Just Friends

Chapter Thirteen

While brushing up his teeth, Gulf couldn't help but smile. Even though he was sleepy, he was happy. After clearing things up with Mew, everything was going more smoothly. He still didn't know exactly what he was feeling but whatever it was...it felt good. "Gulf, can you open the door, please? You've been there forever!". Gulf sighed hearing his sister's voice, exaggerating things as always. "A sec...". He quickly jumped into some fresh clothes he had prepared, his hair still wet because he hadn't dried them yet. Suddenly he was distracted by the sound of a notification:

Hey, cutie. Do you want me to drive you to school today?

Gulf giggled, staring at the screen of his phone. Everything was normal again.

Didn't I tell you not to call me cutie? 🤔

Don't act like you don't like it 😏

Ok, ok. Since you're offering...🤗

I'll be there in 5 minutes. Are you going do dress up for me? 😘

Why would I dress up for you? 🤔

Ugh, you're no fun...😟

Haha, see you in a bit 😉

Gulf laughed, putting his phone away. He adjusted his shirt, even unbuttoning it a little more than usual. He finished drying up his hair while his sister kept knocking on the door. "Did you get sucked in?". He opened his door, all radiant and cheerful, leaving Grace speechless for a second. "Why are you so happy this morning? And handsome?". Gulf made a face, pretending to be offended. "Are you suggesting I'm usually not?". Grace rolled her eyes, cupping her brother's face in her hands. "Of course you are, especially when you're in love". Gulf opened his eyes wide but the sound of a car's horn distracted him. "Speaking of the devil...". Gulf glared at her. "Hurry, or we'll be late".

Going downstairs, he noticed his father already got the door, laughing about something with Mew. In that very moment Mew looked up and their eyes met. They smiled, without saying anything. "Hey son, are you trying to impress someone?". Gulf tried not to blush while his father was patting him on the shoulder. Mew grinned, checking him out. He didn't mind, though. "It's just a shirt, dad". His father nodded and then went back to the kitchen to finish his breakfast. Mew moved forward, still giggling. "So did you really dress up for me?". Gulf tried to hide his smile. "Don't flutter yourself. I just felt like dressing up like this". Mew stared at him, pretending to believe that. "No need to be shy. I like it, by the way. You know what else I like?". This time Mew's eyes didn't focus on his eyes but moved elsewhere, on his lips more specifically. All this made Gulf's mouth water in antipation. Which was crazy, because they couldn't. Not there, not when they needed to go. Gulf bit his lower lip and saw Mew visibly swallow. "P'Mew, sorry to keep you waiting". Grace's voice ended their reveries abruptly. Gulf cleared his throat, messing with his sister's hair. "Only P'Mew?". She stuck her tongue out, teasing him. "Don't worry big bro, I know my place. Also, he's the one driving us, so of course I'm apologising to him". Gulf pouted, leaving the house with them.

Once at school, the three of them parted their ways and Mew made him promise to see each other at lunch. Walking down the hall, Gulf noticed a bunch of people staring at him. He was probably paranoid, though. Why would anyone look at him like that? Since he joined the school play, he had sure gained some popularity, also because he spent a lot of time with Mew and his group of friends. However, something felt off that day. That's when he noticed something – a brochure? - hanging outside his locker. In a matter of seconds, he took the paper in his hands, staring at it with horror. It was him but it really wasn't: his body was completely altered and he could recognize some of the things he had said about his own insecurities during the game at the drama club. He had poured his heart out – against his better judgement – and now all those things were there, where anyone could see. He looked around, noticing other people with the same brochure in their hands. Some of them were laughing, other were looking at him with pity. His breath began to run short and his heart started beating wildly. He shredded the sheet of paper, throwing it in the bin while walking away. At every step, he felt like he was at the verge of fainting. He started walking faster, his eyes itching from the tears he was holding back. Then he bumped into someone and he didn't even have to look up to figure out who he was. 

// trigger warning : violence & homophobia //

He tried to escape him but he held him tight against his chest. After a few seconds where Gulf was catching his breath, Mew cupped his face in his hands. They were still in the middle of the school hallway but all Gulf could focus on were his fiery eyes. "It's okay. Just wait for me here, okay?". Only then Gulf noticed Mild, Malai and Tong, forming some kind of protective barrier around him. "Who did this sh*t?". Gulf had never seen Mew so angry, he was always so polite and considerate, while now was about to lose it. "Step right up, don't be shy". Gulf tried to reach him but Tong stopped him. "You don't want to get involved in this, believe me". Someone finally stepped up. Gulf didn't recognize him at first but then he saw Phailin just behind him. It was her brother, Kusa. Most people were afraid of him because he was a bully and from the way he was looking at Mew, he was probably trying to protect Phailin in a very twisted way. When Gulf stared at her, trying to understand why she did what she did, she quickly looked away. She didn't seem to regret it, though, She was most likely just unhappy to have been discovered. "Are you defending your little boyfriend's honor? I mean, from here he doesn't look so bad...". He laughed, cruelly, looking at the brochure. Gulf was really struggling not to cry. Mew pushed him hard against the locker, pissed off. "DON'T YOU DARE". The noise of Kusa's back against the locker echoed in the hallway. He wasn't happy at all. "You little punk...wasn't my sister good enough for you? You needed that...f*ggot? Are you even normal?". Gulf panicked and grabbed Malai's wrist. She quickly put her arm around his shoulder, trying to calm him down even if she was freaking out too. "Kusa, stop it". Phailin tried to meddle, but none of them paid any attention to her. "Don't try to be a goody-goody now. I know it was you, I should have seen it coming". Now Mild had to stop Malai from slapping Phailin. Mew pushed the bully again, knocking him to the ground. "I want you all to throw away every copy of this crap, or I swear to God I'm going to make your life a living hell. You don't want to test me". He looked daggers at everyone who was still holding the paper in their hands and threw one last look at Phailin too. Now she knew how much she had messed up. "P'Mew, I...". He just turned to the other side, refusing to hear a word from her. He went back to Gulf, who was still shaking. He gently brushed his hand against Gulf's wet cheek. "Hey, hey. It's okay now. Let's get out of here".