Benny continues writing in his notebook, taking notes. He had his head propped up on his hand and was slouched over. "Class! Attention please."
Benny looks up, setting his pen down. "This is our new student, his name is Noah Martinez, he'll be joining Martin High school. Tell us a bit about yourself."
Noah looks at the teacher and shrugs. He had his hands shoved into the pocket of his sweatpants. "Uhm. I'm Latino..only child...and I come from Alabama...I mean, not originally but...Yeah."
Kiara sits up and puts his pen between her teeth, leaning forward. "Speak Spanish."
"Hola. Mi nombre es Noah y tengo diecisiete años de edad."
She giggles and nods. "Mm. And that means?"
Benjamin rolls his eyes, looking down at his paper. He picks his pen back up, looking past Noah to continue writing the notes down.
Noah chuckles and shrugs. "I said my names Noah and I'm seventeen."
"Hm...That's cute."
Benny shakes his head at Kiara flirting.
The teachers stops the interacting, grabbing a seat chart. "Okay, Noah, go and sit next to Benjamin. Ben, raise your hand, please."
Benjamin raises his hand, sitting up.
Derrick, a football player snickers. "Ha. Got placed with the fag! Her name is little miss queer." Henry, Derricks friend starts laughing.
The teacher shakes his head at them. "Hey! Enough you two!" He yells.
Noah takes a seat, smiling at him. "I like your nail polish. Pink is good color for you."
Benjamin glances down at "Thanks."
"What's with the name calling? Highly doubt you've done anything to harm them."
Benjamin blushes and nods. "No. I'm," He tells himself 'why not' since everyone else already knows, "I'm gay. Not too many people like that."
"Oh..that's fine."
*
Benny takes his salad out his lunchbox followed by his yogurt and water bottle. Seeing as his friends ditched him, he eats alone now.
Noah sits down by him, smiling. "Mind if I join?"
Benjamin shrugs his shoulders. "Uh, no. Sit".
Noah smiles and tilts his head at Benjamin. "So. What's your story?"
"What story?"
"I mean like...what's up with you? Anything special?"
Benjamin sighs and shakes his head. "Nope, not really."
Kiara walks over, smiling. "Hey Noah, wanna come maybe sit with me and my friends?"
Noah furrows his brows and looks over at Kiara. "What?"
"We just wanted to give you company. You're new and all."
"Oh, I'm okay. Benjamin is perfect company."
Benjamin looks up at Kiara and shrugs. "If you want...you can join them. I don't mind".
"I'm okay." Noah doesn't make any effort to move.
Kiara huffs, now becoming annoyed, "How about....you both join us."
~
That's how they ended up all sitting together. Kiara leans over, whispering to Zoē, explaining why Benjamin was sitting with them.
Zoē nods her head and smiles. "Scored you a nice one. And he's Latino, rawr."
Noah smiles at Benny, "You vegan or something?"
"Hm. No...no. It's just, these aren't cage free, are they?" Benjamin points down at Noah's food.
Noah chuckles. "Really, cage free?"
Benjamin blushes and smiles. "Yea...i-it's."
Noah chuckles, "Don't her flustered, Benjamín."
Kiara scrunches up her face, averting the conversation over to her, "So Noah. You play any sports?"
"Basketball. So Benjamin, you got any siblings?"
Benjamin looks away from Kiara back to Noah. "No. Just me and my mom. My dad left...well he's back now, but, I don't know."
"Hm. Sorry to hear that."
Zoē rolls her eyes and decides to speak up. "Uh, Noah. Are you like, fluent in Mexican?"
Noah lets out a laugh and shakes his head. "Uh. No, cause Mexican isn't a language, though I'm fluent in Spanish".
Zoē begins to turn red. "Oh..Uh. No, that's what I literally meant."
Benny giggles softly, looking down.
"Shit. That's a cute ass laugh."
Kiara scoffs, "Noah, the bell is about to ring, why don't I show you around."
"Yea, sure." Noah stands up from where he was sitting, grabbing his things from the table. He winks at Benny before starting to walk away.
Kiara smiles, "Just a sec," She walks over to Benjamin, "He will be mine. Okay? Back off. By the way, your giggle isn't cute, it's gay."
