Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2000 09:21:10 -0800 (PST)
From: Juan Dela UB <ubq2s@yahoo.com>
Subject: The Journal (Rob) part 1

Hey guys! I've just finished with our finals a few weeks back and
I've finally finished a sequel to Chris' story. I do hope it's as good
as the first.: ) neway, A massive THANK YOU to all those who responded
in with their comments and wonderful encouragement. Also, I owe a debt
of gratitude to Kyle for proof reading and editing it for me. (THANKS
MAN!)

	Neway, I'm hoping you don't need to read the first story to catch
up with this one but I could be very wrong (I ain't making any sense)
Anyway, thing is, if you feel as if you've missed something or you
can't understand something yadda yadda yadda check the first story out.
This is a continuation on the timeline of that story.

	So that's it. I hope you enjoy this. And also, any comments or
rants or whatever can be sent in though my email ubq2s@yahoo.com


The Journal (Rob) - part 1


10:30 AM Thurs, Rob

	"Bless you" I say to my seatmate as he sneezes yet again, I look
back at my paper, scribbling down my answers. Sigh, I think everyone
else in my class caught my cold.

	I've been pretty sick for the past couple of days. I came down
with a runny nose last Friday and it just got worse over the weekend.
If there's any good side to this, at least I was able to take the
succeeding 3 school days off after the weekend due to the cold.

	Unfortunately I really had to go back to school today. I had a
test I would NOT like to make up for. It was World History, and all the
make up tests (thanks to the school's particularly sadistic history
teachers) were at least twice as hard (talk about unfair) so I've opted
to take my chances and just show up for the test which was right before
my lunch period.

	Now here I am in the middle of a stuffy room with my nose
dripping runny snot for all it's worth. Pleeasee God don't let anyone
see that... Pleeeasee!

	I grab my tissue from my black backpack as quickly as I could and
I promptly blow my nose.

-
	The table seems empty with only Kim there looking deep deeply
into her... espresso? no.. wait.. vanilla milk shake.

	"Hey" I tried to say but it came out kinda bogged down.

	"What'd you say?" she said.

	"I said... oh forget it...-sniff-"

	"Boy your cold really is bad."

	"I know"

	"What'd you say?"

	At that moment I knew it was pointless. I threw my hands up and I
just sat across from her seat. I picked up the small scrapbook beside
the tall glass with the milky frozen delight and I spread it open in
front of me.

	"Oh you had the pictures developed?"

	"What?" she said.. clearly not communicating well with me...

	"-sniff- Ahem.." I cleared my throat to make sure she'd hear me
out. "I said, when did you have these developed?"

	"Ohh... I picked them up yesterday when I was at the mall with
Karen."

	"Your girlfriend?" I spoke out miraculously clear.

	"Same one" She smiled back. She's been complaining for the
longest time about not having her girlfriend around enough. She's not
exactly from around here, something like a car's drive away, across the
city, to St. Thomas - the only private all girls' school in the
district. Pretty too as I've seen in the picture Kim showed us a week
or two before.

	As I was flipping though OUR pictures I couldn't help but smile.
The whole lot went out a month back to an amusement park north of the
city proper. We had lots of fun and I can't seem to get my mind away
from that afternoon. I really wish we'd get more chances of going out
as a complete group.

	I feel so great being with these people. As if I can just be
myself. I don't have to constantly hide from my mom nor from my friends
nor from the people who pass me by everyday. I can find refuge in
knowing that each and everyone of the guys know what I'm dealing with;
the troubles and the joys, the highs and the lows.

	Even though you could really say I'm a senior member of the
clique (that makes me sound so old) I still can't reconcile this
thought knowing that deep down inside, I'm still as young and naive as
I was four years ago.

	I can still recall how I felt back then. It was the beginning of
my freshman year and I just couldn't wait to start. I had everything
going for me: popularity, lots of friends and a cute boyfriend.

	You heard me right. I'm what they'd call an early starter. I
discovered my sexuality way back in grade school and I wasted no time
in finding myself a guy.

	His name was Jason. He was the epitome of the perfect 'trophy'
boyfriend. A top-notch jock, he was the only freshman invited to the
basketball varsity try-outs.

