On the Ledge

Gay Overnight

MONDAY 8:30

Paying attention to math while at the same time thinking about what had happened was starting to get difficult after a while. Especially since they were currently taking polynomials. Mrs Linton was explaining last week's homework on the board but all Sam could think about was Brad. He felt like he betrayed him. But at the same time Sam figured Brad would have done the same if the situation was reversed.

"..Okay, who knows the solution?" Mrs Linton turned to the class. But the students kept their heads down. She scoffed.

" No one? Come on, this math problem was your homework..."
Brad raised his hand.
" Yes?"
" I did my homework but I didn't understand this problem."
" Well, then come to the board, Abbott."

Brad was about to walk to the board when someone in the class shouted: "Faggot!"

Nearly everyone laughed. Sam could see Brad's face turn red with humiliation. Mrs Linton looked taken aback but quickly regained composure.

" Keegan, what did you just say?" Mrs Linton asked, walking toward him. Keegan's lips curled into a smile.

" I said he's a faggot." he shrugged as if the word carried no weight. Mrs Linton's jaw clenched at that. She nodded comprehensively.

" Abbott, sit down." she ordered him while keeping intense eye contact with Keegan. Bradley sat down, staring at his desk.

" Now, why did you call your classmate like that?" she asked Keegan.

" I don't know... Cuz he's a fag." Keegan said, while munching on the end of his pencil.

" Keegan, do you want to have a talk with the headmaster?" Mrs Linton raised her brows at him.

" No!"

" Then talk!" she ordered him. Keegan looked away, the mischievous smile suddenly gone.

" He likes boys." he said with an accusing undertone.

" So?" Mrs Linton crossed her arms. " He happens to like boys. What's it to you?"

" I'm just calling him what he is. That's all." Keegan shrugged.

" Seriously, if it were me, I would kill myself." Jermaine added.

" And why is that?" Mrs Linton asked.

" Becoming gay must be the worst thing ever... like I know I couldn't live with myself if I knew something like that." he said. Mrs Linton gazed at him like she couldn't believe her ears.

" So, you're implying Abbott here decided to become gay overnight?" she asked.

" Well, I don't.." Jermaine started to say but she cut him off.

" Or let me rephrase that. Jermaine, you're black. 200 years ago that would place you in an inferior position. You would suffer the same ostracism Abbott is facing right now. How would you feel if someone called you the N word?"

" Yeah, but that's different." Jermaine countered.

" Yeah?" she raised her brows. " How? How is it different?"

" Well, I was born this way. There's nothing I can do against my skin colour." Jermaine shrugged.

" There you go! You were born like that. And what makes you think he wasn't?"

Jermaine looked down, suddenly aware his argument was built on no foundation. He shrugged.

" These words you young people are using these days..." Mrs Linton now addressed the whole class. " Faggot, slut, tranny, twat and so on.. You have to know that words hurt! Verbal violence can be ten times worse than physical. So, be careful how you communicate with one another. Because words, especially if they are coming from a place of ignorance, can be such powerful daggers..."

" But faggot isn't a strong word." Keegan cut her off. " Everyone uses it. I even said it to my brother the other day and he didn't flinch."

" Oh, so because everyone says it, that makes it okay to use it in everyday conversation?" she asked.

Keegan remained silent. Mrs Linton stared at him, expecting an answer.

" Oh, I thought that was a rhethorical question..." he eventually said. Everyone in the class laughed. But Mrs Linton didn't feel like laughing.

" That's not funny, guys. Keegan exposed one serious topic of today's youth. Overusing offensive words eventually leads to desensitization which means we stop feeling like those words carry any weight. And that's why you insult your classmate without even knowing you're doing it." she eyed Keegan, who diverted his look.

" People like you.." she pointed her finger at Keegan. " are the most dangerous of all because you cause damage without even realizing it."

The bell rang signaling the end of class. Mrs Linton returned to her desk. Sam packed his bag. As he looked up, about to rise from his chair, he saw Bradley standing above him.

" We need to talk." Bradley said.