Hate | Love

You Owe Me 20 but the Drink is From Me

Chapter 9 2/2

***

Cheerleading practice ended late.

The freshies, tired and hungry were exiting the practice area. It had been an especially demanding rehearsal since it was only days before the freshman activity. While the seniors were tough, the freshmen were their usual chaotic selves.

For most, it was a relief that rehearsals had ended for the day. For Techno, it was one day less until he could go back to the football field.

PAK!

"Sat!" Techno cursed, his face twisted in irritation as he held out the hand he just smacked his friend's head with in exasperation, "We're you even listening to me?"

Type snapped out of his thoughts. Techno had been sharing his excitement about going back to the field but his head had been in the clouds. His head hurt from where his friend's hand hit him, he growled.

Techno stepped a few steps back. He was very familiar with Type's moods and the look that his friend was shooting at him could kill.

"Ai Type," Techno held both his hands forward as if to ward off evil; Type glared at him with the intensity that struck fear in the young man, "Why are you looking like a murderer?"

Type growled.

Techno took a few more steps away from his friend, he had no intention of hitting Type on the head but he was not listening and the action was automatic. He just realized too late that Type was not one to mess around with, especially when his thoughts were obviously waging a war inside his thick homophobic head.

"What did you hit me for?" Type's voice carried an edge that was as sharp as a pin. It pierced the already fearful Techno, prompting him to raise both hands in a stance that he saw from Champ, but instead of looking intimidating like any Muay Thai fighter in a ring, Techno looked like his usual goofy self.

"You were not listening to me," Techno spat, "What were you mulling about? Thinking about ways to do something bad to Ai Tharn again? I am so tired of you doing everything to insult, drive away and hurt someone as good natured as Tharn."

A curious expression crossed over Type's face as took as step forward.

"Oiiii." Techno exclaimed, "Don't come near me if you're going to hit back!" he added, his voice tight that it sounded almost like a squeal.

"Are you my friend?" Type emphasized each word, "Or are you that bastard's friend?"

Techno took a moment to repeat the question in his head but he did not reply. He was thinking it was not a good idea to tell Type that after everything that has been happening, he considered both of them as friends. How could he not when he saw all the things that Tharn did for Type when he was sick. No other person would have done the same to someone who despised them, certainly not to someone who verbally and physically attacked them like what Type did to Tharn.

Instead, Techno said, "You tell me, you should at least be thankful that Tharn helped you out when you were dying with sickness."

"Ohhhh," Type was taken aback, the expression on his face softened. Techno saw it as a chance to speak his mind.

"Just because what he likes is different from what we both like does not make him a bad person. Because Ai Tharn is not a bad person. He is far from that. Just because he is gay doesn't make him different from us, there are so many straight people out there who are bad – simply because they are bad. And his liking men will not stop me from being friends with him."