	It was fun at first. We shared everything: our notes, our
friends, our time and our beds.(do the math, kid) But sometime during
the early part of my sophomore year he somehow changed. I can't put my
finger on it exactly but it just happened. There's no describing it.

	Things we used to do together began to happen less and less.
Between the increasingly sparse reoccurrences of our intimate contact,
other activities wedged in on our time. We began to see less and less
of each other until every single second of his after school hours he
spent with his jock friends.

	I know this sounds really biased and resentful and perhaps a bit
paranoid, but I guess it's me trying to look back at what I missed,
where I didn't quite meet the notch in boyfriend maintenance.

	I was naive and I didn't think anything could rock my
relationship or my perfect world, let alone both. I didn't notice that
we didn't even talk for a whole week, nor that we didn't have a single
date in a two months, when before we couldn't even stand not talking to
each other every night and not going out together at least once a week.

	It was like he was drifting further and further away from me and
I didn't even notice.

	I loathed myself for not seeing what should have been the
obvious. Kyle and Mitch warned me about this but I didn't listen to
them at all.

	Looking back I really hate myself for letting that happen, not
really for loosing Jason but more of being left bitter and closed after
he left me. I'm quite sure plenty of opportunities presented themselves
after Jason but I was too absorbed in guarding my heart from hurt to
see them.

	"Hey... I didn't know you took a picture of this." I beamed
smiling ear to ear.

	"You didn't notice? Hehehe you must have been too drowsy."

	I took a second look at the panoramic photo. Saying it was a
pretty picture would be one big fat lie. We went to the amusement park
thinking it was closing at midnight just to find out that the park only
operated till 7:00 pm on weekdays.

	Since our ride home (Alec's van) had the instructions to pick us
up at 11:00 pm, we waited the whole three hours in front of the park.
God that was awful!

	It was dark and chilly and we were all huddled up together like
hobos in the empty parking lot. Half of us were drowsy (me included)
and the other half, were busying themselves by talking and pestering
the sleepy ones. And that was how Kim's picture was taken: all of us
huddled together sharing the last few bottles of water we had waiting
for the damn van to come pick us up. We all bunked that night at Chris'
house and luckily his was on the larger side because we all made lots
of racket that night... er.. morning. We all got around to sleeping
past 5 am, all thoroughly exhausted, all thoroughly elated.


11:30 AM Thurs, Kim

	The bell goes off signaling my next class... nah, it can wait.
I've missed Rob.

	"So what's your next class?" I ask him

	"I'm not going anywhere, I just came here for the test remember?"

	"Well you're might as well- "

	"Hey you have the pictures done!" I hear Alec scream behind me,
followed closely by that equally irritating bastard Rich. Trailing far
behind them were Leo and Ken, and just about rounding the bend is...
Yup.. I think it's Mark, sigh, the guy looks like a pin up poster in
3D, and by the way he was looking at Alec's reaction to seeing the
scrapbook and the negatives (which was diving into the mess of bags and
books and stuff on the table in typical Alec-ish fashion) he'd never
fool anyone into thinking they were actually dating. He needs brushing
up on his acting skills.

	Totally engrossed with the new photos I greet the rest of them
and so does Rob.

	"Hey man! How are you? You feeling better?" Mark throws in amidst
the clamoring of the other people now sitting around the much-abused
table.

	"Yeah, I guess so, although I still have a slight cold I'm
better. I'm going home early today though. Talking full advantage of my
uhm, health" he giggles.

	The rest of the guys laugh along with him.

	"Aw, you won't be going with Chris and us tonight?" said Alec.

	"Nope, sorry guys."

	Rob is like a father figure to the rest of the clique. He's the
only one left of the 3 original members. Kyle moved to another city and
Mitch graduated last year. So that left Rob to, well.. look after all
of us I guess.

	Not that he's the wrong person for the job; in fact he's taken
the unspoken job well to heart. It's just that it doesn't seem healthy.
I don't know why but he always shied away from romance and
relationships. It's like he devoted his entire self to us, his friends,
instead of being with someone. I'm not sure why exactly but it's just
wrong. He's missing so much.

	I give him one last smile as I pick up my fluffy pink pouch and
head on to my next class 10 minutes late or so.


