High School Drama (Myself, Altheras)

Luke Williams was, to most people, just another goth, but the truth was he fit in a bit better with the geek crowd in spite of his style. He tended to wear dark eye liner and paint his nails black, and he often wore black with small hints of other colors like white, red, or purple. His style wasn't quite like the other goths though, he tended to wear blazers, tight-fitting black jeans, and all soft fabrics, and didn't often wear the leather or chains a lot of the crowd wore. He also usually paid attention in class and was a straight-A student, while most of the goths were slackers. He got along really well with all of the geeks because he enjoyed a lot of the stuff that they did like comics, sci-fi, and anime. He also spent a lot of time reading, so he seemed to be kind of caught between the two different groups of outcasts, while still getting along well with both of them. The only people he really didn't seem to get along with were the jocks and the popular crowd because they always seemed to be picking on him or someone he liked. He knew he was gay, but wasn't really out of the closet as he really just hadn't found anyone he liked well enough to take that risk for.

This morning he'd gotten up a little bit early and had breakfast with his parents and his younger siblings. He then waited at the bus stop with them and rode the bus. He was old enough to drive, but didn't have his own car yet. Besides, he liked riding the bus with his brother and his sisters, so he could be sure they all made it to school safe. When he got to the high school, he got off of the bus and went to prop himself against a column in the courtyard area out front. It would still be another thirty minutes before the first bell rang to start classes, and none of his friends were out here yet.

Jesse always went to the weight room before classes started but since it was an off day he chose to do something totally different, walked toward the courtyard. " Hey." He said with a nod of his head, usually he didn't socialize with anyone but the jocks but none of his buddies had arrived yet. It wasn't like him to be in such a good mood because he was usually rather moody, could be pretty mean to those that didn't follow his clique. For him to actually say hey to someone was very rare, didn't happen very often.

Luke looked up when Jesse said hey, but when he saw who it was, he thought he must have been talking to someone else. He glanced behind himself on one side, then the other. Nope, he was the only one here. He looked a bit nervous by being approached by someone like Jesse, but he still responded with a hesitant smile, though his heartbeat had already quickened in anticipation of something potentially bad happening here. "Hi... it's... Jesse right?"

" Yeah." Jesse said with a smile, rubbed the back of his neck, looked down at the ground then back up at Luke. He handed the boy a piece of paper with his number on it, smiled a little wider. Jesse never his number to anyone except people he really liked, secretly he liked Luke but would never admit it around his buddies, he chewed his lower lip as his buddies started to arrive. " text me.." He whisperd as he backed away slowly, walked toward his buddies then walked into the school with them.

Luke blinked down at the piece of paper he had been given. This had to be some kind of elaborate prank or something. Jesse really hadn't gone into any details other than to just tell him to text him. He watched the jock walk off to join his friends and squinted down at the piece of paper. "Text him about what?" He sighed and stuffed it into his pocket, figuring he'd just come back to it later. He was really worried that it was some kind of joke. One of his geeky friends showed up, a guy with braces and glasses, and they started chatting while they waited, a few more of their friends showing up after a bit. Then first bell rang, and they all headed on to homeroom. It was a new semester starting today, so they had new classes to adjust to.

Jesse walked into his room, picked a seat closest to the window, tried to keep his cool. He looked at his phone, sighed as he put it back in his pocket he just stated out the window. His buddies had even noticed he wasn't himself, it worried them. The last few weeks had been hard on him, it had to do with a few things. His grandfather being sick his parents fighting non stop, talking about divorce. He was eighteen years old almost out of high school, he was surprised his parents hadn't divorced earlier in his life.

It was second period, the class before lunch, and it was a foreign language class that Luke was taking as an elective this semester. The teacher was an old lady named Mrs. Simmons with grey curly hair and thick horn-rimmed glasses. He smiled at her when he walked into the room, and then stopped about halfway through the door when he saw Jesse sitting by the window.

While he was struggling with indecision about whether to sit by him or not, another jock, who had been on his way into the classroom, ran right into him, knocking him into the floor.

The guy just laughed. "Stop standing there like an idiot geek!" He then went and picked a seat.

" Back off man! " Jesse said as he offered to help Luke up, watched everyone state at him. Despite being a star athlete he had once been a scrawny boy who had no idea where he fit in, that's when he started liking guys. He was being nice, it wasn't like him to be nice but things would change soon enough. There was a huge party coming up, he would be in his element there. He would flirt with the ladies to keep up appearances but would secretly want to be flirting with thd guys they were with. Once things were better at home, his grandfather was out of the hospital he would be back to his usual jackass self.

Luke blinked up at Jesse, stunned that the all star athlete was offering to help him up. He took the strong hand that was offered and got to his feet, offering Jesse a shy smile. He noticed that the seat in front of where Jesse had been sitting was free, so he sat down in it and looked up at the jock curiously as he got out his pen and notebook. "Thanks... for helping me up. What was it you wanted me to text you about?"

" I just thought we could be texting buddies, maybe hang out sometime. I'm going through a really tough time right now, my buddies don't understand. I mean all of that, apologize in advance for anything I might do or say to you later in. By the way your welcome Luke." Jesse said smiling as he sat down smile people were still staring at him, he didn't really care.

The goth eyed him suspiciously for a moment, amazed that the popular guy even knew his name. Maybe he just needed a friend right now? He wondered if Jesse thought that goths were the best at relating to tough times and that was why he had chosen him? "Oh... okay sure. I wouldn't mind hanging out sometime. I mean... you might not want any of your buddies to see you hanging out with me though."

