HIDING - every scar has a story

26. The truth.

{Jon}

Todd was back in school. Jon watched him from the corner of his eye while the gym teacher led their warm up. Todd's nose was smushed against his face, and his skin was mottled purple and brown where Cary had hit him. Once, Todd caught him looking and gave Jon a glare. Jon looked away.

The bruises on Todd's face didn't make Jon feel better. He doubted if the beating Cary gave him had made Todd feel half as ashamed and afraid as Jon had felt the past eight weeks. Even it did, was that supposed to make Jon feel better? Was he supposed to be glad that Todd had bruises like Jon, like Cary—like Jesus?

The teacher blew his whistle and they started doing wind sprints. Jon was glad to push his body and think only of the breath burning his lungs and the turn and push off the blue line at the end of the gym. It was all just too screwed up.

When class was over, Jon was changing his gym clothes alone in an aisle of lockers. Todd turned the corner, carrying his jeans and shirt, saw Jon and turned back to find another place to change. Jon smiled to himself. That, on the other hand, felt excellent.

He was about to break free of the humid locker room when he heard a commotion in the washrooms: harsh laughter and a toilet flushing repeatedly. Jon's head got hot. "Shit."

He put his hand on the washroom door and pushed it open.

Todd's friends had a kid headfirst in a toilet bowl, dunking him while they flushed. Todd was standing back with his arms crossed. When he saw Jon, he looked startled.

Jon slapped the door wide open. "Hey Mr. Martin," he yelled over his shoulder at the empty locker room. "They're in here!"

Todd jerked the nearest guy's shoulder to get his attention and the whole group piled past Jon and out of the locker room, punctuating their exit with loud swearing.

Jon laughed. He'd been sure he was about to get beat up again.

The kid left in the stall was on his hands and knees, gasping and dripping wet. Jon grabbed a couple gym towels and held them out. The kid took them, giving Jon a wide-eyed look, as if he hadn't expected someone like Jon to come to his rescue.

"Tell the principal if that happens again, okay?" Jon said. "Do you know their names?"

The kid shook his head, towelling his hair dry. Jon listed all the guys he recognized, including Todd. "I'll come with you if you need someone." He put out a hand to help the kid to his feet.

"Thank you." The kid combed his hand through his hair, flicking toilet water off his slender, brown fingers and making a face. "I'm Rasheed."

Jon felt a small smile on his face. "I'm Jon. You new here?"

Rasheed nodded.

"Well good luck." Jon left him in the washroom and hit the fresh hallway air.

///

Jon spent lunch hour at the north doors, alone. The warmth of the sun made him think of summer, though the solitary tree growing in the strip of dry grass had only swollen, red buds where its leaves would be. Jon tipped his head back against the warm brick of the school and closed his eyes.

He felt scrubbed clean, his skin tender enough to feel every breath of wind. He sensed Jesus' presence slip up beside him, keeping silent company like a cat curled at his knee. He almost fell asleep, the sun warm and heavy as a blanket on his body.

"Hey, Jon?"

Jon looked up, startled. Kadee Yoshenko was standing in the sun, looking at him with a half-smile on her lips.