The Truth Runs Wild (Philip x Lukas)

Chapter One

"Yeah" he replied, smiling back for Gabe's benefit before opening the car door. "See you guys later."

"We'll come and pick you up again, if you want."

"No, it's fine. I can get the bus" Philip said quickly. Already, he was aware of other kids looking over at them, taking a long look at the new city kid and whispering hushed rumours to one another. He hated being in the centre of attention. "But thanks though."

They both looked a little disappointed. "Sure" Helen replied, "have a good day."

He nodded and shut the door before walking up to the main building, head down.

The school was absolutely tiny, and the number of people in the halls and his registration seemed ridiculous- the whole school was only a quarter as big as the one he'd gone to back home. Which sucked, because it seemed like everyone knew who he was- as he walked down the halls whispers and lingering looks trailed after him, breaking out into sniggers. Philip tried to act like he didn't care. Hopefully it looked more convincing than it felt.

A part of him was desperately hoping he'd see Lukas- the guy who had fixed his tyre. Unfortunately Philip had been listening to music in his room when Lukas returned the bike the night before, and Gabe had been the one to open the door to him. Both he and Helen had seemed pleased he'd already made a friend. But they were hardly friends, after only one meeting, though it would be nice to see someone who wouldn't stare at him like he was absolute freak.

Just as he was thinking this, he rounded the corner on the way to his next class and- bang. He collided into someone tall and solid before he bumped backwards into the lockers, his books thumping to the floor.

"Watch where you're going, asshole."

Philip blinked. The guy he'd knocked into was Lukas, his face twisted into a sneer, surrounded by guys wearing identical letterman jackets. From the way people were watching and laughing along, it was clear that this was the most popular jock clique in the school.

"Hey, aren't you the new kid who has a junkie for a mom?" one of the guys sneered, provoking more sniggers from the others. Even Lukas was smirking.

A hot red rush of anger rose in Philip's chest, constricting his throat. His books back in his arms, he felt his hands tighten into fists...but then he forced himself to breathe. What would his Mom think if she heard that he got into a fight on the first day of school? What would Helen and Gabe think?

Besides, he didn't want to give these assholes the pleasure of seeing that the taunt had got to him.

"Fuck you" he muttered instead, pushing past them to catcalls and more cruel sniggering.

After he slammed his stuff onto the desk in his next lesson, Philip covered his face with one hand and felt his blood simmer. He'd been dealing with stupid guys like that his whole life, it was honestly nothing new, but...Lukas. Obviously Lukas wasn't the nice guy that Philip had misunderstood him to be. He couldn't get the image of Lukas and his stupid, crooked smirk out of his head.

At lunchtime Philip sat with a kid named Tommy who'd been in his photography class. Tommy kept talking to his girlfriend Tracey, who was very loud and very giggly, but Philip was happy to mostly eat his lunch in silence, plus it was better than sitting alone like a complete loser.

A sudden swell of noise made him look up from fiddling around on his camera- the table near to them was spilling over with jocks and cheerleaders, and Lukas had just approached with what Philip had now come to recognise as his signature swagger. Jokes were traded back and forth, Lukas was laughing as a pretty black girl stood up and smiled at him before they kissed, wrapping her arms around his waist. Cue more catcalls and stupid comments, to which Lukas replied to with a middle finger as he continued to kiss his girlfriend.