Friday, March 30, 2007

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 26

Two boys, one bathroom stall. What is this plot coming to?! I promise, there's a point in all this ^_^!

With a sigh Zach let his shoulders droop forwards. Hiding in a bathroom stall was perfectly ridiculous, what had he been thinking? That he could become invisible?
Gentry leaned his back against the stall door,“Why do you spend your entire lunch in the there? Can’t you think of a better place than a place that’s literally full of shit?”
“Are you saying that your lunch table isn’t?” Zach bit his lip then continued,“Why do you spend your lunch with morons?”
“Don’t call my friends morons.”
“With friends like that you don’t need enemies.”
“So it’s better to spend lunch hiding in a stall?”
“At least I’m not hiding what I think.” Zach scoffed,“And it’s obvious that you think they’re morons. You don’t say it but you show it. They’re the only ones who don’t get it. That’s what makes them morons.”
“Do you ever shut up?” Gentry murmured,“You talk all the time. Even when people don’t want to hear something, you just go on and talk anyway.”
The room was silent for a while. Gentry was about to leave when Zach said.
“What’s wrong with that? Silence is like a blank spot on the wall. It needs to be filled with something.”
“Yeah, well you’re doing verbal grafitti.”
Zach couldn’t help but laugh, a quiet sound that soothed Gentry’s senses and softened his eyes.
“Can I come inside?” he asked.
“What about your friends?”
“What about them? I feel like being with you.”
Zach shook his head and smirked,“You’re weird, Gentry.”
“I’m not the one hiding in a bathroom stall.”
The door clicked open.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 25

After the stall door was fixed, Zach quickly reclaimed the throne of the handicapped bathroom stall. It was to bathroom stalls what Russia was to Asia: the most spacious bathroom in the school, a six by six cube of heavenly solitude.
In fact, the bathrooms were the perfect place to eat lunch. They were sparsely populated after the first five minutes of lunch, and smelled of air freshener.
Zach had even gained the skill of telling students apart by their shoes. Who could boast THAT? No one! On the other hand, no one really spent lunch in a bathroom stall.
Zach leaned against the smooth stall wall, mulling over the events of the last few days.
In the weeks that had passed since that incident, he had avoided Gentry because he didn’t know how to thank him. Gentry didn’t have to help him, but the fact that he had couldn’t help but fill Zach with joy. But now…
Was he supposed to be casual about it, as if he had expected it from him?
Was he supposed to swoon over him like a hormonal schoolgirl?
Was he supposed to ignore it? This was confusing.
“HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO BE IN THE BATHROOM?!”
Zach froze and clenched his teeth, deciding to ignore the obnoxious freshman.
The vile boy pushed his vision into the crack of the door,“HEY! I can see you! ARE YOU SMOKING POT?”
“No,” Zach retorted bitterly,“But when I see you, I have the urge to.”
“WHAT?”
“The urge to smoke pot. Maybe with your remains in it, you fucking cunt.”
The freshman made a face and huddled away,“You can’t do that.”
“Watch me. And I’ll kill your mother too, because she gave birth to you.”
The boy left the bathroom with a quizzical expression on his face.
“If you’re so tough, why are you hiding in a bathroom stall?”
Zach sheepishly recognized Gentry’s voice.
“Because I can.”
Gentry started to wash his hands,“Good luck with that.”

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 24

Gentry sat down at the Senior Swim Team lunch table, noticing some of the regulars weren't there. He speculated they probably ditched school to get more practice time in for the Senior Swim meet. After that would be the tryouts, the time of year Gentry hated most.
“Did you see the jugs on that freshmen?” Mike spoke up.
“Did I see the jugs, really?” Gentry murmured, watching Zach stealthily duck into the bathroom. At first this had confused Gentry, but now he understood. The more he sat at this table, the more tempting a lunch-long bathroom break became. Gentry toyed with the idea of joining Zach in the stall, possibly getting some action out of this lunch.
“Gentry? Hello?” Sydney was waving his hand in front of Gentry’s face.
“He’s checking out Zach.” Ethan laughed loudly, and Gentry’s gaze settled on him.
“Checking out?” Gentry unpacked his lunch,“I’m thinking of fucking him.”
Ethan laughed nervously, and the other boys joined him.
Gentry sat back with a smirk.
“I really am gay, you know.” He stated, taking a sip of water as the boys guffawed loudly.
“Someone will believe it one day," Sydney deadpanned,"and you’ll get that smirk beaten off your face.”
“Dude,” Mike spoke up,“if we had a fag in the locker room I would hella quit swim team.”
Gentry gave a sheepish grin.
“I don’t know, but I definitely wouldn’t pick up the soap.” Ethan chimed in,“Hell, the lockers would be fag paradise.”
“No, wrestling would be a fag’s paradise.” Mike jeered loudly.
Gentry took another sip of water,"Wrestling would be Mike’s paradise.”
The table howled with laughter, at which Mike raised his voice.
“Seriously man, not funny. I’d beat up any fag on the swim team. I hella don’t wanna be raped or turned gay.”
“You legally could beat a gay guy up, you know.” Sydney spoke up,“It would be like self defense, cuz you might get AIDS if he touches you or tries to kiss you.”
“I heard you get AIDS if a gay boy sneezes on you.” Gentry murmured.
“Really?” Mike’s eyes widened.
“No.”
“That’s hella cold, Gentry.” Sydney rested his below on the table,“… Anyone seen that sophomore’s knockers? They’re freaking huge.”

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 23

“Great.” Zach groaned,”One of these days I’ll hit Ms.Nasty with a car, and pretend that she hit me with 100 miles per hour. And if anyone doubts it, I’ll say they are discriminating against the running abilities of old hags.”
Gentry, who sat on the armchair at the opposite end of the room, cast him a bored look at him and went back to turning over the pen in his hands.
“Stop looking at the pen like that.” Zach snapped at him,”You’re the reason I’m in this mess, you fucking moron. I should hit you with a car. I’d do it twice just to make sure you were really dead.”
That said, he fell into silence. He realized now that he was powerless in this dizzying system of rules, regulations, and favorites. The school their monopoly, their bureaucracy, and their ways of getting their way.
Gentry stood up and took Zach’s hand, intertwining his pale fingers with Zach’s dark ones.
“I didn’t want it to go this way.” He said, softly.
He knew Zach well enough to understand that the silence meant more than any impassioned outcry. The way to read Zach was to listen for what he didn’t say, not to what he did.
“I don’t want your help.”
“You need it.”
Zach raised his head,“I can help myself!” there were traces of tears on his face, his eyes slightly reddened,”The only reason you care is because you pity me. But I don’t need you and I don’t need this system. I’m going back to Estonia!”
“Calm down.”
Gentry clicked Ms.Nasty’s pen,”Whenever Ms.Nasty writes something in pen, she will type it into the database by the end of the month. She will rely on this paper.” He motioned to the clipboard,”Which is Grade A school paper to avoid fake copies.”
He bent down to the cabinets and opened one, pulling out a crisp sheet,”I usually store extras here.”
“Great, now you’re stealing office supplies and falsifying documents just to fix a mistake YOU did. Very heroic of you.”
Gentry shot him a glare,”I said I was sorry. If you don’t like it, fuck off.” He scribbled a note on the paper,”A rule isn’t broken unless there’s proof.”

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 22

“Sexual harassment?” Zach almost fell flat on the desk,”Where did they get that?”
“According to school law,” Gentry picked up a heavy red School rulebook, reading from it,”…sexual harassment includes sexual acts, namely kissing, oral sex, physical sex, and sexually-orientated hugging in public. This is because it subjects those who are in the vicinity to watch what is occurring.”
“But wouldn’t watching be voyeurism?”
Gentry laughed, but Zach continued in outrage.
“Don’t laugh at me! Seriously, Gentry. What kind of person watches that stuff?!” Zach was fuming by now,”Besides, what did I do that was sexual?”
“Think.”
Zach fell silent for a while, before the horrifying realization dawned on him.
“So that thing we did in the pool---“
“Yeah.”
“But--- “
“I know.”
“That’s---“
“No one doubts it.”
“Then why are YOU watching over my detention!” Zach stood up,”You should be here in detention with me!”
“I’m watching to make sure you don’t get your shorts stolen a second time.” Came the snarky reply.
Zach fell back onto the table, obscuring his face with his arms,”What if they call my parents?”
“They can’t.” Gentry replied,”It’s against school rules to out a kid to his parents. And mentioning that would out you.”
“Then how can I change their decision about putting this on my permanent record?”
“You can’t. You have to call your parents.”
“So either way I’m doomed?”
“Basically, yes.”Zach obscured his faced in his arms, sinking into the folds of the chair and hoping it would eat him alive.

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 21

There was an awkward silence as Zach waited for Gentry to leave. When the redhead showed no signs of it by taking leaning against the desk, Zach’s squinting blue eyes looked up at him.
“You also have detention?”
“No, I just volunteer part time to do office work.”
“Volunteer?” Zach shrugged forward,”I never guessed you were a maschochist.”
“To put up with you, Zach I’d have to be.” He added slyly,”…Considering you are a homophobe.” Zach’s head shot up,”I am NOT a homophobe Gentry!”
Gentry just laughed.
“I’m not” Zach insisted,”You should know better than anyone!”
“Maybe you could refresh my memory.”
Zach shot a venomous look at the redhead,”Here? And what will you tell them if they ask why the desk is sticky? No, don’t answer that… you’ll just tell them you were fighting homophobia, right?”
“Make love, not war.”
“Fuck love, have sex.” Zach gave a small smile that briefly illuminated his dark features. Gentry averted his eyes.
“You’re in a dangerous place.” He murmured,”Are you just going to go piss everyone off the way you pissed off Casey? The homophobes already think you’re gay, and tomorrow the gays will think you’re a homophobe.”
“I’m not trying to piss anyone off!” Zach protested,”I’m just sick of this bullshit. Everyone smiles and grins like Casey even when they know this school is crap! Everyone is just so damn submissive just to get their grades, even you. You think mean things but you never say them.”
”I’m not submissive.” Gentry leaned against the desk,”You’re just stupid. If you kept your mouth shut you wouldn’t be wasting…” he picked up a clipboard,”4 hours here because of ‘Talking back’, ‘Public Indecency’ and ‘Sexual Harassment’.”

