Stuck in the Middle

Chapter 23

"We need to go to class," I said, breaking the silence that had fallen in the room.

I wasn't even sure what time it was, but I was sure lunch break was already over. For some reason, I didn't care as much as I should have. Maybe that was because I was still wrapped in Marc's arms.

None of us had really said much after I told them about what happened with Jordon. At least they believed me. I wouldn't know what to do if they didn't.

"Class is overrated," John said from where he leaned against the bedframe of the bunks.

At some point, Marc and I sat down on the edge of his bed. I hadn't wanted him to let go of me, and he didn't. As much as I wanted John to sit down with us too, I knew if he did, we really wouldn't be going to class for the rest of the day.

"But our parents are paying a lot of money for us to go here," I said, still trying to make an effort to get us all to leave the room. I knew my parents didn't care about the money, as long as they didn't have to parent me. But Marc and John had families that probably did care, if not about the money, then about their grades.

"Yeah, like they really sent me here because they wanted me to learn," John muttered.

I looked up at him, curious. "Why did they, then?"

He shook his head slowly. "I was friends with a group of guys a few years older than me. They were dealers. Mostly weed, but sometimes harder stuff. They had me carry a lot of it, 'cause who's gonna check the twelve year old for drugs, right?" He crossed his arms over his chest and stared across the room at his bed, a distant look in his eyes. "I guess someone tipped off the cops or the school or whoever that I was involved. I only had weed on me that day, but it was still a big deal. My parents wanted to cover the whole thing up so that I wouldn't ruin my football career. Even back then, I was good."

Marc scoffed quietly. I nudged him in the side to get him to be nice.

John looked back over at us. "I guess they thought if they shipped me off to some boarding school, I'd continue playing football and all the drug stuff would be forgotten. It seemed to have worked."

"Are you still involved?" I asked. "With drugs?"

"Nah. I stopped that when I came here. I've never smoked anything before, not even back then. I just wanted to fit in somewhere, which is the only reason I was in that group to begin with."

I stood up, out of Marc's hold, and wrapped my arms around John. I understood parents that didn't care about the right things. I wished I could hug all of that away, but I knew better than anyone that hugs can only go so far.

"As much as I'm loving this hug, Spence," John said, "I don't need pity. I have shitty parents and I made my own choices, even as a kid. I knew what I was doing."

I shook my head. "I know what it's like to have parents like that, that's all."

He looked down at me. "You? Really?"

I let out a short laugh, sort of embarrassed now. "Yeah, they uh, I don't think they actually love me. Or even like me."

"Because you're gay?" Marc asked from behind me.

I shook my head again. "I honestly don't think they know about that."

"Even after everything that happened at your old school?" John asked.

I shrugged, sitting back down on the bed, this time in between the two of them. "If they knew what happened, they never said anything about it. They still let me come here, even though it's all boys. So either they don't care that I'm gay, they don't know, or they didn't bother to do any sort of research into AHA."