+ Positively Negative - | Freddie & Joey

19. Joey +- Learning to Trust in You [Part Four]

*Sheepish

Hi guys... I've been gone and I thought I owed you guys a reason so... Here it as, as quickly as I possibly can:

I had my sixteenth (not the party yet, though that's adding to stress too), then with exams coming up after half term I've been up to my elbows in school stuff.. I've been staying after school practically everyday doing either English revision, or Maths, or Media Studies... There's been the Duke of Ediburgh thing.. I'm also looking for sixth forms and colleges to apply to, and I've been going to all those endless open days and now I just remembered I haven't applied yet! (FREAKING DO IT IDIOT!) I have all these personal questions about myself that I need to answer, and I think for the past four or five Saturdays I've babysat from about 6.30pm-1am so I've been so exhausted after the week, that I pretty much lie in Saturday mornings, barely have time to do anything before I'm babysitting again then I'm exhausted through Sunday and WHOA it's Monday and I've done no homework! Would you look at that? So yeah, I've made myself pretty sick with stress and exhaustion a few times, depression may have hit a couple of times too but I'm okay now. Excited for a couple of projects that I'll tell you about in PM as you don't need to know here (my life never slows down, I tell you). Help me, fishes. I think I need a life coach.

Chapter Nineteen

Learning to Trust in You Part Four

Joey + -

I walked into the maths classroom to an annoyed Mr. Read, calling out maths sums, which was nothing unusual. He was an all round idiot who hated my guts more than anybody else’s for a reason I really didn’t understand. I passed him the note Mr. Chou had given me without a word and then  walked on past my seat, ignoring the looks I got. What Pete had said in Science was fresh in my mind and I was aware that it would be ten times worse with my (ex) best friend.

I took a spare seat at the back that was never occupied for a reason I wasn’t aware of, but soon found out -inescapable gum on the desk. Not under it.

When I looked up after settling myself in, I realised Sir hadn’t continued speaking to the class, but was staring at me, confused. I narrowed my eyes at Mr. Read, unable to figure out what I could possibly have done wrong now.

‘Hartman,’ Sir called out.

I raised an eyebrows as I replied, ‘Sir.’

‘Where do you think you are sitting?’

‘Where do you see me sitting?’ I retorted. The man was pissing me off already -a record. In every lesson, every fucking lesson he pulled me up on something. And this time I’d only fucking walked in and sat down. I wasn’t even sat next to Ryan (for obvious reasons) and he normally had a problem with that. Not that I ever cared, and I’d always sat next to Ryan despite his threats.

I watched his lips purse as my eyes narrowed.

‘Not taking your usual seat beside Ryan then?’

‘No I’m fucking not,’ my hands grew to fists in my lap.

‘And why is this?’ His voice was tight. I said nothing. ‘Joey, answer my question or leave my classroom.’

My lips split into a grin and I immediately stood, lifted my bag to my shoulder and began to walk back towards the door. Murmurs followed this, clearly shocking Mr. Read.

‘Joey Hartman! STOP RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE! You do not walk into my classroom, LATE, disrupt and expect you can just LEAVE!’

I stopped and turned to the man. The class were laughing at this point. He was a mess. To be honest, I still heard whispers of ‘faggot’ and ‘gay’ so my sexuality was still part of their conversations, but Sir was a disgrace. His face was completely red -even more obvious against the white of his shirt collar- and angry lines were creasing every inch of his skin. His lips were drawn ‘threateningly’ over his teeth -as if it was meant to scare me or something- and spittle was crawling down his chin.