Monday, March 26, 2007

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 20

Don't you just hate high school bureaucrats? Oh, and beware of redheads ^_~!

If there was one thing Zach hated, it was offices. Those fluorescent-lighted buildings of sadness, doom and despair. In fact, ever since that day in the first grade where he had been sent there for ‘talking back’, he concluded that offices were the work of Satan himself. In fact, Hell was probably a nice big window-less office... the kind with plastic plants and Ms.Nasty in the corner.
He sat smoldering in the detention room when a shadow suddenly fell over him. His blue eyes glanced up to see a blond boy with a self-conscious grin and squinting eyes.
“Are you Zach Tyler?”
“No.” he looked at his note,”Officially, I’m ‘a disturbance.’ Nice to meet you.”
The other boy laughed,”My name is Casey.” He handed him a folded paper,”There aren’t too many disturbances here, so that makes you a minority. Aaand… they handed grades back at the end of Drama. You weren’t here, so I was asked to give this to you.”
Zach opened the paper, staring in dismay at the negative report. He gave a sigh, and Casey casually asked him what was wrong.
“Lit.” Zach murmured, slouching,”My teacher hates me.”
“Are you kidding? It’s like freaking easy. I got an A with nothing.”
“I like diversity in my grades.“
Casey’s laugh rang out again,”But lit is easy.”
Zach lowered his head on the table, and his blue eyes looked to Casey’s,“Like you?”
“Excuse YOU.” Casey snapped at him,”Just because you’re looking for trouble doesn’t mean I am.”
“I don’t look for trouble, trouble looks for me.”
“Are you a homophobe or something? Because that’s not cool.”
“Yes, I’m a homophobe.” Zach rolled his eyes,”Homo means ‘people’ in Latin, and I hate people.”
“OKAY, I am reporting you.” Casey huffed.
Zach stood up,“Yeah, report me, so I can leave this stupid school and go back to Estonia!”
Suddenly, the room fell silent. Gentry stood in the doorway, and said,”Don’t stop.”
“He’s a homophobe. He said so himself.” Casey spat, brushing by Gentry,”Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to go get my lunch. Ms.Nasty’s official document pen is on the desk, so use if you need it.”

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 19

Introducing Casey. There's a point for this, I swear it's not a filler!

Gentry despised his friend Casey. They had once been inseparably close friends, spending many long summers together. But time had pulled them apart, and now they only occasionally saw each other.
“So what are you up to, my favorite friend?” came Casey’s light, airy voice.
Gentry gave him a look, and concluded Casey didn’t really care. After all, Gentry was only one of hundreds of “favorites.”
“Nothing.”
Casey gave a toothy smile in return, his eyes squinting.
He seemed so confident now, but Gentry remembered a time when Casey had tried to kill himself. Those days were over now, and looking at the grinning, flamboyant boy with a wisp and countless female friends, one would hardly guess that he once relied on Gentry to make it through the week.
“Hey, I have to get to class.” said Casey, pulling Gentry into a forced hug before he left him. Gentry didn’t resist, yet he didn’t support it either. He had been gloomy since the morning, and stalked through the school halls lost in his thoughts. He had had many friends over the years, and vaguely remembered how each of them seemed to move past him as they moved on. Gentry shielded his eyes from the sun, and looked up at the football bleachers. The three-story structure gleamed in the hazy morning sun as Gentry approached it. He was starting to wonder if his friends were only with him to fulfill their own needs; if they had ever liked him at all. He wondered if they cared.
The redhead heaved a sigh, and his eyes closed, then opened wide. What about Zach? Gentry’s eyes narrowed in thought. Whatever.

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 18

Zach gets bitchy! I used a gay slur here, but it's not meant to offend anyone. It's just in the context. A fag hag is a girl who hangs around gay guys just because they are gay and objectifies gay men the way some men objectify lesbians.

Mrs.Zimmerman was a stout woman with poofy hair and a high pitched New York Accent who was, according to Zach, so annoying she was banned in 49 states. She was the school’s only Drama teacher, and therefore, as she often referred to herself, ‘the best drama teacher in the department.’ However, she had the misfortune of having Zach in her class, and the larger misfortune of having no teaching ability whatsoever.
“Today, I ask all of you thespians… What is comedy?”
Zach’s hand rose up, alone in its cause.
“Comedy is making fun of someone’s misfortune.”
“That is not true.” Mrs.Zimmermen drawled with thinly veiled annoyance.
“It is! Basically, all comedy is when the person in the bad situation isn’t you, only it’s funny and usually has a happy ending.”
”It’s… much more complicated. Comedy is light and humorous drama with a happy ending.”
“Isn’t drama bad things happening to people who aren’t you?”
Mrs.Z ignored him,”Moving on… I am going to introduce you to my AIDS donation box. Once again, I don’t care what sexual orientation you have… especially if you are gay.”
Zach’s hand shot up again, “That makes no sense, what do you mean especially? Shouldn’t you just not care about orientation at all?”
“Zach, if you have anything to say, talk to me after class.”
“Fag hag.” Zach sneered under his breath.
“What was that? Was that a homophobic slur, Zach Tyler?”
Zach was tempted to reply that he sucked Gentry off on the weekends, but instead fell silent and let her resume talking.
“Now… do any of you have any comments on gay rights?”
Kylie’s hand shot up,”They are incredibly courageous individuals. Like… I have a gay friend, and when he came out, I was inspired to be bolder. So if I’m not sure about wearing an outfit, I just think of his courage and apply it.”
Zach rubbed his temples,”Good lord Kylie, if the only thing his coming out inspired was that you started wearing those tacky clothes, then he should have stayed in the closet.”
Kylie’s jaw dropped open and Mrs.Zimmerman yelled,”We will NOT tolerate those kind of remarks in the classroom. I do not like your attitude problem.”
Zach wondered if he would get brownie points for admitting he was gay. His lips curved into a smirk, “I have an attitude, but you’re the problem.”

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 17

The down and nasty about Gentry. Well, part of it. Not for the squeamish!

He paused, and Gentry put his first to his mouth, looking up at Zach and expecting him to go on. “I do. It’s confusing and… but it makes sense too.” he said softly,”There has just been so much shit going on. I don’t know how to tell my parents, or if I should. I just keep hoping that they’ll ask. I know my dad will take it the hardest. He’s not a bad person, but… he wouldn’t understand. He’d just worry about it, and so would mom---”
“Look.” Gentry stood up, grasped Zach’s shoulders and said,”I don’t care what and if you tell them. I keep secrets all the time.”
”Do your parents know?”
Gentry pulled away, sitting down again.
“Sure. They know.”
Zach sat down on the bed,”How did they find out?”
“It’s a long story. When I was seven, and my family still lived in Alabama.”
“You lived in Alabama? You don’t have any accent.”
A grimace of a smile,”I know. I taught myself to forget it. My family lived in a nice house in the bad part of town.” A pause,”I fucked around with this 14-year-old. Or rather, he fucked around with me, because I couldn’t get erections at that age.”
“You were raped?”
Gentry made a face,”No. I liked it, it felt good. I just couldn’t get off.” A childlike little smile illuminated his features,”I kept worrying we would get stuck like that… and that I would have to go to my parents that way. I don’t know how it got in, or how it got out… But it did.”
“Then how did you get caught?” Zach asked, leaned forward slightly.
“My dad walked in on us.”
The redhead’s features became strained and he fell silent.
“Was he mad?”
“He asked if I liked it.” Gentry reclined,”I said I didn’t know. Mom found out soon enough, and the next day there was a church guy in our living room yelling out I would get AIDS and go to Hell. I listened to him for four hours while my mom was in the corner praying. I don’t get these family values people. They keep talking about keeping families together, but they were the ones who tore us apart.”
The shadows on the wall lengthened.
“Mom wanted me to see a shrink. Dad said no… they both worried I would be diagnosed with something and never get into a good college. They were right. Once you get into one of those special ed programs you never get out.” He leaned forward, crossing his arms and leaning them on his legs,”What did you mean with what you asked?”
”Oh. That. I don’t know… I just thought you pitied me.”
“What if I did?”
“Well, don’t. I can fight for myself as well as you can.”

