Paint Me Blue [bxb; mpreg]

Chapter Eleven

O. 16th

His shoulders are slumped, body hunched and belly still cramping as he walks to class the following day.

From the moment he stepped inside the school, eyes followed him every where. Students whisper behind his back, so loud even he can hear.

"Look it's that girl," a cheerleader snickers.

Reese's cheeks heat up as he takes a seat at the back by the window.

"I hear she pretended to be a guy so she could spy on them, pervert."

He feels tears well up in his eyes, trying and failing to suck it up. They're just rumors. And still it hurts because they're not true.

He hears laughter approaching the classroom and among the voices, he picks out Payton's.

His heart hammers inside his chest as he waits for the jock. And when he finally spots him, it's like the air is knocked out of his lungs.

Payton is by the entrance, eyes automatically finding his. But the jock doesn't make his way to his usual seat, right beside him.

No. A cheerleader grabs Payton's arm and yanks him toward an empty seat beside her. The jock doesn't complain, doesn't stop her.

And Reese can feel his heart break.

Does he believe the rumors too?

He rests his head on his desk and closes his eyes. Memories of the day before cruelly resurface, the touch of Payton's lips on his, the feeling of being loved, all crashes into the forefront of his mind.

"Did you know, Payton," the captain of the cheerleaders begins, "that that girl over there pretends to be a guy so she can sneak into the boy's bathroom and locker room to spy on you. Isn't she a pervert?"

Reese's face pinches into a grimace and he can't bear to hear his reply.

He stands from his seat and rushes out the room, nearly knocking into his teacher on the way out. He doesn't stop though. He runs until he finds the bathroom (thankfully empty).

Inside the last stall with his back pressed to the door, he cries. His sobs are small and shuddering, almost breathless. Yet the tears are incessant as they roll down his cheeks.

He feels disgusting and just not right. He's struggling with himself, trying to accept who he is without people bringing him down and smudging his name.

He's not a girl.

There's nothing wrong with being a girl, he knows.

But he's not one.

He's a boy.

It's who he is, how he feels.

"Did you hear?"

Reese tenses.

"About the little slut trying to catch a peek of us while we piss and change?"

And that's Anderson's voice.

A small pained whimper escapes him before he can stop it.

"Oh? Looks like we find her."

No, no, no he begs.

The door is rattled until the cheap lock gives in.

"There you are!"

The posse usually accompanying Anderson laugh.

"You think you can just continue being a disgusting pervert, you sick slut?"

The front of his hoodie is grabbed in fistfulls and twisted until Reese can feel the jock's breath on his skin.

"You really thought wrong."

Reese flinches and stumbles back as Anderson is ripped away from him.

Payton is panting, face red in anger, "leave him alone."

"Didn't you hear what they're saying about this--"

"I heard perfectly well what stupid people are spreading. But they weren't there when I took him to the nurse. He nearly broke something important, if you can catch my drift. So shove those fucking stupid words down your throat and leave him alone. He's been through enough stupidity from our team so as not to be accused of those shitty names. Now go tell your little girlfriends how wrong they are spreading lies about people they don't even know. And I swear, I hear one more insult directed toward him and I'll make you run twice the number of laps for practice."

The small posse scrambles out of the bathroom without a word.

All except Anderson who spits out one last threat, "I won't forget this, Payton."

"Neither will I, Anderson."

Anderson leaves with one last nasty glance toward them before the door closes and Reese can breathe again.

"Are you okay?" Payton asks.

Reese nods, still a bit mute in fear.

Payton reaches out and it's like last time. He flinches and cowers away from the touch. The kind jock stops, noticing how tense Reese is-- how his eyes are screwed shut in fear.

And Payton realizes he's been here before.

"I'm sorry they hurt you," he whispers softly.

Reese slowly, but surely, uncurls from himself and looks up at Payton.

"You don't believe them?" He asks, voice small and trembling.

"No," Payton answers, "I don't believe in rumors spun out of jealousy and malice... Are you okay?"

Reese nods, "yes, thank you."

Payton smiles, hand resting at the back of his neck awkwardly. He doesn't know what to do, not after their kiss. He doesn't know if they're okay. If that kiss ruined everything.

But he doesn't need to do anything, he simply needs to be himself.

Reese hugs him tightly, heart light as he realizes he can trust Payton.

Payton returns the warm hug, wraps his arms around the younger boy and holds him tight.

He looks down as Reese whispers a muffled, "Thank you, Payton," into his shirt.