Temptation
First Approach
It was two weeks into the school year when Seth Mitchell got it into his head that he would approach the ‘out of the closet’ gay boy, Tyler Simpson. Seth probably hadn’t said three words to the kid since their seventh grade year. Hell, they’d gone to the same school, same classes together since elementary school but to Seth, Tyler had never really stuck out before now.
For Tyler, however, Seth had always stuck out. Tyler being the type of person he is—he’s always wanted to help Seth. He knows Seth is a, what people would refer to as a ‘lost cause,’ but Tyler didn’t believe anyone was ever truly lost. Even in the deepest darkness, one just has to remember to turn on a light…it was Tyler’s favorite quote.
It was Wednesday, August 15th, when Seth finally crossed the cafeteria at Marshall County High and sat down across from Tyler Simpson. Tyler looked up from the chicken rings, mashed potatoes, and green beans that adorned his orange colored lunch tray and quirked an eye-brow at the ‘bad boy’ sitting across from him. “Don’t give me that look,” Seth started and narrowed his eyes at Tyler.
“You’ve not spoken to me since seventh grade. What do you want, Mitchell?” It was customary at Marshall County High to address a person that you have distaste for by their last name and not their first. “Help with your homework maybe?” Tyler said starkly. It was no secret Seth was failing his classes, because he hardly attended them.
“Well if that’s an offer, then, by all means, I’d love some help,” Seth said somewhat sarcastically, rolling his eyes. “No, I actually came to ask you about…something else,” but Seth’s voice awkwardly trailed off… he wasn’t sure where to start, how to ask what he wanted to ask… would Tyler cause a scene in front of the whole student body? Could he live with the ridicule he’d get over being gay? Although Seth didn’t really see anyone picking on Tyler for being gay…
“Well, what is it Mitchell?” Tyler once again quirked his brow, interested in what the young hooligan had to ask him. Interested—but didn’t necessarily care.
“Will you quit calling me Mitchell? Jeez. You have no reason to dislike me, as you said, we’ve not talked since seventh grade.” Seth pointed out and Tyler reluctantly agreed.
“Alright. Fine. Seth, what do you want to ask me?” Tyler finally put on his best game face, looking as if he really had a care what Seth wanted to ask him.
“I think I’m gay,” Seth mumbled rather blatantly. Of course Tyler’s eyes opened rather widely; he had no idea that’s what Seth would want to talk with him about. Part of Tyler believed him…but the other part, well…Tyler felt offended. What if this was Seth and his friends way of being a dick to him after all these years? Would they really stay silent about the gay-hate until senior year though? That part didn’t make a whole lot of sense to Tyler.
“I think you need to go away and leave me alone,” Tyler said rather flatly, causing Seth to open his eyes, too, rather widely. He wasn’t expecting the nice, quiet gay boy to respond in such a harsh tone. Little did Seth know, Tyler would prove to have several surprises of his own.
“Look, it’s a legitimate question… how do you know… if you’re gay…” Again, Seth’s voice trailed off. Tyler really did believe that he was being genuine, but he just…was so stunned that he couldn’t really answer properly. So Tyler stood up from his lunch table and looked down into Seth’s eyes, merely stating… “Google it,” before disappearing from the lunch room.
If this truly was a ploy from Seth and his friends to be a dick towards Tyler, he wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. He would cut the conversation short before it became anything that they could possibly use against him… Tyler hurried away from the cafeteria and soon found himself at his own locker. He exchanged his last period books for the books for his next class and hurried off, before Seth would have a chance to dare catch up with him.
For Tyler, however, Seth had always stuck out. Tyler being the type of person he is—he’s always wanted to help Seth. He knows Seth is a, what people would refer to as a ‘lost cause,’ but Tyler didn’t believe anyone was ever truly lost. Even in the deepest darkness, one just has to remember to turn on a light…it was Tyler’s favorite quote.
It was Wednesday, August 15th, when Seth finally crossed the cafeteria at Marshall County High and sat down across from Tyler Simpson. Tyler looked up from the chicken rings, mashed potatoes, and green beans that adorned his orange colored lunch tray and quirked an eye-brow at the ‘bad boy’ sitting across from him. “Don’t give me that look,” Seth started and narrowed his eyes at Tyler.
“You’ve not spoken to me since seventh grade. What do you want, Mitchell?” It was customary at Marshall County High to address a person that you have distaste for by their last name and not their first. “Help with your homework maybe?” Tyler said starkly. It was no secret Seth was failing his classes, because he hardly attended them.
“Well if that’s an offer, then, by all means, I’d love some help,” Seth said somewhat sarcastically, rolling his eyes. “No, I actually came to ask you about…something else,” but Seth’s voice awkwardly trailed off… he wasn’t sure where to start, how to ask what he wanted to ask… would Tyler cause a scene in front of the whole student body? Could he live with the ridicule he’d get over being gay? Although Seth didn’t really see anyone picking on Tyler for being gay…
“Well, what is it Mitchell?” Tyler once again quirked his brow, interested in what the young hooligan had to ask him. Interested—but didn’t necessarily care.
“Will you quit calling me Mitchell? Jeez. You have no reason to dislike me, as you said, we’ve not talked since seventh grade.” Seth pointed out and Tyler reluctantly agreed.
“Alright. Fine. Seth, what do you want to ask me?” Tyler finally put on his best game face, looking as if he really had a care what Seth wanted to ask him.
“I think I’m gay,” Seth mumbled rather blatantly. Of course Tyler’s eyes opened rather widely; he had no idea that’s what Seth would want to talk with him about. Part of Tyler believed him…but the other part, well…Tyler felt offended. What if this was Seth and his friends way of being a dick to him after all these years? Would they really stay silent about the gay-hate until senior year though? That part didn’t make a whole lot of sense to Tyler.
“I think you need to go away and leave me alone,” Tyler said rather flatly, causing Seth to open his eyes, too, rather widely. He wasn’t expecting the nice, quiet gay boy to respond in such a harsh tone. Little did Seth know, Tyler would prove to have several surprises of his own.
“Look, it’s a legitimate question… how do you know… if you’re gay…” Again, Seth’s voice trailed off. Tyler really did believe that he was being genuine, but he just…was so stunned that he couldn’t really answer properly. So Tyler stood up from his lunch table and looked down into Seth’s eyes, merely stating… “Google it,” before disappearing from the lunch room.
If this truly was a ploy from Seth and his friends to be a dick towards Tyler, he wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. He would cut the conversation short before it became anything that they could possibly use against him… Tyler hurried away from the cafeteria and soon found himself at his own locker. He exchanged his last period books for the books for his next class and hurried off, before Seth would have a chance to dare catch up with him.
♠ ♠ ♠
Word Count: 713