My Hero Is...

5

"What was that about?" Skyler asks in math, and I shrug my shoulder. "Eden, please, I want to help." Skyler says. "I don't know, I know something has me on edge, I just don't know, Skyler." I say, and he looks at me, and I sigh. "Look, back at my old school, I'd ditch and go have a smoke break. I'm pretty sure it's withdrawl, I haven't had a smoke in three days, and I'm use to have at least one every period." I tell him, as I work on the assignment. "Eden, if you're going through withdrawl, that's fine, but you should tell me, so I can help." He says, I sigh and drop my pencil. "Why do you care? We met a day ago, we barely know each other, so please, enlighten me, why do you care?" I ask him, my anger getting the better of me. He looks shocked, but then his eyes soften and he looks at me with his crooked little smile. "Maybe, I just think you're cute, cutie." He says, and I can feel myself start to blush, as he ruffles my hair. I pick up my pencil, and start to work, again.

"Eden, I thought I told you to stay away from him." Asher said, as I sat down with my apple and grapes at Skyler's table. "And I told you my opinion, so you can back the fuck away." I say, not even looking up at him. "Eden, this is not the time, come sit by me." Asher says, pulling my arm. "Why, 'cause he's into guys? Newsflash, so am I!" I shout and run away. Dear God why am I always the one to run and hide? I head towards the bathroom, and lock myself in a stoll. I hear sneakers squeak on the tiles, and try to hold in tears. "Eden, it's Freddy and Skyler, please come out." Freddy says. "I can't, Freddy, not right now." I whisper, and sit, so my feet are on the seat, going into my chest. "Eden, please come out." Skyler says. "Did that, got that t-shirt, don't want to go back." I say, and hear Freddy chuckle a little. "Eden, it wasn't that bad." Freddy tries. "I'm dead when I leave this place, no matter what I do, I'm dead." I say, hopping they will leave me alone. I hear them talking in soft whispers, the the door to the stall I'm in opens, revealing Freddy's torquoise hair and black snapback, and Skyler's brown eyes. "Eden, I will pick you up." Freddy says. I shake my head. "You're small, don't believe I won't?" He asks. I don't answer for a couple minutes. "Don't take me to the lunch room, I don't want to see my brother." I say, and they nod. I stand up, and they support me, a little. "Let's go to the roof, Sky, I'll text the others to bring our food." Freddy says. "Kay." Skyler says, shortly. I'm sure glad I wore a long sleeve today.

We skipped the next period, up on the roof top, trying to help me out, most of the time u was laughing as my new friends did some dumb shit, but it felt grade. When the bell rang for the next peruod, we knew we had to show, unfortunately, Skyler had to go to the office to show a new kid around, and Brad happened to be in stagecraft with us. I gulped as I walked into the aditorium, all eyes immediately fell on me. I sighed, and sat in one of the last rows in the audience. Maybe they won't notice me. "Did you hear? He's queer." I hear some girl say to another girl. "Fits right in with them, doesn't he?" The other girl asked. I sighed, and decided to go to the teacher. "I have to use the restroom, may I have a pass?" I ask her, and she nods, writing me a pass. Luckily her handwriting is so messy, no one can tell it says bathrrom. I leave, and go out of a side exit. I feel around in my jacket pockets and pull out a cancer stuck and lighter. I light my cigarette and take a drag, finally relaxing a little since the move. "Eden Jay West!" I hear Skyler shout, and look up, sticking the cigarette in the corner of my mouth to talk. "What?" I ask him. He marches over, the new kid right behind him, and takes it out of my mouth, then he throws it on the ground and cruqshes it. I roll my eyes. "What was that for?" I ask, as my hands go into my pockets. "You know why, let's get you back to class." He says. I look at him. He's nuts. "Eden, please." He says. "Fine, but, you owe me a pack, now, that was my last one." I say, kicking off the wall and going back to my class. It was hell without Skyler there, everyone seemed to be talking about my outburst in the lunchroom. I tried to help out, but no one wanted me to help them. Guess it's true, once you come out, you can never go back.

Homeroom was just as bad as Stagecraft. "Well, if it isn't the fag." Brad says. I look away and do my work before I do something stupid. Wait, I never got the English assignment for today. I put my finished work in my bag, and go up to the teacher. "May I go see Mr. Murphy, I have a question about today's assignment." I say, and she nods. I walk down the halls to his classroom. When I walk in, he's sitting at his desk. "Mr. Murphy, can I have today's assignment?" I ask him, and he looks at me. "Let's go to the halls, Eden." He says, I nod and we go. "Eden, why weren't you in class today?" He asks. I shrug my shoulders, I honestly hadn't meant to skip. "Eden." He says. "I'm sure you've heard by now, about what happened at lunch, that's why." I say. "Eden," He starts, but pauses. "You're not alone, kid. You have Skyler to help you out, and the others, you're not alone." He says. "I know, but I can't tell them how screwed up I am, what would they think? They're so nice, and understanding, but if I told them everything, things would change, they'd treat me differently, and I don't want that." I say, looking at the ground. "Eden, they're your friends, they won't judge you." He says. "May, I please have the assignment?" I ask, and he sighs. "Yes, you may." He says, and we go back into his classroom.