11:45 AM Thurs, Mark

	"Seriously Mark, what's happened over the week huh?" Rob says
slightly muffled by his cold.

	"Nothing!" I retorted defensively, which was immediately followed
by jeers from the rest of the guys, ring lead by Alec.

	"That's not what I heard" said Rob.

	"And from whom?" ... Alec. Sheesh. I just had to ask! Seeing the
guilty grin on her face made me need no further confirmation. After a
long pause I glared at Alec and told Rob that he probably knew whatever
there was to know already by now.

	"Well... It's different hearing it from you, so anyway who is he?
And by the looks of it we have a new inductee into the group right?"

	Oh shit.


11:47 AM Thurs, Patrick

	I'm panting again.. God! I've got such a rush! I kissed Mark! I
kissed Mark! Mark kissed me back! YESSS!!! I could repeat that mantra
over and over (as if I didn't already) and I still wouldn't get tired
of it.

	I withstood all the taunting and the teasing the whole morning
through. I was a rock. Nothing could bring me down from this high. My
spirit was so full it could burst from all the elation I had inside. I
couldn't believe it; I was looking forward to go to school this
morning, even chirpily eating the dumpy cereal I had for breakfast.

	I would have never believed before today that I could possibly
live after being outed in front of the school like that. I would have
thought that I'd force my mom at gunpoint to move to another city or
something.

	But today was wonderful, splendid, and marvelous. Actually I'm
running out of adjectives to describe how I feel about today. I'm on
top of the world. If I had to bear being humiliated in front of the
entire populace of the cafeteria like that all over again to get the
chance of feeling this emotion, I'd gladly do it a thousand times over.

	For the first time in my life I had a .. uhm.. something. A
something with a boy! A popular boy! A popular Jock boy! A cute popular
jock boy. A cute popular jock boys with ... with ...

	With the in-group at school.

	Deja vu

	It was yesterday all over again.

	They were all huddled around their table whispering amongst
themselves. Damn. Mark was sitting in the center of the huddle with his
arm around this senior I didn't recognize. He wasn't there yesterday
though.

	I was afraid, of course I'd be, my world as I know it could come
crashing down again.

	Popularity does not mix well with my kind. I was standing there
at the door to the caf practically shitting bricks, when some guy
shoved me from behind with a snide fag remark being mumbled.

	I nearly lost my balance and I almost fell but luckily I caught
the wall before I toppled over. I needed time to think. I can't just
barge in on them. God what if they make fun of me, what if they
humiliate me all over again? What if Mark tells me everything he told
me yesterday wasn't true, what if he was just leading me on to play a
prank on me, what if...

	My 'rock'-like self-confidence suddenly melted away into a soggy
mush of questioning and paranoia.

	Everything that seemed to be in place and in order this morning
was back to total chaos. I didn't know anything anymore again. My knees
felt weak. "I have to get out of here" I whisper. Pathetic.. now I'm
talking to myself.

	No. No, no... no. I'm over reacting. I'll talk to Mark and
everything will be okay. He's already told me that the others
apologized, that means they really want to be sorry, I mean, they want
me to be sorry er, they want, they wanted to say they're sorry - to me;
they're sorry for what they did - to me. Right. Okay. Breathe.

	God why is this so hard?

	I gathered my splattered wits and I trudged into the void.

-

	I entered the large room, filled with students, and I slowly let
my eyes roam around not particularly staying on one visual point for
any long length of time. Some of them looked back at me. A few of those
who did, did so with clear-cut contempt, some surprisingly with
unspoken sympathy. In any case, I honestly dreaded coming near Mark's
table. The intimidation radiating from their group was somehow too much
to bear. Fighting the urge to run I spoke up.

	"Hi"


11:47 AM Thurs, Mark

	"Oh shit"

	"What do you mean 'oh shit'?" said Leo, interrupted by the sudden
arrival of Chris, Mike, James and Tina.

	"Did we miss anything?" Mike spoke up for the group of four.

	"Not yet.. this sounds interesting... Weelllll??" Rich intoned.

	"uhm.. It's nothing"

	"No it's not!" A couple of them countered.

	"It's just about Patrick" I blurted out promptly trailed with
Rich's & Ken's always inappropriate hoot.