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 16

Gentry's room was an eerie reflection of him. His papers were in order, not a book out of place, all the clothes neatly folded and put away. The gray carpet was flawlessly vacuumed, and the blank walls were a spotless white. The minty air was cold and dry.
Zach uncomfortably sat down the neatly made bed, and Gentry hurried to smooth out the newly disheveled cover. Both boys were silent.
“Nice room.” Zach spoke up.
"If I didn't tell you, you wouldn't know which room was mine."
"I would, because everything’s neat.”
Gentry didn’t say anything, so Zach awkwardly went on.
“I bet you never lose things.”
"You'd be surprised how many things were lost here."
There was a lingering silence.
“Why did you come here?” Gentry asked, taking a seat in the white lounge chair opposite the bed,”Were you feeling lost, or did you want to lose yourself?”
Zach blinked,”No… it’s…”
“Couldn’t find a girl? Decided my lips were as good as hers?” Gentry laughed.
“No.” Zach stood up,”Look… I thought about a lot of crap these last few days.”
“Poor you.” Gentry’s eyes shifted their gaze.
“Don’t talk down to me!” Zach raised a hand against him, but put it down.
“You aren’t the only one with sh*t going on.” He breathed softly.
Gentry’s amber eyes looked to Zach,”Do you still wet the bed? Are you bulimic? Do you cut yourself? Does your uncle touch you in your swimsuit area and does it make you feel all confused and TINGLY inside? Is that what you wanted to say?”
“No.” Zach’s lips formed a thin line,”I’m gay. You knew it, I knew it. But now, I accept it.”
He paused, and Gentry put his fist to his mouth, looking up at Zach and expecting him to go on.

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 15

A redhead, a half-naked Estonian and a guinea pig. What will the neighbors say?

Zach frowned,“That’s cruel. If you don’t like him, give him to someone who does.”
“It’s not cruel.” Gentry protested,”Guinea pigs can’t survive in the wild; they always depend on humans. The only reason they exist is to be living toys for people. That’s what makes them pathetic. It’s better to be dead than to be someone’s toy.”
An awkward silence ensued, and Zach stole a look at Gentry before asking:
“Then what does that make me?”
“Don’t flatter yourself. You aren’t fun enough to be my toy.”
“Stop joking with me. I know you wrote that paper for me, and you act like I need you.”
“You do need me.” Came the snarky reply.
“But, do you need me?”
Gentry blinked,”I don’t know what you mean.”
He noticed the old lady across the street was leering at them, wondering what a half-naked boy was doing on a respectful family's porch!
Gentry stepped back, holding the door open,”Are you going to come in?”
Zach eyed him warily, and Gentry sighed.
“I won’t steal your towel.”
“You better not.” Zach snapped at him.

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 14

“It’s only a guinea pig.” Stated Gentry, taking the animal into his hands and removing the net that was tightly wrapped around it. The frightened animal buried against his chest, clicking its teeth in agitation. Gentry shifted his gaze to the angry boy on his porch, whose dripping wet body was bare except for the towel wrapped around the waist.
“…But thanks for bringing him back.” A smirk,”And the nice view.”
Zach flushed furiously,”What do you have that thing for?”
“What? You mean Geronimo?”
“Yes--- that.” Zach shrunk back as the animal wrathfully chattered its teeth at him,”That.”
“My dad gave him to me.” Gentry replied, tossing the animal back into its cage and slamming it shut. The animal ran to the bars, squeaking in protest.
Zach leered at it,“What’s so great about a guinea pig? All they do is run around and look cute--- they have nothing going on in their head.”
Gentry was quiet for a while,“Do you have a pet?”
“I do.” Zach paused,”A pot-bellied pig. His name is Zeus.”
Gentry leaned against the doorframe with a smirk,“What’s so great about a pig?”
“They’re smarter than dogs, and definitely smarter than that thing.”
“Then why do pigs get eaten, and guinea pigs don’t?”
“You eat pigs?”
“I’m a vegetarian.”
Zach’s eyes lit up,”I didn’t know you were an animal lover.”
“I'm not.” Gentry shook his head and made a face,”I’m a vegetarian because I can't stand the sight of them. I keep hoping Geronimo will die, but he never does.”

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 13

Poor Zach.

The shower handle gave a squeak as Zach turned on the shower, the hot spray hitting the warm, exposed skin of his chest and legs. He arched his back as the steam rose up, and the water slid over the dark contours of his skin.
Nothing felt better than a hot shower on a cold day, and nothing felt better than the caress of water against bare skin. Nothing except maybe the caress of a human’s touch.
His thoughts shifted to Gentry. That translucent skin stretched over a firm, tense body. The voice that taunted him, and the tongue that teased him. How did that boy always end up in his thoughts? Zach’s chest heaved at the thought of that pale skin, hot mouth, and those rough hands sliding inside his shirt, a strong leg between his own…
A frightened squeak sounded before a ball of fur frantically lunged at him, knocking him out of the shower.
“AHHH!”
Zach lay on the floor, tangled in the shower curtain, with the water spraying onto the tiles. There it stood; the dark red, beady-eyed monster! Zach pulled the sticky, wet shower curtain off him and threw it over the frantically squeaking beast before grabbing his towel and running out the door.

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 12

Squee ^_^! This part is a little background on Zach. It's crude, but he's a boy, so it's not that shocking ^_^!

Zach returned home, heaving a sigh. Why did it have to be Gentry? Why couldn’t it be some hot redhead with gargantuan tits?
Zach sighed, and plopped down in front of his computer, opening a wordfile where he recorded every gay thing he had ever done. If he ever decided to turn gay, he would just print a copy and give it to his parents. But... was this a choice at all? Had it ever been? It felt more like a roller coaster...
The first thing he remembered was finding a porn magazine at age seven, when he was still in Estonia. He was at a friend’s house, playing hide and seek, and found… it… while hiding in the closet. The cover was simple enough, with two naked women holding their own breasts and the headline “Monster Tits.” Zach wasn’t particularly shocked, he just wondered if they weren’t embarrassed at appearing under a headline like “Monster Tits.” Even though it felt somehow wrong and dirty, he opened the magazine and morbidly flipped through the pages. This was so gross! Who would publish something this bad? Zach was about to put down the book when he came to a section featuring two guys--- and no woman.
Those blue eyes darkened with interest, as his eyes scanned every picture. The two men were oiled up and muscular, with spray-on tans from their slender hips to their broad shoulders. They both had intense, overdone expressions on their faces. Zach remembered, word for word, the story next to the pictures. It was about two friends who went home after a workout and would “wrestle for dominance. The bottom had to take it... fast and hard…”
Zach fell back into his chair, smiling at that story. It seemed so silly now…
But back then… He recalled the warmth his body felt, and how he panicked thinking that his manhood was infected and leaking puss. He remembered asking his mother about it, and enduring the long albeit well-meant lecture that followed. Even that day, and for so many years afterwards, he never admitted he was gay to anyone, not even himself. He kept it as a dirty and secret fantasy: it became the crude sketches he hastily threw away, the hoards of fitness magazines under his mattress, and the vivid dreams that wouldn’t leave him alone. It was not just sex, it was something deeper that Zach couldn’t understand. He had tried thinking about girls, but his thoughts always drifted back to boys. He kept hoping this was a phase and that he was only bisexual. He kept hoping until that day at the pool, when Gentry had taken his hand and dragged him into the locker room.
Zach smirked at the deceptively simple event he had written on the timeline: “Met Gentry.”

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 11

All this feedback has me giddy ^_^! This chapter is about, um, the importance of anger management (not really XD!)

Zach hadn’t spoken to Gentry since the incident, and was fuming like an active volcano because of it. He wondered if Gentry regretted it, and concluded he did not. He was probably smirking right this moment, thinking about what a Sex God he was. What a pig… a very attractive pig that wasn’t happy with the little finger and would eat both an arm and a leg unless he was stopped. The stupid, smug, crude, motherfu---
“That sheet I gave you on Monday is due.” Announced the ancient teacher, stirring Zach from his heated thoughts.
”Remember, if you don’t turn it in today, you get a C on your homework grade.”
Zach frantically searched through his papers, before remembering he had let Kylie borrow it. She neatly pulled out her paper, an exact replica in Zach’s, printed in her large signature bubble letters.
“Kylie, do you have mine?” asked Zach, somewhat peeved.
“I don’t know what you mean.” She shrugged her shoulders.
“I let you borrow it.”
“Sorry,” She said, slowly chewing her gum,”I don’t remember any of that.”
“You fucking bitch---“
“Don’t curse at me.”
“Curse? I want to beat the fucking shit out of you---“
“Is there a problem here?” Mr.Jensen was leaning on Kylie’s desk.
“She has my homework.” Zach fumed.
“Sharing homework is a violation of the honor code, and I kick cheaters out of my class.” Droned Mr.Jensen,”I only know what I see, and that’s that Kylie has her homework and you do not.”
Zach was fuming now,”But---“
“Listen. I know you’re busy and sometimes forget to do your homework. I get that. But if you DID share papers, then you cheated.”
Zach looked down,”I understand.”
“Good.” Mr.Jensen hobbled to the board as he collected the homework pile, and started lecturing.

Zach kicked at the stall door, as he too often did. He knew that one of these days it would just fall down. He kicked the door repeatedly, until his foot hurt from kicking.
“Fuck you fuck you fuck you!” he turned to his back, hitting his head against the door.
How could he be stupid enough to let Kylie borrow anything?
He started hitting the door with his shoulder. He didn’t care about the math paper as much as he cared that some dumb bitch had gotten an easy ride. No one helped him! Why did he even bother to help her?
His eyes widened when the door gave way, and he fell out. He closed his eyes in anticipation for the worse, only to feel warmth instead of a cold hard floor. His heart was pounding, and he warily opened his blue eyes to see Gentry, holding him apathetically. There was an awkward silence as Zach maneuvered out of Gentry’s arms.
”How long were you waiting here?”
"Long enough to remember why I was leaving." replied Gentry, hurriedly pacing out the door.

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 10

The latest part ^_^!

