I'm NOT a faggot (UNDER EDITING)

- Chapter 4 -

"Do you have any idea what you got yourself into?!" Simon hissed as we walked to class. Apparently he was in MS to.
"What was I supposed to do? Let him beat Nate up?" I asked.
"Do you even know what this means?" he hissed.
"No Simon" I hissed.
"I don't know what the hell this means! I'm new here remember?!"

"Well let me explain it to you" he hissed.
"Peter beats Nate up every week, twice. He's the school bully, he picks on the weak"
"And why Nathan?" I asked as we entered the classroom. Simon sighed and went with a hand through his hair.
"Listen Jace... It's not my secret to tell" he sighed.
"Just ask Nathan"

...

When I came across Nathan in the hallway, he didn't even look at me. It hurts in a way... Why? I only met him this weekend. Maybe because I stood up for him and now he ignored me? Ugh, I hated this feeling! It was at moments like these I wish I wasn't alone... That I still had Jackson... I sighed as I walked into the canteen and felt eyes burning on me. Well, it couldn't get much worse...

"Hey"

I looked in the direction of the sound and saw Emily.
"Oh, hey" I said and smiled weakly.
"I saw you standing up to Peter this morning" she said.
"Quite impressive"
"R-really?" I asked.
"Yeah, surely on your first day, such bravery" she said and started walking.

"Are you coming?"

"Oh uhm yeah"
I followed her between the tables and found my way to a table in the center of the canteen. I recognized Ella, the girl from this morning. There were a few other people and I felt their eyes on me.
"Guys, this is Jace, the new guy" she introduced me.
"Jace, these are Ella, Sander and André"

"You're the guy that defended Wheeler" Sander stated.
"Thanks captain obvious" I sighed.
"I don't get why everyone is making such a big deal out of it"
"Dude, you don't know, do you?" André asked.
"Know what?" I asked.
"The reason Peter beats Nathan" Ella said.

"Simon says he picks on the weak" I said.
"Of course he says that, he's his friend" Emily sighed with a bit of anger.
"Peter picks on Nate because he's gay"
"W-what?" I asked with big eyes.
"Didn't expected that huh?" she asked and started eating. I searched the room for Nathan and found him in the back of the canteen.

He had made himself as small as possible and tried not to draw attention to himself. That was not the guy I met this weekend... This was someone different... He was bullied because he liked the same sex... Man I was gonna regret this... I stood up with all my things and walked towards him. I felt eyes on my back but I didn't care.

"Hey" I said and he looked up. His eyes shot open with shock and he didn't respond. I just sat down and took out my lunch.
"What are you doing?" he whisper hissed.
"Uhm, eating lunch?" I said and began to eat.
"B-but..." he started.
"No buts" I said sternly and looked at him.
"If Peter wants to pick on you because you fall for guys then that's his problem. I don't really see the point, I mean, we always supported coming outs at my previous school"

I looked around in the canteen.
"And we had a really hard anti-bully policy"
Nate smiled weakly at me and opened up a bit.
"G-guess the city is better on that front... We're quite conservative here in Emelo..."
"Tss, they don't know what they miss" I laughed.
"Wait... a-are you...?"

"Oh, uh, no" I clarified. I was bi, not fully gay. But I had a hard time talking about it. One of the reasons I supported it in others. I haven't even come out to my parents yet... The only person that knew is...gone...
"E-everything alright?" Nate asked a bit worried.
"Y-Yeah, just thinking... about stuff" I sighed and looked at my sandwich.
"You know what? I'm not really that hungry..."

I heard people go quiet and footsteps walking my way. My best guess? Peter. I turned around, only to see I was right.
"Hallo there little fag" he said angrily and pulled me out of my chair.
"Now where were we this morning?"
"Peter stop" Nathan said and stood up. Everybody seemed suprised about that.
"I-it's me you want... And besides, Jason is not even into guys so..."

"Doesn't matter" Peter hissed and looked back at me.
"So you like to protect faggots like Wheeler? Great. Than you'll get treated as one"
He punched me in my stomach and I was so glad I didn't have a full lunch... He wanted to kick me again but I too had a few tricks up my sleeve. I kicked him in every guys weak spot and kicked my knee in his face as he bended over.

He fell to the ground and I stopped. You don't kill those who are already defeated...
"You like the punch people because they love the same sex? Not on my watch big guy" I smirked and sat back down at my table. People started gossiping but I just rolled my eyes.
"H-how did you do that?" Nate asked with wide eyes.
"I like martial arts" was all I answered before I was interrupted.

"That was quite impressive"

"Thanks Emily" I said as I turned around to face her.
"Ella is throwing a party this weekend, you're welcome to join us"
She handed me a small card and smiled before leaving again, to get to her friends on her table.
"S-she invited you over?" Nate asked quietly and surprised.
"Yeah but I'm not really into parties so I probably won't even go" I said and put the little card away.

"Jason, the parties of her and her friends are the most exclusive parties in this town" he started.
"If you're there it means you actually are important"
"Tss, popularity doesn't bother me that much" I shrugged.
"And I would rather spend the weekend with you anyways"
"W-what?" he asked confused and his cheeks turned slightly red.

"Yeah, as friends I mean. Hang out and stuff" I explained, knowing what he probably thought.
"Oh, uh, yeah, of course..." he muttered and ate on. It was strange seeing him so quiet and distant from everyone around him. Surely because he was the one that started talking to me when we met. He took the initiative, he was so open and cheerful. But here at school... Here he was so quiet and closed off... Scared for any form of human interaction... It wasn't like him, I could tell.

I could tell he rather wanted to be open and cheerful but he was afraid to do so. Afraid for the consequences... It reminded me a bit of myself in a way... Because the only reason I haven't come out yet is my dad. I'm afraid of my parent's reaction, well, especially his reaction. He's homophobic... That's why Jack was the only one who knew about me. But now he's gone... And it's all my fault...