	"So the name's Patrick?" Grinned Rob.

	"Don't flatter yourself, knowing how good Alec is at keeping a
juicy piece of gossip to herself you already probably know every
detail. There's not much to tell."

	"Except?" Chris said visibly getting irritated at my stalling.

	"What?" said Alec.

	"No.. It's not that. I told him you guys apologized, but I ..
uhm.. never mind"

	Rich was suddenly visibly quiet and contemplative standing out
because of his silence. He had this look on his face... like he was
going to bite someone's head off. Following his line of sight, my eyes
stopped dead when I saw what he was glaring at.

	Patrick.

	I guess the others didn't see. I hope he doesn't have any
resentment towards Patrick. I'll just have to talk to him later.

	"Hi"

	I looked up and above me I saw Patrick against the backdrop of
sunlight pouring out from behind him though the clear floor to ceiling
windows of the communal space.

	"Hey Patrick... uhm.. I " I stammered " I guess you've already
met most of the guys : Chris, Leo, Rich.." I said as I introduced each
of the guys in order. ".. and she's Alec" I ended up pointing to the
bouncy girl at the end of the group.



11:52 AM Thurs, Patrick

	"... And she's Alec."

	Alec?

	Yup, talk about Deja Vu.

	My knees felt weak all over again as I crumbled inside. How can I
be so stupid as to overlook the fact that the guy had a fuckin'
girlfriend? My anger and resentment, growing by the second, boiled
inside of me.

	"I.. " was all I could get out before the waterworks went full
blast. I was crying right in front of them with utter humiliation when
Tina came around me and held me in her arms.

	"It's okay" she cooed. "Let it out, you're with people who
understand you now."

	"Yeah, don't worry about a thing, we'll look out for you"
imparted James from my left.

	One after another, more of these sentiments came down on me each
coming from a certain person in the group. Everyone was treating me
like a long lost brother or something, save Mark (who was looking at
his lap while beginning to blush) and Rich. (who seemed to have
something on his mind at the time)

	hmm...

	This is getting confusing. I came across as this total idiot
looking left and right with this statement on my face reading an
intellectual 'huh?' whilst in tears. I was suddenly amongst Mark's
friends who, all of a sudden, were treating me like one of their own,
hugging and comforting me while seating me next to Chris and the
senior.

	It was weird to say the least. I had my face contorted in
uncertainty while they were all looking at me as if waiting for me to
speak up. Turning to Mark I pleaded with him to get me out of this
situation. My emotionally distraught brain has had enough and I
couldn't think for myself any further.

	"Uh... hey, uhm, guys.. this is what I was kinda trying to say...
He doesn't quite know about, uh, US yet." he said heavily intoning the
'us' in his statement.

	"Oh.., "Ahhh, okaaay" followed by giggles and a few snickers rung
through the clique. Shit, what did I do this time?

	Looking across the table, I see Mark blushing beet red, while
hanging his head lower than ever. Did I miss anything? Did I grow
another arm or something??? WHAT??

	A chair screeches as Mike leaves his seat and goes around the
table to stand side by side with me. He then puts his arm around me and
lifts me up onto my feet. Ignoring some of the foreboding stares from
the other tables across the room, he leans onto my shoulder and
whispers quietly in my ear.

	"Dya want ta know a secret?" He begins with a mischievous tone.
He points over to Mark with his free hand and asked "Dya know that
guy?"

	I nodded slightly in response to his question.

	"Well, guess what, he's gay."

	Gay?

	"And that girl over there?" He continues while pointing to Alec
this time.

	Gay? How can he be.. he's not..? How about...?

	"She's gay too."

	Huh?

	"And so is that guy, and him, and.. "

	They were all cracking up whilst I was loosing my head. They were
actually finding it funny?!? It was going a bit too fast and I felt as
if any moment soon I'd collapse into a big heap on the floor. Though if
Mike weren't propping me up from the back like he was, I'd probably
have.

	Dropping me from his vice-like grip, he deposited me back between
Chris and the senior. (who by then from Chris' whispers I knew to be
Rob) I sit and stare in awe of the recent revelation. Everybody from
the table was looking at me knowingly, as if they could see right
through my soul.

	Oh god.

	I can deal with this.

