Chapter 1
General POV
Josh's heart fluttered as Matt walked down the corridor. Not for any particular reason, he wasn't making his way specifically to him, just the opposite; he made a turn into his empty classroom and shut the door.
"Alright mate?" Finn slapped a hand onto Josh's left shoulder, waking him from a pleasant daydream. Trudi skipped up next to his right. He saw the concern, unmasked, in her eyes as she surveyed his face – the drawn, anxious expression, guilty love in his eyes not hidden well, however much he tried.
"Look, Josh," Trudi began. She needed to speak to Josh privately, get him on his own, but that was nearly impossible, and she didn't want anyone, including Finn or Lauren, getting involved in case it was either of them. Not likely Lauren, but Finn…he'd filled her in about Josh's coming out. "I need someone to proof-read my essay for Budgen, and you know what Finn's like, can't sit still for more than a minute at a time."
"Harsh," Finn joked. Josh nodded his consent.
"Great. Go pick a fight with Kyle or something, Finn." Trudi smiled before walking back to the common room, Josh keeping pace. The bell rang; everyone but a few Year 13s had classes to rush to. Lauren was slumped in a chair, flicking through a magazine and cradling a cup of coffee in her hand. She barely glanced up as they entered but tucked her legs up to allow Trudi to retrieve her bag. With a muttered thanks directed towards Lauren, Trudi slung her bag over her shoulder and grabbed Josh's wrist. Josh obligingly let himself be dragged outside into the shade of the large, old oak tree. It was practically empty outside, them being the only human beings. They flopped down, glad to be relieved of the sun although it was only mid-April. Trudi fumbled around in her shoulder bag until she fished out what was originally a plain azure ring binder folder, but had been doodled on so much there was barely a square inch of plain blue. She flipped it open and pulled the neatly typed sheet from a plastic cover. Josh's eye scanned the page, flicking from side to side as he frowned at the essay. Trudi's heart broke a million times and pieced itself back together at the expression of a hopeful but broken heart ache shown clearly on his face despite his concentration.
"All clear. It's really good," he spoke after a minute or so, breaking the near-silence only ruined by the occasional chatter of birds or distant shrieks from inside the school building and handing back her sheet, which she carefully slid back inside the plastic protection.
"Josh." Trudi hesitated before plunging on with her speech.
Tom looked through the window from his stuffy classroom, contemplating opening it. Several of his year group seemed to be warm so he pushed the latches open and let the cool air flow in. He was just about to move away and check his students were all doing all right with their work but Josh, sitting underneath the oak tree with Trudi, caught his eye and he frowned as Trudi looked at Josh and his expression changed from curiosity to anxiety. Then Josh was up, striding back towards the school, leaving Trudi looking worried before grabbing her folder and bag and following.
"When we were in the corridor earlier, when we – Finn and I – caught up with you, I recognized the expression on your face. You like Mr. Wilding, don't you?" Trudi bit her lip in case she said too much. Baby steps, Trudi.
Josh's curious and friendly expression clouded and he was up in a flash, heading back towards the school's main entrance, bounding up the steps two at a time and pulling open the door before she'd even gathered her possessions.
Josh's thoughts were hounded with possible scenarios of what would happen if everyone found out. He'd be the laughing stock of the school again and what would his dad think? He'd be so embarrassed and so ashamed of him. No, Josh just had to work through it on his own. He was up the second flight of stairs and rounding the third when a voice called from behind him.
"Josh?" Great. Dad on your case.
"Yeah?"
"You alright, mate? You just look a bit worried," Tom said, keeping his voice down so the class wouldn't be able to overhear. A couple were already looking up curiously to see where their teacher had wandered off to.
"I'm fine, Dad. Just a bit tired, that's all," Josh said with the full knowledge he looked about as tired as a leopard on steroids.
"Look, Josh, if anything's going on you can tell me." Tom scanned his son's face worriedly.
"I'm fine, for the last time. Just get off my case!" Josh retorted, feeling frustrated that no one would leave him alone.
"Josh-" Tom started before being cut off.
"Piss off!" Josh shouted, before turning on his heel and running up the stairs. Tom turned himself to find his whole English class staring agape. He walked in, rolling his eyes to cover up his real emotions.
"Teenagers. Wait until you have kids," he joked.
