Stand By Me - JOGER (ROGER/JOHN)

3. Rumours

Morning came and Roger was awake bright and early to get himself ready for school. Roger was excited to see him again. John Deacon.
.............

Once Roger had arrived and had sat himself at his desk in Mr. Deacon's classroom for morning registration, he noticed some of his classmates talking behind his back, quite literally.

"Morning, everyone. Sit down please"
John said from the front before the students did just that.

John sensed a strange atmosphere in the room so he quietened everyone down, little did he know they were talking about Roger.

Everyone kept quiet as John read our each student's name, marking in their attendance. He soon got to Roger's name and looked up at him for a moment while saying it. There were a few snickers from the class.

"Present sir"
Roger said softly, almost in a whisper. The students laughed quietly and Roger was only focused on the fact it was most likely directed at him.

"Stop that"
The teacher snapped all of a sudden.
He pointed out a girl in the class.
"Would you like to share with the class what's so funny?"
John was shouting. He was never like that with any classes he had. They were making fun of Roger, someone who he felt he needed to protect. He wouldn't stand for it.

The class was dead silent while John's voice was raised. Even Roger shuddered in his seat. He didn't realise he was being defended by the person he wanted the most.

"Tell me what's so funny"
John demanded. He wanted an answer.

The girl shuddered as John demanded her to speak.
"Uh...nothing sir"

John shook his head in disbelief.
"Would you step outside with me, please"
He wasn't as loud as he was moments before but his tone was still frightening.
"Non of you say a word until I come back into this classroom"

Roger watched his teacher and his classmate step outside of the classroom door as his heart beated fast. He'd never seen John so angry before...it frightened him.

"I want you to be honest with me...I won't be angry. What was so funny?"
John was speaking much softer now, calming himself down a little.

"Well, sir...there's a running joke in our class about...about Roger. People were saying he looked like a..a girl so we thought he was..gay"

John was angry but he didn't show it.
"A lot of boys in my classroom have feminine features and there's nothing wrong with that. And so what if Roger is gay? That has nothing to do with any of you and it certainly isn't funny"

"I'm sorry, sir..it won't happen again"

"If they make more jokes about him or anyone in this school to target them or make them feel stupid or insecure, I don't want you to join in, okay? Even if your friends are. I'll be having a conversation with the whole class just after registration which you don't need to attend but remember what I said, okay?"

"Yes sir"
The young girl nodded.

"Thank you, back inside please"
John said, opening the classroom door for her.

The two of them went back inside. Roger noticed the girl glare at him as she walked back to her desk as if he'd done something wrong.

"Before I dismiss you for your first lesson, I want to have a chat with you all"

The students stayed quiet as they looked over at the desk John was sat at.

"Okay..so first off, I know about this ‘joke’ you all have and it's definitely not funny whatsoever. I don't want the students in my class to be known as the young people who pick on their classmates about their interests, personality or even things they can't change such as their sexuality or appearance. I will not tolerate anyone who is openly bullying someone. Whether that be about the person or a stupid rumour that someone has created to draw attention to themselves. I'm sure you all know who you are and if you don't, you need to look at yourself in the mirror and recognise what you are doing wrong. I want all of you from now on to quit picking on others, making rumours, being horrible people in general and joining in with bullying. Because joining in makes you a bad person for doing so. I will not stand for students in this school being personally targeted by anyone and if I find out that rumours and comments about others are still being made after you leave this class, there will be serious consequences, understood?"