	I can deal with this.

	I can deal with this.


12:08 PM Thurs, Tina

	Patrick looks as If he'll need some major perspective reworking,
such a cute boy. He has this look of innocence which is just so uhm,
appealing?

	He's lucky he's with us though. I know just how badly the other
people here at Wesley can treat gay teens. Hopefully we'll be able to
shield him from the pain these people can inflict on him. Besides, it's
our fault he was outed in the first place. It's the least we could do.


12:28 PM Thurs, Mark

	"Hey, who has a double break today?" I asked not referring to
anyone in particular.

	A chorus of negative answers came back. "Sheesh, you mean I've
gotta spend the next full hour all by myself?"

	"Having lots of free time does have its bad points Mark" said
Alec winking at me.

	Over the past 20 minutes the gang hung out like normal teenagers
do - quite a feat if you consider the composition of the 'gang'. More
often than not, orientation isn't really the best justification to bond
with a group.

	You just don't see a group of girls everyday whose sole reason
for being together is the fact that they're all girls. Usually, people
have the same interests or the same aspirations or some other cause of
unity.

	That could be the clique's greatest weakness. Disagreements often
develop and shallow quarrels are common as well. But perhaps, in some
way, it's healthy for us.

	Even with all our disputes, we never fail to make the external
impression that as a posse we're as solid as can be. And when it really
comes to trying times, we're always there for each other. It's just the
petty things we fight over like cats and dogs.

	Patrick's tried his best to fit into the eclectic group. Although
everyone was warm and accepting and docile this time around, he still
gave it all he had trying his best to make up for what I'd guess he
felt to be his earlier short-comings. Boy will he be in for a shock
when things go back to the chaotic norm.

	With the bell finally ringing, it seems as if he's found a niche
with Leo and Chris. And as the sophomores began to leave all together,
I called out again as to who didn't have any classes the succeeding
period and who could stay with me the extra hour.

	"I'll keep you company, don't worry" Rob whispered.

	The guys left for their respective classes, patting me on the
back or giving low fives as they went their way.

	"It's been some time since I've had the chance to be alone with
you" he glowed warmly. I've known Rob for quite a while. Ever since my
freshman year, I've known the guy mostly because ... well of envy.

	I hated him for being with Jason and clinging to him like a
shadow. Back then I was heavily infatuated with Jason: totally popular
and totally a jock. He was the embodiment of everything I wanted.

	I cursed Rob secretly because of some outrageous assumptions I
had. I somehow believed that they were together and that he was the
reason I couldn't muster up the confidence to talk to Jason and get to
know him. I blamed him for causing Jason not to notice me. I blamed him
for keeping us apart.

	When I first tried out for the basketball team, I looked up at
Jason. But whenever I could dream up a perfect image of my sophomore
stud, he'd come and ruin the picture.

	It's funny actually because no matter how hard I tried to
convince myself that they were lovers or something, I knew deep down
inside that I was fooling myself. It totally blew me to find out, years
later, that those childishly jealous assumptions were actually true.

	Anyway, a month or two after failing the squad (which I blamed on
Rob once again thinking he hated me because I was going to steal his
boyfriend away from him.. yes, I was pitiful) the first time around, I
just noticed that the two started hanging out less and less with each
other. It was like all my bad intentions for Rob had finally come true
in a perplexed weird manner.

I know about everything between them now. The day Kyle first
invited me to the clique I met all the members and I was totally
floored to see him here.(damn) We talked a while and eventually, I
guess we clicked and we ended up as close friends.

	Honestly, Rob has looks. I wouldn't have gotten that jealous had
Rob looked less appealing than he actually did. Standing slightly more
than six feet, he wasn't exactly small. He has blondish-brown hair
which he used to wear parted back when I first met him, now he's let it
grow a bit, almost reaching his shoulders, perhaps in a month or two it
will. His hair is constantly unruly these days. I'd say he's going for
the uhm... rugged Hanson look? I've been teasing him about looking like
those freaky Hanson guys since he started letting his hair grow and as
much as he implies his irritation to me, he doesn't really do much
about it. Hmmm... must be a closeted fan.. hehehe.

