Find your Voice

Chapter 4: Friends

Chapter 4: Friends

I left for school and ran trying to get there a little early so I could get to my locker before the posse showed up. This had become my everyday task of playing hide and seek with them while trying to get to my locker. I wish I could stand up for myself, be tough like they tell you. "Bullies will back down if they see your confidence..." But was that really true? probably not. And what if you don't have any confidence whatsoever? Oh yeah then you're screwed. My plan to get to my locker before them failed and they saw me before I even made it inside. All five of them saw me and I turned and took off running around the school. They ran after me and Kevin was way faster then them all. I rounded the corner right as Kevin tackled me to the ground and litterally sat on top of me grabbing my wrists. I winced as my he was sitting on my bruised stomach and I struggled but damn he was strong! Avi and Alex were next to arrive followed by Kirstie and Travis. I turned my head away from them all and focussed on the ground. Whatever they were going to do I just wanted it to be over fast. "Aww the little bitch was runnin! Did yall see him run?" Kevin laughed. Avi walked over and grabbed one of my arms while Kevin kept hold of the other and they pulled me up. Alex stood back smiling and watched his friends in action. Kirstie walked her small frame up to me and touched my lips with her finger making a seductive smirk. "So this doesn't turn you on at all?" She whispered mockingly and licked her finger. I looked down trying to keep my tears from falling. She placed her hands on my chest and moved them down to my hips. I squeezed my eyes shut, then let out a small pained yell when she dug her fingernails into my side. Damnit, a tear escaped my eye and she laughed. She grabbed my face and pressed her lips to mine making me want to puke. Alex and the others laughed loudly as she forced her tongue into my mouth. "Excuse me...I can see I'm interrupting something..." Kirstie turned around surprised but then her smug look returned when she saw who it was. Mitch was standing there with his arms crossed. "Hey you're the new guy aren't you?" She smiled and strolled over to him. She walked around him checking him out. "Hmm you're kind of hot, why don't you let me show you a good time?" She stopped in front of him and put her hands on his shoulders licking her lips. Avi and Kevin laughed and rolled their eyes at her. 

"Oh honey...what makes you think I'd want you?" Mitch snapped and took her arms off of him. She glared and looked at Alex.

"This is a private party, invitation only." Alex took a step towards Mitch who didn't budge. 

"Oops, I must have left it in my car...sorry bout it." Mitch sassed. Alex suddenly became aggitated. 

"Look, I don't even know you and you're already pissing me off. Now I'll let it slide this time because you're new but next time..."

"Oh next time? Well how bout now you dumb fuck? Am I pissing you off now? Huh? I am aren't I? Oooh yes I can see it on your face! Guys look at his face it's turning suuuuper red!" Mitch kept going clearly enjoying making Alex furious. Avi, Kevin and Kirstie watched Alex carefully wondering what he was going to do about this person. Alex walked forward until he was right in Mitch's face...or well Mitch was shorter than Alex and so he kind of towered over Mitch, and yet Mitch still did not back down. He was either incredibly brave, or incredibly stupid. Suddenly Alex shoved Mitch and he stumbled and fell landing on his back. Alex smiled but so did Mitch. "That's it? Seriously?" Mitch laughed and started clapping obnoxiously. The group exchanged confused looks and then Alex rolled his eyes. I stared at Mitch in shock. He wasn't scared of them at all. "Let's go guys I'm bored of this shit." Alex sighed and walked away. Avi and Kevin made kissing noises at me and pushed me down. Kirstie blew me a kiss before she grabbed Avi's hand and they walked away leaving Mitch and I on the ground. I watched them leave before I let my tears fall silently. I covered my face with my hands, I didn't want anyone to see me crying like a weak little bitch. I then felt Mitch's hand on my shoulder and I shrugged him off. "Hey, I'm sorry. They have no right to treat you that way." He tried to confort me. Why was he being so nice to me? What was wrong with him?  He's a senior and he's hanging out with me, an uncool sophomore, the lowest of the low. "Can I please help you up and walk you to class? You don't have to say a word to me, just let me help you." He picked up my backpack and offered me his hand. I stared at his hand before accepting it finally and standing up. He handed me my backpack and walked next to me to my locker. "Does that kind of thing happen every single day?" He asked as we walked through the empty hallway. We were both late for our first classes. I nodded without looking at him. "That's horrible." I simply shrugged. We got to my first class and he smiled at me. "You sure you're ok?" I nodded looking down at my shoes. "Well ok. So I'll see you later then? Don't worry Scott, we're going to become good friends!" He said cheerfully and the skipped off. I cocked my head to the side and watched him walk off. Did he just say friends? I've never had...that before. Was he serious? No he had to have some motive for my friendship, I just couldn't figure out what it was. 

