Marks

Trade Mistakes

I sat on my front porch waiting for Korey, he was late and it was worrying my. I checked my phone, no new messages or voicemails and it was 7:50, school started in ten minutes. I called Korey.

“Hey man,” Korey said when he answered.

“HEY MAN?!? HEY MAN!! Is that all you have to say to me! Where the fuck are you?”

“School, where the fuck are you?” He said that so nonchalantly, like it was obvious he was at school.

“Um, WAITING FOR YOU!”

“Really?” He laughed a bit, “I just figured your boy toy would pick you up, my bad.”

“Who you talking to?” A voice in the background asked.

“No one, don’t worry.”

“NO ONE! SINCE WHEN AM I NO ONE!” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“Well, Tyler, you became no one when you abandoned me for a boy you just met, you think I’m being a bad friend than you need to reevaluate how you’ve been acting lately.”

“Tyler?” The background voice laughed, “You mean that fag that used to be your friend?”

“Shh, Alf, we talked about that word.”

“ALF? ARE YOU WITH ALFIE DEYES? WHAT THE HELL?”

Korey let out a long sigh, “Tyler, listen, we can talk about this later, there are some things we need to talk about. Meet me at my car at like 3:30, okay?”

“Yea sure, bye.” I hung up the phone. Korey and Alfie were hanging out, I couldn’t believe this. I called Troye and asked him if his mom could pick me up, he said that wouldn’t be a problem and was at my house shortly.

“Hello, Tyler, honey, how are you this morning?” His mom often greeted me like this.

“Not well, Mrs. Mellet. It turns out my best friend has been hanging out with the guy I hate the most at school lately and is blowing me off to hang with him.” Wow that sounded familiar.

“Awe, I’m sorry to hear that dear.”

Unlike his mom, Troye wasn’t sorry, he was just upset.  

“A-Alfie? Was it Alfie?”

I nodded and Troye looked like he was going to burst into tears.

“Who is Alfie, honey?” His mom asked.

“N-no one mum.” Troye stammered.

“I know when you’re lying, Troye. Who is this boy?”

Before Troye could answer, we arrived at school. Troye hopped out of the car and started towards the building.

Mrs. Mellet turned around and looked at me, “Tyler, I know there is something wrong, I just don’t know what. Please tell me the problem and we can get Troye help.”

I didn’t know how to answer that. I guess it made sense that Troye’s parents didn’t know Troye was depressed and bullied, I had just never put 2 and 2 together I guess. How could I tell her her son was a victim of bullying? Should I even tell her? Would Troye hate me? I opened my mouth to give her an answer but I got a pull on my shirt.

"Tilly? Are you coming?"

"I...Uh... Yes, of course, Troye. Thank you, Mrs. Mellet." Before she could reply, I got out of the car and followed Troye. Troye gave me wide eyes, he was non-verbally asking me what I was talking to his mom about.