In The Morning I'll Be Better// newtmas

17

Newt's POV:

Thomas' lips feel like heaven against mine. I really want to get him naked but it's difficult to do so pushed against the wall, so instead, I tangle my hands in his hair to keep myself grounded. I'm vaguely aware of a sound behind Thomas but that thought slips away before I can even grasp it. My eyes are closed as I take pleasure from every touch and scrape of Thomas' fingertips on my back.

And then Thomas is torn from me. Almost instantly, without him there to hold me up, I drop like a dead weight, smashing my head against the back wall. Pain courses down my nerves but it's like I don't care because all I can think about is Thomas and what might have happened to him. I drag myself up, my head swimming, to see a few teachers and learning facilitators surrounding us as more rush through the bathroom door.

We've been caught breaking the schools biggest rule.

Mr Janson- the rat-like headteacher- holds Thomas back by the scruff of his shirt, a look of rodent outrage on his face. I want to stand and beat him away from Thomas but I know it would only make our situation worse than it already is. Instead, I let one of the teachers grab my arm and drag me to my feet.

"I will not stand for this sodomy!" Ratman shouts, spital flying from his mouth.

I feel sick. Everything that I've kept hidden for years- being gay, falling in love with Thomas- has finally been uncovered and the punishment I've feared for so long will no doubt be taken into effect. Yet, the thing that hurts me the most this second is that Thomas is also caught up in this messy situation and there's nothing I can do to help him out of it.

"Mr Janson, please, I can explain!" I try anyway, "Thomas, he-"

"No explanations will change this. The only thing we can do is cleanse you." He tugs on Thomas' arm, pulling him toward the bathroom door. I swear I almost charge him. "Come on, now!"

Thomas struggles in Ratman's grasp and says, "Get off of me! You can't stop me from being with Newt. You can do anything to me and it won't stop me from wanting him in the way I do; in a way you'd never understand because no one loves you!"

I don't think I've ever felt anything like I feel for Thomas after that. I struggle in my own captor's hands, desperate to get to Thomas so I can fight alongside him but I'm held back and we're both forced out of the bathroom like prisoners in a courtroom. I want to scream. Everything is going wrong.

I walk down the corridor in silence and I try to glance back at Thomas as he screams to be released but the teacher holding my arm yanks me forward. I glare at them, hoping they can tell how much I hate them, but they carry on unaffected. I glance at the other teachers around us and notice instantly that something is different about a few of them. They seem uncomfortable being here and keep darting their eyes toward me and Thomas. Even Mr Hatton, who I wouldn't have said is the most compassionate person, appears to be agitated.

It causes me to hope that not everyone in this nightmare school is as deranged as Mr Janson.

Everything is made worse as students start walking through the corridors. Not many, thankfully, but enough for the stares and whispers amongst friends to force my eyes to the ground in shame. I can only imagine what they must be thinking. What rumours will be spread and how close to the truth they might actually be. It's not every day a whole procession of adults escort two students as if they'd just committed a homicide: though, I'm convinced the school treats homosexuality as if it's one of the same.

We're led to the door leading into the staff-only section of the school and my stomach summersaults. I try to turn back again and this time my captor doesn't stop me. Thomas is still struggling, though two other people have had to come to Ratman's rescue to help restrain him. His attempts to break free are admirable and my heart swells at his courage but I wish he'd stop. Fighting is only going to get him hurt; I won't be able to take it if he gets hurt.

"Stop it, Thomas!" I cry, "You're only going to make it worse." I look at Ratman. "Please let us explain!"

Ratman ignores me and we walk through the carpeted teacher's corridor. I'm usually capable of capping off my emotions when I'm being told off but walking down the familiar warmly lit staff hallway with Thomas behind me and teachers surrounding us, I can't help the tears brimming in my eyes. Even as teachers start splitting off from the group, no doubt returning to their lessons, I can't help the anxiety building in my chest. Only now the full extent of our situation is coming into focus. I've only heard stories of people who've been punished after being caught breaking the school's biggest rule and my mind is reeling with ideas. Surely it can't be that bad.

We're led into a small room by my captor and Ratman, with Thomas dragged along, and the door is closed behind us. In the centre of the room, there are two chairs, their green plastic distorted with age and their metal legs rusted. The walls of the room are like the walls of a mental asylum cell: padded and pure white. Apart from the chairs and chest in the corner of the room that didn't look like it had been opened for years, the room held nothing else. This place definitely didn't look healthy.

We are directed to the seats and pushed into them so roughly I almost knock it over and fall to the floor. Then Ratman and the lady that escorted me walk back over to the door where they start talking quietly to each other. I don't care what they're talking about so I turn to Thomas next to me. He's staring at them like he's going to fight again so I take the opportunity of Ratman looking away to take his hand. His eyes focus on me instantly. The scowl creasing his brow eases but the fire in his eyes doesn't burn out. So, I lift his hand and press a tender kiss to the top of it, hoping it shows that I won't ever stop loving him.

"Tommy-"

Suddenly the door opens and closes, causing me to drop Thomas's hand, and when I look over, Ratman is on his own. After the massive parade of teachers and stigma of earlier, everything has died down to nothing but the headteacher. Yet, I'm not put at ease. If anything, Ratman on his own makes me more uncomfortable as he's the one controlling all the school's rules so there must be something pretty deranged about him. As he walks over to us, he clasps his hands behind his back and I'm reminded of a politician ready to give a speech. I'm not far wrong.

"Why do you think it's right?" Ratman whispers. Neither of us answer. "It's simple biology. Males and females are compatible due to their roles in reproduction. Performing sodomy doesn't comply to this fact of nature."

"That's a load of klunk!" Thomas shouts and I see him brace to attack. Though, Ratman must also notice because he starts backing away into the corner of the room. Maybe we can get out of here before things escalate if Mr Janson is actually a massive wimp.

"What are you going to do to us?" I ask despite the hope of getting away.

"Enough." Is all he says and I don't know what to interpret from that. Then, Janson adds, his voice starting to rise, "Though, I guess I'll have to re-teach you sexual reproduction first?" He turns around and what I mistook for cowardice is actually him moving to take something out of the trunk. When he stands to face us again he's holding a long piece of bamboo, his rodent features twitching with insanity and his hands shaking.