Chapter 8
Ivan went to school unusually early. After thinking about it for days, he decided that he wouldn't find the answers unless he asked Michael and Alex themselves. He was putting his books in his locker when he heard a loud crash from the other end of the hall. He took a step away from his locker to look and saw a crowd forming around to what appeared to be a boy pinned against the lockers by a another boy, a much bigger one. He quickly walked into the commotion and saw that it was Jesse and holding him pinned against the lockers was Rick Summers.
"What did you say you little punk?!" Rick said harshly as he choked Jesse with his arm.
Jesse smirked despite his struggle to breathe. "I said-get your... small dick-out of my face!"
Rick was about to deliver a punch to Jesse's stomach but a teacher had just entered the hallway. "You're gonna regret that." He pushed Jesse one last time harder against the locker. "Faggot." He grumbled under his breath as he left.
Ivan moved quickly to Jesse's side. "Are you okay?" He asked Jesse who was vigorously massaging his neck.
Jesse looked at Ivan, grinned, and threw an arm over his shoulder. "Of course, I am."
He started walking, dragging Ivan back outside. "I could have beaten that fucker's ass if he'd thrown the punch right there."
"Really?" Ivan was doubtful about it. Not an insult towards Jesse, but Ivan really couldn't see him punching it out with Rick.
"Dude, totally." Jesse let go of Ivan and sat on a table in the quad. Ivan settled on a chair. "Did you talk to your best friends yet?"
"Ex-best friends." Ivan corrected him. "No. Not yet. Maybe tomorrow."
Jesse raised an eyebrow at him.
"Later?" Ivan said noncommittally.
Jesse cross his arms over his chest.
Ivan gave up. "Okay fine. As soon as I find them."
And as if on cue, Michael passed by them and nodded faintly to Ivan but flashed a glare at Jesse who still had his car parked in Michael's spot. Jesse rolled his eyes and nudged Ivan. "There goes your friendly ex-best friend."
Ivan stood up and followed Michael. When he was only a few steps away from him, another student blocked his way. "Hi, Ivan." The boy said.
Ivan looked at him. He was one of the openly gay guys in school. Everything about him screamed gay-his purple highlights, the piercing in his right ear, the mascara and lip gloss. He looked over the boy's shoulder, searching for Michael. "Excuse me." Ivan said as he passed by him. He spotted Michael already gathering with some of the guys from the football team. He sighed in disappointment. Jesse walked up beside him and gently squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.
Then the boy who had gotten into his way approached again. "Hey." He smiled brightly, waving his hand at Jesse and Ivan.
"What do you want?" Ivan asked impatiently.
"I know what you're going through." The boy said sincerely.
Both boys looked at him strangely. "Excuse me?" Ivan asked. I know what you're going through? It echoed in Ivan's ears, his irritation meter slowly rising.
"I'm sorry. I'm Randy Karch, a senior and president of the Gay and Straight Alliance." His limp wrist pointed to a button on his chest that read, 'I'm An Ally.' "Like I said I know what you're going through- being abandoned by your lifelong friends just because you're gay." He put a hand over his chest as he smiled gently. "I've been there."
