Happy Encounters // L.S.

Part One

L O U I S

The bell to end the last hour of the day sounded. It's always a relief but especially on Fridays. School sucks. I gathered my books and walked into the hallways. The loud talking and slamming locker doors filled my ears, so I never would've seen it coming.

Two of the homophobic jocks ran to catch up with me. Being the only openly gay student at my school was Hell. I got picked on like no other. They called my derogatory names all the time. This time though, they knocked my binder from my arms and laughed like they were doing something original. They kept going along and I sighed. Nothing really new.

The few people that were left lingering merely looked down at me while I collected the papers that had scattered everywhere. It was humiliating to have to be on the dirty floor picking up my stuff. It took a while and people stepping on them and dragging them across the hall didn't help.

Once I had finally managed to get situated once again and back on my feet, I saw the buses through the glass doors starting to leave. It jumped into my mind that my parents weren't home for the weekend so that was my only way home.

"Shit," I mumbled under my breath as I took off into a run. My bag clumsily bounced against me as I ran. I got to the end of the hall and burst through the doors. I tried to catch the bus, but it was already pulling away from the stop sign. I saw the two guys who had made my mess in the back window snickering. I hated them so much.

I stood there for a moment, not knowing what to do. My house was way to far to walk home, but it was starting to look like I had no other choice. I looked around, but I was alone. I sighed and sat down on an old bench to think. I zoned out for a few minutes sitting there.

'At least it's not raining,'I thought to myself. If my life was a movie, that's when it would start pouring down, but my life is not a movie and something different happened.

I heard the door fall shut. I turned around to see who it was. I was desperate enough to ask someone for a ride. It was Harry. One of the popular guys of my senior class. One of the jocks' friends. My stomach turned over inside of me and I hesitated. I had pretty good reason to believe he'd laugh in my face if I even said hi to him, but I guess beggars can't be choosers, right?

I studied him for a moment though. Something was off. He walked with his head down. That wasn't like him. Upon closer inspection, his eyes had bags saying that he hadn't been sleeping lately. As he drew closer, I had to bring every single ounce of courage I could muster to say something.

"Hey," I managed with a dry mouth and standing up. I seemed to have snapped him out of some deep thought. He looked up at me but didn't say a thing. I cleared my throat.

"I don't know if you know me or anything. I'm Louis, and I know this might seem a little weird. But uh, I don't really have a way home... Could I maybe get a ride? I'll pay you gas money," I told him trying my hardest to not sound stupid. He didn't answer immediately, and I wanted to throw up. I had had a crush on this guy since I first moved into the school freshman year. And as he's aged to 18, he's gotten even hotter. As I've aged to 18, I've changed a lot. I'd like to believe I've gotten better looking, but nowhere near his level.

"Um, yeah sure," he said hesitantly. I swallowed hard and picked up my bag. I followed him across the parking lot in silence. We approached a new model black mustang. I paused to make sure it was his car. He unlocked the doors and we both climbed in.

"I like your car," I told him trying to make some conversation. It seemed to catch him off guard again.

"Thanks, I got it for my sixteenth birthday," he replied. "So where is it that you live?"