It's Gonna Be My Year

Beep. Beep. Beep. Ugh, it's the first day of high school, and I really wasn't looking forward to it. I rolled onto my side and stared at some of the posters in my room, trying to find the motivation to get up and get ready. Well, I looked at the posters and the boxes. I slowly got up and stretched my arms, making the covers fall down to my lap. I looked around my room once again, trying to take it all in. The walls were a light blue that you could barely see because of all my posters. I had a black bed frame, with a white mattress and white sheets. My old guitar sat in the corner, looking pristine, like always.

I hope my new school is going to be nicer than my old one. I lost all my friends because I told them I-

"Alex! Are you up yet?" my mother yelled up the stairs, interrupting my train of thought.

"Yes Mom!" I returned, frustrated. I don't understand her need to remind me of things I've been doing for years, I was 15 for fuck's sake. Well, I guess there was the few times I had forgotten... but they were last year and I was just a little kid back then. I stood up and pulled on my black skinny jeans and my favourite Blink 182 shirt. It was around 90° today, so I didn't bother with anything else. I went to the bathroom and straightened and styled my hair, trying to look my best for any hot guys at this school. And there is the key as to why my friends ditched me and helped the bullies. I was gay. I just hope this school isn't as discriminatory as my last one, because I wasn't going to lie about being gay anymore. My Mom is completely fine with it and so am I. Anyone who wasn't could go fuck themselves with a sharp stick for all I would care.

After checking my hair once more in the mirror, and making sure the straighteners were off, I went downstairs in the search of food. My Mom was in the kitchen making pancakes. This was a pretty rare thing and I think the only reason she did was because she felt guilty about moving. She didn't know about the bullying though. I was glad we moved, I was getting really upset at my old school and there was nothing left there for me. Baltimore was my new home and I had a good feeling about this year. I took some of the pancakes mum had started laying out on a plate and started eating them quickly, as I was really hungry. When I finished my mother looked at me with an amused expression and said "You would think we don't feed you, honey."

"I'm just a little hungry," I softy laughed.

"Well are you almost done? Because you need to get to school."

"Yep that's it. I just need to grab my shoes," I said whilst walking out of the room. I quickly put my shoes on grabbed my bag and ran out the front door to get into the car.

When we got to the front of the school, I started shaking, feeling the oncoming signs of a panic attack. I looked at my mom and she saw what was happening so she took the back of my hand stroked it softly, trying to calm me down. All I could think was 'What if no-one likes me?', 'They will bully me again'. I don't want to get bullied again, but even less than that I don't want to hide who I am. My mom started telling me to take deep breaths and to calm down a little. I took a breath and started to try and think more rationally and optimistically.

"You will be fine, honey. You're going to make lots of new friends and your teachers will be nice. You're going to be just fine. Ok, baby?" She said softly, trying not to scare me anymore than I already was.

I slowly nodded, and started to believe her words. She was right, I could do this.

"Do you want me to come with you?" She asked.

"No, mum. I'm gonna be fine."

I got out of the car and started walking towards the building, looking for signs that said 'Office'.

I found one and quickly walked the way it pointed, not wanting to be late on my first day. I found it and walked in, greeted by a blast of cool air. I walked towards the main desk and waited for the lady to look up at me.

"What do you need young man? I'm busy," she said crankily. I had to bike back a retort as I could see that all she was doing on her computer was playing some game.

"Uh, I'm new. My name is Alex Gaskarth." She just handed me a pile and papers and made a shooing motion with her hand. Grumpy bitch. I walked out of the office and looked at the pile of papers she had given me. One was my locker number and combination and the other two were my timetable and a map. I headed towards my locker as my bag was starting to feel very heavy. On the way I read my timetable to see what I had today; Music, English, Maths and French. What a boring Tuesday. At least I had music, which was my favourite class. I used to be in a band with my 'friends' until they ditched me. Their loss. I made my way to homeroom and when I walked in I saw the hottest guy that had ever lived. I was sure I was standing there with my eyes bugging out of my head and my mouth wide open, but I couldn't help it. He was fucking gorgeous.

He had black hair with a blond streak down one side of it, and it was spiked up in a sexy, Mohawk type thing. My eyes travelled down and I saw nicely tanned skin and deep chocolate brown eyes. He had a nose a little too big for his face, but that made him more perfect in my eyes. He wore similar clothes to me; black skinnies and a New Found Glory shirt. He was tall, probably close to 6ft and then he turned towards and smiled. He smiled! At me! Oh my, his smile was so fucking perfect.

I quickly realised I was staring and looked away. I walked up to the teacher, trying to ignore his stare on my back, and told her I was new. She said "How about you go sit next to Rian? Rian raise your hand."

