Typically Me [BxB]

Chapter Nine

 I stood up so quickly my chair went flying backwards and toppled over. I couldn’t hear what my teacher was yelling at me, I was being consumed by the blackness spreading around Ray’s right eye. I shoved the door open so violently that he had to jump out of the way. He held his hand out to me and I took it; maybe the class had seen, but I couldn’t think about them right now.

 We ran together to the nearest bathroom where he simply stood and stared at his reflection in the mirror. The look on his face was one of pure hatred and revulsion, but I wasn’t quite sure what he was mad about. He didn’t move.

 I grabbed some tissue from the toilet and soaked it in the tap water, knowing that it would be freezing. I held it to his eye but he shook me off.

 “C’mon, Ray, let me help!” I begged. He shook his head, eyes still narrowed and locked on his reflection. I tried to put the tissue to his eye once again but he slapped my hand away.

 “Don’t.”

 I stopped and stared at him, a million questions running through my mind. Why was he being so difficult? More importantly; who had done this to him?

 “Ray-”

 “Just don’t, Ash. Ok?” he said.

 Then he started to laugh almost manically and I started to feel slightly scared.

 “I’ve always had this idea that gay is okay, y’know? That it was natural, that it was me.” He shook his head.

 “Ray! It is okay, of course it’s okay!” I told him.

 “Oh, I know. I just don’t see why other people can’t understand that.”

 Suddenly I had nothing to say. I knew exactly what he meant, though. Of course it’s okay to be gay, just like it’s okay to be bisexual and so on. LBGT people aren’t freaks, they- we- are just the same as everyone else. My mum used to tell me that being bisexual just meant I was more open-minded.

 I reached out to take hold of his hand but he stayed tense so I let my arm drop.

 “Who did this to you?” I asked him. He snorted.

 “It doesn’t matter.”

 Anger.

 “Of course it fucking matters, you twat. I need to know who the hell thought it would be okay to hit you!” I snapped.

 “I don’t need you to protect me, Ash. I’m a big boy, I can look after myself. You seem to have it in your brain that just because it’s normal for a guy to stick up for a girl, that’s the way it’s going to be in this relationship. Well, guess what? I’m not a chick. Girls don’t even need a guy to stick up for them, why are you assuming I do?” he argued.

 “You know what? Fuck it. I’m just trying to make sure you’re okay. And, y’know what? You came to find me.” I said, and I turned on my heel and walked away.

 I could hear him calling my name but I didn’t want to turn round, I didn’t want to respond. I just carried on walking. I walked straight past all the buildings, towards the gates. I dropped my bag in the centre of the driveway and just carried on walking, all the way to town, all the way to the coffee shop. Once inside I ordered a cup of tea, sat at a different table to mine and Ray’s one, put my head down and thought.

 I wanted to cry but I… couldn’t.

 It wasn’t my fault that Ray wouldn’t accept my help. It wasn’t my fault that I didn’t know what to say to make him happy. I was still new to this whole ‘relationship with a guy’ thing. It was like I was bloody emasculating him or something; I just wanted to be there for him.