THE NEXT DAY at school, Jules limped down the hallway while whispers still followed her. Her bruises were still visible on her visage and it gave students more reason to gossip about her as she trudged towards her locker.
Once she reached it, she opened it up and a bucketful of grey paint splashed on her whole body.
Shock coursed through her at the unexpectedness of it and the students laughing in the hallway while crowding around her. She wiped at her eyes and saw flashes of light: pictures were being taken.
Jules felt herself shake; not that the paint was cold to make her do so but she shook at the humiliation that washed over her and gripped her in its claws. She wanted to cry but yell in rage. She wanted to smile at the hilarity and shrug off the situation as though she saw it coming, but she couldn't, because it wasn't funny at all to her, and she never saw it coming.
With the dignity left in her, she slammed her locker and walked away from it, without taking anything. The crowded students paved a huge way for as fast as a deer, as though Jules was a walking contagious infection they didn't want to come into contact with.
She went to the girl's changing rooms and stood in the hot showers in her clothes as she watched the paint drain away from her body.
This was not the time to cry, she told herself as she got out and walked to her locker. This was not the time to be weak.
Being careful this time, she opened her locker while standing from its side in case there was going to be another prank. Nothing happened.
She peeked through her locker slowly, where she expected her fresh and clean gym clothes neatly folded. Her heart sank.
Instead of her clothes, she saw a blue and pink balloon floating inside her locker. With the words 'straight freak' inscribed on it with a blood red marker.
YOU ARE READING
The Homo Norm - WattPride
Teen Fiction"In honor of pride month and #WattPride!" As far as Jules knows, being straight has gotten her in a hell lot of trouble. ---------------
