waterloo sunset . j hale

two

(T.W: mentions of homophobia and homophobic slurs)

THE WALK TO ART WAS SHORTLIVED MEANING JONAH BARELY HAD ANYTIME TO MENTALLY PREPARE HIMSELF FOR HIS FIRST CLASS. The class was buzzing with life as he entered, dread sinking in as all eyes turned to him. His face flushed but the boy attempted to remain composed, holding his shoulders higher as he approached the teacher.
       "Hey, um, I'm Jonah Swan." He said confidently. The bored looking woman glanced up at the Swan boy, already expecting his arrival and held her hand out expectantly.
"I need to sign your slip." She said, flexing her hand impatiently.
My slip?? Jonah thought to himself, Ohhhh shit that pink thing! Jonah fumbled through his belongings searching for the slip, conscious of the fact that everyone in the room was staring at him. Fuck where is it.
A small hand reached over the books in his arms and grasped the little pink slip from in between the pages of Jonah's art textbook.
"Is this what you're looking for?" A soft voice asked followed by a bell-like laugh. Jonah's eyes peered down at a small goddess with spiky black hair who had just handed the missing slip to the teacher.
"Thank you." Jonah said, flustered.
"Come sit with me, I'm Alice. Alice Cullen!" She cheered, as if she had been waiting to introduce herself. The teacher handed Jonah back his slip and he made sure to place it carefully in the breast pocket of his sweater vest. His sister had bullied his choice of clothing but Jonah didn't mind dressing like a grandad, it sure beat the wild trends that boys wore these days.
   He followed Alice gladly, pleased to have avoided the awkward unknown of where to sit. He studied her as she pranced towards her table at the back. The whole class peered at them as if they were aliens, shock evident in their eyes. Alice sat down gracefully and tapped the chair next to her as a gesture for Jonah to sit down, which he did.

"So Jonah, what brings you to Forks?" She asked sweetly, smiling at him with twinkling topaz eyes.

"Oh uh, I've lived in Forks my whole life, but I-uh went to school on the reservation. My twin sister Bella moved back so we started here together" He explainer, smiling back at her.

"Twin? Isabella is your twin?" She questioned , her eyes glazing over slightly as if she was in a dream.

"Yeah, 23 minutes apart, never fails to remind me." He jokes trying to distract himself from staring at her zoned out self. She snaps back into reality with a grin and a knowing look in her eye.

"Well there's nothing wrong with being the youngest, though I would've thought one of you would've had a better taste in fashion." She enthused. By now the teacher had noticed their conversation and promptly shushed the pair before continuing to discuss Monèt's use of colour in showing light.

     Before Jonah knew it, first period was over. Alice talked vibrantly about clothes as she showed him to his next class, Algebra.

    "I suppose you'll sit with your sister at lunch but just know you're welcome to sit with me whenever you want, I'd love to introduce you to my siblings - especially Jasper." She touched his shoulder with her freezing cold hand and flitted down the hallway leaving Jonah blinking in awe at her grace and temperature before he entered the classroom to suffer through maths.

•••

By the time lunch had rolled around Jonah was well over Forks High, having had an unfortunate run in with who seemed to be the schools jock, a douchebag name Hayden, in his previous classes.

In Algebra, Hayden had made comments over Jonah's choice of wearing a sweater vest and in Economics, he'd began to assume Jonah's sexuality because according to Hayden "he can sense Fags".

Great, Jonah thought to himself. Three periods in and everyone can fucking tell.

It's not that Jonah wasn't proud to be gay, he was, he just didn't want everyone to know. It was easier in his eyes to keep his head down for both his and Bella's sake so they would fit in at the school.

Jonah had experienced his fair share of bullying in his life but had never faced homophobia, which was something he wanted to stay the same. Particularly in a new school. Bella was sat with Mike Newton and his annoying wannabe girlfriend Jessica Stanley when Jonah found her. His sisters pale face flushed as people stared from other tables at the twins.

"Hey Jonah! You never said your sister was cool." Mike doted, clearly infatuated with Bella.

"She's okay I suppose." Jonah replies shortly, sitting down with a huff before making eye contact with his sister who looked at him with worry in her eyes. He shrugged as so to tell her he was okay.

    "So Jonah," Jessica began, "you seen any girls here that grab your attention yet? I'm sure they were all over you on the rez!" She exclaimed, dragging her hand across his arm in an attempt to appear flirtatious. Jonah coughed on his drink and made eye contact with Bella before replying.

    "Uh- not really Jess, I-uh, I've only been to three classes today and I've known the rez girls from being a kid-" He brushed her question off, losing interest as a group had entered the cafeteria. Bella began to inquire into the group, kickstarting Jessica's gossip fetish. Jonah tried to pay attention but found he couldn't quite draw his eyes away from the boy who had just walked in.

   Sunlight couldn't come close to describe the god who had just entered the cafeteria. With Alice beside him they looked as if they had just fallen out of a painting. His glorious obsidian eyes twinkled under the fluorescents and his beautiful locks flowed effortlessly across his sculptured cheekbones. Despite his enchanting beauty, Jonah couldn't help but notice he seemed to be in agonising pain. Alice's hand was gripped tightly around his wrist as she seemed to drag him towards a table in the far corner of the room, leaving no red mark on his wrist as her hand was removed.

   Jonah continued to study the man as Bella found herself staring at the cafeteria doors. Breaking his focus on the embodiment of Apollo, he glanced at the man capturing his sisters attention.

   What the fuck is in the water here and where can I get some. Jonah thought to himself, almost seeing Edward pull a smirk across his face.

   "Seriously though, don't even bother" Jessica finished, seeming pressed about the lack of attention received from the Cullens and the Hales.

    Jonah glances towards his sister again and by the look in her eyes, he could definitely tell she was going to bother.