How To NOT Be Straight✓

7: Okay

Walking the school halls the next Monday felt weird. Due to my 'punishment for being a sore ass at family dinner', I was told to basically leave the house with Alexis. She wasn't a bad driver, she was actually quite good. One thing I didn't really like when she picked me up this morning, is probably how the fuck she had a glazed doughnut, one doughnut, not two. I'm entitled to having a doughnut, I am her friend after all.

We are friends, hopefully.

Blake looked surprised to see me with her, and I shrugged before she could answer. Blake gave her a wave, and gave me a side hug.

"Great entrance, everyone was staring at you."

"Thanks Blake, I love it when you feed my massive ego." I gave her a small shove, watching her grin at me. "So, what's up for the day?"

"I do have an interact meeting later today," She said. "Alexis, would you be interested in joining interact? We have fun."

"And by fun she means organizing next to useless events for this school," I explained further. "You should add me to the team, I do have some proper events for the year, like spreading awareness on social issues or–"

"Alexis?" Blake interrupted me. "You wanna come?"

Alexis looked uncertain, so she turned to me. "What club do you do?" She ignored Blake completely, and that made me smile.

"Oh me? I do public speaking. As you've probably already know, I speak a lot," I joked. "So, public speaking was right because I get to use that voice properly."

"That's a lie, Alexis." A new voice entered the conversation. "She just wanted to find a way to rant about how she fucking hates what society does to minorities and groups of people in the world, or something that's going to cause public unrest." Terry sighed.

"Next topic I want to speak on is how us as humans are far away from stopping global warming because of our fucking choices as human beings." I grinned, rubbing my hands maniacally. "Neat topic?"

Alexis let out a small laugh. "Are there any other clubs? Like maybe, first aid or guidance?"

"Guidance is a club?" Blake asked as the bell rang and we all walked to homeroom.

"It was at our old school." She shrugged. "I'll go with first aid if it's there."

"Good, you seem like someone who would save Hitler regardless of how bad he was in society." I opened the door. "Before Blake attacks me, I was joking."

Blake sat down, glaring at me. "Very funny, Cameron."

I winked at her and sat besides her, Alexis sitting next to me, getting ready for roll call.

Once it was over, I went back to my locker with Alexis to get some books. When I opened it, I took a step back in shock and gasped.

There were little sticky notes covering the insides of my locker. Each one had a racial slur, insult, comment and homophobic slur. Blake and Terry came and saw it too, taking one off and analyzing it.

"Fucking-"

I slammed the locker shut and approached the douchebag Mike. He was talking to his friends, but turned once he saw me.

"Hey, Ca-"

I slapped him so hard my own hand was stinging. The hall was silent and I got up in his face.

"You think that shit was funny Mike?!" I yelled. "I swear to God you're going to pay for this!"

He faked confusion. "What the hell did I-"

"Why don't you go and check for yourself?" I pushed him away before going to the toilet and leaving the area.

***

I sat on the toilet seat, face still covered by my hands. How the hell did he find the time to even do that? What am I even supposed to do at this point? I took another tissue and blew my nose.

"Cam? Is that you?"

I remained silent, but then got betrayed by my own body; I hiccupped.

"Cameron, it's Alexis. Please come out."

I stood up, and wiped my face before walking out. She had a box of tissues in hand, and a sincere smile on her face. I took one, and wiped the new tears that strolled down my face.

"I'm sorry." She hugged me, and I hesitantly put my arms around her. I sobbed into her shoulder as she rubbed my back up and down. "It's going to be okay, alright? I promise it's going to be okay."

I sniffled a little. "Okay." I whispered.

***

The day had dragged on and I really wanted to go home. Time seemed to move slow while I tapped my pen against the desk in homeroom.

Someone tapped my shoulder, and I turned to find Daniel standing in front of me. I sighed, and stood up.

"May I help you?" I asked, and he nodded.

"Mind escorting me to the toilet? I'd like some company." He smiled.

I looked at Alexis, Blake and Terry, who seemed confused as I was. I shrugged, and dropped the pen and walked out with him.

While we walked to the toilet, we avoided making small talk, rather letting our feet moving on the floor grace our ears with their sound. When we reached the toilet, I turned to go, but he held my arm. I karate chopped his arm, and crossed my arms around my chest.

"Why'd you do that?" I asked him.

Daniel put his hands up. "I just wanted to talk to you, good Lord."

"You could've said it in homeroom, you know. Just a suggestion," I sarcastically said. "No need to bring me all the way here, what if I was studying something important?"

"You had an artist's pad on the desk, and you looked like you weren't doing justice to it." He pointed out. "Secondly, I wanted to do it alone, considering the fact that you wouldn't do it with Mike there."

"I don't get how you're friends with Michael." I rolled my eyes. "He's an asshole."

"Much like you are," Daniel said. "You basically–"

"I know what you're about to say, so I'm leaving." I turned around and began to walk back. "Useless piece of sh-"

"Cameron!" He harshly turned me around. "Please just listen to me."

"Why?" I pushed him away and began to walk again.

"Because I wanted to apologise!"

I stopped in my tracks, and turned around. "To what??"

"Apologise." He walked up to me, trying to put his hands on me but I took a step back. "You know I don't hate you at all, right?"

"Sure you don't, I mean, friends always put racial slurs and offensive comments on other people's lockers. It's what they do, right?" I sighed. "Apology not accepted, bye."

"Cam!" He ran up to me again. "It wasn't me or Mike."

"Then who was it? Because your friend has done it a hefty amount of times for it to not be suspicious."

"It wasn't me. And it wasn't Mike," He repeated. "Mike may not like you because of...the thing you got going on here, but he'd never take it that far," He whispered. "And you know I wouldn't either, because you're my...friend, okay?"

I kept silent for a while then answered. "Bye, Daniel."