“Where is your proof that you attended the Literature Ball, Gentry?”
Gentry gave Mr.Handson a disinterested stare, then moodily reached into his backpack held up a string of pink mardi gras beads.
“Ohh~kay…” Mr.Handson nodded, making a check on his list, “Good. You know, that’s odd, since I don’t remember seeing you there…”
“I made the pig cake.”
“Ohhhh, yes, I remember that.”
Gentry nodded with a thinly veiled scowl, thinking to himself, “Yeah, but you don’t remember me.”
He hurled the beads into the trash the moment he was out the door.
“Of course you don’t remember me, asshole. I’m the ghost of the school. I haunt until I get my grades and then disappear.”
The moment he slumped against the bricks Zach skimmed past him, hurridly ducking inside the literature class. Late, as always. If he would have arrived five minutes later, Mr.Handson would have disappeared on his ‘extended lunch break.’
“Zach! You don’t have to show me those beads. I know you were definitely there. Let me mark you on my list…”
“Thanks. It was a fun party.”
“Yeah, but you know it’s only a few extra-credit points, right?”
Gentry pressed himself against the doorframe, tense with attention.
“Yeaaaah…” Mr.Handson took off his glasses and rubbed his reddened eyes, “but currently, you’re still a D.”
“Oh.” Zach sighed, “What can I do about it? Can I retake any---”
“Work hard and study harder.”
“But I already do that! The problem is no one wants to be in my group. And the last group you put me in had two potheads, and they didn’t pull their weight. So I had to do the work for three people yet was graded by a scale that graded groups that actually had three competent people! If at all, I should get extra credit.”
Mr. Handson was thoughtfully silent for a moment, then said, “Your literature skills are still dismal. You might want to try a tutor. Yeah... Go to the library and get a sheet for it, and they will read it over the announcements that you’re looking for one.”
“That’s embarrassing.”
“I strongly encourage doing this if you want to pass my class.”
“But then whole school will know I suck at literature.”
“You could always study harder.”
“I study! It’s just not showing! I can’t fail this class, Mr.H...”
“Well, you should have thought harder before signing up for it… my job is to teach children literature---”
“That’s fine, Mr.H, but I didn’t take this class to learn literature. I took it because the school graduation requirements force me to. I’m going into science or math later, so why should a subject I’ll never need… no offense… keep me from reaching my future job?”
“The school makes the rules, not me.”
“Come on, can I at least redo one assignment? Like the Romeo and Juliet video project?”
“I cannot offer you an unfair advantage, Zach, and you know that very well. The only advice I can give to you is just to let it go. Move on.”
“But the percentage of my grade it makes up doesn’t let me recover anymore unless I can a 100% on the final! That’s impossible!”
“All I can suggest is that you get a tutor or have a friend from class to explain this to you---”
“I have no friends in this class!”
“That’s not my fault, Zach. You can’t always work with people you like.”
“It’s not that I don’t like others. Others don’t like me.”
“Then get a friend who knows literature and is willing to help you. If you have none, get a tutor. There is nothing else I can do, Zach, and I do not want to grade any more papers. Now, if you don’t mind, my lunch break has started.”
Mr.Handson unlocked the door and held it open, and Zach walked out dejectedly.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Because You Suck: Chapter 9: Part 4
“This is actually pretty fun,” Zach admitted. He took a quick glance around the room, secretly happy that Gentry was nowhere to be seen.
“Yeah, too bad Gentry wasn’t here to see you.”
“… Yeah. Well, it’s a nice party.” He awkwardly stared at the others, then put on a smiling face and chirped, “But why are they playing the Chicken Dance? The last time I did that was in Estonia, first grade. But it’s not as bad as I thought it would be. I didn’t even know they made a techno version.”
“That’s nice, Zach.” Mikey nodded absent-mindedly. Felix giggled.