“The Incident” faded away into the murmur of rumor. Many dismissed it the moment they met Zach.
“He’s really ugly for a gay guy. And really mean.”
“Oh my God, yeah. I asked him what he thought of my shoes and he told me he didn’t care!”
“He doesn’t act gay either. I mean, Gentry is hot, and it’s kind of hot if he would make out with boys. So I’m cool with that … but Zach… I’m telling you, I just don’t believe the rumor. He’s not fabulous enough to be gay.”
“He looks like my little brother.”
“Ew!”
The girls laughed boisterously, but fell silent the moment Zach passed. He was wearing his usual heavy, reaper-like layers of black clothing and black, thick-rimmed glasses. He opened his locker, oblivious to the girls’ presence until one spoke up:
“Zach! Is it true you’re gay?”
Zach glared at her and said,”Is it true you were dropped on your head as a child?”
“Oh my GOD Zach you are SO mean!”
“Then go away.” Zach retorted.
The other girl, Stephie, spoke up,”Are you with Gentry?”
“Ask him.” Was Zach’s cool response, as she closed his locker and started to walk away.
The girls continued to whisper amongst themselves.
“Do you think he takes Gentry’s thing up the you know what?”

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 9

The next part! A look into Gentry's mind, and just why he keeps his mouth shut:

Gentry entered the school office the next Monday only to receive a venomous glare from Zach, who was seated with crossed arms on a chair outside of one of the counselors’ rooms. He was holding a yellow note, indicating he had received a detention.
“Gentry Lee Johnson.”
Ms.Nasty, the student counselor, stood with crossed arms in the doorway of her office.She was a severe looking woman in conservative all-black clothes and clown-red lipstick. Gentry secretly called her the Wicked Bitch of the West, since her room was located in the west wing of the office. She ushered him inside, where there were fake white flowers on the table and pictures of smirking grooms and their manically grinning brides adorning the walls.
“What you did is unacceptable. Sit down.” Ms.Nasty ordered as she took her seat,”I just talked to your ‘friend’ Zach about this. Oral sex is unacceptable, especially in a pool.”
Gentry was tempted to ask why oral sex was especially unacceptable in a pool, but instead just nodded curtly.
“The school finds it highly offensive for athletes to engage in such conduct. As a role model, you should know better.”
“Of course.” Gentry gave his seductive little smile. He was careful not to admit to anything she accused him of, since that would incriminate him.
“Are you listening to me?” snapped Ms.Nasty.
Gentry nodded,”Yes.”
“I expect that when I talk, you ARE listening to me. What do you have to say for yourself?”
“I’m against oral sex in pools.” He preferred the bleachers.
With a deceptively polite smile, he let Ms.Nasty ramble on. There was no point in fighting directly with a powerful yet unintelligent bullwhip.

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 8

The saga (and drama!) continues. Thanks for all the feedback ^__^!:

“WHAT WAS THAT?” Zach yelled now that the locker room was empty,”That was the dirtiest, sluttiest, most wrong---“
“You enjoyed it.” Gentry opened his locker and tossed Zach his shorts.
Zach caught them,”I did not!”
“You never came harder.” Again that smug little smirk,”I only regret I couldn’t lick you where you like it best.”
“You embarrassed me in front of everyone!”
Gentry reclined against a closed locker and retorted,”No one got what was going on, it’s all speculation. And anyone with half a brain could figure out you’re a homo.”
“Then why did you have to make such a show out of it?” Zach was fuming now, and Gentry fell into a chafed silence.
”I’m sorry. From now on we’ll just keep doing boring sex.”
“I am not boring. Most people here don’t even have sex.”
“Yeah, and one would think for all the hot sex you’re having, you would be a lot happier.”
“Don’t flatter yourself. I’m only with you until I get a girl!”
Gentry froze,”That was cruel.” He slammed shut his locker.
Zach threw his shorts into his locker and icily said,“Deal with it.”
Gentry was quiet for a long while, starting to leave. Before the exit, he stopped, turned around, and said,”You won’t get a girl because you don’t want one. You like cock. Deal with THAT.”

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 7

This part is a little over-the-top. But I couldn't resist, because the story was getting boring. Consider this a very strong coffee:


Zach had the unkind habit of saluting his gym coach. No one knew why he did it, but everyone knew it annoyed the very manly Ms.Copper. As the students lined into a row, hands at their sides, Copper walked by them and checked their names off from her clipboard.
“Taylor, Zach.”
Zach’s had his hand to his forehead and his blue eyes wide open in a perfect military salute, blankly staring ahead.
“Sir, yes sir!”
Ms.Copper gave him a discontented look,”Don’t get smart with me.”
“I can’t get smart, I already am. Sir!”
“Don’t call me sir.” She walked past him with grumbling annoyance. Gentry followed her and gave Zach a quizzical expression. Zach stuck his tongue out at him and Gentry mercilessly pushed him into the water, gym uniform and all. The class tittered as Zach pulled himself to the poolside, resting his arms on the tile ledge. Gentry gave a laugh, only to be hit by a spray of water. His eyes narrowed dangerously, and he kicked at the water. Zach dodged this attack, and instead took hold of Gentry’s leg, pulling him inside headfirst.
“Gentry Lee Johnson and Zach Tyler!” reprimanded Ms.Copper, spinning around.
To her surprise, she only saw Zach.
“What do you make of this?”
“… I’m sorry?”
Zach kicked at the water in annoyance, trying to pull away. Gentry had his hands firmly planted on the boy’s hips.
“Where is Gentry?” demanded Ms.Copper.
“Uhm… he’s… mmm…” Zach panted,”he’s under the water…”
“Are you two…” Ms.Copper paled as the realization dawned on her.
“Ahh, YES! Um… no, not at all...” Zach flushed.
The class was not sure what was happening, murmuring amongst themselves.
Zach’s lips parted in a muted shout as Ms.Copper demanded,”Gentry, show yourself this instant!“
Gentry surfaced, staring unapologetically at the woman.
“This is unacceptable! Do you realize that?” demanded Ms.Copper.
“Yes.” Gentry licked his lips,”I’m going to go to the office.” He got out of the water, and Zach yelled,”Wait!”
“No, it’s best that you two are separated.” Growled Ms.Cooper, as Gentry hastily made his escape.
“But… He has my pants!”

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 6

This is just a crazy little segment! Steaminess will follow in the next installments ^_~:

Zach had an idea of what was ruining him when he fell into his literature class seat. At this rate, lack of sleep would kill him by 35. He groggily took his finished script out of his backpack, slapping it on the desk with a cheerless satisfaction. He knew he looked about as attractive as a groundhog in heat. Mr.Handson listlessly passed back the essays the class had written a few weeks ago, stopping at Zach’s desk to hand him back his paper. Zach lifted his eyes only to see a bright red F. F! What a beautiful letter! If one was turned upside down, flipped around, and pressed into the other, they would create a perfectly symmetrical figure! He gave a muffled giggle as he slammed his head onto the desk, seeming perfectly insane. Mr.Handson ignored him and picked up his script, idly flipping through it.
“Did you write this?”
Zach raised his head and nodded,”Yes.”
The teacher raised an eyebrow,”It’s very good.”
“Thank you.”
“So this is the final draft of your script?” he took off his glasses, giving Zach a good hard look.
“Yes.”
“I’m impressed, Zach. This is the best thing you’ve written up to this point.” He handed it back to Zach, who quietly answered,“Thank you.”
When Mr.Handson walked away, Zach eagerly picked up his script to see what stroke of literary brilliance had pleased that sadistic bastard. Suddenly, the realization dawned on him that this wasn’t his script at all. The content and some of the original wording were there, but everything about it was smoother and better than anything he could ever have written. The bell rang, and Zach smiled as he carefully put the script away.
Gentry grinned as he watched Zach leave the literature with a jump in his walk. It would be childish to say that Gentry only lived to make Zach happy. Rather, he was happy when Zach was happy, and though this happiness could end anytime and for any reason, Gentry wanted to feel this way for as long as he could.

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 5

Gentry opened his door and entered his house, gently closing the door behind him. His mother looking up from her painting and watched her son unpack his belongings on the living room sofa. Everyone said Gentry’s mother, Sophia, was beautiful. She was pale and slender, with luxuriously red hair that was cut into a bob. The ends curled up and framed her high cheekbones.
“I don’t know how you can swim in this cold weather. ” She shivered.
“The cold builds endurance.” Gentry looked up at her, and upon noticing his father in the doorway, fell silent. Gentry’s father was a kind-faced, heavyset man in his early fifties with thinning gray hair and sparkling black eyes. As he walked into the room, Gentry moved into the kitchen and ignored him. Undeterred by this cold reaction, his father spoke up.
”Geronimo escaped again. You need to be more responsible with locking his cage.”
Gentry looked up,”I lock his cage, but he figured out how to open it. You gave me that dumb animal, fix your own problem.”
His father had given Gentry a guinea pig for his ninth birthday. Under Gentry’s care, this dumb animal had lived nine dumb years and escaped ninety dumb times.
“You know, I think I finally quit smoking for good.” Sophia chirped,”Isn’t that great?”
Gentry regarded her coolly, then wordlessly turned off the faucet with a paper towel. He threw that away and grabbed another one to dry his hands.
“At least say something.” Growled his father.
Gentry looked up,“As long as you’re here, she’ll just start smoking again.”
Sophia put down the paintbrush,”That’s enough.” She then smiled,”Gentry, we’re going out to dinner as a family tonight. Get done.” she stirred from where she was sitting, picking up the white paper Gentry had unpacked along with his other swim things. Her thin lips curved into a heavyset frown.
”Who is Zach Tyler?”
Gentry looked up at her and abruptly answered,“No one you need to know.”
“Is he your latest boyfriend?” she threw down the paper, and stormed towards her son,”Tell me!”
There was an unsettling silence before Gentry answered.
“He’s a boy from school, and we fuck occasionally.” Gentry spat coldly,”Sometimes he gives me head, sometimes I put my cock inside him and I don’t stop fucking him until I cum. I also love him; is that what you wanted to know?”
His mother shook with barely concealed anger, reached for a drawer and pulled out a cigarette and a lighter.
”You are already ruining us…” she shakily put the cigarette to her lips, moving away as her husband tried to stop her,”Do you have to ruin him too?”

