A/N: So, this chapter is more of an explanation chapter. The plot and everything really gets going after this, so it does get much better. :)
Fact: I am gay
Fact: Everybody, including my parents, hates that I am gay
Fact: Because of this, sometimes, I hate it too...
My name is Heinz Doofenshmirtz. I am a student of German descent in a small town in Alabama. My parents moved me and my little brother here when we were real little. I've still retained my German accent, while my brother has completely lost his. People used to think the accent was cool, but not so much anymore.
I am a science nerd. I spend most of my time tinkering with various objects around my house, much to the discontent of my father. I've entered several science fairs at my school, winning every single one of them, even though my teachers look down on me as they hand me the award. I would like to win the Nobel Prize one day, and show that I can stand up with the rest of the science greats.
But according to everybody else, I have one major problem.
I came out to my parents about 6 months ago, a couple months before the end of the school year. My father was in an immediate rage. He went on about how the American school system has corrupted me, taught me to think that way. I tried to mention that Germany is more accepting of gays than America, so it definitely wasn't America's fault. But he ignored me, as per usual. My mother just sat there, shocked, looking at me with distant eyes. She'd looked at me that way before, particularly whenever Roger out-shined me in something. She looked at me like I was no longer her son, but I knew it'd been that way for a long time.
After his temper tantrum, my father simply sent me to my room, and didn't speak to me for the next several days. When I went back to school, I got up the courage to also come out to my friends, but they had a reaction similar to my father's, but not as loud. In a day, I had lost my family and my friends, all because of a psychological preference that I couldn't control.
I spent most of my time alone, which allowed me to devote my entire life to my inventions. I invented my first one - the Inator (I'm not very good with names) - in the week after I came out. It was not very difficult, as I now had a lot of time on my hands. I figured I might as well put it to some good use.
I was so wrapped up in my inventions that I hardly noticed as the school year ended. However, my father clearly noticed. He sent me to a boys and girls summer sports camp in Germany, with the intention of making me "man-up". It had an extreme counter-effect, however, as a couple of the boys, one of whom I started to like very much, were also gay. I had the best summer of my life here. I was finally around people who were like me! I even shared my first kiss here. If anything, this camp solidified the fact that I was gay, which pissed off my father even more.
I'm basically disowned. At the begging of my mother, who was probably worrying about her own reputation with the neighbors, my father allowed me to stay living in his house and eating his food. However, I have to be out by 16, and I don't get any inheritance or anything when they die. I'm currently 15. I only have a couple months. I'll make due, though...
This brings me back to the present. It's already a few months into the new school year. The situation is the same as last year, if a little bit worse. Ignorant idiots will post hateful things on my locker, and at least once a day, I find my head being flushed in a toilet. It's no big deal, though. I've learned to manage it on my own, even if it is difficult.
But in the midst of all this is when I met him. The boy who would change my life forever.
I was sitting in my first period English class. My school doesn't have homeroom, but we still do announcements and things like that at the beginning of the period. I wasn't really listening. I was more focused on my new blueprints than what the teacher was saying. However, as soon as she said, "We've got a new student joining us today," my ears instantly perked up.
He sauntered into the room casually, like he already owned the place. Just by looking at him, I hated him. He had medium length, unusually teal hair, which framed a strong face. He was wearing an orange T-shirt that showed his muscles off slightly, and a normal pair of blue jeans. Sure, he was gorgeous. But he had that air around him that said, "I'm a douchebag."
"Why don't you introduce yourself, honey?" the teacher encouraged.
"Well,..." his voice was silky smooth, and I found myself lost in it. All I heard was the voice introducing him, and not the introduction. I completely missed everything that he said.
"Go ahead and take the empty seat next to Heinz," she said sweetly to the boy. At the sound of my name I snapped out of it, realizing what had just happened. But then the teacher turned quickly on me, as if saying with her eyes, 'Don't make a move.'
Ha, don't count on that.
I watched him closely as he walked over. As I looked, I saw immediately that I had mistaken his douchebagery. What I saw was something not a lot of teenage boys carry, and that's confidence. He walked casually over to the seat next to mine, and smiled a 1000 watt smile in my direction.
"Hey," he said, and my heart jumped slightly. "My name's Perry." he said, almost as if he knew I hadn't been listening.
I introduced myself. "My name's Heinz," I said with more confidence than I felt.
"Hmm... Heinz." he said, and the sound of him saying my name made me melt. Geez, the guy was only here five minutes and I was already in love with him. "Is that German?"
"Uh, yes," I said, shocked.
He noticed. "Don't act so surprised. I went to a private school in New York. I know a few things." He smiled, again as if telling me he knew I hadn't been listening to his original introduction. Surely he would have said something like that already.
"Don't make friends with that homo."
I cringed. And I was surprised, and a little disappointed to see Perry's smile fade. I became nervous. What if he was just like all the other idiots at the school? Despite if he liked my personality or not, he would not be my friend if I was gay...
"You're gay?" Perry asked hesitantly. I nodded solemnly. He then shrugged casually. "Ah, whatever floats your boat, I guess. Doesn't matter either way to me."
...What did he say?...
He must have noticed the dropped-jaw look on my face as he continued. "Like I said, don't act so surprised. All-boys private school in New York. Half the people in my grade were gay."
"But... they're gay!" the guy from before claimed. Great comeback, by the way.
"So? What's wrong with him being gay?" Perry asked the kid calmly.
At the prospect of being called out on his idiocy, though, he simply shrugged off the question. Apparently he really wanted Perry to like him. As I looked around, I could see all the girls in the class raping Perry with their eyes. Now I could see what the kid was up to. The "Be Best Friends With The New Kid That All The Girls Love So The Girls Will Love You Too" plan. He said, "Whatever, man. Listen, my friends and I are throwing a party after school. Maybe you can come by, get to know the right people."
"Oh, sure! Why not!" Perry said excitedly, which I will admit, deflated me a little. "I'll get to compare crazy New York parties with the parties here!"
"Haha, yea! I'll text where it is and everything later. What's your cell number?" The kid asked. I tuned them out though. I didn't want to seem like I was a creeper listening in on Perry's phone number, even though I really wanted it.
Suddenly, the bell rang, which was the first time I was ever disappointed for the end of a class. I sat there a moment while Perry stood up. As he was leaving with his "new found friend," I really wished I had made some kind of move to keep him around. But just before he walked out the door, he turned around and yelled to me, "Nice meeting ya, Heinz! I'll see you later!"
And from that moment on, my heart always belonged to him.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Comments and critiques are always appreciated!
Phineas and Ferb © Dan Povenmire and Swampy Marsh