Party Poison

Gerard’s P.O.V.

I walk out of the bathroom about ten minutes after the final bell has rung. I had been hiding in there ever since lunch; there was no way in hell I was going to attend class with the most likely broken nose that Ray gave me with the toe of his boot when I tried to pick up my dropped tray. It wouldn’t even stop bleeding until the second period after lunch.

Cautiously I look down the hallway; no one on the left; no one on the right. I then slip out and walk quickly towards the exit, hoping that Mr. Kepler had already left for the day. I found out the hard way that he hadn’t.

“Gerard,” he said from his doorway.

I turn around, cringing when I see the anger on his face. “Yes, sir?”

“Come here,” Mr. Kepler said, beckoning for me to follow him into his room.

Eager to not get in any more trouble, I quickly obey, but immediately regret my obedience when he closed the door and stood in front of it. That was the only exit.

“Now, Gerard,” he says as a disgusting smirk creeps onto his face. “I saw the way you were looking at that boy, Frank, this morning. You know we don’t tolerate homosexuals at this school, right?” He asks, smirk growing into a full-blown, psychotic grin as he advances towards me.

“I-I-I-,” I stammer out before he cuts me off.

“But you know,” he says as he finally reaches me. “I’ll keep it between us if you just let me do one little thing…”

Frank’s P.O.V.

I walk home after my first day of school, head down and hood up, hoping that Ray and his gang don’t come looking for a round two. I could barely see out of my right eye after they cornered me at lunch.

Quickly I hop up the steps to the door of our shabby new house, produce the keys from my pocket, and speedily open and shut the door to keep the cold September air from getting into my house. I drop my bag by the door and head for the fridge, tearing off the sticky note my mom left for me.

“Sorry Frankie, I have a double shift and won’t be home until late. Frozen meal in the freezer- you know what to do. –Mom”
‘Great,’ I think to myself, ‘First day at her new job, and she’s already working a double shift.’ Things really hadn’t changed like we hoped they would…