Reputation (BoyxBoy)

0.6

Finally, my suspension was over and I got to return to school. When I walked in everyone was staring at me, to which I wasn't surprised. I can't believe I let Jacob ruin my reputation at a school that I just started going to. It felt great standing up for myself. I never stood up for myself in the past. I was so weak and vulnerable. I'll never allow myself to get to that point again. I see Jacob, Briana and his crew on the way to my locker so I walk over to them with a smile. "Hey Jacob, what's up?" He looks at me in a puzzled way. "Why are you talking to me?" "I thought we were cool now. Are we not?" I was so confused. We were supposed to be cool now. "I don't know where you got that idea from, kid. Get out of my face." He said it in such a rude way, but if that's how it's going to be, then so be it. 

I turned around and saw Layla looking at me from across the hall. "What exactly was that?" she asked. "Oh, nothing don't worry about it" "Well okay I guess. Anyway, Luke told me about how you guys were up all night and it seems like he really likes you. What do you think of him?" "Well we just met, but we have so much in common. Is this not weird to talk about being that he's your brother?" "Oh, not at all I love meddling with my brother's love life." The bell rings so that means it's time for us to go to our English class. I remember that I have Jacob in that class and I dread going. I get to class and leave Layla to go to the other side of the classroom. Jacob is sitting in the desk with work that we both missed from being suspended. I sit down and he looks at me with an apologetic facial expression. "Hunter I'm so sorry about today, but you know I have a reputation to keep. I told you that when I went over to your house." I ignore him and look over the work I've missed. I remember learning about it at my old school so I start to work on it. "Hunter, are you listening to me?" I continue to ignore him. "All right class we'll be doing group projects today! You'll be finding a poem that you feel you can relate to and telling your partner why you do." Great. Just when I thought I could ignore him. 

While I spent the past few minutes looking for poems Jacob just sat there staring at me. "Okay, Jacob you go first. That's if you've found one which I assume you have seeing as you won't stop staring at me." "Okay here it goes"

Closeted: The Same Parts by Denny Quinteros

I stand in a dark room filled with fear and resentment

This stems from the idea that speculation of my identity may hurt my well being

This dark room soon enclosed me for plenty of my childhood year and became a sense of need

Hiding felt like chains around my body but also protected me like armor

I desired to be free but when I tried to reach the door in front of me, these chains pulled me down onto my knees

I can feel people on the outside trying to look in

Their eyes filled with acceptance and protection but mine were to armored to be vulnerable

They struggled to get inside and see but I struggled to get out and perceive a new view

A knock resignated from the door, almost as a reminder

An alarm, that I would snooze because I was not ready to wake up

A lump in my throat began to build, filled with words I would not have the strength to hold

Everything came up roses, and I threw up a garden 

He seemed to have stopped reading the rest of the poem and he looked as if something was troubling him. I was absolutely appalled. I didn't expect him to read such a poem like that. "That was great. How did you already have that and how do you relate to it?" "I've always loved that poem. I feel like I can relate to it on many levels seeing as how I feel like I can't be free and true to myself." I wonder what he meant by that exactly. What can't he be true to himself about? It seems like he knows himself very well. "Okay Hunter it's your turn. What do you have?"

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own backyard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

When I was done he seemed to have a face that showed he was very intrigued. "Wow, how do you relate?" "Well at my old school I was bullied and beaten quite often, but I always came out on top. Maybe they weren't punished, but I didn't let them break me easily. And now that I'm here I won't let it happen again." "That's really amazing Hunter. I don't know why anyone would bully you." All of a sudden I got angry and took the chance to snap at him. "Funny because I remember you bullying me and save the reputation crap. I don't want to hear it again and after this, I don't want to speak to you." He looks like he wants to say something, but decides against it. I turn around just as Mrs. Murphy was heading back to the front of the classroom. "I gave you guys this assignment could bring you closer. You guys will be doing a lot of this and I want you to be comfortable with each other." When she gets done the bell rings and I go straight to Layla so we can get lunch.

"And so then I told him I don't want to talk to him again," I told Layla everything while she was looking at me like she was hearing the best story of her life. "Wow. I'm glad you stood up for yourself Hunter. I'm so glad we became friends even if it was just three days ago." "Yeah same here you're pretty cool." Luke walks up to our table and sits down right next to me. "What's up, sis! Hey Hunter! Missed ya!" "Really after only three days?" I was definitely surprised. "Yeah, you've already got a place right here." He points his finger to his heart and makes a puppy face. "Well, I'm glad I know that I can leave a mark so easily haha." I'm so glad Luke and Layla are my friends here. We seem to really click and I've never had that before. "I don't want to go to detention today! Someone save me!" I yell at our table. "Oh yeah, I have detention too," Luke yells. Layla and I looked at him in shock. I haven't known him for long, but he didn't seem like the kind of guy to get detention seeing as he was a pretty much a straight-A student. "YOU got detention? For what?" Layla questioned. "Well I got caught cussing because I got yet again another B on an essay that I worked so hard on. I really think Ms. Stevens has it out for me." We all laugh at the table and continue to eat our food. Soon the bell rings and we have to go to our next class. As I get up to leave Luke catches me off guard by saying "See you in detention cutie" with a flirtatious wink. I don't know if it's just me, but Luke seems to have a crush on me and maybe I have one on him too.

(A/N: THIS CHAPTER IS LONGER THAN MY OTHERS BUT I HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOY! WHAT DO YOU THINK SO FAR? ALSO, I DEDICATE THIS CHAPTER TO MY FRIEND DANI WHO MOTIVATED ME TO CONTINUE MY BOOK!! <3)