Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2008 14:52:26 EDT
From: HnstSkr4@aol.com
Subject: The Mirror and Nothing More; Chapters 9 - 12

Warning:  This story doesn't contain any sex.  It's the story of gay teens.
None  of the characters are based on real people nor are they meant  to
resemble  any living or dead people.
Let  me know what you think of the story by emailing me at
_Hnstskr4@aol.com_
I  want to thank everyone who has emailed.  I also want to thank those who
have  read the story.  It means a lot  hearing from you.  Please  continue
reading!  There is a lot more to come.  I own  all rights to this story.
Chuck  B.

Chapter 9 -- The Beginning of The Curse

Pete and I spent a  few hours talking about my feelings, our friendship, and
his feelings. He was  open and honest, two of the traits that I love about
him. He told me how our  friendship means the world to him, and how he would do
whatever it takes to keep  our friendship strong. Secretly, I was crushed, but
at the same time I was  elated that, we were still friends. A part of me is
still troubled by the phone  call Pete received. Was it someone trying to ruin
our  friendship?
When I dropped  Pete off, my heart took a plunge and something deep down just
didn't feel right  to me. It felt evil and cold and I couldn't put my finger
on it. Something just  didn't feel right and I don't believe that it has
anything to do with Pete. The  person who called Pete had tried to influence our
friendship. Now, I can't help  but if wonder, if they called anyone else. If
more calls were made how do I deal  with it? I'll have to find a way to make
everything as smooth as possible.
I have to solve  this problem. Running away from my fear is not an option. I
just don't know,  what to expect. Should I ready myself for isolation and
abuse? By whose hands  and mouth is the pain coming? Can I deal with this trouble
head on? Wish I had a  magic mirror to show me what my future holds. What
awaits me at home? Is there  bad news awaiting me?
I envisioned  trouble starting at school. Checking my messages there were two
that bothered  me. One was from Jeff asking if I was okay and the second call
was from the  caller who had called the other day, this time; he said that he
had spread the  word and that my life would be hell. I listened again to the
message, and then I  heard "Talk to mom and dad!" a soft voice broke the
silence. I went downstairs  only to find them watching PBS. Mom saw me first and
for a split second she  seemed ashen white. "We need to talk, don't we?" dad
said as he looked up at me.  Mom didn't say a thing. She pushed the button on
the answering machine and  started to play the messages. After flipping through
about six messages, she  stopped at message seven. The same caller who had
called me twice now called my  parents "Your son is a fag, and he's going to
suffer." I think their hearts  sank. Mom was clearly shaken and dad was upset
too. Seeing their emotions  brought tears to my eyes. I couldn't hold back and
they spilled out. I cried  till the tears stopped flowing. "Mom, dad, I'll be
okay, but I'm still afraid."  Mom smiled at me. Dad gave me a hug. "Alex, we
love no matter what, and if it  helps, we are scared too." Dad said as he had
me in his embrace. I forced myself  to turn and head off to sleep.

Chapter 10 -  Hell

I entered my  school with my built up dread stirring in my gut. For the first
time, I felt  every eye looking into me as if I'm some vile beast. I wanted
to hide myself,  where no one could see me. I made it to my locker without
feeling any more  misery. There upon my locker door, another note has been placed.
My hand pulled  the note away from my locker. I couldn't get myself to read
it, so I placed it  with my books. I hurried to my first hour class. I felt
invisible amongst my  peers. My skin felt each stare. For the most part my day
was awkward but at  least there wasn't any hint of hell.
I made it  through each class till 4th which is just before lunch. I have gym
 class along with half my football team. No one spoke to me and no one teased
me  after class, I found another note secured to my gym locker. As I removed
it,  Coach called me into his office. "Alex is it true, are you gay?" he
asked. I  felt as if he was placing judgment on me despite my fear, I'm not going
to lie.  "Coach Brown, I am but it has no affect on my ability to play the
game. I'm not  after any of the guys on the team." I left it at that. He opened a
drawer on his  desk and pulled out a note. Each word had been cut from some
other source. Coach  read what it had to say "Coach Brown, Alex is a faggot! He
needs to quit the  team or we will quit." It was left on his desk. He looked
at me for a reply.  "Coach, I haven't done anything wrong so my answer is no,
I'm not quitting the  team." I rested my mouth. He smiled and patted my back,
and then sent me to  lunch.
As I entered  the lunch room, I became quite tense. With my lunch in hand, I
sat by myself. I  heard someone nearby said "Queer" out loud. From another
corner of the room,  three spit wads landed on my neck. I took out the first note
and opened it up  "Welcome to Hell". I unfolded the second note and started
to read it. "Your  friend is going to pay the price, fag!" My heart sank as I
closed it back up. I  didn't see Jeff or Pete but Principal Young saw me. I
watched as she approached  me and nervously watched as she sat next to me. She
smiled and spoke "Someone is  really upset with you." Her voice was filled with
compassion. "I know!" I  replied as I pulled out the notes. She took them from
me and opened each note. I  watched her eyes grow wide as she read the second
note. "Alex did you know that  every single openly, gay student received a
threatening note today. Frankly  Alex, I'm worried! I've got one young man in
the nurse's office and one student  missing. As she spoke that last sentence, my
stomach did a flip flop. I don't  know how I knew it, but something inside me
told me, that Jeff was in the  nurse's office and that Pete was missing.