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 4

The latest installment! I went heavy on angst last time. This hopefully will offer some hints about what's up with Gentry, and show that Zach is one analytical guy:

Gentry sat in the team room warm blanket over his wet shoulders and a hot cup of tea in his hands. The team room was fairly small, holding roughly twenty lockers and one bench. On the wall there was a poster that read "Go Team!", which was about to fall off. Swim practice had ended hours ago, and Gentry thought he was alone. He wasn't particularly surprised, however, when Zach entered and gracelessly dropped his backpack onto the bench.
"Why did you ask why I saved you?" asked Zach, sitting down on the bench.
Gentry shrugged,"I don't know. I wasn't thinking clearly."
Zach gave a thoughtful nod,"Is that why you didn't want anyone to call your parents?"
"No, but it is why you're asking me all these dumb questions." a seductive little smile played on Gentry's lips,"There are better things you could ask me."
" All right. I have one more question."
Gentry's voice grew strained,"Which is?"
"Do you think you're Jesus?"
Gentry was taken aback,”What?"
"What is this bullshit about sacrificing yourself for the team? You hate the team."
Gentry's amber eyes narrowed,"Just because some guys slack off doesn't mean I will. I actually like swimming, unlike some people."
Zach crossed his arms,"Then I'm right. You didn't do this for the team, you did it for yourself."
"I'm not following you." Gentry pushed the blanket off his shoulders and pulled on his coat.
"You did this to show everyone how great you are. You know what, you're arrogant as hell. But you're so quiet that no one realizes it! Great performance, by the way, everyone seemed shocked! What did you expect, Gentry? A standing ovation? For them to read your name over the speakers?!"
Suddenly, Gentry grabbed Zach's shoulders, translucent fingers pressing into that tan skin,"Shut up."
He then pushed his mouth against Zach's, feeling the other boy shiver against his chest and slowly warm into the kiss. When Gentry pulled away, Zach sat down on the bench and wrapped the blanket around his shoulders,”You know, if you would have died, they wouldn’t of cared. They would just have some journalist write a bulls—t article about you, and then they would go on with their lives. The only people who wouldn’t are those who cared about you in the first place.”
Gentry headed towards the door, and softly asked,”And… is that you?”
“Don’t ask stupid questions.”
Gentry turned around to ask what Zach meant, but saw that he was already fast asleep, using his backpack as a pillow. Gentry couldn’t help but smile, and shook his head. He moved closer, and noticed a paper in the backpack’s front pocket. He took it into his hands and quickly scanned it, then pocketed it and kissed Zach again. Zach murmured in his sleep, basking in his newfound warmth.

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 3

Here's the latest part ^-^! Things heat up soon, promise!

"Cold... I fucking hate the cold..."
It didn't look or feel like a Saturday. It was so cold the grass was covered in a thick layer of frost that was quickly being lapped away by the icy morning rain. Zach shivered in his black swimtrunks, his tanned skin turning a beautiful blue as the raindrops hit his back, sliding down the goosbumps on his skin. The water was so cold that Zach suspected it would turn to ice any second. Secretly, he hoped it would, so that he wouldn't have to swim. Even though the water was heated, the boys who dived in shivered like hairless cats. It was not surprising that of all the twenty-five boys in the sophomore swim team, only three had shown up. This was the worst turn-out to date from a team that was already the laughingstock of the school.
"I said I fucking hate the c-cold." Zach growled at Gentry, who nonchalantly shoved him into the water, remourselessly replying,"Then you shouldn't have come."
Despite his blueish lips and starkly reddened nose, Gentry looked composed and even dignified. He was only the coach's class aid, but he showed up routinely to these weekend practice sessions.
"OK sophomores… we'll swim two thousand laps today." he stated, his words turning to fog.
Zach surfaced, shaking in heated anger as he yelled,"Why? The coach and over half the team didn't show!"
Gentry crossed his arms over his covered chest as he gave the water an idle kick,"Doesn't matter. Either you are serious about training or you aren’t.”
“There’s no point in being serious if we keep losing b-because half the t-team isn’t training.”
“And you want to be one of the losers?”
“No.” Zach rubbed his eyes,”But I don’t want to work if they d-don't."
“If you can't handle the 'morning swim'," Gentry’s eyes narrowed,"then get out of the water and go home."
The other boys murmered inbetween shivers.
"Sounds great.” Zach proclaimed brashly,”The coach is probably sleeping now, keeping warm in his fucking warm bed," Zach pulled himself out of the water.
Gentry's amber eyes smoldered, watching the younger boy walk towards the locker room, a towel over his shoulder.
The other boys just stared, and Gentry ordered,"You know the drill; start with five hundred freestyle." He pulled away, angrily heading towards the locker room.
Zach winced as his back hit the wall.
"What is this?" Gentry demanded.
The insolent reply came quickly,"You said I should leave. I am."
"You can't do that in a team. If you leave, everyone leaves."
"I can't blame them. The coach bailed, why should you take over?"
"Because I'm the best swimmer." Gentry replied, unapologetically. He eyed Zach critically,"You don't even like swimming, do you?"
"Not really."
"Then take my orders or don't bother showing up. Follow my orders first, ask questions later."
"What if you ask me to jump off a roof?"
Gentry's eyes softened,"Why would I ask you *that*?"
Zach stared at him for the moment, then kissed him. The kiss was heated yet unexpectedly needy.
Gentry pushed Zach away, and the younger boy gave a look of indignation in return.
"What?"
"What is the crap?" Gentry demanded, looking Zach straight in the eye, and slamming him against the wall again,"I'm not going to make out with you while everyone else swims."
"Stop hurting me..." Zach growled, kicking at Gentry.
"If I hurt you, you would feel it." Gentry growled,"Now what is this? Some lazy jerks quit and now you do, too?"
"You aren't swimming e-either!" Zach stated, shivering slightly, and his blue eyes narrowed,"Why do you expect me to swim if you don't? You're wearing a heavy coat lined with fake fur and heavy pants, you don't even feel the frost!"
"You're right. I will swim, Zach. You can do whatever you want. I just expect more."
Gentry smiled coldly. He let Zach go, and headed back to the pool.
Despite himself, Zach followed the Senior. The team had finished their excercises, and were looking up at Gentry with blue lips, red noses, and violently shaking limbs.
"The morale isn't high if the leader doesn't go with the pack." stated Gentry,"So I'll be swimming with you. We all know the drill... we'll excercise together." he pulled off his coat, and threw it at Zach.
The team drew back a startled gasp at what they saw. Bruises and marks carved into Gentry's pale skin, partially disappearing under his black tanktop. Shivering, he pulled that off as well, stripping down to his swimshorts. His body was a patchwork of darkened flecks, angry red burns and jagged cuts.
Zach's eyes widened. If he had known, he wouldn't have asked.
"Gentry---"
Gentry ignored the frightened stares and walked to the diving board. He walked the plank with his arms outsretched at his sides, the glare of the sun beating against his back.
"Don't do it!" came the cries, along with a few groans and jeers. Gentry wordlessly jumped into the frozen water. The team nervously waited for him to surface. When he did, he cooly said,"What are you waiting for? Do three hundred freestyle." without another word, he began to swim, and the team, including Zach, mutely followed. By the end of the three hundred laps, a gruesome fact came to light.
"Where's Gentry?"
"I don't know, weren't you following him?"
"No... I wasn't looking..."
Zach's eyes widened at the realization of what happened,"Move... get to the sides of the pool!" and he disappeared under the water's icy surface.
The team talked amongst themselves, staring into the murky depths until Zach emerged with Gentry's body.
He was pulled onto the cement, and Zach leaned over him. Just then, Gentry's chest heaved, and he coughed out some water. His red hair was plastered against his face, and his lips were chilled to a deathly shade of blue. He was breathing raggedly, and his eyes looked up at Zach.
"Why?"
Zach looked down at him with a little smile, droplets of water sliding down his tanned skin,"Why not?" And he tossed Gentry back his coat.

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 2

Yatta! And here's the next installment ^_^! Squee I love these comments! Yes, I got a bit carried away with romance this time... but I swear, there's a legit reason for it! Kinda. Sorta. Not really ^-^:


Zach fled to the bathroom with a fast-paced walk, head held high but eyes averted so that no one would try to talk to him. No one ever did, but Zach didn't want it to appear as if he wanted anyone to talk to him. It wasn't a rejection if he didn't want to talk to the people who didn't want to talk to him. No... that was a mutal rejection. Hah!
Gentry watched this odd daily ritual, halfway listening to his lunch group, the members of the swim team. To be honest, he had only vaguely memorized their names, but that didn't matter since now that he was the Swim Team Captain, they typically greeted him first. Gentry rarely listened to what they were saying. Only occasionally, he would repeat back what they said and add on "really" or "cool." If he wanted to seem immersed, he would ask back what they said in a question form, or say something like "wow."
"Did you see the tits on that freshman?" Mike, one of the more recognizable swim team members, sniggered.
Gentry didn't even bother to look at him,"Did I see the *** on that freshman? Really."
"Hell yeah they are HUGE."
"Really." Gentry murmured, picking at his food.
"I hella want to date her."
"You want to date her? Cool." Gentry rested his head on one hand, wondering if the cafeteria food was more dangerous than smoking. He hoped it was, so his lunch group would die before they were old enough to vote.
"Look at Gentry, he hella doesn't want to be here, haha."
Gentry gave a peeved little smile. He didn't have to be gay to be annoyed at this conversation.
Mike guffawed at the redhead's expression, and Gentry politely excused himself to go to the bathroom.

