Fleur

Chapter Five

TRIGGER WARNINGS

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"You're the fucking freak!" Connor yelled as he pushed Evan down onto the ground. He hadn't meant to, it was just that something inside him snapped and he lost control of himself. Maybe it was because he couldn't handle being called any more names or maybe it was the lack of sleep getting to him, but he knew he had lost control.

"Evan, I'm sorry..."

"Get away from him you weirdo!" Jared said with a shaky breath as he hovered over his fallen friend. "It's gonna be okay. Jared's here for you" He whispered while stroking his hair. He looked at Connor with hatred and disgust in his eyes. "I said go away!"

Connor turned around and ran out of the school building as almost every pair of eyes in the hallway followed him. Not knowing exactly where to go, he went to the safest spot he knew: the alleyway near the sewers behind the grocery store. There was a loose brick there in which he hid his weed when the cops got suspicious. He grabbed the weed with hot tears in his eyes and lit it with the lighter he kept in his pocket. The smoke signaled the stock boy, Benny, and the door opened.

"Hey Connor, don't you have school?" He asked. Connor shrugged and flicked his lighter out of habit. "Well why don't you come inside and talk a bit, okay?" Benny offered while holding open the door that led to the employee room - the one with the fancy coffee maker and droopy ceiling that would always leak during rainstorms.

Connor sat down and stared at Benny with a blank expression, weed still in mouth.

"So, what's bothering ya Kiddo?" Benny asked with his overly enthusiastic smile that took up over half of his face. Connor shrugged nonchalantly and frowned.

"Oh c'mon Connor, tell Uncle Benny what's wrong?"

"You're not my uncle. You're just the guy I used to buy pot from when I was younger."

"Same difference." He reached over the table and grabbed the weed from Connor's hand.

"Hey what are you doing! I paid good money for that shit."

"Not as much as you'll have to pay for your medical bills when that stuff wrecks your lungs." He had a fair point so Connor gave up on trying to get back his weed.

"I um... Benny, I think I might be gay."

There was silence between the two men.
Benny pointed a finger at the door.

"Get out."

"But Benny I thought I could--"

"I said to get out! I don't want no queers in this building, infecting all the store. Get out!"

Tears filled Connor's eyes as he ran out of the building. The time on his watch read 4:20, school would be out by now. He ran to the subway and walked towards the edge of the platform.

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"Evan, I won't be able to pick you up from school today. Just take the subway to Dr. Sherman's office, okay?"

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(AN: short chapter because it's 12:44 am and I'm tired)