Because You Suck: Chapter 3: Part 1

“Did you see the tits on that freshman?”
“HELLA sweet. I sucked them off last night.”
Mike high-fived Ethan and they shared a grin.
Gentry slowly sipped his water. He concluded he could kill them if he had less homework and more time to plan. And motivation… senioritis could be so debilitating.
“Hey Gentry…”
“What?” red eyebrows arched in feigned interest.
“Where are you going to college next year?”
Gentry thought a while, then replied, “I’m not telling anyone.”
“Shit, man, why?” asked Sydney in disbelief.
“Everyone here just uses it to be elitist. It’s no one’s business.”
“What does elitist mean?”
Gentry just shook his head, “Forget it.” And gulped down as much water as his mouth could hold. It was his secret drinking game--- whenever Sydney, Mike, or Ethan said something fantastically stupid, he took a gulp of water.
“Gentry, who are you going with to prom with?”
“With whatever.”
“Whatever? Like, whatever you can find?”
“Yeah. Whatever I can find.”
“Be careful man.” Warned Sydney, “People are saying you’re gay and… haha no offense man, you do seem kind of gay.”
“Me? Gay?” Gentry took another gulp of water.
“Yeah man. Let me hook you up. I know this chick who--- hey isn’t that that fag from the sophomore swim team?”
Ethan and Mike looked up like prairie dogs, squinting their eyes. Gentry took a quick glance in the direction and, upon seeing Zach, quickly looked the other way.
These last few days, Gentry felt elated and light-headed as he toyed with the idea of having an actual boyfriend, not just a fuck buddy. He liked Zach. He liked him a lot.
“Yeah. It is. So?” asked Ethan, “Don’t make me lose my appetite haha.”
“Did you hear?” Sydney drawled, “They say he has a boyfriend now.”
The other boys leaned in, and Gentry rested his elbows on the table.
“A boyfriend?” he asked, his eyes shining but his voice completely even.
Sydney crossed his arms and coughed, flattered by the attention.
“Yeah,” he said, “He got this present in class. One of those expensive cookie gourmet things. Everyone’s saying it’s from a boyfriend.”
“But he threw it away, didn’t he?” asked Ethan, “Kylie told me she saw him throw it away…”
“He threw it away?” Gentry asked, lowering his shoulders as he sunk back into his chair.
“Yeah, apparently. Why do you care, huhhh?” Sydney teased him, “Are you a fag, too?”