'' Forget my buddies for now.. Their all a bunch of dicks, really don't understand what I'm going through. My grandfather is in the hospital, my parents might be getting a divorce. They've been fighting on, off since I was a kid besides I think my dad cheated on my mom. It's a mess right now, I really can't talk to them about stuff. My buddies I mean their always trying to hook me up with a cheerleader ore two, I'm just not interested. But they don't get that, well anyways I'm just gonna keep my mouth shut because that was certainly more then I'm sure you wanted to know.'' Jesse said as he rubbed the back of his neck, started out the window. The class began, he just stared off into space like he wasn't even paying attention which he was.

Luke had been about to reply to him when the teacher spoke up and started the class, so he had to pay attention. He didn't want to get in trouble for talking while she was talking, so instead he wrote a note and slipped it back behind him onto Jesse's desk.

The note said: "I know how hard things can be sometimes. My grandmother died last year. We can talk more after class maybe?"

Jesse read the note, replied with a smiley then yes. He handed it back so he wouldn't get caught, leaned back in his chair listening to the teacher. Of course he didn't undetstsnd half of what was being said, he'd traveled to a few othet countries in his life. He closed his eyes, just tried to relax. It was his day off so he could do whatever he wanted after school, he was thinking maybe he could take Luke to a nice dinner or a movie maybe just get to know the kid. Granted once he was back to his old self he would ignore him when around his buddies, be a total ass but deep down be the same guy he was now.

Once Luke got the note back, he gave a small nod and folded it up, tucking it into his pocket. He then kept his eyes fixed on the teacher for the rest of the lesson, understanding nearly every word she said. He wasn't particularly good with foreign languages, but this one he was very familiar with. When the class ended and the teacher told them they had about five minutes before the bell, he turned around in his desk, one leg propped up so he could sit sideways and look back and Jesse. "So, like I said my grandmother passed away last year, so I kind of know what you're going through, but I hope your grandad gets better. What is he in the hospital for?"

" Cancer... He's been fighting it for awhile now, was in remission but it came back, they aren't giving him very long to live. I tell him everything, well he even knows that I.. Never mind I can't say it." Jesse said as he rubbed the back of his neck, leaned forward. He had told his grandfather he liked guys, was told he would always be loved no matter what. But if he ever told his parents they would have a fit, kick him out of the house disown him etc.

Luke frowned a bit at the prognosis and sighed. "That's pretty rough man, I'm sorry." He looked at him curiously as the jock had nearly admitted something and then thought better of it. He supposed it was a bit early for any huge revelations as they hadn't really spoken much before today. "Just tell me whatever you're comfortable sharing. You kinda just met me, so I don't expect a lot. I'm really surprised you are talking to me at all, you know?"

" Yeah I know it's weird." Jesse said as he rubbed the back of his neck, chewed on his lower lip. He tore a piece of paper out of his notebook, wrote down what he was trying to say before he thought better of it. Letting Luke read what he had written he looked up at the clock, sighed they only had three more minute before the bell rang.

Luke looked at the note, reading it once, then reading it a second time to make sure he had it right. He blushed a little bit, then looked away from Jesse. Maybe this really was all some kind of joke, maybe his friends were watching or even recording from nearby? Were they trying to get him to hit on a jock just to have the rug yanked out from under him? He looked nervous, he had never come out to anyone, though some people at school had accused him of being queer before just because of how he looked and dressed. "So you think that I am too, right?"

" No man.. I mean yeah I tease you, shit but only my grandfather knows or knew until now. I'll just keep to myself, if you don't want to hang later I umdetstand." Jesse said as he gathered his things, walked out of the class. The bell had just rang, he was thd first one out in the hall. He walked to his locker opened it, stick his head inside it. Obviously he felt really dumb, wanted to take back his confession to Luke but he couldn't.

The goth stared after him as he left, he'd been just about to reassure him when the damn bell rang and interrupted their conversation. He might not have been ready to admit to being gay himself, but he certainly wasn't offended by the jock coming out to him, as long as it wasn't a joke anyway. He sighed a little bit and got to his feet, putting his things into his locker before heading off to lunch.
It was pizza today, which was one of his favorites. He found an empty spot at the end of the geek crowd, the other half of the table to his right being completely empty.

Jesse got his tray, sat with his buddies like he always did. He looked over toward the geek table, waved at Luke then started eating his pizza. His buddies started talking about how they planned on sleeping with their girls the night of the party, he just rolled his eyes. When one of his buddies told him who he should consider dating he didn't say a word, focused on his lunch. Of course during his free period he planned on leaving to visit his grandfather, had a really good idea. If the kid was up for it he could take Luke with him, knowing how his grandfather accepted him he just thought it would be cool.

Luke noticed the wave and waved back, one of his friend gave him an odd look in response to this and he shrugged it off, simply focusing on his food until his plate was empty. Then he made light conversation until the lunch period was over. Once the bell rang, he took his empty tray up to the window, then went out into the hall and around a few corners to his locker.

Jesse dumped his tray looked at the time, chewed on his bottom lip. He walked into the boy's washroom splashed his face with water, sighed as he looked in the mirror. His phone buzzed in his pocket, he answered it. As soon as he heard who it was he fell to his knees, buried his face in his hands. He hung up, just started crying not caring who heard him or who found him. His grandfather had just died, he was a wreck about it.