“Yeah.” Zach’s eyes lit up, “I’m glad I dressed up. Now that I think about it, I actually like costumes. A lot. In fact, I wish I could be in a school play or something. Back in Estonia my neighborhood celebrated Halloween. This American guy introduced it, he always gave out these big chocolate bars. And it was the coolest thing... in fact, it’s actually my favorite holiday. And you know what’s great about it? Not the candy… But the costumes.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Mikey nodded.
“People always stress fitting in. But Halloween is the one day you can be a freak It’s the one day you can be accepted despite being weird or different--- in fact, it’s celebrated.”
“Hm.”
“Uh-huh.” Yawned Casey.
“Maybe it’s not such a big deal for you. But it wasn’t so easy fitting in when you were the only black guy in an all-white neighborhood either. I didn’t have that many friends. But on my first Halloween… it’s hard to explain. But the moment I put on my costume, I belonged. I was part of something…”
Casey eyed his watch and Mikey’s eyes glazed over.
“… And it was the best feeling in the world. But then the American moved away and it died down. Halloween spirit just died and I was a mismatched genetic Frankenstein again. People didn’t even try anymore---”
“Hey, Zach.” Mikey stood up, “I’m gonna go talk to Mr.Handson about things. You wait here, okay?”
Casey stood up as well, “Oh my God, there’s Kylie. I’m gonna go talk to her… Zach, you should go get something to eat! Take your time. REALLY.”
Felix nodded curtly, and shuffled after Casey.
“Ok.” Zach breathed, casting his eyes to the ground as he moved to a chair by the wall. His wings slumped down over his shoulders, and he tiredly stared at the crowd. He knew everyone here, and everyone here seemed nerved by him.
The ghost who sat beside him didn’t say a word.
“Yeah, too bad Gentry wasn’t here to see you.”
“… Yeah. Well, it’s a nice party.” He awkwardly stared at the others, then put on a smiling face and chirped, “But why are they playing the Chicken Dance? The last time I did that was in Estonia, first grade. But it’s not as bad as I thought it would be. I didn’t even know they made a techno version.”
“That’s nice, Zach.” Mikey nodded absent-mindedly. Felix giggled.
“Yeah.” Zach’s eyes lit up, “I’m glad I dressed up. Now that I think about it, I actually like costumes. A lot. In fact, I wish I could be in a school play or something. Back in Estonia my neighborhood celebrated Halloween. This American guy introduced it, he always gave out these big chocolate bars. And it was the coolest thing... in fact, it’s actually my favorite holiday. And you know what’s great about it? Not the candy… But the costumes.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Mikey nodded.
“People always stress fitting in. But Halloween is the one day you can be a freak It’s the one day you can be accepted despite being weird or different--- in fact, it’s celebrated.”
“Hm.”
“Uh-huh.” Yawned Casey.
“Maybe it’s not such a big deal for you. But it wasn’t so easy fitting in when you were the only black guy in an all-white neighborhood either. I didn’t have that many friends. But on my first Halloween… it’s hard to explain. But the moment I put on my costume, I belonged. I was part of something…”
Casey eyed his watch and Mikey’s eyes glazed over.
“… And it was the best feeling in the world. But then the American moved away and it died down. Halloween spirit just died and I was a mismatched genetic Frankenstein again. People didn’t even try anymore---”
“Hey, Zach.” Mikey stood up, “I’m gonna go talk to Mr.Handson about things. You wait here, okay?”
Casey stood up as well, “Oh my God, there’s Kylie. I’m gonna go talk to her… Zach, you should go get something to eat! Take your time. REALLY.”
Felix nodded curtly, and shuffled after Casey.
“Ok.” Zach breathed, casting his eyes to the ground as he moved to a chair by the wall. His wings slumped down over his shoulders, and he tiredly stared at the crowd. He knew everyone here, and everyone here seemed nerved by him.
The ghost who sat beside him didn’t say a word.
Because You Suck: Chapter 9: Part 3
“Move out, move out! We have to bring this to the table!” Mikey shouted.
