The World Is Ugly

Frank’s POV

I’ve never really been lucky in love. I never seem to get girlfriends, so everyone thinks I’m gay and that makes getting a girlfriend harder. At school I’m known as either Fag or Pansy…I prefer Pansy. I have no friends because I’m officially a social reject and a loner. I’m an average student at school, I’m actually quite smart but I can’t be bothered trying so I mainly get C’s. I’m now used to being the schools loner/fag/outcast/dumb person…it took a while but I’m used to the bullying

But my lonerish ways changed when a new kid came to school. It was the first day of my senior year at high school and I was sitting in maths alone…as usual. The teacher was talking to someone at the door. Finally he walked over to his desk and started speaking.
“Welcome back class!”
The room erupted with grumbles.
“Stop grumbling and help me welcome a new student,”
As he said this a guy walked into the room. He had straightened brown hair that tucked into his black and white glasses. His brown eyes had a layer of black eyeliner bordering them. He wore an anthrax t-shirt, tight skinny jeans and black converses.
“This is Mikey way, Mikey tell the class a bit about yourself,”
Mikey looked around nervously before speaking.
“Umm…yeh…I’m…ah…Mikey…and I just…umm…moved here from…ah…New York…”
“Thanks Mikey, I would like you all to be nice to Mikey and be very welcoming,”
The class mumbled something that could be translated to a ‘yes’.
“Great, Mikey sit in the spare seat next to Frank and Frank will show you around today,”
Mikey did as he was told and the teacher began the lesson. The name calling started straight away.
“Looks like Pansy boy found a boyfriend,”
“Yeh, the fag found another fag,”
I glanced at Mikey and his face looked neutral and peaceful. That’s when I realized that he was new and that he didn’t know that they were referring to us.

“Hey…umm…my names Frank,”
“Hi,” he said quietly.
We were silent for the rest of the lesson. When dismissed from class, I broke the silence.
“Can I see your timetable?”
“Sure,” he said handing it to me.
“It looks like we have all the same lessons” I said giving it back.
“Cool,”
Over the next few lesson I learnt the Mikey was really shy…but who wouldn’t be at a new school? When it came to lunch, I began to worry, he would find out what a big low-life I am. When we both had food I led him over to my usual empty table in the corner and sat down, Mikey did the same.

“Ah, Mikey, I just wanted to warn you that I’m the school outcast and they all think I’m gay…so whenever they’re talking about Fag or Pansy, that’s me…so sitting with me is like social suicide,”
“You don’t want me to sit with you?”
“I do, but I was just saying that if you wanted to be liked or to have friends it’s better off not being friends with me,”
“I don’t care what people think…you’re nice to me and no one else seems to be, so I’d prefer to be friends with you,”
I smiled…it was nice to have a friend.

I learnt a lot about Mikey in the next couple of lessons. He played bass, had an older brother and he was afraid of sharks…oh…and he loved coffee…A LOT, he mentioned it heaps. The bell went and I put my things in my locker and walked out of the school building with Mikey.
“Do you have a car?” I asked him
“Nah, my brother drives me…you?”
“Nope, my mum won’t even let me near a bike!”
“Do you need a ride?”
“No, I need the exercise…I’m getting a bit tubby,”
“Ok…see you tomorrow,”
“Bye,”
And I started the walk home.

I walked into my house, then into the kitchen were my mum was cooking dinner. I loved my mum; she was the only thing I had since my dad walked out when I was little. We got along and hardly ever fought. She, like everyone else, thought I was gay…that’s what we fought about. She would say things discreetly, but I knew immediately what she was implying and would turn to her and say “I’m straight” then go back to whatever I was doing. I walked upstairs, into my room and lay on my bed. I was thinking about how it was good to finally have a friend.