I waved Phil goodbye and walked into first period. It was English and as usual I sat alone at a desk at the front. I waited for the rest of the class to pour in, then to see Mrs. Rayner stumble in late again. I felt a sharp prod in my back so turned around.
"Hey gay boy," Paul whispered sitting back in his chair, "You going to the Dance with that other gay boy?"
I gave him the evils before turning around again. I felt another prod in my back.
"Gay boy why won't you answer me?" he asked.
Truth was I didn't know what to say, and it was obvious he would have a laugh at me whatever I said.
"Okay children settle down," Mrs Rayner said. Paul stopped prodding me and paid attention.
"We're starting to get you kids ready for your exams," she said, "So today we're going to write a letter of persuasive writing."
She picked up the books and placed one on every desk.
"Turn to page 18," she said holding up a book, "And pick either of the two topics, Steven read them out to the class would you?" she asked the 'teachers pet' before taking a rest in her chair. Steven cleared his throat as he stood up.
"A) Write a letter to the head teacher persuading him to install computers at your school," Steven read aloud.
"Miss we've already got computers!" Mitchell called out.
"Yes Mitchell, it's a bit out of date," Miss Rayner said holding her head.
"Or B) Write a letter to a confused relative persuading them not to leave home," Steven said before sitting down.
"Miss can the confused relative be gay?" Paul asked then prodding me in the back. I turned to see the whole class giggling and pointing at me.
"Just get on with it Paul," she said, "I'll be in the staff room if anyone needs me," she got up and left. I looked down and the book and tried to get on with the work, unlike the rest of the class.
"Hey Dil, you going to the dance then?" Paul asked aloud. I replied with a shrug.
"He'll be going with that other gay boy at school won't he," laughed Mitchell. I turned and everyone was laughing.
"I hope not!" Rachel said, "You'll ruin it for everyone."
"No, it'll be interesting," her best friend Leanne, said. I kept my head down and tried to work.
"What are you doing work for?" Paul asked getting out of his seat and walking in front of my desk.
"I dunno," I muttered then shoving my pen down, trying to please him. Paul picked up my pencil case and chucked it to Mitchell.
"I thought gays were in touch with their feminine side?" Mitchell said looking at my blue rough case.
"Can I have that back?" I asked getting up and trying to get it. Mitchell chucked it back to Paul, who then started throwing it around the class.
"Gay Boy! Gay Boy!" the rest of the kids chanted as I chased my pencil case. I collapsed down in my chair and held my head in my hands. The chants started getting worse.
"We don't want you in our school! We don't want you in our school!" they continued. It became too much so I ran. I ran straight out the door into the corridor. The cheer was loud as I slammed the door. I looked around and Phil was crying down the hall. I walked towards him and he looked up as he heard my footsteps.
"Dil? What you doing out here?" Phil asked.
"Was going to ask you the same," Dil said.
"My class, it ain't easy trying to be normal now," Phil explained.
"Same here," I pointed back to my class, "Teachers don't help either."
Phil took a look through the glass in the door and he could still see his class looking and laughing.
"I can't stay here," he said.
"What can we do?" I said, and then I thought of something that had been on my mind a lot.
"I want to leave here, but I don't want to leave you," Phil said. He hesitated about putting his hand on my shoulder, with his class probably being able to see. I took a deep breath.
"We could run for it?" I suggested.
"To where?" he asked confused.
"To the city, the streets would be better than here, plus we would be together," I said. Phil looked puzzled, but then happy with the idea.
"It's a bit sudden though," Phil said.
"I've, well, been thinking about it a lot, but I wouldn't like being away from you," I said ashamed. Phil smiled at me and took my hand.
"Come on, shall we go?" he asked, "To home, then to the city, just the two of us."
I smiled and nodded. We laughed as we headed through the corridor, I couldn't believe we were really going away from here together. And it didn't matter if people saw s together because we'd never see these people again. As we got to the corner we started running freely through the hall, then we both came to a sudden halt.
"Angelica?"