The New Girl

The New Guy

Things are different starting now.

Today, I start school with my brother for the first time since his suicide attempt.

Without a doubt I am excited, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared. I don't want anything to be like it used to be. Things need to be better.

Dom was handling this is all very well: transitioning from homeschooling back to public school after a life altering occurrence.

Mom made him promise he'd text me between classes to assure me that he is doing fine with the adjustment. Sure enough, we got to lunch and he seemed to be doing fine.

"Anything interesting happen today?" Ayden asked him as he twisted off the cap to his water bottle at our lunch table. Per usual, it was ABCD, Emma, and I. However, Dom was added into the bunch from this day forward.

With our new schedule, I no longer have every class with Ayden and in all honesty, I hate it. I miss being with him every hour of the school day. Now, I only have periods one, four, and seven with him. If you include lunch, then that too.

"Some girl came up to me and insisted we be friends. That's about all." None of us were oblivious to the expecting look Dom gave Bennet that he couldn't see because he was too focused moving the food on his plate around with his fork.

In Dom's text updates throughout the day, he's informed me that Bennet has hardly talked to him at all, aside from a mere hello when they crossed paths. He'd said even Colton and Dakota spoke to him more than Bennet had.

"What's her name?" Colton asked, breaking through the tension in the air. I know Bennet could feel it, but he ignored it.

"McKenna Crawford, she's in a few of my classes; she's cool." First day and Dom has already made a friend? I guess Hilton is the right place for the Roberts' family after all. "There she is actually." We all turned to look where Dom was pointing at a petite brunette girl, even Bennet.

Perhaps if I had paid more attention in the past two months, I would've recognize her, but I didn't.

"Hey, Dom," she said, shyly.

Understood. She is standing at a table full of senior football jocks, but surely none of my friends were judging her.

"Want to come sit with my friends? They want to meet you."

"Any of you mind?" Dom rose his eyebrow, staring directly at Bennet. Immediately, Bennet stared down at his plate again and shrugged.

"Go ahead, Dom." I encouraged him with a small smile, mentally telling him to not let his boyfriend's silence get to him.

He let out a small sigh that I knew he was trying to hold in. "Okay, I'll talk to you guys later." With that, my brother walked away with McKenna, not even bothering to look at Bennet.

~•~

I was surprised when, at the end of the day, Bennet still took Dom home. And I was surprised Dom agreed to let him. Though, I suppose they do need to talk about the silent treatment Bennet had unreasonably given Dom.

Bennet can very easily make conversation with Dom without everyone jumping to the conclusion he is gay. Colton and Dakota do it, along with other guys that I saw, and no one questions their sexuality. They don't question it because a straight guy can talk to a gay guy without having any feelings for him.