“Watch out for that cake on the ground…” warned Casey, as he helped ease the giant cake right into the center of table.
“Ew,” Mikey wrinkled his nose at the pink mess at his feet, “Whose mess was that?”
“I don’t know. I heard it was Gentry’s… um it was supposed to be a pig or something?” Casey drawled down into a murmur before chirping up again, “Hey, oh my God, Zach! You look so different. So… non-gangsta, for once.”
Zach eyed him levelly, “Yeah, for once.”
“You should dress like this all the time.” Casey lisped, and leaned in to get a better look at the other boy’s neck, “Hey, is that a hickey?”
Mikey licked his lips, “Maybe…”
He turned to Zach and buried his fingers in his hair, pushing his tongue into his mouth.
Casey grinned, “Aw. Let me take your picture…”
Gentry just watched, wondering where he could find enemies to match his friends. With a quiet sigh he moved to a chair by the wall and took a seat, happy to be a ghost for once. Now he just had to wait here for ten minutes, until Mr.Handson would hand out a cheap prize as proof of attendance.
"At least I’ll get an A for being here.” Gentry thought to himself, his glare restlessly lingering on Zach. Yeah, the Estonian terror looked different all right. Now he looked like every other faggot.
“Watch out for that cake on the ground…” warned Casey, as he helped ease the giant cake right into the center of table.
“Ew,” Mikey wrinkled his nose at the pink mess at his feet, “Whose mess was that?”
“I don’t know. I heard it was Gentry’s… um it was supposed to be a pig or something?” Casey drawled down into a murmur before chirping up again, “Hey, oh my God, Zach! You look so different. So… non-gangsta, for once.”
Zach eyed him levelly, “Yeah, for once.”
“You should dress like this all the time.” Casey lisped, and leaned in to get a better look at the other boy’s neck, “Hey, is that a hickey?”
Mikey licked his lips, “Maybe…”
He turned to Zach and buried his fingers in his hair, pushing his tongue into his mouth.
Casey grinned, “Aw. Let me take your picture…”
Gentry just watched, wondering where he could find enemies to match his friends. With a quiet sigh he moved to a chair by the wall and took a seat, happy to be a ghost for once. Now he just had to wait here for ten minutes, until Mr.Handson would hand out a cheap prize as proof of attendance.
"At least I’ll get an A for being here.” Gentry thought to himself, his glare restlessly lingering on Zach. Yeah, the Estonian terror looked different all right. Now he looked like every other faggot.
Because You Suck: Chapter 9: Part 2
The whispers began out of nowhere. Quickly they turned to murmurs, rumbling through the crowd and over the music. Emptying the main floor and pushing to the door.
“Oh my GOD… is that Zach?” Casey’s voice rang out and everyone turned to stare.
Gentry dropped the cake.
That was Zach, all right. Yet now, he looked… different. He wasn’t wearing glasses, either, but that wasn’t it. Perhaps it was the white t-shirt, or the way the jeans fit over his thighs. Perhaps it was the ridiculously large pair of angel wings…
Perhaps it was the bright red mark on his neck. Gentry’s eyes darted to Mikey, who was helping Zach transport a large rainbow cake. It was the gayest thing Gentry had ever seen, and yet the crowd fawned over it. The cake, if it could even be called a cake, looked more like a disgusting glob of frosting piled on top of three loaves of Wonderbread. That’s what it probably was, either way. And yet Mr.Handson looked downright exhilarated, as if this were a cake to top all cakes and Zach’s costume was a gift from the Gods. Gentry apathetically eyed the swine-cake at his feet, deciding to abandon the pink carnage.
“Oh my GOD… is that Zach?” Casey’s voice rang out and everyone turned to stare.
Gentry dropped the cake.