Zach washed his hands in the sink, wondering if there was a way to poison the school through the water system. He had nowhere to sit during lunch, so he spent it in the restroom. That way, he also wouldn't have to sit alone at the lunch tables. America was great, since the restrooms were respected as a private area. In Estonia, someone would always peek inside. They would ask him,"Why are you eating in the toilet stall? Why are you in there so long?"
God Bless America, where there was enough privacy to be miserable in peace.
The sound of familiar footsteps and the opening of the door made his shoulders tense and eyes gaze up. Gentry just stared at him at first, and Zach returned the look with a mean face.
“Take a picture, it lasts longer.”
"So you just come in here to eat?" asked Gentry, unable to hide a little smile.
"No, I come in here to jack off to you and the mongloids you sit with." was the sarchastic reply.
“You would be hotter if you didn’t act like such a dick.” Stated Gentry, starting to wash his hands, scrubbing them until they turned as red as his hair.
“But you like dicks.” Zach stated, leaning onto the sink,"I mean, you fuck with one.”
Gentry peered up,”Stop it." he turned off the water, meticulously drying his hands,"I'm not in the mood for your attitude today."
Zach watched him with mild interest,“You never are. But, that isn't new. No one likes me, why should you be different. Why are you washing your hands? You didn’t even touch anything.”
“How do you know what I use my hands for?” Gentry gave a smirk at Zach, who snorted as he took off his glasses. He began splashing his dry face wet with water, then messily finger combed his hair.
“What happened to the cute freshman I knew?”
Zach looked up,”What?”
Gentry sighed, shook his head, and approached Zach. He smoothed down that coarse black hair and brushed it from Zach’s face.
Zach averted his eyes, and Gentry placed a featherlight kiss on his lips. He felt Zach shake slightly in response. But, he wouldn't allow himself to just lay back and be seduced. Zach was still a boy, and he had his pride. Zach pushed back against the Senior's mouth.
"You're too rough." Gentry broke the kiss, gently nibbling on Zach's lower lip,"Let me show you how it's done." he flicked his tongue over Zach's mouth, and pushed his tongue inside Zach's mouth. Zach tensed. He couldn't stand this slow, methodical teasing. He ground his mouth into the kiss, and was disgruntled when Gentry pulled away, cupping the sophomore's face with his hands.
"Hold still." ordered Gentry,"You kiss with your mouth and your tongue, not with your forehead."
Zach grumbled a complaint, but shut up once Gentry kissed him again. He mentally cursed Gentry for being a good kisser, for being so good-looking, and for being so smug.
”You won’t find a group, will you?” asked Gentry, pulling away.
Zach was stirred from his thoughts,“... A group?”
“In lit class. For the Romeo & Juliet assignment.” Gentry was amused that a little kiss could still leave Zach flushed.
“I don’t care about that.” Zach averted his eyes,”I’m just going to work alone.”
Gentry reguarded him coolly,”You don’t have to.”
“I want to.”
“Suit yourself.”
Zach did not find a partner. He had asked everyone, until his good mood vanished and his eyes darkened. Some days he felt as if the fates were conspiring against him, and that everything was going wrong. He felt as if every day he went to school, he lost a little part of himself. And everyday, he became more and more reclusive. Today was just one of those days where he wanted to get in the front of the class, jump on a desk, and scream.
Instead, he just sighed.
The project wasn’t that hard, Zach told himself. All he had to do was film a “thematic video that shows the themes and plot action of Romeo and Juliet and explains their significance to the work as a whole.”
He slammed his head against the desk. The more time he spent in lit class, the more he concluded it was a class to make the English language as confusing as possible. Who was he kidding? He needed a group.
He was not lazy! Why didn’t anyone want him? He boasted he could do anything: memorize lines, learn to use the video equipment, anything just to not have to do everything himself.
“Well, Zach… every other group already has five people, because four people dropped out last week.” The teacher stroked his own beard as he talked,”I could put you in Kylie’s group. I’ll have to grade you a bit harder…” he gave a leering smile at Zach,”Unless… you want to do it yourself?”
This wasn’t a choice, Zach theorized. If he worked with Kylie, the whole group would resent him for “rigging the grading scale.” He didn’t care for Kylie, but he knew she was known to be good at literature. Zach also knew if he ruined her assignment due to his dismal literature skills, he would become so hated that he would never find a group again for the rest of his high school existence.
“No it’s fine, I’ll do it myself.”
The teacher blinked in surprise,”Well then! Are you sure you can handle it?”
“Yes.”
The teacher gave a slow nod,”All right. Get started.”

Because You Suck: Chapter 2: Part 1

Thanks for all this feedback ^_^!! It's such a pick-me-up, you have no idea. Here's the latest part. It takes place after the summer ended, and school resumes. I call it ^_^ Chapter 2: Sophomore Meets Senior!:

It was a crisp fall day, and the pool’s milky water was obscured by its own steam. The leaves crinkled under Gentry's steps. Unlike the other students, who were racing to the school or throwing leaves at each other, Gentry stalked towards the school as slowly as possible. He narrowly avoided the cracks in the pavement, nearly tripping over one when a strong pair of arms wrapped around his torso, and a familiar voice whispered,"Missed me?"
Gentry pulled him into a kiss, feeling Zach relax from his touch.
“Gentry---“ his face flushed, and he pulled away Gentry gave a wry smirk and walked alongside him. The warm hues of fall were illuminated by a hazy sun, and the bare trees stood starkly, proudly against the off-white sky.
“Did you miss me?”
“Of course I did.” Gentry replied, pulling the sophomore into a kiss,"I always miss you when you aren't around."
He smiled at the dark-haired boy, taking his hand.
He tried to speak, but no words came. He tried to think, but no thoughts came. All he had was what he knew, and all he knew was that he loved him. He couldn't remember why, he didn't care why. He didn't have to explain it, he didn't have to justify it.
The plate crashed to the floor, and the dream dissolved. Gentry mumbled as he turned in his bed as the alarm clock faded into view. He winced in pain as he sat up, pushing aside the dirty sheets with heavy disgust. He stumbled to the shower, the bruises along his hips marring pale skin.

The reality wasn’t nearly as wonderful as the dream. The rain fell down, and the lights flashed in the hallway. The wind howled, mercilessly throwing leaves at Gentry’s back. The students ran to their classes, sitting down and looking miserable.
Gentry rushed into the literature classroom like a cat out of the rain, his dull red hair clinging to his face. He took the only empty seat available.
Zach was unpleasantly surprised when Gentry sat in the empty seat next to him, hidden in the back row.
“Why the fuck are you here, Gentry.”
Gentry leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, noticing with mild annoyance that Zach was wearing many heavy layers of clothing, and a heavy black glasses. He had looked cuter in his dream.
“I didn’t have a class and I felt like seeing you.”
Zach took off his new glasses, and rested his head on the table,"You just wanted to get out of the rain."
Gentry nipped at Zach's earlobe, playfully retorting,"If you already made up your mind, then don't ask me why I'm here."
His glance fell on the glasses. It was almost like Zach wanted to look particularly bad, Gentry mused to himself. Those were new glasses, but they looked worse than the previous ones.
Zach sat up and eyed him warily, and Gentry returned the look with an insolent little smirk.
“Romeo & Juliet.” The teacher, a portly man named Mr.Handson, leisurely walked to the board as a he spoke,“is the next book we’re going to read. It’s a quintessential love story, about how hatred can ruin even the most beautiful things. What makes this story particularly tragic is not the ending, which I am sure all of you know. But, it is how the history of the characters poisons their future.”
Zach slowly felt his eyelids fall, and slumped his arms over the desk.
“…to make this book more interesting, in the classic English tradition, we are going to have a “theater” piece. A creative video relating to the themes of Romeo & Juliet. These both count towards the “tests & large projects” grading portion of this semester… we’ll be choosing groups tomorrow.”
“Fucking great.” murmured Zach, already half asleep.
The book crashing down onto his table jolted him awake, staring up at his teacher’s glasses.