	He's not really built to be bulky like Mike is, more of thin and
lean, if there is such a way to describe someone. Always with a
youthful glow, an air of sensibility and radiant face, he appealed to a
lot of girls.

	His cheer and exuberance set in a slightly mature, responsible
and affectionate light is what constitutes the beauty in this guy. If
we weren't good friends, I'd have developed a crush on him years ago
myself. Perhaps that's what made Jason fall for him in the first place.

	"So how is he?" Rob breaks my dreamy recollection.

	"What? he who?"

	"Jason"

	"Oh." I always forget that whenever we're alone, this topic
always comes up. Rob never did get the chance of breaking up with
Jason. It was Jason who broke up with him.

	Jason left the poor guy hanging and as Jason apparently moved on,
Rob never fell out of love for the guy. Till today he just continues
spewing forth his unnoticed affection as if he's utterly addicted to
the pain and suffering the guy's apathy gives him.

	"I've told you to forget about him, he doesn't deserve you." I
say barely above the sound of a whisper. I sigh as I give in to his
pleading green eyes. "He's still fine, he's still the captain of the
team, he's still the best basket player I know of, not to mention that
he's still the best PLAYER I know of, and.." "he has a new girlfriend.
Again." I blurt out towards the end.

	His face fell a few watts of his normally luminous norm. The
sudden news compounded with his cold, although not enough to totally
knock out the intense brightness in him, was significantly enough to
dim him down.

	"Oh"

	"Hey, man" I say as I put my arm around his shoulder leaning in
closer to him "Don't think about the guy. He's not worthy of your
love." I say giggling. "Seriously, look, he's not worth it. Put your
attention elsewhere, find someone else. Lots of guys have hit on you
and you just don't notice them. You're wasting away because you still
can't get over the guy leaving you, what? three years ago? He's an ass,
he's an idiot, and he's totally stupid for doing that to a great guy
like you. What else can I say?"

	Apparently all my babbling had little effect on him. No matter
how hard I try I can't take away that downtrodden look plastered on his
face.

-

	We spent the next hour in total silence. I got tired of all the
crap coming from him and I looked back at him. "Tell you what. I've had
just about enough of your moping. You talk to him right now, today, and
afterwards, either get back with him or forget about him."

	"Excuse me?"

	"Yeah, come on! Don't tell me you're scared?"

	"Why would I be scared?"

	"Then lets go."

	"Right now?"

	"That's what I said wasn't it?"

	"But, I, I can't go-"

	I didn't give him the chance to back out. I hauled him all the
way to the empty gym and we stepped into the locker rooms. Funny how
quiet these rooms can get when no one is around.

	We sat there like two goofy imbeciles waiting for nothing, when
the bell rang signaling the beginning of varsity practice.

	"I still don't think it's-" said Rob when a sudden deluge of
juniors and seniors filed into the cramped locker area. I stood up,
leaving Rob on the bench while I high fived most of the guys. When
Jason came in, I picked Rob up and I called out for Jason.

	Jason looked at me, giving me a pat on the arm while over the
commotion I said something like someone wanted a word with him.

	"Sure" he answered and I pulled Rob with my other hand through
the human heap of stripping males. Seeing who I had in tow immediately
darkened the look on Jason's face. Boy did these two have issues.
Finally pulling Rob free, I just left them there to sort out whatever
they had to.


1:35 PM Thurs, Rob

	Shit! Mark is sooo dead. I am going to personally murder that
prick later. With my bare hands if needed so.

	"It's been a while Rob."

	"Of course it has"


1:35 PM Thurs, Leo

	I'm bored. I've been sitting here stagnating myself for the past
hour. Sigh, sometimes I envy the way Chris can just sleep though his
classes so easily. Me on the other hand? try as I might, I can't seem
to doze off today.

	The history teacher drones on and on with half the class tuning
her out. Sigh, the class just started and I'm already like this. I
wonder what Chris is doing right now?

	I'm seated behind Patrick in History. Hmmm... Patrick looks
awake, wonder if he's up for a chat? Taking my number 2 pencil I jab
Patrick's back with the blunt eraser head.

	"Hey" I whisper all too loudly.

	"Yeah" he replies a bit unsure of himself, pivoting his head
towards me. He must still be dealing with the shocker he had in the
caf.

