Jonah Clarke Is Not Gay

Jonah Clarke Is Influential

When Daniel wakes the next morning he is so annoyed about his alarm clock interrupting his dream that he almost does not notice his mother standing in the doorway with a tray in hand.

However when he hears her nervous knock on the door he looks upwards to see her concerned face and smiles, because he's relived to know that she's found out about yesterday and yet somehow does not mind.

"Morning," is all she says as she places the tray down on the bedside table next to him.

Daniel can always tell when his mother is worried about him as she always acts the exact same way. She makes him breakfast, brings it up to him in bed and always tries to bring whatever she's worried about into conversation.

"Morning," Daniel replies.

Straight away he picks the fruit juice up off the tray and drinks. It is a way for him to prolong his mother's questioning for just a little bit longer. He places the glass down only when he realises it has been empty for a few moments now.

"The school called," his mother starts, "they told me you hadn't showed up for registration but that Isaac had told them you were definitely in that day."

"I left," Daniel tells her.

"Am I allowed to know why?"

"It happened again."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Where did you go?" His mother asks. "I hate to think of you being on your own so upset."

"I wasn't alone," Daniel says simply.

His mother cocks a single eyebrow and stares at him questioningly.

"Girl or boy?"

"Boy."

"Friend or more?" She asks.

Even before he answers she is looking at him with narrowed eyes, another reminder that it is impossible for Daniel to lie to his mother.

"Just a friend."

"Well as long as you're happy."

With that Daniel's mother places a soft kiss on his forehead and departs from the room leaving Daniel with a tray of food and feeling in a much better mood.

He tucks in with a surprising amount of eagerness, mainly because Daniel cannot tell if the knot in his stomach is from hunger or nerves; the former is the only one he can really remedy right now.

Daniel thinks - not for the first time - just how relieved he is to have a mother like his own. She always seems to be able to tell when he needs a little pick-me-up and knows just how to cheer him up. Breakfast in bed is just one of the many solutions Daniel's mother whips out when the occasion calls.

It does not take long before all that is left on Daniel's tray is an empty plate, cup and mug and he wipes his hand across his face to rid his mouth of any stray crumbs.

Daniel has never taken very long to get ready for school in the morning, except for his hair he cares very little for his appearance, usually just pulling on the first clothes he sees and running a brush through his hair before leaving the house. However today he cannot stop checking to see if he looks okay in the mirror. But today he has to look perfect, today Jonah Clarke is going to decide whether he wants to be friends with him or not and Daniel can't bear for him to say no.

And so Daniel checks his reflection in the mirror once last time and decides that he will have to do.

The bus ride to school consists of Daniel nervously fidgeting, his leg jiggling up and down until the person sat in front of Daniel is forced to turn around and ask him to stop. Daniel apologises profusely but there still seems to be a lot of pent up energy inside of him.