The rest of the morning went by slowly but I didn't run into the group again, well besides Avi who was in my first period class but he left me alone for the most part. It was now lunch and I walked to the cafeteria. I was waiting in line when Alex and Travis cut in front of everyone and got on either side of me. "Hey faggot! Actually eating today? That's good, you need your strength for what we're going to do to you later." Travis  laughed and Alex scoffed. 

"Hey Scott! Thanks for saving my spot!" Mitch walked up and linked his arm with mine sending both Alex and Travis a death glare. I looked down at our arms in shock. But so did Alex and travis. 

"Looks like we got another fag on our hands." Alex snickered.

"So what if I am? What are you going to do about it dickwad?" There was that sass again. I stared at him blankly. Did he just say he was gay? Alex glared and got in Mitch's face.  

"You better watch yourself." He grabbed Travis and walked away as Mitch rolled his eyes at them. Wow, I wish I was as confident as he was. He unlinked his arm from mine and laughed. 

'Did you see his face? Priceless!"

"T-thanks..." I whispered. I still couldn't look at him but I knew he was shocked that I spoke to him.

"Wow! SEE! We're making progress!" He clapped his hands together and smiled. "Now if I could just get a smile....?" He batted his eyes at me and I gave him a slight half smile. He frowned. "We'll work on that...don't worry Scott. Everything's going to be fine!" He was so happy, how was he so happy? He was probably going to get beat up because of me yet he was happy? I didn't understand. We got our food and sat at a deserted table in the back of the room.  "So Scott, maybe you could come over sometime? We could...well I don't know what do you like to do?" He asked in between bites. I just shrugged. There was no way I'd be able to go unless I snuck out and we all know how that would end, with James killing me. I didn't know what I liked to do, I never got to do anything anyway. He was waiting for my answer. "Um..." Was all I said before I suddenly had no words. I shrugged again.

"Ok, no problem you don't have to talk to me. I'll talk!" He said happily and began to tell me all about him. He moved here a week ago. He was eightteen and apparently he liked to sing. He also liked to write songs. That was pretty cool. I realized I didn't know much about myself. What did I like? The truth is I didn't like anyone or anything, but I couldn't tell him that could I? He said we were becoming friends, is that what friends do? I couldn't tell him about my mom and James...even if he cared he couldn't do anything about it. 

Before we knew it the bell rang and I headed back to my locker Mitch right by my side. I kind of felt safe with him next to me. He had saved me three times and he came out of it with no injuries. I didn't know why they didn't already beat him up. What were they so afraid of?  "Ok, so I'll see you after school then?" He raised his eyebrow in question. I nodded and he smiled. "Great! Bye!" He waved and the bounced away. There was something very strange about him but it fascinated me. 

My last class was finally over and I walked out of the room back to my locker. I rounded the corner and there standing by my locker was Mitch. He waved and smiled when he saw me and I gave him a half wave. He was waiting for me? Why was he waiting by my locker? I got to him and opened my locker. "Just thought I'd stand here in case your friends showed up again." He said as if reading my mind. I shrugged, because that's what I always do and then put my books and my backpack in my locker. I finished all my homework and it was now the weekend so I didn't need to bring anything home with me. We walked out of the building together and down the steps. "Hey want a ride home?" He asked gesturing to a black pontiac in the parking lot. I really shouldn't accept, I mean if my mom or James saw me pull up with him I would be in trouble, but then again I didn't want to walk. I nodded and got in his car. I would just have him drop me off a block away from my house so they wouldn't see us. "Ok so where do you live?" He asked. Shit I forgot I would have to talk to him to tell him where to go. I told him which way to go in my weak little whisper. He chuckled at me and pulled out of the parking lot. "Hey I live kind of close to here isn't that cool?" He asked as he dropped me off at the corner and leaned out his window. I nodded. 

 "So can I call you? Or maybe text you?" Could he? I guess maybe he could. I nodded and we switched phones and put our numbers in. "By Scotty!" He laughed and waved speeding off. What just happened? He gave me his number...he has my number. Wait are we actually friends now?

*** Can I just say that this story is really hard to write because it makes me SAD!***