	"The guys are sleeping over at Chris' place tonight, we've been
planning it for about a few weeks already but I don't think anyone's
invited you yet, you game?"

	"Uhm... I think I'll still have to ask permission from my Dad,
but I'll try."

	"Okay if you want to, I'll go along with you."

	"You would?"

	"Why not?"


1:35 PM Thurs, Alec

M AT SCHL RYT NOW,
SLPIN OVR AT FRNDS
PLACE TONITE LUV U
DAD_

	BLEEP

	Shit.

	"Miss Case?"

	"Uhm... yes?" I slowly lift my head to stare into the ominous
face of my physics teacher.

	BLEEP

	"Would you mind putting away your phone before I confiscate it?
Or did you forgot yet again that phones are not allowed in my class?"

	BLEEP

	"AM I CLEAR WITH THAT?"

	"Ah.. Yes maam."

	"Bitch." I mutter. Stupid message wont send.
...
	There. That nearly got me into trouble. Ryan and Rich were
snickering while Chris was behind them oblivious to the happenings
around him.

	Assholes. I mouth at the two causing them to break up into even
more laughter.

	"Don't mind them Alec." Said Monica who was right beside me.
"They probably have dicks the size of peanuts."

	Monica's a pretty good cheerleader and we've been good friends
for quite some time now. It's just too bad she doesn't share my uhm..
'interests'. She's one hot girl who unfortunately is decidedly straight
and attached to the swim team's captain Tim.

	"Oh, I'm already quite sure of that." I smile back at her.


1:40 PM Thurs, Ryan

	"What's with you man? You've been looking like Darth Vader since
lunch."

	"It's the Patrick thing."

	"What about the guy?"

	"I don't think he should be with the group. He's fuckin' out!"

	"Well, so is Zac."  Zac was the only member of the clique who was
out to the school. The only one before Patrick came in.

	"Zac's different. He's a senior. Everyone respects him."

	"Dude, lay off the guy, he's just a kid, he needs all the help he
can get."

	"He's dead."

	"What's with you?"

	"What?" Rich came back obviously irritated.

	Ryan mused it over for a while and came to a conclusion.

	"In any case you commin' tonight?"

	"Yeah"


1:40 PM Thurs, Mark

	Watching Rob curse me with just his eyes was quite amusing. I
should do this more often. I was just about to walk out when I hit dead
smack into Paul's expansive chest.

	"Mark!" Frank said from behind Paul. He reached out and slapped
me hard on the shoulder while John who was standing beside his friends
patted my back as well.

	"Hey." I say in a mellow voice.

	"Wassup man?" Paul finally spoke up. The massive black goaltender
was quite intimidating indeed. He stood quite high, definitely over
6'5" with a strong booming voice.

	"I'm fine, hey, uhm, didn't expect you guys to be here." Of the
three of them only John was in the basketball team while the other two
were from the soccer varsity. Since the soccer players had their own
locker area outside the gym, I was pretty bemused as to why they were
here with John.

	"Well you see, we were in the caf a while ago and we saw you guys
with that fag. What gives?"

	"Are you calling me a fag?" I raise my voice. "The fuckin' girls
wanted to talk with him I don't even know the fruit okay." I say trying
to look really angry.

	"Hey, hey... lay off you two" said Paul.

	"Yeah" Frank continued, "anyway, the other guys have somethin'
happenin' this afternoon, you game?"

	"Uhm, sure" I said uneasily "It's just that I have to be out of
there by 5 k?"

	"Sure thing bro"

	I backed away from the three and I sunk into the bench adjacent
to my locker.

	I can't believe I just did that.

To be continued/

So that's it, for now. Hehehe I know it's kinda shorter but I'll be
chopping them up bit by bit like what I did at Com's Library this time
around. Someone suggested to cut the stories into parts to give way to
cliffhangers. Besides, this way I can send stuff out faster :).
Anyway, I'm really hoping to hear from ya guys. Please drop a line to
impart anything you feel about the story.

p.s. you can check this story out together with like a million other
kewl authors writing their equally kewl stuff at comicality's library.
check it out at http://www.insidetheweb.com/mbs.cgi/mb594177

Cya!

ubq2s
ubq2s@yahoo.com

/Ubq2s