He Never Knew

School starts in about an hour and I'm still at home. I knew I was going to be late. Since I don't have a car, Zak has to drive me. Sometimes I think he purposely takes forever just to see me suffer.

For the fourth time that morning, I sighed heavily and yelled up the stairs. "Zak! Can you hurry up, please? We're going to be late."

"Shut up. You're lucky I'm taking you at all." He yelled right back.

I sighed to myself again. 'He has a point.'

Ten minutes later, a very late - and handsome - Zak comes walking down the stairs.

"Why do you look so spiffy?" I asked. He was wearing a purple dress shirt, grey tie, and black slacks. His brunette hair was combed and didn't look like its usual messy self. Nobody ever gets dressed up to go to our dumpy school. Unless it was picture day.

He looked at me like I was an idiot. Was today actually picture day or...?

"I have a basketball game today. When we have a game, we need to get dressed up and look fancy. I don't know why." He already looked annoyed at the fact that he had to explain himself. "Now come on, you said we were going to be late and you're the one who's taking forever."

What? He had a game today? Meaning he was on the school team?

"Since when are you on the basketball team? I thought you didn't get involved with any extracurricular activities." It's true. I always hear him talking about how he wants to "fly under the radar." I guess that all changed once he became a senior.

He snarled, "I've been on the team since the beginning of the school year. Now get your ass in the car or I'm leaving in 5... 4... 3..." He started counting as he walked out the door.

He wouldn't really leave me, right? Pfft, of course he would.

I grabbed my bag and scurried off after him.

~ At School ~

Now, I know I'm not the most popular or sociable person in the world, but I do have my own little group of friends. Unlike my family, most people are pretty accepting of homosexuals. So when I came out at school, not everyone hated me. But like I said, MOST people are accepting. Not everyone.

Like, for example, a majority of the students who don't like me and "my kind" are on the sports teams. And that's exactly the reason why I ended up sitting in a garbage can in the team locker room.

What a beautiful way to start the morning, huh?

I was trying my best to get out. I wiggled this way and that, becoming winded after a while. I really need to start working out... My hips are too fat! That's why I can't get out of here. Are guys supposed to have fat hips? I don't even know.

The locker room door opened and I saw the redhead who I had been looking for.

"Devon!! Help me out, they shoved me in here again." I breathlessly shouted at him. This wasn't the first time an incident like this has happened. To me, it occurs on a daily basis. I guess it's because I'm an easy target and don't fight back. I know if I fight back, I'll just get hurt even more. Better to be stuck in a garbage can than all bloody, you know?

Devon's green eyes grew three times larger and he rushed to my side to help lift me. After a little maneuvering, he finally managed to get me out.

"Are you okay, dude?" He asked me, trying his best not to laugh. Did he think I couldn't see his quivering lip?

I glared at him. "Ha ha, very funny." I then smiled and laughed lightly. "And yes, I'm fine. Thanks."

His good mood then seemed to sour. He looked to the floor and then slowly back up to me.

"You may not be for long." My smile faded just as quickly as his did.