It's Gonna Be My Year

When we broke out of the kiss we just sat there and stared. I really hoped this wasn’t a dream. I pulled back and asked, “Jack Barakat, will you be my boyfriend?”
“Of course I will you dick head,” he said as he leaned down to kiss me again. Oh kissing Jack Barakat was bliss and I don’t think I would ever get tired of it. Then I thought oh my fucking god I’m kissing Jack Barakat and he’s my boyfriend. I could definitely get used to this.
THE NEXT DAY BEFORE SCHOOL
“So Jack, are we like, going to have, um. I mean are we, uh, going t-to be out?” I finished off my question as a whisper. I was quite scared of his answer. Obviously I didn’t care if people knew I was gay. I mean I could take anyone at this school if they gave me shit. I was just worried if Jack thought I’d be worth the sly comments and glares. Though you’d think people would be more accepting considering its 2002! It’s the 21st fucking century.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t we be?”
He grabbed my hand and we walked into the school, really not caring about who could see us.

We sat down at our usual table but Rian wasn’t there. This was a little unusual as he normally beat Jack and me because we were so slow. It took about 5 minutes but eventually he showed up, looking a little out of breath.
“Hey Rian, you ok?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Just had a little chat with those idiots,” he nodded his head at the jock table which was surprisingly empty. “So are you guys actually together?”
“Hell yeah!” I exclaimed, leaning in to kiss Jack on the cheek. He starting blushing, which, coupled with my hoodie I’d ‘accidently’ left at his house yesterday, made him look absolutely fucking adorable.
I was so lucky having Jack on my arm. I mean he was so sweet and considerate even after all the shit in his life. He was just kind and funny and I felt like he really cared for me. Not the mention his hotness level was through the roof, as well as his adorableness. I really liked this kid.
“Alexxx.”
I was soon aware that someone was saying my name and it was probably Jack. Jack whose eyes I’d probably been staring into for a while now whilst I was in my reverie. Now it was my turn to blush. I really needed to stop zoning out. Sometimes I just can’t help it. Blegh, the things you do to me Jack!
“So have you two lovebirds finished the French homework?”
“THERE’S FRENCH HOMEWORK?! I WILL SEE YOU LATER GUYS I GOTTA GO!” Jack shouted, panicked.
“Uh Rian, there was no French homework…”
“I know that, I just needed to get Jack out of here so I could talk to you.”
At this I sat back in my chair, crossing my arms in a defensive way but trying to look casual at the same time. I wiped my facial expression and asked, “What do you want to talk about?” I asked in a cold voice.
I wasn’t stupid. This was obviously about whatever Kyle and the rest of the Jocks had told him. I was very curious as to why he wanted to talk to me alone though. It had to be pretty serious, whatever it fucking was. Why the fuck couldn’t Kyle just stay out of my life?!
“I think Kyle is going to do something pretty horrible to Jack and you. He wants you to break up and asked my help in doing so. I basically said ‘hell no’ and then ran. He had already started explaining the ‘master plan,’ god he’s an idiot. And he’s a junior.”
“He is? I thought he was only a freshman, or maybe a sophomore. He obviously went through puberty late. Alright so what is this plan? And why did you send Jack away?”
“I didn’t know if you’d want Jack to know.”
“Of course I want him to know. Honesty is very important in a relationship.”
“Ok well his ‘plan’ is to make that slut, uh, Lisa? I think it’s Lisa. Well yeah, make her trap you and try and seduce you. Basically she’s going to kiss you and take a picture to send to Kyle. Meanwhile Kyle is going to find Jack and beat him up and then show him the pictures of you guys kissing,”
My lip curled in thought of kissing a person that wasn’t Jack, let alone a girl. What the fuck, that’s just eww.
“Ok, well that’s a dumb plan. You sure he’s a junior?”
“Yeah, our parents used to be friends. I used to have to go to his house a lot when I was younger.” Rian made a face at the thought. It honestly looked like he was sucking a lemon and trying to eat a chili at the same time. It was hilarious and I burst out laughing. I’d probably make that face too if I had to remember that.
“Ok let me call Jack and explain what’s going on.” I started to pull out my phone when I heard yells of ‘gay boy’ and ‘fag’. God these people were sooo unoriginal. They were definitely cramping my style. I turned around and saw a jock stand up and go to shove Jack. Jack who was standing in the middle of a circle of big jocks. I stood up and ran up to them pushing them out the way and caught Jack as he went past. They appeared to be pushing him around as some kind of ball.