Chapter 11 - Hell's Aftermath

"Mrs. Young is  Jeff Thomas in the nurse's office" I asked already knowing
the answer. She  replied. "Yes!" I left the cafeteria as fast as I could, and
headed for the  office area. Pete was there and he didn't look happy, but my
business was with  Jeff. He had a badly swollen black eye, a broken lip, and what
might have been a  head wound. He didn't respond to my presence at all, but I
still felt as if I  needed to be there next to him. Then I felt eyes on my
back, I turned around to  find Pete looking over my shoulder. "Why are you
here?" Pete asked as if I  wasn't welcome here. "I came here to see him!" now I
wondered why Pete was here.  "Do you know anything about what happened?" I asked
as I stared at his eyes.  "Yeah, it was Parker and James. I stopped them from
beating on Jeff." Out of the  vice principal's office came two officers along
with Parker and James. All of  this pain and suffering caused because they
thought I was hitting on Pete.  Pete's face spoke of betrayal and anger. He
stared at our team-mates as they  were put into the squad cars. Even I could feel
his anger. As I was getting  ready to leave a kid walked in who caught my eye.
He is tall  around 5'9". His eyes are green and his hair is brown. He is very
easy on the  eyes. I hear him speak and I'm instantly taken. He's not quite a
jock and not  quite a prep. I overhear that he is new and that his name is
Doug. I don't need  him as a friend but I want him as a friend. Our gaze meets
for a second. He  doesn't break it and I felt a ping in my soul. "Hi" I broke
the ice. "Hey!" my  hopefully new friend said back. "My name is Alex." Hoping
for something a little  bit more. "Doug here, see you around." I hope he's
right. I caught a glimpse of  Pete and Jeff.
I was pulled  back in by my heart. Pete was quick to acknowledge me. "Have
you seen your car?"  "No, did I need to worry about my car?" "You might want to
check it out." I  quickly made my way to my car. From what I could see the car
was fine. I just  wish the same were true for Jeff. Seeing him injured really
got me upset. They  couldn't get to me so my ex team-mates used Jeff's
battered body as a message to  me. Pete smiled at me and looked behind me. "I think
the new guy enjoys the  view." I turned my head and sure enough, Doug was
catching a glimpse. He came in  and saw Jeff. His face went from friendly to
disgust. "What happened to him?" I  turned my head to Jeff and then back to Doug
and said "Homophobia.".

Chapter 12 - Because of Hate

Today had lead me  down a strange path. A path with two forks, on the left,
hate has lead two  immature punks to attack one of my friends and harass me,
and on the right,  there is Doug. I've felt the cold of hate and the warmth of
something that isn't  quite love or friendship. I think, it's deeper than
friendship or least it feels  a tad bit deeper. Weird though, it is only skin deep.
Then there is this hate  that I walked through today. It's a shock to see the
effects of homophobia.
Any number  of kids could have been the targets of Parker and James' attack.
Those goons  knew Jeff would catch my attention. They knew by attacking him
that it would  torment me. What other vile, dark acts did they intend to commit?
I cannot  really say because I can't get inside the mind of haters and
bigots. Jeff went  home and from there was taken to the hospital. I hold myself
responsible for his  pain. I'd do anything to take it on myself. On the flipside
of this, there is  Doug.
Doug's  presence charged the office with energy. The ping that made me stir
earlier told  me Doug was gay and now, I just have to wait. Out or not, I don't
care as long  as he's with me. I'd be happy if he were my friend, but even
happier if he  agreed to be boyfriend. Maybe hoping that what Doug will want me
as boyfriend is  too much. Can I balance having a boyfriend with having
friends? What will Jeff  think?
I can't help  but wonder what Jeff is thinking? I'm sure he's still suffering
and you know the  doctors may not be finished looking at him yet. The big
question is, is he  blaming me for this attack? There is a good chance that if I
had given up  associating with Pete that maybe the attackers would have backed
off and not  attacked Jeff.
Mom must  have heard me thinking out loud, because she is now in my room.
"Alex, Pete  called and he said that Jeff's mom called him and said that Jeff's
fine expect  for some bruising. You need to quit blaming yourself. What
happened to Jeff  happened because those two, crazy boys decided to hurt him. They're
the ones  with the problems not you. Promise me, you'll stop hurting
yourself?" I thought  for a second and mom is right. Why blame myself for what
happened to Jeff? "Okay  mom, I'll stop beating myself up!" How could I make such a
promise? A friend is  in the hospital and, he's there because of me. Can't she
understand that I'm the  reason that my pal is up in the hospital. Mom turned
and left the room.
As I watched  my mom leave, my phone rang "Hello!" "Hey Alex, Doug here!"