That was Zach, all right. Yet now, he looked… different. He wasn’t wearing glasses, either, but that wasn’t it. Perhaps it was the white t-shirt, or the way the jeans fit over his thighs. Perhaps it was the ridiculously large pair of angel wings…
Perhaps it was the bright red mark on his neck. Gentry’s eyes darted to Mikey, who was helping Zach transport a large rainbow cake. It was the gayest thing Gentry had ever seen, and yet the crowd fawned over it. The cake, if it could even be called a cake, looked more like a disgusting glob of frosting piled on top of three loaves of Wonderbread. That’s what it probably was, either way. And yet Mr.Handson looked downright exhilarated, as if this were a cake to top all cakes and Zach’s costume was a gift from the Gods. Gentry apathetically eyed the swine-cake at his feet, deciding to abandon the pink carnage.
Because You Suck: Chapter 9: Part 1
I'm on vaycay for the next week! I'll be posting all of chapter 9.
The room was swathed in the cold glow of fluorescent white light, making the white brick walls stand out against the people who heralded in through the blue double-doors. Their sneakers and high heels clicked and clacked against the green-gray linoleum floor, the door slamming loudly with each new arrival. The ‘chicken dance’ boomed from the speakers.
Mr.Handson stood by the door next to the other literature teachers, grinning in his wizard’s outfit and hitting his staff against the floor, “Here here, welcome ye to the Literature Ball! Refreshments are to be placed on the table.”
Gentry eyeballed him, holding a small marzipan cake in the shape of a pig’s head.
“Hello... Mr.Handson.”
“Oh, good to see you here…” Mr.Handson stroked his fake wizard’s beard, trying to hide that he didn’t know which of his students he was talking to, “I, the Great Merlin, welcome---- what are you, exactly?”
He comically cocked his head at the costume, a white bed sheet with two eyeholes cut out.
“The ghost of Hamlet’s father.”
“Ah, and so you are! And my, what an interesting cake. I see you did it in the theme of Lord of the Flies. That’s quite disturbing. Did you make it yourself?”
“Yes.” Of course he did. He did the same every year, and this one was no different. He didn’t have a home, but he’d be damned if anyone would be able to tell. Appearances needed to be kept up, life went on.
“Good job, Gentry! Now, just put it on the table over there, next to the Wuthering Brownies and Hamlet Sandwiches.”
Feeling very much like a dog that had been diminutively patted on the head, Gentry drudged towards the food table. He carefully maneuvered around Casey and selected members of the swim team to avoid being caught up in conversation, but soon found there was no need. This costume hid him perfectly!
With painfully precise slowness, Gentry eased the cake towards the same place he put it every year: the center of the table. It felt heavy in his hands, like some sacrificial offering to a primitive God.
He was too old for this bullshit. Everyone here was. Yet here they were, as they were every year, just to remind their teachers of how important their grade was to them. This was a costume party, all right, even faces weren’t faces, but grinning, squinty-eyed masks. Gentry wondered what would happen if he jumped on the table and kicked everything to the ground. Revolt!
The room was swathed in the cold glow of fluorescent white light, making the white brick walls stand out against the people who heralded in through the blue double-doors. Their sneakers and high heels clicked and clacked against the green-gray linoleum floor, the door slamming loudly with each new arrival. The ‘chicken dance’ boomed from the speakers.
Mr.Handson stood by the door next to the other literature teachers, grinning in his wizard’s outfit and hitting his staff against the floor, “Here here, welcome ye to the Literature Ball! Refreshments are to be placed on the table.”
Gentry eyeballed him, holding a small marzipan cake in the shape of a pig’s head.
“Hello... Mr.Handson.”
“Oh, good to see you here…” Mr.Handson stroked his fake wizard’s beard, trying to hide that he didn’t know which of his students he was talking to, “I, the Great Merlin, welcome---- what are you, exactly?”
He comically cocked his head at the costume, a white bed sheet with two eyeholes cut out.
“The ghost of Hamlet’s father.”
“Ah, and so you are! And my, what an interesting cake. I see you did it in the theme of Lord of the Flies. That’s quite disturbing. Did you make it yourself?”
