The Unlikely Lover

Chapter:8

Austin's Point of View

I woke up early because I have to pick up Jacob, as I went to go out the door my mom stopped me "Why are you leaving the house so early? School isn't for another 40 minutes." I tried to think of something quick "I'm giving a friend a ride to school" I decided I wouldn't lie to her but I wouldn't tell her the full truth.

I got him his coffee and decided to get myself one, might as well see why anyone would pay so much for these. When I pulled up to his house I honked the horn a few times, he came out and hopped in the car. "I see you got yourself a coffee too." He said looking at the two coffees in the console of the car. "Yeah I decided I would try one, I think I will be getting these more often." I explained to him, he giggled at me. His giggle is pretty cute. It was quite for the rest of the ride, neither of us said a word. When we got to school and got out of the car Ryan was just getting out of his and saw us.

Jacob's Point of View

Austin's friend Ryan started walking towards us and I could tell Austin wasn't happy about this. "Austin why'd you give the fag a ride to school?" he said, but before I could defend myself Austin got up in Ryan's face "Because I can, you got a problem with that? No I didn't think so. Oh and stop calling him that word, his name is Jacob, not fag." And we both walked away. He actually defended me, I was expecting him to come up with some bull shit excuse, but he defended me. That was actually really nice of him, maybe people can change.

"Why did you defend me like that Austin? Like I'm not mad, it was actually really sweet, but why? What if he started calling you gay?" he pulled me around a corner "Look you shouldn't have to take his shit, and he wouldn't even think about saying that to me. He knows if he does I will kick him off the weightlifting team, one of the perks of being the team captain." I stared into his baby blue eyes, just taken away by the fact he is actually defending me. I never told him that he had to defend me, it's not like I forced him to, he actually chose to defend me. That made me feel really good, does he actually care about me? No that can't be it. "You would actually risk having to kick one of your best players off the team over me?" he just stared back at me, he finally said "Don't get used to it." I replied in a teasing voice "Does someone actually care about me?" To just add to the list of shocking things to happen that day, he actually blushed a little when I said that. "Me care about you? Ha funny, remember I am only doing this because you are black mailing me." That ruined the mood and we both went to class.

The idea that he might actually care about me bounced around in my head for a while in class until I saw something else a little more distracting, Austin was staring at me again, with those beautiful blue eyes that you never want to stop staring in to. I quickly looked away, but I think he stared at me for the rest of the class. 1st period was finally over and I started heading to my 2nd period.

I saw Ryan down the hall and could just smell trouble coming. I tried to dip into a classroom but he grabbed me from behind and pushed me against a locker. "Not so strong when you don't have your body guard huh fag?" all of the people that are usually following Austin where behind him laughing at me. "I can handle myself Ryan, especially from a heathen like you." He snarled at me "Oh sorry, did I use too big of a word for you heathen?" this ticked him off even more and he rose his fist up to swing at me. I braced for the impact, but it didn't help I fell to the floor as his fist struck me across the face. I could hear my face crack, or his fist, I couldn't tell. Then I hear Mrs. Farris's old commanding voice yell "Hey! What do you think you are doing!" Ryan and his group ran away and Mrs. Jefferson ran over to me. "Oh my god Jacob are you okay" I just took a strike from the second strongest kid in our school but sure I'm fine.... I never understood why people ask stupid questions like that. "No my face burns, and my bone hurts a lot."

She took me to the nurse's office and when I walked in some kid said "What happened to your face?" I guess that means he got me pretty good. The nurse gave me some ice and got the dean. Of course she got dean Jefferson, "Who did this to you?" is all he says to me, he doesn't even ask if I'm okay? What is wrong with some people. "Ryan Strickland, he had a bunch of friends with him that just stood there, but he is the one who hit me." He didn't look surprised one bit "Well kid, you got a nice shiner from the second strongest kid in the school, that had to hurt. Just so you know he will be suspended for 2 weeks." Oh great he just confirmed what I had feared, he gave me a black eye, well I can't hide that from my parents. I could hide the normal bruises and occasional cuts that I used to get, but I can't hide this from them. I had never once told them about me getting beat up, I didn't want them to have to deal with it too.

I was bewildered when I looked down at my phone and saw Austin texting me asking if I was okay. "Your heathen gave me a black eye, so no I'm not okay. But hey, he gets out of school for 2 weeks, so that makes everything even." I responded, it's not like it's his fault, but I needed someone to blame right then. "I am going to kill him, it's my fault, I should have known he was going to do something after what happened in the parking lot. I'm sorry Jacob." There it is again, he is acting like he cares about me. But he doesn't care about me, he basically said it himself. "It's okay, it's not your fault, sorry I snapped at you like that." I wasn't really sorry but I didn't want him to feel bad for something that wasn't his fault.

Later that day I ran into Vicki, "OMG You look like you got hit by a train." she said as she ran up to me "Oh thanks, makes me feel great." Then it struck me how I could hide it from my parents. "Vicki I am going to let you do something you have always wanted to do, I am letting you put makeup on me." She did that happy screech and jumped up and down "Not like lipstick, just to cover up this black eye from my parents." she stopped jumping "Oh, that's not as fun... but fine I'll do it." she sounded disappointed about that. "Thank you so much Vicki! You are the best!"