The Pros and Cons of Being Outed | Peterick

Chapter Three

Class was eventful, to say the least. His fellow classmates swarmed him, asking him questions about everything. It's not like Patrick was a popular kid before this; plenty of people ignored him. It turns out drama and scandals just really attract people, like a moth to a flame.

Patrick refused to answer them. He wasn't sure if he could. He felt like he'd choke up while speaking, and that would only lead to him becoming more frustrated. At the same time, he couldn't just not address this whole thing.

He could delay it though, and that was the plan. If he gave himself time, maybe he'd be able to get everything out right.

He would say that he's always been this way. This wasn't a choice he made at all.

If sexuality was a choice, why would anyone choose to be anything but straight? Why would they, when they could lose everyone they love? Why would they, when it's forbidden and marked as sin?

The simple answer is that they don't.

Patrick didn't even look his friends in the eyes, despite their desperate calls to him.

---

After four long classes, it was finally time for lunch. Patrick made his way to the lunchroom, until he froze, right at the entrance.

He couldn't just sit down, could he? His friends wouldn't appreciate that, especially not after he ignored them. Right?

His friends don't want to see him. Not when they know what they know. Would they ever want to?

Patrick held back a sob, turning on his heel and dashing out of the lunchroom. In his panicked state, the only clear option was to hide away in the bathroom. He didn't need lunch anyway, he could just buy something from the vending machine.

He dashed into one of the stalls, sitting down on the ground, his back pressed up against the wall. Nobody was in there except for him, making him feel relatively calm.

If only he could hide away forever, away from everyone's judging eyes.

"Patrick?" a soft voice called out, sounding concerned.

Patrick squinted as he tried to recognize who the voice belonged to. "Yeah?" he reluctantly responded.

"Can you please come out of there?" The voice continued. "I just want to talk."

Patrick paused, thinking. One person was better than none, right? Maybe he should talk to this person. Maybe it would help.

He stood up carefully, unlocking the stall, allowing him to glimpse at the person who had been talking to him. It didn't take him long to recognize him.

It was Brendon, a casual acquaintance of his. Patrick wouldn't really call him a friend as they didn't talk much, but he had a feeling Brendon wouldn't agree with that.

"What did you want to talk about, then?" Patrick sighed, walking out from the stall.

Brendon grinned at him. "You're really brave, you know. For even coming to school after all that on the website."

Patrick laughed bitterly. "Brave?" he questioned. "I haven't done anything. How does that make me brave?"

"There are many people in this school that are scared to come out," Brendon stated, as if it was a fact. Due to his connections, Patrick wouldn't be surprised if he knew this to be a fact. "You're everyone's hero."

"You make it sound like I had the choice," Patrick pointed out.

Brendon shrugged. "I know. I just wanted to make you feel better, but I guess I'm not very helpful. I never am."

"Well, I appreciate the effort," Patrick told him, attempting to smile. Like Brendon himself said, this conversation wasn't helpful, but at least he cared enough to try. His friends hadn't followed him to the bathroom to confront him, like Brendon did.

Brendon grinned back, leaning forward to give him a hug. Patrick accepted it, but felt incredibly awkward about it. They weren't close at all, so this was a surprise.

Patrick pulled away first, and gestured to the door. "I think you have food to eat," he joked.

"You do too," Brendon replied, giving him a meaningful look.

Patrick ducked his head, slightly embarrassed. Brendon chuckled, and left the bathroom.

Despite the fact that Brendon had made him feel a bit better, Patrick still didn't have much of an appetite. He stayed in the boy's bathroom until the bell rang for his next class.