The math class was as stuffy and unwelcoming as the literature class, with an ancient teacher with a pot belly and a lazy eye that occasionally glared at a anyone unlucky enough to fall into its view. Zach sat close to the door, alone at the table, while the rest of the class chatted away loudly. Gentry brushed his hand over Zach’s shoulder as he passed.
Zach looked up,“You’re in this class, too? What’s a senior doing taking Geometry?”
“I’m to math what you are to literature.” Came the slick reply, as Gentry eased into his seat two tables away. Kylie walked in, late as usual, and peered at Zach’s paper before bloatedly flopping into her chair.
“Homework on the first day of school!” the heavy concealer that coated her freckles was starting to flake off,”***, and it’s logarithims… logarithms are a bitch.”
Gentry looked away,“Agreed.”
She eyed him expectantly, starting to pull out strands of her stringy ash blond hair.
“Maybe we should go ask Zach.” She suggested with mild annoyance.
“You didn’t invite him to our team, and now you want to steal his answers?” Gentry gave a rueful smirk that wouldn’t have looked as charming on an ugly boy,”Mike, do you understand these ‘logarithms’?”
Mike, the only other boy on the team, was cleaning his nails with the tip of a pencil. His bulging blue eyes stared up blankly.
”Um. Sure.” he crouched over the paper and sweat over the masculinity he would lose if he failed to solve the task.
The table shifted their attention as Zach passed with a completed paper in hand. He was the only boy without a group. Jenny, the fifth and most invisible member of Gentry’s group, who had been quietly and contently cutting her hair’s split ends off with a scissors, spoke up,”Zach! Did you get the answer for number 42?”
Zach averted his eyes,”Yeah.”
“What is it?”
”You didn’t want me in your group. No one did. Solve your own damn problem.”
“I’m sorry.” She drawled,”Now can you solve it? Please?”
Zach eyed her warily,”Just one?”
“Maybe.” She giggled,”This worksheet is so hard, you’re so smart, Zach. Help us?”
Zach grumbled, his black hair falling over his eyes, and he slid her the sheet,”You know what, keep it and give in back to me on Monday. That’s when it’s due.”
Annie chirped,”Thank you, Zach, you are SO cool.”
Kylie popped her bubble gum, holding the paper in front of Gentry with a content, boastful look.

Because You Suck: Chapter 1: Part 3

Here's the next part! Finally, some plot. Go me ^.^":

The smell of chlorine and defeat hung in the air.
"Disqualified?!" Zach yelled, his black hair dripping pool water down his arm, his clenched fist slamming down on the judge’s table,"I can do dives, something is wrong with the diving board!"
"That board was checked last week, nothing is wrong with it." the judge countered,"Now back off before I call security."
Zach pulled away in a fury, pulling on his swim robe and storming out the gate.
His eyes widened then narrowed as they met that familiar amber.
Gentry couldn't say a word when Zach shoved him against the wall, slamming him repeatedly against the bricks,"Is that why you didn't want me to go? Because you planned some stupid prank?!"
Gentry didn't fight back,"Zach..."
"You knew it, you knew it and the best you could do was tell ME to not go? What about the rest of the freshman team?! We're losing because of your stupid prank!"
"I didn't do it." Gentry countered weakly. But he knew that his secrecy played its part, so he averted his eyes.
Zach moved to slam Gentry to the wall again, but noted he was wincing.
“What the fuck are you hurt that easily?” Zach snapped at him.
“I’m fine.” Came Gentry’s cool reply.
Zach's eyes narrowed, and he forcefully tore off Gentry's coat. The redhead averted his gaze as Zach reeled from the patchwork of new bruises he had uncovered. His hand shook with anger and fright, as he hurled Gentry back his coat.
Zach stormed off without another word.

As he stared at the empty seat seat beside him, Zach reluctantly noted Gentry had been absent for three days now. He didn’t even attend swim meets.
“Is he avoiding me?” Zach slouched as the events from that day flashed through his mind. What were those bruises from? Were they from an accident, a fight... why had Gentry been there that day? The questions and facts raced through Zach's mind faster than he could relate to them. All he knew for certain was one thing: Gentry wasn't in class today. When the bell rang, all Zach could think about was that the schoolyear was ending next week.
He didn’t need to; but Zach had come to the frightening realization that he wanted to. He wanted to see him, even if they would only fight again.
"... Well," the secretary's voice stirred him from his thoughts,"he has been absent for over three days, I don't think he'll mind you giving him his homework..." the secretary printed out a crisp sheet,"Here's his address."
Zach smiled and gave a nod of thanks, walking out of the office.

He walked through the wealthy, illustrious suburbs that were so common in this area. House after house, each more pompous than the next. The one he stopped at, however, seemed out of place.
The blue-gray townhouse was by no means neglected. In fact, it was very well preserved. But there were no signs of life: no car in the driveway, and cement instead of plants. Its angles were odd, casting sinister shadows and giving the house a lopsided, disfigured look. To top off this unhappy structure, a matching wooden lantern hung off a gallow-like wooden pole, casting a gloomy light into the dusk. Zach knocked on the door, waiting patiently as footsteps came down the hall, opening the door. Gentry stood in the doorway, in a sleek black t-shirt and dark jeans. His faded red hair was slightly wet, standing out against translucent flesh. He looked disheveled but very sexy.
Zach spoke up,"I... I have your homework for you."
Gentry said nothing, his eyes lingering on the pile of papers in Zach's hand. After a lengthy silence he asked,"Is that all?"
"No. I wanted to apologize.”
“I should be apologizing to you. But that won’t fix what happened.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Replied Zach,”It doesn’t… the team wasn’t so great anyway.”
Gentry just stared at him, and Zach laughed awkwardly.
“Hey uh… I'll be gone this summer. My family's going to the Swiss Alps. Want to come with me? My parents have their own room anyway. They don't know... you know..."
"No thanks."
"Why?"
Gentry just shook his head,"Because I have a life outside of you." his eyes flickered uneasily,"Now go."
Zach turned dejectedly, the door slamming behind him.
Gentry leaned against the closed door. He wouldn't do anything this summer, and he knew it. Over the year he found that without Zach, he didn't look forward to anything. It would be one long, lonely summer.

Because You Suck: Chapter 1: Part 2

Here is the next installment! Once again, I hope I'm not offending anyone ^_^:

The neat paper had red marker all over it, stating in garishly large and messy writing,"Corrected by: Zach; 1/10, F-. Good job." with a fat smiley face next to it.
Gentry cast a look to Zach, whose paper had a neat "10/10" written on it.
"Could you NOT use marker that bleeds through to the other side of the paper?"
"Why, does it bother you?" Zach answered coolly, getting ready to correct Gentry's latest "in-class" assignment. He had noted the redhead was obsessively neat, in anything from his clothes to his work.
"You're being immature."
"You didn't seem to mind in the locker room." One bold, red streak marred the perfectly neat paper.
"Stop it." Gentry snatched away his neatly spaced and written paper, thinking what he would do to the raven-haired boy later on.
"It's an F either way. All your answers are wrong and you didn't show your work."
Gentry said nothing as he slowly, neatly packed every book away while Zach was lethargically throwing them into his backpack, unsuccessfully attempting to fit the jumbled mess inside the confined space. The bell rang, and the other students sped out.
"Um,” the teacher, a rotund Asian woman named Mrs.Lo, got up from her desk,”you know what? I'll leave you two here because I have a meeting. Lock the door after you, and don't let anyone in." she stood up, pushing in her chair and grabbing her keys. The door clicked shut, and Zach kicked his backpack cursing under his breath.
The kiss was so soft, sudden and tender that Zach's defenses melted away,"...Gentry."
His body ached. He wanted to run his hands over that pale skin and make the redhead whimper and moan from his touches.

The hot stream of shower water beat down on Gentry, his pale back arched against the blue tile wall.
"Ah... Zach..."
Zach was on his knees, ans the drops of water rolled down Zach’s tan body.
"Zach..."
He listened to Gentry’s soft cries with a blunt smugness, but at the same time, a soft neediness.
"Zach, Jesus fucking Christ listen to me." he growled, finally pushing the younger boy away, and pushing himself off the blue tile wall.
Zach was taken aback, and mildly annoyed at the mention of Jesus Christ,"What? Wasn't I good enough?"
"I don't want to do it here." Gentry stated, flatly.
Zach looked around the deserted boys' bathroom,"...Why?"
"I don't like it here."
"Well what do you want to do? Go home?"
Gentry raised an eyebrow,"You have a better idea?"

Zach punched a code into the keypad, allowing his house door to unlock. He opened it, and Gentry followed behind him into the large mansion. His parents were gone to France for the weekend, and the house was unnervingly quiet. He could picture his nice, quiet parents irritated at the large amounts of smokers, cursing at them uselessly in broken French.
Gentry looked up at the softly clinking chandelier,”Nice place.”
“Yeah.” Zach smiled slightly, and pinned Gentry onto the sleek black couch, undoing the redhead's pants and starting where he left off.
“Zach.” Gentry's marked voice caught the freshman’s attention.
”There are other ways to do it." he sat up,"Ever tried 69?”
“What?”
“Lie down, I’ll show you.”
Zach took a shaky breath as the older boy climbed on top of him.