“Yes.” Of course he did. He did the same every year, and this one was no different. He didn’t have a home, but he’d be damned if anyone would be able to tell. Appearances needed to be kept up, life went on.
“Good job, Gentry! Now, just put it on the table over there, next to the Wuthering Brownies and Hamlet Sandwiches.”
Feeling very much like a dog that had been diminutively patted on the head, Gentry drudged towards the food table. He carefully maneuvered around Casey and selected members of the swim team to avoid being caught up in conversation, but soon found there was no need. This costume hid him perfectly!
With painfully precise slowness, Gentry eased the cake towards the same place he put it every year: the center of the table. It felt heavy in his hands, like some sacrificial offering to a primitive God.
He was too old for this bullshit. Everyone here was. Yet here they were, as they were every year, just to remind their teachers of how important their grade was to them. This was a costume party, all right, even faces weren’t faces, but grinning, squinty-eyed masks. Gentry wondered what would happen if he jumped on the table and kicked everything to the ground. Revolt!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Because You Suck: Chapter 8: Part 7
Zach shoved him away, then hesitantly put his fingers to feel his burning lips.
“Did you like that? I’m sorry if that was sudden. I came out to my parents a week ago…”
“---Cool.” Zach blurted out.
This earned him a grin, “Yeah, thanks. I’m just getting used to it, you know?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, you didn’t answer my question. Did you like it?”
Zach’s eyes glanced warily at him through thick black-rimmed glasses, before he replied with a soft, “Yes.”
“Good. I did, too.” He turned back to Zach, and playfully lapped at his lower lip, “You’re sexy, underneath all that shit you’re wearing.”
“Oh, really?”
Mikey glanced up, and felt a spark go off inside him when he saw his own eyes mirrored in Zach’s deep pools of blue.
“Did I do something wrong?” asked Mikey, with a voice which was the audible equivalent of bending the largest toe to test the water.
The answer came in a kiss, one that was strong yet deceptively soft. It burned like quiet anger, and tasted like salt… yet it was so long and so skilled that when Zach pulled away, Mikey had to catch his breath.
It was really like drowning…
“Where did you learn that?”
The little smile Zach gave in return infuriated him so much that, barely a moment later, he had Zach pinned to the mattress and glaring up at him.
“Well?”
“I’m not saying.”
“Was it Gentry?”
“No,” Zach was quiet for a moment, then admitted, “Not entirely.”
“Well?” Mikey drawled, his quiet voice curling around his words like smoke, “You can tell me. I won’t tell anyone else.”
“I learned it back in Estonia. There was this classmate I made out with, no one knew. He was straight, though, and he thought I was, too---”
“That’s so hot, Zach. You remind me of that saying… that it’s always ‘nerds’ like us who get the most action.”
Zach gazed up at Mikey. Here was a good-looking boy with smooth brown hair, clear skin and bright green eyes. Nerd? You’ve got to be kidding me.
“So,” Mikey’s smoky baritone cut through Zach’s thoughts, “blue is your real eyecolor?”
“…Yeah.”
“That’s amazing, did anyone tell you they look just like the ocean? You shouldn’t hide them behind those glasses of yours. Without them, you’d look just like one of those sexy Brazilian boys.” He moved his hand up to Zach’s curled fist, which stubbornly held onto the glasses as if they were a crucial part of his body. Slowly, Mikey slid his rough white thumb into the dark palm, meticulously prying it open. But the more he pried, the tighter the grasp became, until with an exasperated sigh he glanced up at Zach’s face.
“Come on, Zach. Let go…”
“I’m not letting you take them.”
“Oh, really?”
Mikey leeringly raised an eyebrow, then caught Zach’s lips in a short but heated kiss.
“…!”
It only lasted a minute, and the fiend almost cackled as he pulled away, holding the glasses high up in one hand,
“Mmm… got it now! I don’t even know why you wear these.”