He looks up at her, his smile slowly fading.
"Pathetic."
Benjamin watches as they walk away and stands up, walking off to the men's room. He grabs a wad of tissue, wiping his eyes.
He hears football players laughing, which he proceeds to go into a stall to hide from them as they get closer to the bathroom.
They begin banging on the stall doors. "Is little miss queer in here?"
One guy walks over, shaking the stall door. Benjamin sniffs, wiping his tears. He opens the stall door, avoiding eye contact.
He goes to the sink, washing his hands. "Hey Ma'am. I think you're in the wrong bathroom."
A few guys chuckle, while Benjamin cuts off the sink. He walks over, trying to leave. "Nice try, faggot."
He looks up, seeing Katen. "I can't wait to make your life a living hell again. Don't even try and mess with your friends."
Benjamin looks down, pulling on his jacket sleeve. "I need to get to class."
One of the boys in the group smiles. "So she does speak."
Benjamin turns to look at him, "I'm a boy."
"Sorry. Couldn't tell."
"Sorry ma'am." Katen reaches out to grab Benjamin's shirt.
Benjamin pushes Katen out the way, walking out the bathroom. He turns down the hall, running downstairs. He sits on the ground by the lockers, crying into his knees.
Kiara walks by, frowning. Though she takes pictures and videos to post on her Snapchat, so she can keep her popularity up.
"Get a room."
Benny looks up at Kiara. He shakes his head and grabs his things off the floor. He wipes under his eyes and walks away to his next class.
*
Benjamin sits on his bed, eating from a tub of ice cream. He watches makeup tutorials, waiting for his mom to come home.
~
Noah walks in his house, seeing his mom and dad cooking dinner. "Hi baby! How was school?"
"Fine. Boring. Tired of girls hitting on me."
Jose, Noah father turns to his son, smiling. "Hey son, just wear a shirt that says, 'I love dick'."
Noah laughs while his mom hits his father.
"Jośe!" Selena shakes her head and turns back to the food she was preparing.
"I'm gonna go upstairs before dinner."
"Be down in about twenty".
Noah walks upstairs, looking at all his boxes. He sighs, deciding to get something done.
After unboxing most of his things, he grabs his phone, going on instagram. Kiara has quickly found him, but in his suggested he finds Benjamin.
He smiles, looking at his feed. It's super cute and mostly filled with him and his mom.
He follows him, smiling.
*
Ms.Evans walks by Benny's room, seeing his door cracked open. He's softly crying into his pillow. She frowns, opening the door.
Olivia sits down on the edge of his bed, resting her hand on Benjamin's bed. "What's going on, love?"
Benjamin sits up, wiping his face. "N-nothing."
"It's not nothing. The past two nights you've been up here sobbing."
Benjamin doesn't look at his mom, looking down at his blue blanket. "Just having a rough week."
"Benjamin-."
"I'm just stressed out. Mom, I'm fine I promise."
Olivia hesitates before nodding her head. She stands up from the bed before turning to gave Benjamin again. "Okay. Dinner in ten".
Ms.Evans grabs her phone, calling Kiaras mom. Benjamin and Kiara were the closest two; meeting in third grade.
"Hi! Can I speak to Kiara? It's about Benjamin."
"Sure! She's up doing homework, let me get her."
Kiaras mother hands the phone to Kiara. Kiara smiles as she's handed the phone. "Hi Ms.Evans!"
"Hey, so sorry to call. Have you noticed anything going on with Benjamin. Ar- Is he getting bullied again?"
"Uhm, no. Perfectly fine."
"Are you sure? I just want to be sure and...You're his best friend."
Kiara looks up from her homework. "I don't know anything, Ms.Evan's. I'm sorry."
-
Benjamin picks at his food, when his dad walks in. He takes his shoes off by the front door, walking into the kitchen. "Hi."
Benny sighs and scoots his chair back, standing up from the table. "I'm gonna go shower."
Olivia points down to his plate, shaking her head. "You barely ate."
"Just...stomach ache is coming back."
Olivia frowns. "Take some medicine once your finished."
Benjamin doesn't say another word as he walks away.
*