Carly cast an appreciative gaze as Gentry pulled himself out of the water.
"What do you think of that freshman, that kid from Russia or Romania or whatever?" Carly spoke up.
"Estonia."
"Estonia, right."
A mischievous glint reflected in Gentry's amber eyes, before it disappeared and he stated,"He's fast."
"I can see that." Carly motioned to the freshman who was swimming in the last lane of the pool. He was a graceless machine, hitting the water with brutal efficiency.
"Usually the freshman swim team is the worst, but Zach is winning competitions based on speed."
“But he keeps crashing into the wall.” Gentry stated, knowing the only way to cure the Senior’s jealousy was to remind him of his opponents’ flaws.
“I know.” Came the sullen resply,”But it’s not against the rules.”
"So what do you want to do, draft him to the Senior team?" asked Gentry.
"No. I don't like him." admitted Carly,"I don't like any of the freshmen this year."
"You never do."
"We need to put them in their place. Remember your freshman year?"
Gentry frowned,"Of course. I was disqualified from the most important competition of the year due to a faulty dive."
"Yeah,” Carly smirked,”there was a problem with the diving board."
"I figured."
"But I made it up to you." Carly stated defensively,"You are the only junior I let into the Senior swim team. And I like you. You’re not like Zach… Zach's a bit too cocky."
"Then let me deal with him."
"You already are. I can smell him all over your clothes."
Gentry flashed a rueful smirk, and Carly continued,"I'm announcing it to the rest of the team. Friday is the last big Freshman match of the year. We'll be fixing the diving board."
"I'm not part of this. It's stupid." Gentry toweled off his hair.
"But you ARE part of the senior team. You can't tell anyone. Promise me. You got over it, so will Zach. I promoted you. We're a team."
There was a glimmer of conflict in that deep amber, before Gentry gave a wordless nod.
"There was such a jerk in one of my classes. I would rant about him but think about his mother. She must endure him for all of his life. I mean, can you believe people give birth to complete morons sometimes?"
Gentry overheard Zach talk to a classmate, secretly wishing to be that classmate. The conversation revolved around his mind, sharply interrupted by the bell. Gentry cooly noted the other classmate took the opportunity to get a word in.
"At least I listen to you, even if you tell me stupid things." Gentry thought, watching the classmate make some lame excuse to escape Zach.
Now it was just the two of them, alone in the classroom.
Gentry sighed,"Zach. Don't go to the swim competition on Friday."
"Why?
"Just don't."
"Are you afraid of a little rivalry, Gentry?" teased Zach, standing up before two strong arms pushed him to the wall.
"Listen to me. Just once, just listen. Don't go."
Zach's eyes narrowed, and he pushed Gentry away,"Screw you, I'm going."

Because You Suck: Chapter 1: Part 1

This is a story based off notes I took on high school. It's a gay love story between two boys. I don't want to offend anyone, I just think gender equality will advance the plot by eliminating the sexism found in so many romance stories. This story has some raciness, and the plot will get deeper in the next installments:

The deep blue water glistened under the sultry glare of the afternoon sun. His bare feet were at the edge of the pool, and his sun kissed skin shone with a thin sheen of sweat. He was only a freshman, but well built and handsome, with glossy black hair and bright blue eyes. Gentry wanted him the moment he saw him, the moment those blue eyes narrowed and that smile flashed.
Gentry had seen him before. By comparison, he was pale and lightly freckled, with long limbs and a good, sturdy body. He had dusty red hair and sullen brown eyes, with pale, swollen lips that faded into a rosy hue towards the lipline. He was handsome, and he acknowledged it tiredly. However, if one thing moved out of its place, it could ruin his day, month, or even year. He meandered through the high school crowds at the speed that came with being an upperclassman, carefully avoiding the cracks between the narrow floor tiles. He growled in annoyance when he was almost tripped onto a crevice by an awkward, hooded figure covered in heavy layers of clothes and large, gleaming glasses.
“Sorry!” Came the figure’s quiet voice, apologizing more out of habit than consideration.
Gentry mutely moved to go on, but a sleeved hand grasped his arm,”Wait! Where's room 401?”
“I have to get to class. Move.”
“I asked everyone.” The hooded figure seemed desperate,”They keep giving me wrong directions.”
“What are you, a freshman?” Gentry asked skeptically.
It looked a little tall to be a freshman, yet it answered with a resolute nod.
“I’ll show you.” Gentry started to walk, and the It, as Gentry had now mentally nicknamed it, eagerly kept pace.
“Thanks… Everyone here thinks I’m stupid. I was assigned a “buddy” to show me around, but I lost her. I think she was trying to lose me. See, I’m a transfer student. From Estonia… I'm here for the freshman swim team.”
“You shouldn’t have transferred. Freshmen swim is a joke here.”
“Well, I’m different. I won’t be a joke.” Came the cocky reply.
“Of course.” Gentry murmured, swerving over a crevice to avoid stepping onto the large cement tile where the trash can stood. Few things bothered him more than that tile.
The It watched this ritual with carefully concealed amusement, before raising its quiet voice to ask,” What’s your name?”
“Gentry.” Replied the redhead, briskly stopping in front of the door to room 401.
The shrouded figure grinned, “Zach.”

Some people were pleasantly talkative. Gentry concluded Zach was not one of them.
“…Personally, I don’t really mind math, I just don’t like literature.”
Gentry wondered why he, of all people, had the dubious honor of sitting next to this boring, talkative geek in math class, of all dislikable classes.
“Like okay I wanted to take a higher math class but they didn’t let me, so now I’m stuck here." Zach drawled,"It sort of sucks but I guess it’s all right, I can deal with Algebra II. Though I really wanted Calculus.” Gentry noted Zach sneered when he talked. It was either a sneer or a purr, with small exclamations every so often. He tapped his pen, keeping in rhythm, with Zach’s fast voice.
“… I really miss Estonia, though, at least I knew people there.”
“I’ll bet.”
“But yeah I just hope people don’t think I’m a geek or anything.”
“Then don’t talk so much. People here don’t like it.”
“You weren’t saying anything.” countered Zach defensively,"And who says people like you being quiet all the time? I only started talking to you cause you seemed bored with yourself!"
Gentry glanced at Zach’s table, noting he had finished all his homework in class. Gentry hadn’t even started the first task.
He neatly put his unfinished paper into his binder, shaking his head, and sighed as the lunch bell rang. Zach noisily threw his books into his backpack and walked alongside Gentry without asking.
“… My parents used to worry I wouldn't talk, I was in therapy for weeks because they thought it was a sign of trauma...”
A part of Gentry pitied Zach: someone who was so lonely he would talk to anyone remotely conscious. But on the other hand, he didn’t seem desperate. In fact, he was self-assured to the point of cockiness and rudeness. Gentry wanted to bring the insolent boy to his knees.

The water was a strong shade of blue, glistening under the harsh glare of the sun. Those equally blue eyes shone slightly, and the tanned boy gave a small smile to the redhead. The pool was just starting to fill with swimmers, and as always, the freshman team was slacking off instead of practicing. They had all four years of high school to get their act together, and had no interest in wasting their freshman year working. Zach stood apart from the other boys, peering down into the water's murky depths before he sensed Gentry's presence beside him. They exchanged wordless smiles, then stood silently beside each other. A pale, cold hand took Zach’s, and warmth crept into the freshman’s face.
"Come on."
Zach's blood ran cold as Gentry started to pull him towards the boys' locker room. Some of the other boys looked at him, pretending they didn’t see or whispering peevishly to each other. But he surveyed them coolly, and gave a little smirk as he followed Gentry.

Gentry was surprised when Zach thrust him to the smooth, blue tile wall the moment they entered the locker room. Zach pinned the redhead's arms over his head, and started to kiss him, pushing his tongue inside Gentry’s mouth. It tasted salty, yet sweet, and unlike anything he had expected. Gentry's shoulders tensed, before he let himself melt into the kiss. Zach was a good kisser, it almost seemed as if he had done this before...
Zach let go of one of Gentry's wrists and slid his hand down Gentry's back. Gentry stiffened suddenly, and broke away from the kiss,"Hey... what are you doing?"
Zach smirked, softly sucking on Gentry's neck,"What do you think?" he teased.
Gentry tensed,"Stop."
"I don't want to." Zach reluctantly pulled away, only to have Gentry push him aside.
"It's not your place." Sneered the redhead,"I don't like getting fingered. If you want to f--k me, then you do what I want."
"And that is?" Zach asked, attempting to ignore his body.
Gentry just gave a smug smile, and pinned Zach to the wall,"You know where you belong, and that's under me."
Zach glared,"Bite me."
"I want to see you get yourself off." Gentry stated, motioning to one of the large wooden benches lining the lockers,"If it's beneath your dignity, then I'm going. You can stay hard throughout swim practice for all I care." with that, Gentry moved away from Zach. To his surprise, Zach moved straight to the bench, and pulled down his black swimshorts.

Gentry eyed the note on his desk.
There, in large, scribbled handwriting was written,"Want to meet after school?"
Gentry looked at Zach, who sat next to him scribbling away at an assignment. Gentry sighed, shook his head, and wrote back a neat, perfectly spaced,"No."
Zach eyed the note with a frown and wrote back,"Why?"
Gentry squinted to read what Zach wrote, and wrote back,"Don't want to."
The lunch bell rang, and Zach automatically followed Gentry, into the Cafeteria.
"Don't you have somewhere to be?" asked Gentry.
Zach shook his head,"No. I'm ditching my Christian Club meeting because everyone hates me there."
Gentry raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. It wasn’t just the Christian club; it seemed no one really liked Zach.
There was a boy named Carly on the swim team. He was a tall, dark-haired Senior with a cut body and glinting black eyes. He was not just fit, he was buff, with a body to kill, and the undisputed Swim Team Champion and team leader. Carly looked up from the unofficial Senior Swim Club lunch table, surrounded by other boys who chuckled softly when they saw Zach.
As Gentry reached the table, Carly spoke up.
"Zach, what are you doing following Gentry around? Are you lost again?"
The table chuckled.
"I'm not lost, but you should be."
Carly cast a disdainful look to Gentry,"Will you tell him or do I have to?"
Without waiting for Gentry's reply, Carly sneered,"This is the seniors-only lunch table. Go sit with the freshmen."
"It's not marked, everyone can sit wherever they want." Zach pointed out,"Besides, Gentry's my friend."
"You are still a freshman." Gentry spoke up,"You aren't any better than the others."
Zach’s eyes widened in outrage,"But we're friends, you're only two years older than me!"
Gentry's gaze was unrelenting as he ordered,"Go eat with the others."
Zach's lips drew into a thin line,"I wouldn't want to eat with you assholes anyway." and he left to the end of the cafeteria, to the one empty table.
He did what he could to hide it, but the rejection was hard to hide. Gentry watched him, as Carly's words turned into a dull buzz.