Zach vainly tried to reach for his lost treasure, “… I can’t see without them!”
“What about contacts? The real kind?” Mikey held them higher.
“I don’t want them.”
“Why not, hmm?”
Zach didn’t answer, opting instead to give the mattress a bounce and scramble for his glasses. Mikey to dropped them with a gasp. They thumped to the floor under his foot, which crushed the glass a moment later with a sickening crack just before Zach could reach them.
“... oh… I’m sorry. I can pay you back for whatever they cost…”
“I had those since middle school...”
There was an extended, tense silence.
“Middle school’s over. Besides… you look sexier without them. Let’s see if I can do the same to your clothes,” Mikey murmured, sliding cold hands under Zach’s layers of sweatshirts.
“Hey, stop it… my parents might walk in.” Zach shivered.
“They already know what you look like.” The gleam in his bright green eyes stood out against his quiet words.
A sweatshirt fell to the ground with a muted thud, and was quickly followed by another.
“Did you like that? I’m sorry if that was sudden. I came out to my parents a week ago…”
“---Cool.” Zach blurted out.
This earned him a grin, “Yeah, thanks. I’m just getting used to it, you know?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, you didn’t answer my question. Did you like it?”
Zach’s eyes glanced warily at him through thick black-rimmed glasses, before he replied with a soft, “Yes.”
“Good. I did, too.” He turned back to Zach, and playfully lapped at his lower lip, “You’re sexy, underneath all that shit you’re wearing.”
“Oh, really?”
Mikey glanced up, and felt a spark go off inside him when he saw his own eyes mirrored in Zach’s deep pools of blue.
“Did I do something wrong?” asked Mikey, with a voice which was the audible equivalent of bending the largest toe to test the water.
The answer came in a kiss, one that was strong yet deceptively soft. It burned like quiet anger, and tasted like salt… yet it was so long and so skilled that when Zach pulled away, Mikey had to catch his breath.
It was really like drowning…
“Where did you learn that?”
The little smile Zach gave in return infuriated him so much that, barely a moment later, he had Zach pinned to the mattress and glaring up at him.
“Well?”
“I’m not saying.”
“Was it Gentry?”
“No,” Zach was quiet for a moment, then admitted, “Not entirely.”
“Well?” Mikey drawled, his quiet voice curling around his words like smoke, “You can tell me. I won’t tell anyone else.”
“I learned it back in Estonia. There was this classmate I made out with, no one knew. He was straight, though, and he thought I was, too---”
“That’s so hot, Zach. You remind me of that saying… that it’s always ‘nerds’ like us who get the most action.”
Zach gazed up at Mikey. Here was a good-looking boy with smooth brown hair, clear skin and bright green eyes. Nerd? You’ve got to be kidding me.
“So,” Mikey’s smoky baritone cut through Zach’s thoughts, “blue is your real eyecolor?”
“…Yeah.”
“That’s amazing, did anyone tell you they look just like the ocean? You shouldn’t hide them behind those glasses of yours. Without them, you’d look just like one of those sexy Brazilian boys.” He moved his hand up to Zach’s curled fist, which stubbornly held onto the glasses as if they were a crucial part of his body. Slowly, Mikey slid his rough white thumb into the dark palm, meticulously prying it open. But the more he pried, the tighter the grasp became, until with an exasperated sigh he glanced up at Zach’s face.
“Come on, Zach. Let go…”
“I’m not letting you take them.”
“Oh, really?”
Mikey leeringly raised an eyebrow, then caught Zach’s lips in a short but heated kiss.
“…!”
It only lasted a minute, and the fiend almost cackled as he pulled away, holding the glasses high up in one hand,
“Mmm… got it now! I don’t even know why you wear these.”
Zach vainly tried to reach for his lost treasure, “… I can’t see without them!”
“What about contacts? The real kind?” Mikey held them higher.
“I don’t want them.”
“Why not, hmm?”