This short looking kid at the back put a hand up and I quickly walked to the back of the room, trying to ignore the hot guys stare. I took a glance over my shoulder and sighed. He was probably straight anyway, he was talking to some blond bimbo now. I felt relieved and disappointed that he wasn't looking at me anymore. I reached the back of the room and sat next to Rian. I said "Hi, my name is Alex"

"My name is Rian, but I guess you already figured that out. Can I look at your timetable please?" I handed it over and it turns out we had French and Music together. I was glad I had some classes with someone I knew, even if I didn't know them exactly. Rian and I talked for a little while until the bell went, turns out he is a pretty cool guy. He said he played drums and had a friend who played bass. He then started pointing people out in the class and telling me their life stories. Apparently they hadn't had a new kid for years, and everyone had known everyone since kindergarten. Before he got to the hot guy at the front of the room the bell went and we had to leave for Music.

When we got to Music I looked around and spotted the hot guy playing 'All the Small Things' on guitar, and he was really good. I asked Rian who he was and Rian just got a sad look on his face. "Oh that's Jack Barakat. He gets bullied quite a lot and only lives with his mum. No one really knows who he is because he doesn't have any friends. We've talked a few times, but just about our favourite bands. Everyone knows he's a legend at guitar though."

"Why is he bullied?" I asked curiously. He looked like a really cool guy.

"Because he is gay. Well bisexual," Rian said sadly.

"What's wrong with being gay?" I asked defensively.

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong with it. Most of the school is ok with it it's just the football team who really give him issues."

"Good. Sorry I just really hate homophobes," I said quietly.

"Nah it's cool. I know where you're coming from."

The bell rang and everyone collected their stuff to leave. Rian gave me directions to find my maths class and I started walking. On the way I saw some kid being knocked to the ground by someone, and he appeared to get knocked out. I ran over to help. That was one the main reasons I was originally bullied at my old school, because I would help the other kids being bullied. I knew I could take it, but some people can't and resort to drastic measures. Measures I knew all to well. I didn't want that to happen if I could help it.

When I got close enough I yelled "Hey! What are you doing?! Leave them alone!" whoever was about to kick the kid looked up and smirked at me.

"And why should I?" he said cockily, like he thought I was just going to run scared. I looked down and saw it was a boy.

"Because it's not his fault your girlfriend won't sleep with you because you're ugly," I smirked back. This was one of the guys Rian had told me about. Rumour has it that his girlfriend wouldn't put out because she didn't like his body. I can definitely see where she's coming from. God was not kind to this motherfucker.

"Who do you think you are?" he yelled, angrily, his arm getting ready to throw a punch.

"No-one that would want to ever associate with the likes of you," I said haughtily as I looked him up and down slowly so he would get what I was saying. He sputtered a little bit and started going red. He was already about 6ft tall which was a couple of inches taller than me but I wasn't worried. You could tell this child had never been in a real fight with someone who could actually fight back. All he does is bully.

"Why did you look at me like that? Are you a fag like him too?" he nodded his head towards the boy he had knocked out. I quickly glanced down and realised it was Jack. Oh, I didn't think Rian meant he got bullied physically.

"Why don't you ask your dad? He was the one I was fucking last night." He started to turn purple and tried to swing at my face. He missed and I swung back, hitting his jaw. While he was stunned I kneed him in the groin and pushed him to the ground, kneeling on his back. I leant over to whisper in his ear as I put as much pressure on his back as I could "Get up and go away or I will show you what a real beating feels like."

I got up and he scrambled away, glaring at me over his shoulder. I ran towards Jack and turned him onto his back. He had a split lip but still looked as beautiful as ever. He blinked up at me and said "Why did you do that?"

"What do you mean?" I said, confused. Did he mean why did I get in a fight? It was no big deal as I had been suspended numerous times for fighting bullies.

"Why did you help me? No-one has ever helped me before..." He trailed off, blinking slowly as his eyes went out of focus.

"Of course I helped you. You deserve to be helped."

"But you don't even know me," he said, genuinely confused as to why I would help him.

"I know you well enough to know you're worth saving," I smiled down at him. "Look, Jack I think you've got a concussion, we need to get to the nurse. Where is she? I'm kinda new. My name is Alex by the way."

Jack gave me a small smile that I almost fainted over. He looked so perfect. "Thankyou, you're like my knight in band-tees."

"Does that mean you're my damsel in distress?" I said cheekily.

He suddenly got angry and stood up, almost falling over in the process. "Is that a crack at me being bi?! Damn it! I knew it was too good to be true. No-one can be that nice! Why do I always fall for shit like this?"

"Of course it wasn't! I'm gay!" I said panicked, as I thought he was going to try run away.

"You are?" he looked wary. "You're not joking?"

"No I'm not joking. I'm 100% gay. Gay, gay, gay." And I happen to find you the hottest person I've ever seen. EVER.

"Oh ok then. That's good. I've gotta go to class," he said, starting to walk off.

"Nooooo way, mister. You're going to a nurse. Tell me where it is."

Jack gave me the directions and I helped him walk there. He was quiet and seemed to be in deep thought. We made it and he collapsed on a bed inside. I was just about to leave when he said "Welcome to Dulaney High."