He steadied himself and then I realised now I was also standing in the middle of the big circle of jocks. They were all at least half a foot bigger than I was and I was pretty tall for my age. These guys were obviously the seniors and by the way the three biggest started shrugging off their backpacks and handing them to their friends I knew I was in for a fight.
I quickly shouldered off my bag and handed it to Jack. He sent me an ‘are you fucking crazy?’ look and I whispered “It’s ok. I can fight off these guys, but when we start fighting I want you get out of here and get to the principal. Please?”
He looked uncertain but then nodded. The whole cafeteria was silent and I was wondering why a teacher hadn’t already come to investigate. I can imagine what it looked like though: a line of footballers, three of the biggest at the front facing a tiny freshman. Totally fair. ‘Oh fuck I hope Jack can run fast’ I thought to myself as they started to advance.
The biggest one in the middle got to me first and swung his fist at my face. And that would have hurt like a bitch if I hadn’t dodged. Ok I can’t fight back, don’t fight back. I couldn’t throw any punches because then I would get suspended. I realised Jack wasn’t behind me anymore and hoped he was doing what I asked.
The other two had gotten closer to me and I hadn’t really noticed. One swung another fist and I easily dodged that one too. These guys sucked at fighting, but there were three and I couldn’t deal any damage and it was only a matter of time before they hit me.
“Aw, does the little fairy boy not know how to fight?” one of them taunted.
“I’m not the one with the pink room,” I taunted back and apparently that hit a nerve. He swung faster and at the same time as another guy but I just managed to dodge. I became aware of the cafeteria chanting “fight” and was immediately repulsed. The behaviour of the human race was disgusting sometimes. I only learnt to fight because I had to and most of these idiots just liked to cause pain. It was sick.
“Look, even your fag of a boyfriend ran away because he knew you’d lose,” the leader of them said.
That angered me. No one called Jack a fag. And that was all the distraction they needed and I felt a fist come to my stomach, then another to my jaw. Fuck these stung. I’d had worse but still, I don’t enjoy being in pain. I was bent over a little reminding myself to not fight back when another hit came to my face. This one was much harder than the rest and might have even broken something.
I fell to my knees and a kick came to my stomach. ‘You can do this Alex. It’s for Jack. How will you protect him if you aren’t here? Don’t fight, you can take the pain. Just don’t fight,’ I said to myself.
Kicks were raining down on my ribs now so I pulled my knees to my stomach and put my face into them, covering my head with my arms. Now only my legs and arms were getting hit and while that hurt it couldn’t do any damage. They kicked quite hard a few more times and my arms starting loosening.
My legs were starting to stretch back out again and I tried to pull them back but I was already fighting off unconsciousness. Then I heard the most beautiful voice make an agonising sound. It was like a whimper and scream at the same time and I had enough strength to pull my arms back around my head and put my knees to my chest. Everything was fading out and I could hear someone screaming my name. It registered that I wasn’t getting hit anymore so I carefully untucked my arms and straightened out my body. I couldn’t hear very well and briefly wondered if they’d damaged my ears before realising that the pain was just blocking it out.
I could see the principal yelling at the three kids and I saw her pointing to me. Rian then walked up and showed her a video. I guessed it must have been the fight. I stretched out a bit more and I must have groaned because I heard that whimper/scream again. I saw Jack fighting against two teachers and he was screaming something. I came back to the world a little bit then because I could hear properly again. “Please, he’s my boyfriend, you have to let me through!”
He was crying as well and I didn’t like to see him in pain. I groggily sat up and almost blacked out again. It was like I could feel all the hits at once again. ‘Come on Alex, Jack’s in pain you have to help him.’
I then got to my knees, just looking at Jack and wondering why no one was attending to me. But then I realised that most of the teachers were shepherding students out of the cafeteria, until it was just me, Jack (and the 2 teachers holding him back), the jocks, the principal and Rian. I almost stood up but before then Jack broke free and came sprinting towards me.
“Oh Alex, baby, why didn’t you fight back? God you said you could take them. Lie down baby,” he said and he gently lowered me down to the ground. He was being so gentle with me. God he was beautiful, even after he’d just been crying. I lifted my arm to wipe his tears and pulled his head down for a kiss. And the pain seemed to go to the background.
All I felt and heard and saw and smelt and tasted was this beautiful boy I could call mine.