Zach didn’t answer, opting instead to give the mattress a bounce and scramble for his glasses. Mikey to dropped them with a gasp. They thumped to the floor under his foot, which crushed the glass a moment later with a sickening crack just before Zach could reach them.
“... oh… I’m sorry. I can pay you back for whatever they cost…”
“I had those since middle school...”
There was an extended, tense silence.
“Middle school’s over. Besides… you look sexier without them. Let’s see if I can do the same to your clothes,” Mikey murmured, sliding cold hands under Zach’s layers of sweatshirts.
“Hey, stop it… my parents might walk in.” Zach shivered.
“They already know what you look like.” The gleam in his bright green eyes stood out against his quiet words.
A sweatshirt fell to the ground with a muted thud, and was quickly followed by another.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Because You Suck: Chapter 8: Part 6
“He’s full of BULLSHIT!”
“Is that the only thing you called me here for?” asked Mikey, following Zach into his room and gingerly picking up a slinky to play with. Zach breathed out forcefully and dropped down onto his bed, resting the back of his hand against the humid skin on his forehead. He couldn’t believe Gentry’s nerve. He might have been raped, but he surely wasn’t a victim now.
“He’s a fucking fake. That Rape Seminar thing was a joke--- you should’ve seen him in the locker room! He was rambling about teamwork as if he believed in it, and everyone thought he was great. You know what he did? He turned the situation around so I looked like an asshole… fuck! I bet he had some crap with Mr.Nilla and used me to settle it.”
Mikey pulled apart the slinky, “So? What do you plan on doing about it? Complaining isn’t going to fix your problem.”
Zach sat up, calmed slightly by the slow, musical quality in the other boy’s voice.
“What else can I do?” he murmured, “Everyone thinks I’m the fag who got Nilla fired; They hate me. My teachers won’t even look me in the eye. Yesterday people threw crumpled paper balls at me as I walked from one class to another, and shoved me into lockers. And the office won’t do anything about it! My parents are considering to send me to another school--- He’s fucking up my social life!”
“You know, Zach. I don’t think you have much of a social life to fuck up. This could actually gain you some notoriety… as in, it will get people talking about you in a good way if you use it right.”
“I don’t care.” Zach huffed, “He’s so fucked up. He’s white trash. And he thinks he’s smart just because he can cheat people out of the truth. Fuck him!”
“You did, didn’t you?”
“Hell no, he fucked me. That’s because he can’t even take it in the ass.” Zach stopped himself. This was going to far.
“You know, Zach. I figured that homophobe act was a complete front. He jokes about it sometimes, but it’s obvious in the way he looks at other guys. I’m actually sorry for him, because there’s nothing sadder than a gay homophobe.”
“Gay homophobe?”
“Yeah. He’s gay but hates everything about being gay.”
“I don’t care,” Zach scoffed, “he should whine about that shit to his shrink and leave me the fuck out of his problems.”
“I agree.” Mikey chirped, leaning into his closet and sorting through the hangers, “Wow, do you get paid to wear these clothes? They look like something you would get at the dollar store.”
“I brought them with me from Estonia.”
“Yeah, well, this isn’t Estonia.” Mikey turned around, “Hey. What are you going as to the Literature Party?”
Zach shrugged nonchalantly, “I… didn’t really think about it.”
“You know what would be fun? If we would both go as angels, like that play, Angels in America. It’s an important part of gay cinema.”
“I never saw it.”
“Doesn’t matter.” he eased onto the bed and smiled, sliding a hand onto Zach’s shoulder, “Just put on a t-shirt, white pants and a large pair of angel wings.”
Zach gave him a look, took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, “That’s ridiculous. I don’t go for that kind of thing. I like baggy clothes---”
“Well, it’s a costume party. So what’s the harm? And you’ll be promoting an important part of gay cinema.”
“Have you ever seen that play?”
Mikey hesitated, then laughed awkwardly, “No one’s seen the play. I’m just going to tell people that I modeled my costume after the poster.”
