Preston's P.O.V.
Rob's hand squeezed mine a little, smiling when he saw that I was looking at him. We were both nervous, it was the first day of 11th grade in our new school because both of us had moved at the same time because our dads both worked for the same company and had moved cities.
"You okay Pressy?"
"Yeah." I hummed, resting my head on shoulder. "I'm nervous, I don't know if they're gonna like us."
"We'll be fine, as long as we stick together." I sighed, thinking of our last school.
They hadn't accepted Rob and I when we got together, half way through 9th grade or a year and a half ago, and we had suffered from terrible bullying for that time. I was relieved when we were told that we were moving schools, but I didn't know if it would better or worse.
I had known Rob for years and years, I think our parents met through our kindergarten when we were two or three years old and because we went to the same schools, we stayed close friends. From there we developed our own personal styles, Rob choosing black and myself choosing more pastel shades.
My parents didn't mind my style or the fact that I was gay, they loved Rob in fact but I couldn't have everything. They were both on minimum wage and worked full time plus overtime almost every night so I took care of all three of my younger siblings almost all of the time.
Rob was my release from that. He let me be a kid again when I needed it the most and allowed me to relax, destressing for a little while before I had to return home. He gave me something no one else could, and he stayed by my side through everything.
"Let's go boys!!" Rob's mum called from down the stairs, and Rob pulled me to my feet.
"Ready?"
"Yeah. I'm ready."
--------------------------------------------------
Pulling into the school was one of the scariest moments of my life. I hesitated when getting out of the car, but Rob's kind smile and a reassuring nod from his mum made me leave the vehicle, Rob taking my hand at once.
We were just heading to the front office to get our timetables when I stopped, Rob jolting when he realised.
"What?" I blinked.
I was looking a little way across the field, startled. There, in plain view, surrounded by people who were all laughing and talking happily together and acting very friendly, were two boys.
One, a tall blonde boy, was wearing thigh hair black stockings, short shorts and what looked like a black leather jacket but it wasn't actually leather. The other, shorter and more darker skinned one, was wearing a short white skirt, a white top and pink cardigan, as well as white adidas sneakers. Both looked completely comfortable and relaxed, laughing happily.
I knew I stood out, wearing a bright green flower sweater and black skirt, and it didn't take long before the taller boy spotted me, nudging his friend and coming over to us. I tucked myself into Rob's side, his arm snaking around my waist.
"Hey!" One called, in a friendly sounding voice. "Are you the new students?"
Rob nodded, standing a little bit in front of me protectively.
"Yeah. I'm Rob and this is Preston." The shorter one, the one in the more pastel-esk clothing, looked at me, grinning.
"I think you guys'll fit right in, wait until you meet Mitch and Jerome." I looked him, a little confused.
"Who?" I said, my voice soft.
"Our friends, Mitch is like me and you." He directed the last part at me. "I'm Vikk by the way, and this is my boyfriend, Lachlan."
I lit up when he said boyfriend, another thing we had in common.
"Nice to meet you." I said, looking around at the two of them.
Lachlan was leaning back on one heel, looking a little uncertain but confident. He was smiling at the both of us and when I looked at him and Vikk standing side by side, I knew that this school would be a turn for the better.
Turns out, we actually met Mitch and Jerome at the next recess. I thought I caught a glimpse of Mitch in the hall at one point, a pastel pink sweater on and a light blue bag on his back, but I wasn't sure until I saw him face to face.
When we did meet them, it was because Vikk and Lachlan pulled us behind the school to their group meeting spot where they met before and after school.
While we walked we found out more about the two. Lachlan had moved from Australia when he was 13, just a few years before, and therefore he still had quiet a thick accent, and Vikk had moved from England when he was 7.
They had known each other since Lachlan moved to his school and had been friends ever since, becoming boyfriends about the same time as me and Rob. They were both younger than us by a few months and although Vikk had a similar style to me, pastel and femme, Lachlan was both punk and femme, a mix of Rob and I.
When we first met Mitch and Jerome, I realised that Mitch was extremely quiet. He didn't even want to look me or Rob in the eyes, his hand clutched in Jerome's and we quickly found out that the two were together, although only for 6 months.
Mitch was much like me and Vikk, beautiful pastel clothing with skirts and pastel jumpers. He kept his sleeves up over his cheeks, obscuring his face, so it took a little while for me to see his face properly, when he was less on guard.
Jerome was like Rob, dark clothing and when he rolled his sleeves up I could actually see the start of tattoo sleeves on his arms. Rob had some tattoos already too, a few small ones on his arms. He did seem a little quiet like Mitch, but he was chill and relaxed.
We spent the morning finding out things about the four, more the new two than Vikk and Lachlan. I found out pretty quickly that Mitch's home wasn't a happy life and the bruises on his arms told a story of an unsupportive father. He didn't like talking about it.
Jerome and Mitch were childhood friends like the rest of us, already having known each other for years, and although they had been together for only 6 months, apparently they had been acting like a couple for a long time before that.
They were both quite quiet, listening in rather than talking and I smiled when I saw Jerome press a light kiss to Mitch's neck and the way he flushed bright red. It was cute.
And so the group of us became fast friends. We were in a lot of classes together so we quickly formed a close friendship with all of them, becoming fast friends.
So that's the story of how we met, and as you already know, it definitely didn't end there.