Stupid Boys

06 Your Harper

Push and pull come to play every time I smile. Trying to force my lips to curve into my cheeks but the resistance is so hard that I feel I need to pull on my face. Jake is going on a date. My best friend is going on a date. That's the only thing that's annoying about the fact that he's gay - he's going to replace me with this mystery guy he's seeing on Friday night.

Speaking of gay, I am currently walking into an assembly with a board projected with a powerpoint titled 'LGBTQ+ -let's talk'. The students are talking and laughing, I hear a few slurs murmured from the guys in my year. I then roll my eyes so far back I can see my brain when I notice the only person on the stage who would willingly put himself up for bullying like this.

Jesse fucking Harper. That motherfucker is the worst type of person. I've had many indirect interactions with this man who thinks he's actually famous. The first time I came across him was when I was walking through the corridors back from the toilet and he came storming past me wearing his flamboyant scarlet red necktie that's against the school dress code. He walks like his life is a Tv show and everyone else is just there for authenticity.

He pushed the two doors in the middle of the hallway with both hands, shoving them open with a slam as he strutted through. The second time he did that, the door smacked me in the face and I got a nosebleed.

He asked out Tyler to a party who actually went with him. He only did it because he loves getting people talking. That's why Tye did it too. That's why Tye does a lot of things.

The students take forever to get quiet, laughing and throwing out casual homophobia. Jake slumps down next to me and sighs.

"Oh for fucks sake." he says as he notices the PowerPoint.

And the assembly begins. It's the usual shit of the queer kid explaining to a group of teenage boys that 'love is love' and all that shit. But it's not the assembly that this story is focusing on, it's what happened only a day later. When Jake walks into our tutor room with a huge smile and a way too observing Joseph who for once isn't on his phone and randomly spitting out knowledge we don't need. Well, maybe Ramir needs it.

"Someone's got post-sex glow." he comments excitedly as Jake practically sashays into the room and perches on his usual seat.

"Oh yeah, wasn't it your date with Mr mystery tonight?" Ramir raises one brow. Jake tries to hide a smile but we all see it before he musters a straight face.

"Now you have to tell us." I say, deciding to way in and be normal instead of going suspiciously quiet which is something people are picking up on. I feel it.

"You'll all give me shit. No." he says firmly, like he has a choice. If he doesn't say, we all know that Joe's gonna find out with one click of a button. He's taking computer science - he's not that much of a phone zombie as I make him out to be.

"Come on." I push but this time Jacob turns to just me.

"Especially you." he sneers. What does that mean? Ramir does a fake gasp like he's watching a telenovela and I shoot him a glare. And what follows;

"Jesse Harper!" Tyler screams from the doorway with a proud expression on his face for a gracious entrance back from his suspension. Surprised I didn't see that coming.

And thus comes the downfall.