How To NOT Be Straight✓

26: Rule 7- Help them understand that we're all human

After the presentation, it was time to go home. Alexis, Terry and the rest of the club members stayed behind to talk and clean up. Alexis was removing the blue accessories from her hair and throwing them in the trash while I removed a few posters from the walls. A couple of students from the interact club stayed behind to help us clean up and talk, while students that want to join the club talked to me as I tore the posters off the wall.

"Hey, Cameron?" A familiar deep voice asked. "Please may we talk?"

"Go away, Daniel." I sighed, placing the posters neatly on the ground. "Seriously, go away."

He looked away from me. "I wanted to talk to you, it's important."

"You want to bully me again? Shove me or something? Mock me?" I wasn't taking no bullshit. "What do you want?"

"It's important." He repeated.

"Oh, in that case..." I motioned for him to come closer. "No, fuck off." I whispered, walking away from the wall.

"Joanne!" He yelled, silencing the entire gym.

I stopped in my tracks, and turned around. "What did you just say?"

"That was the only way to get your attention." He shrugged, watching as he backed up a bit. "Joanne-"

"Stop saying that." I warned.

"Joanne-"

"Fucking bitch!" I began sprinting towards him and he bolted out the door with me on his heels.

He turned a corner, and I followed, watching as he put an obstacle in my way. I jumped it like the awesome track star I was, and watched as he stopped abruptly, grabbing my arm and forcing me down to the ground, hands pinned above my head.

"Let me go, idiot!" I wriggled against his grip. "Are you trying to rape me?!"

"Fuck no, Cameron. I just want to talk." He murmured. "Please comply."

"Or else what? You're going to rape me?!"

"No, I wasn't thinking of it genius." He rolled his eyes. "It's important and it would be nice if you could hear me out."

I stopped struggling, "Fine." He let go of me slowly, and I kicked his calf, making him fall to the ground.

"Shit!" He cussed as I made a break for it, heading up the stairs and looking through empty classrooms to hide in.

I opened the door to the chemistry class and ran inside, quickly finding chairs to block the door with. Daniel appeared by the door, and kept banging and trying to push it open with me using the chair to resist his force. Michael soon joined him, and the two of them pushed together, overpowering me all together.

I fell back as the door opened with so much force, and waited for the chair to squash me. To my surprise, the chair didn't even fall on me, with it being placed back to it's proper state. I sat up and began to crawl away from Michael and Daniel, who took a few steps closer to me. When I backed up against a wall, I lifted my hands up to my face, ready for the worst.

"Cameron, uncover yourself." Daniel ordered.

"No, you guys are here to finally beat me up." I heaved. "If you're going to do it, just don't aim for my face."

"We're not going to lay a finger on you." Michael said. "Just relax."

"How do I know?" I muttered. "All you've ever done is hurt me, how would I know today you haven't switched the gears?"

"Because if we wanted to beat you up, we would've done that a long time ago." Michael said slowly. "Please trust us, and just uncover yourself. We won't hurt you, I promise."

I stood up slowly, and a rough hand gripped my arm. They gently removed my hands from my face, and I stared at them. In their eyes wasn't pride or malice, but rather remorse and shame.

"We need to talk, really." Daniel said as Michael nodded. "We never really talked about it."

"About what?" I asked, my voice lower than I intended it to be.

"What happened." Michael expanded. "Between us. All of us."

I remained silent.

"Cameron, I know it's been a long time since we've had a decent conversation without cussing, but please, we want to clear the air. To fix things between us." Daniel added. "We need to."

"Why now?" I asked quietly, gently taking my arm away from his grip.

"Because," Daniel paused. "We want to understand."

"Understand what?"

"Understand you." Michael murmured. "We used to be friends, the 3 of us. Hell, you even dated Daniel in the 8th grade. So, what changed? What happened? And most importantly why?"

"You certainly have impeccable timing. Is it because I spoke in front of you douchebags? Or maybe because you want to ridicule me even further?" I scoffed, crossing my arms. "Come on, give me your fake reasons. I love listening to them."

"Cameron, we want to be better people. Not just for you, but for the world." Daniel murmured.

"Why start with me?"

"Because..." Micheal paused, "Wr have to start from the beginning, and that starts with you, Cameron Joanne Jones-"

"Stop throwing my fucking name in the air!" I screamed. "If you're really want to get my attention then at least kick me in the vagina or something, just don't say Joanne. Please."

"Will you at least let us talk to you then, Cameron? Please?"

I searched their eyes for any type of mockery of some sort. When I found none, I sighed. I then pushed pass them and began walking towards the door.

"Cameron, please." I stopped at the door. "We want to make things right, and we can't do this without you. Please."

"We want to understand, I promise."

I closed my eyes, envisioning all the possibilities of me turning back around or of me opening the door and leaving. If I turn back, I'll finally be confronting one of the things I've always tried to run away from: the truth. But if I turn this doorknob and walk out the door, I'll never know the answers to all of the questions I have, never.

I put my hand down, and turned around, watching a small smile grown on their faces. "Let's talk, guys."