Actually," Will interrupted, "I kissed him. And I am gay. I'm not going to lie to everyone, unlike you, bitch. I saw you dragging Jason into that room. I know he didn't consent to whatever you were going to do to him. He doesn't even like you. As a person. So don't you go spreading crap about people, when you are just as guilty." He approached me, took my hand, and dragged me away. "C'mon, Neeks, we are leaving. These assholes have no clue what they were doing."

I stared at Will in awe as we left the school building and headed towards Thalia's Tree, without even glancing back. I had never seen him so angry before. I didn't even think it was possible for that ray of sunshine to... be so mean to a group of people. Yet, it just made me love him even more. If he hadn't come, I don't know what I wouldn't done. He saved me. And I am so glad that he did.