I suck the air through my lungs, relishing the burn that accompanies it. Checking my wrist watch by the edge of the pool, I grin toothily. A new record.

I pull my goggles back over my eyes and push off the cement, cutting through the water with precision. My muscles ache, but I ignore it in favor of the rush I feel. I force my arms to cooperate, propelling me in a familiar movement. Each time my face leaves the water I gasp for another breath, and I can hear the sound bouncing off of the empty walls. It isn't out of place. Every opportunity I get I steal away and spend swimming. Nothing can touch me here. Not the bullies, not the jocks, not even Gary.

As I reach the other end I dive further into the water, flipping my body and turning back. My mind feels a pleasant sort of fuzzy as I swim and I let it to wander far from Bullworth Academy. Pausing mid lap, my body relaxes and I float onto my back. I deserve this. I get to have some peace and quiet after everything.

My sociopath of a room mate hasn't laid a hand on me since the "incident", as I have taken to calling it, and it's unnerving. And strangely enough, neither has anyone else. In fact, things have been so quiet that I am close to admitting that I may or may not be terrified. Just a little.

I thought I may be able to gain some sort of insight to whatever Gary has in store for me, what wicked schemes he's formulating, but I've got nothing. He's hardly ever in our dorm, and if he is he pays me no mind. It's like within the space of a week, Peter Kawalski has simply stopped existing.

It's really not much of a change from before. Everyone ignores me. I am invisible, except for the intervals where I'm beaten mercilessly by members of nearly every clique in the school. But right now there's just... nothing. It must be some part of Gary's grand plan, to lull me into a sense of false security. Wait until the water is calm to strike. I wish he would already. Without my only friend tormenting me, It's starting to get lonely.

I let out a heavy sigh. It's not like I chose this. I didn't want the one person who makes this school bearable also make it a living hell. But I suppose it's the hand I've been dealt.

"Um, excuse me? Are you Peter?" My body jolts under water in an attempt to hide myself from the distinctly female voice. I remove my goggles, peer in the entrance, and there she is. The girl couldn't be more than twelve, with messy hair and dull skin. But she has pretty eyes.

"I just, uh... thought you should know that there's a boy stealing your clothes out of your locker."

Gary.

The nameless girl lingers for a few seconds then shuffles away, leaving me to scramble out of the pool, nearly forgetting my watch, and running to the locker room. I'm dripping water on to the slick tiles, shaking from the cold air. I try to wring out my soaked swim trunks while stumbling down the hall. Turning the corner, there he is, looking thuroughly bored at the contents of my locker, with my shirt, vest, and khakis tucked beneath his arm.

"What, no panties in here, femme boy?" He comments as if he not trying to destroy my life, flipping through the last of my personal belongings. "I'm shocked."

The little green door to my ratty locker is slammed shut with unnecessary force. He turns to me, I can feel his eyes all over my bare chest and I want to run away and hide, but my legs are clearly not on the same page.

"Well lookie here, Pete. Stronger than you let on, huh?" Gary stalks toward me and I can feel my knees beginning to tremble.

And it's true. While I'm not the picture of physical fitness, I have well defined muscles from years of escaping my troubles to swim. "Who would have thought?" He says as he stands too close to me, a finger skimming down my abdomen. I look around the small tiled room, praying that there is no one still here.

"Gary, can I please have my clothes back?" I ask in a small voice. I don't know where I stand here, so I remain nonthreatening.

"Hm?" Comes the inquisitive noise, and his face mirrors it genuinely. "Oh, these?" My clothes are held in the small space between us and if only I had the courage to reach out and take them.

"But why should I, Petey?" Now the curiosity is gone, replaced by a purely wicked tone, his hand slipping down my side. "I should let the whole school see you like this."

"P-please..." I mutter when he grabs my hip just a little too hard. I can feel my face turning an unbearable shade of red and I want to scream.

"I suppose I could be nice." The fear begins to melt from my shoulders. Wow. This may not end in the death of my (admittedly lame) social life. But before I can attempt to make him more agreeable, Gary hooks a finger on the elastic band of my swim trunks.

"Or." Followed by a dark laugh. "I could take these too, and let everyone take turns getting an eye full. Would you like that, Peter? Would that turn you on?"

There's a long moment of tension, where Gary's skin is too hot against mine and I swear that I may crumble here and never get back up. Classes be damned, bullies be damned, whatever disgusting fungus growing on the locker room floor, also, be damned.

I try to speak evenly, but I can feel my throat constricting. I blink back tears and say, "No."

Gary makes a noise in his throat that is somewhere between annoyance and sympathy. "Oh calm the fuck down princess. I'm kidding." He snarls, shoving my clothes at me."For the most part, anyway."

My arms curl around the bundle of fabric and I feel like an idiot when tears spill down my face without my consent, suddenly thankful that I'm already dripping wet. I sniffle as quietly as possible.

"Ugh, jesus christ. You're such a pussy." He rolls his eyes with an intensity that I'm almost impressed by and tugs me closer to him by my trunks. "Shut up and come here." I yelp from the sudden closeness but quickly relax into the awkward embrace. He wraps an arm around me, and I let him, allowing the rest of my tears to fall on the skin between his neck and shoulder. I nearly stop to question why he's being kind, even for such a short moment, but I don't want to ruin the small offering of comfort.

I ignore my wrinkled clothes being crushed between our chests, or the fact that I'm getting Gary's shirt collar all wet, and breathe this in. He pats my back reluctantly and begins making small circles with his thumb until my pathetic noises stop and I'm able to compose myself again.

He yanks away from me with an ambiguous look on his face. It could be disgust but then again it might be boredom. "Alright, now stop bitching and get dressed. We've got places to be."

I clear my throat with some trouble. "Huh?"

Gary starts toward the doorway but pauses to look back "You, Petey, are going to skip class with me. I've got some stuff I need to take care of in town."

"But why do I have to come?" I question, shivering and confused.

"Because, Femme Boy, I want a toy to keep me entertained."

When I stare back at him instead of moving to get ready, it sparks annoyance in the older teen. "Did I fucking stutter, you moron? Get. Dressed." He makes sure to speak slowly, to make me feel like I'm four again, being taunted on the playground. "I'll be in the dorm. Don't keep me waiting."

At least this time when he leaves I'm still standing.