Prodigal

~3.11~

“Excited for tonight?” Jeffery asked me the next day when we got to school. I was still feeling emotionally queasy from the night’s nocturnal emission. When he asked if I was excited, he was referring to him meeting my dad over dinner.

“No.” I said. “I can get us out of it.” I offered.

“Nah.” Jeffery said while grabbing my hand. “Believe it or not, I’ve actually been looking forward to this.”

“Seriously?” I asked. “That makes one of us."

While at lunch that day, I was on my phone while waiting in the line. I scrolled to the news app to look at the top stories, and one caught my attention.

Sydney Teen Commits Suicide After Relentless Bullying

I opened the story to read about this Sydney teen, named Cole, who was sixteen years old and went to West Sydney High. He was a basketball player, and, according to the article, had recently come out as gay. His parents said that Cole’s suicide note suggested that his teammates bullied him for his sexuality, and this lead him to his suicide.

“’Cole’s teammates were his best friends, and had been for years.’ Cole’s mother told us. “But the abuse that those boys put him through is lethal. And what they did to him is unforgiveable.”’ The article read.

The article also said that Cole’s parents are pressing charges against three of his teammates and are suing the school for misconduct and disciplinary negligence.

Behind me, I heard a few of Jeffery’s teammates talking about him. “Well that’s kinda weird since he’s gay,” I heard one of them say. It was unlikely that what they were talking about had any connection to what I just read. Still...

That made me loose my cool. I went right up to them and said, “You need to stop referring to Jeffery as gay in a negative connotation. Do you not realize that it’s making him feel like crap, or do you not care?”

“Oh look.” One of them said. “Jeffery’s boyfriend is defending him.”

Not knowing what to say and feeling the words stab me, I walked away before I would start crying or I would kick one of them in the crotch.

Notes

PLEASE READ!!
This is really embarrassing but I just caught a plot hole and I want to address it here. Chapter 9 indicates that later that day will be the day Jeffery meets Luke, but Chapter 11 starts the day with saying today's the day Jeffery meets Luke. Chapter 10 takes place during the nighttime between 9 & 11, so please pretend as if they said "tomorrow" in Chapter 9. (I can't believe I made that stupid of a plot hole.)

If West Sydney High School is a real place...sorry I didn't know, I'm a Minnesotan.

The story will start to shift focus a little bit here, but I will try to maintain balance between this new focus and the characters/stories I've already established! :D

Also, Icing on the Cake will be returning soon, I just haven't had time to write lately :O