“That’s just meaningless.” Sighed Zach, “You can’t just promote something you don’t stand for. And what does this have to do with my social life? Will putting on a big pair of angel wings fool people into thinking I’m the real deal?”
“You’re so cute, Zach.” Mikey drawled, cupping Zach’s face with his hands and kissing him on the lips, “And this has as much to do with your social life as much as you want it to…”
“Is that the only thing you called me here for?” asked Mikey, following Zach into his room and gingerly picking up a slinky to play with. Zach breathed out forcefully and dropped down onto his bed, resting the back of his hand against the humid skin on his forehead. He couldn’t believe Gentry’s nerve. He might have been raped, but he surely wasn’t a victim now.
“He’s a fucking fake. That Rape Seminar thing was a joke--- you should’ve seen him in the locker room! He was rambling about teamwork as if he believed in it, and everyone thought he was great. You know what he did? He turned the situation around so I looked like an asshole… fuck! I bet he had some crap with Mr.Nilla and used me to settle it.”
Mikey pulled apart the slinky, “So? What do you plan on doing about it? Complaining isn’t going to fix your problem.”
Zach sat up, calmed slightly by the slow, musical quality in the other boy’s voice.
“What else can I do?” he murmured, “Everyone thinks I’m the fag who got Nilla fired; They hate me. My teachers won’t even look me in the eye. Yesterday people threw crumpled paper balls at me as I walked from one class to another, and shoved me into lockers. And the office won’t do anything about it! My parents are considering to send me to another school--- He’s fucking up my social life!”
“You know, Zach. I don’t think you have much of a social life to fuck up. This could actually gain you some notoriety… as in, it will get people talking about you in a good way if you use it right.”
“I don’t care.” Zach huffed, “He’s so fucked up. He’s white trash. And he thinks he’s smart just because he can cheat people out of the truth. Fuck him!”
“You did, didn’t you?”
“Hell no, he fucked me. That’s because he can’t even take it in the ass.” Zach stopped himself. This was going to far.
“You know, Zach. I figured that homophobe act was a complete front. He jokes about it sometimes, but it’s obvious in the way he looks at other guys. I’m actually sorry for him, because there’s nothing sadder than a gay homophobe.”
“Gay homophobe?”
“Yeah. He’s gay but hates everything about being gay.”
“I don’t care,” Zach scoffed, “he should whine about that shit to his shrink and leave me the fuck out of his problems.”
“I agree.” Mikey chirped, leaning into his closet and sorting through the hangers, “Wow, do you get paid to wear these clothes? They look like something you would get at the dollar store.”
“I brought them with me from Estonia.”
“Yeah, well, this isn’t Estonia.” Mikey turned around, “Hey. What are you going as to the Literature Party?”
Zach shrugged nonchalantly, “I… didn’t really think about it.”
“You know what would be fun? If we would both go as angels, like that play, Angels in America. It’s an important part of gay cinema.”
“I never saw it.”
“Doesn’t matter.” he eased onto the bed and smiled, sliding a hand onto Zach’s shoulder, “Just put on a t-shirt, white pants and a large pair of angel wings.”
Zach gave him a look, took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, “That’s ridiculous. I don’t go for that kind of thing. I like baggy clothes---”
“Well, it’s a costume party. So what’s the harm? And you’ll be promoting an important part of gay cinema.”
“Have you ever seen that play?”
Mikey hesitated, then laughed awkwardly, “No one’s seen the play. I’m just going to tell people that I modeled my costume after the poster.”
“That’s just meaningless.” Sighed Zach, “You can’t just promote something you don’t stand for. And what does this have to do with my social life? Will putting on a big pair of angel wings fool people into thinking I’m the real deal?”
“You’re so cute, Zach.” Mikey drawled, cupping Zach’s face with his hands and kissing him on the lips, “And this has as much to do with your social life as much as you want it to…”
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