Jonah

I turn the corner. And there he is. With... June?

“Lucas!” I call. He... he wasn’t kissing June was he? I feel tears build up.

“Oh. Hey Jonah. Meet my girlfriend, June. By the way, we’re done.”

June. My best friend. Lucas. My boyfriend. Together?

Try as I might, the tears burst free from my eyes. I run down the hall to a familiar classroom. The teacher, my favorite, had gone to another school and the classroom had been left empty. I opened the door and went to the back left corner. I hopped up on the counter and pulled my knees to my chest.

And cried.

Two months later and I still cry sometimes. I mean I thought I was going to marry Lucas. He was perfect. Emphasis on was. June still keeps trying to talk to me. It got to the point that I’m now sitting in my counsellor’s office so that I can get my schedule changed so that I never have to see June or Lucas again. Our school is big enough.

“Hello Jonah. So. What can I do for you today?”

Despite being responsible for 50,000 of the the kids here at the High School, he still gets to know every single one, and makes sure to make time for them.

“I need to change my schedule.”

“Why? Is it the teachers?” He ask genuinely concerned.

“No, Mr. Andrew, it’s Lucas and June.” I say quietly.

“What about them? Are they still bothering you?” I nod. “Alright. But in order for me to this you have to do something for me.” He got like that sometimes. Whenever you asked him to do something really hard or that he’s not supposed to do he asks for a favor.

“What?”

“Show around the new student. You need new friends and who better than someone with absolutely no connection to June or Lucas?”

June and Lucas, although he had cheated on me with my best friend, were the most popular couple ever. What better than hot chick turns gay man straight?

“Alright. Just get me out of those classes.” He nods and sets to work.

“You can stay in sick bay or wait in the lobby. The new kid should be here soon!”

I mumble something and walk out to the bean bag chairs sitting in the lobby. I plop down on the big gray one.

And fall asleep.

“Hey.” An unfamiliar voice says, shaking me. “Mr. Andrew said to wake you up and to go to his office?”

I crack open my eyes and groan at the lights that shine in my eyes. “You are?”

“Alex. The new kid.” He says. I look at his face.

Woah. Hot damn.

“Hello?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I heard you. Help me up.” I offer my hand up.

He grabs it and pulls me up easily. I stumble as I land on my feet and knock into him.

Woah. Muscles. Lots and lots of muscles.

“Thanks.” I walk away from Alex, towards Mr. Andrew office.

“Ah. Jonah. Have you met Alex?” The door opens behind me, and Mr. Andrew keeps going without giving me a chance to answer. “Ah. Of course you have. He woke you up didn’t he?”

“Yeah. I did.” Alex found a place to speak when Mr. Andrew took a breath. Another thing about Mr. Andrew. He never stops talking.

“Great! So. You two have the same exact schedule. Which will make it easier for you,” He points at me, “to show him,” he points at Alex, “around. And for you two to get to be the best of friends.”

I roll my eyes at him. If he weren’t married to Mrs. Andrew I coulda sworn he was gay.

“I have a question.” Alex said. A bit nervous. Mr. Andrew nodded his head, signalling Alex to go ahead. “How do students here treat open gays?”

“Pretty well. Although it really depends on who you interact with. Stay away from certain people and you’ll be fine.” I answered before Mr. Andrew could go on his ‘Everybody is accepted here or else’ speech. “Come on. We have enough time to get to lunch before we have to get to fifth period.”

We walked side by side away from Student Services and towards the loud cafeteria. It was C lunch meaning the bulk of the student body was currently eating lunch. If that’s what you called the slimy, greasy, under-seasoned food the school served. And today was fish sticks. Yuck.

We walk into the cafeteria. “You bring money?”

“Nah. Mom already got my account set up.”

I point to the entrance of the food service area. “Go through there and you’ll find the food. Sit where ever you want. Nobody really cares but stay away from the people with the black armbands. They are the anti-LGBTQ+ club members. They will make life hell.”

I start to walk away from Alex. He’s a big kid and can take care of himself from here. “Hey! Where do you sit?”

“Over there.” I point, not even turning around to answer Alex’s question.

I walk over to where I had pointed and plopped down in my usual seat. I’m still not entirely used to sitting here by myself. I usually have a boyfriend and/or June with me. I sigh as I dig in to my lunch box. Sweet and sour chicken with fried crab-meat dumplings and sweet and sour sauce. Yummy.

I was so busy eating this deliciousness to even notice a body shadow over me.

I looked up. And decided...

I hate high school.