Thankfully! I've managed to navigate my way through three years and one week away and at last could start to sense freedom on the horizon. Year 10 is the best year! I'm studying the subjects I want to do without too much pressure, as its perfectly placed before the full on stress of GCSE exams and after the responsibility of having to choose your options. My options are Geography as I preferred this over History, French as there was no way I was going to do German, Drama looked fun from the week away last year and James said it was good so thought why not and the final option was Art, a bit of a mix, but I knew Art would be relaxed with Mr Kelly. Due to my choices the form group has been changed around, He was now in the same form as me along with Noah, Andy and Steve, additionally Claire was with us to complete the squad but there was no Jen and it was sad James wasn't with us as well. During form I still sat next to Steve and in front of us was Andy and Noah and behind us was Him, still with his crooked tie, and Claire, this would be the the same for Years 10 and 11, meaning you are able to establish a familiar routine. Games was back to the last lesson on a Monday before it was Drama which allowed me to have some escapism in my day. My form teacher is Mrs Smith a tall lady with long brown hair and each day she would wear stand out colourful neckless and bracelets, she had a very pleasant personality which everyone in the class liked, I was happy she would be our form teacher and also French teacher for the next two years. The form classroom was in the same room we had French which made Tuesday mornings easy as we didn't have to move from our seats. We were in one of the extension blocks on the ground floor and out of the windows you could see the sports pitches stretching out endlessly. This year I was able to get a locker so I could put all my sports kit in which means not having to carry it around with me all day, probably shouldn't have made me as happy as it did. Me and Him are friends, we get on well and sit on the same tables as a group or near to me if I'm sat next to Steve in class. He is with me a lot more now as our options are the same which has helped us to become friends more and he gets on with the others too, so everything is good. Also, there have been no more awkward moments around showers so for this year, which is a relief! Not that I would use the showers after Games anyway and he remembers his own towel now. We all get changed in a row together now leaving the rowdy noisy boys to it in the other changing area, this allows us all to catchup with James and see how things are with him, also it makes Games not a complete waste of time.
It was that time again, Games, Mr Williams came out of his office "Football, second pitch today boys!" as authoritative as ever, we all made our way across to the football pitch, at least we don't do rugby any more. The weather was cold with clouds overhead but it didn't look like rain was anytime soon, walking in our group James asked "how are you guys doing in Drama?" I was the nearest as we walked along "its good, I like it" replying genuinely "Nice one, where is the class?" James went on to ask, this time Andy answered "in the sports hall so pretty decent, you should've chosen it James" there was a slight disappointment in Andy's voice "Maybe but computing is not that bad" James sounded like he was trying to convince himself.
After the usual warm up practices, small groups passing the ball to each other it was time for the team selection and I just went to the back of the group knowing full well I'd be the last person chosen "Team captains today are you two" Mr Williams pointed towards Him and Andy there was a mummer of surprise by his choice as both of them stepped forward and faced the group, he was first to choose "I want the first player on my team to be you!" He was pointing clearly and directly at me! I pointed to myself and he smiled and nodded in confirmation, the surprise and joyous feeing swept through me at being picked first! I wasn't expecting it to affect me the way it did and walked up to join him "don't worry I'll look out for you just do what I say during the match" he said quietly to me then slapped me on the shoulder and smiled widely to welcome me onto his team. Andy chose James first and honestly the only downside was it looked like my friends would be split over the two teams as the next one He chose was Steve and then Noah, as the names went down there were just four boys left including John and the others were always the first to be chosen and it was such a satisfying feeling for them to be last. It was His turn to pick "I need a goalkeeper who wants to play in that position?" He announced which caused a ripple of surprise through everyone as he is asking the best players who wants to be in goal? John put up his hand reluctantly and joined our team, the remaining boys were divided between the teams and He turned to me "are you left footed?" Looking directly at Him "yep though I'm bad whatever" he laughed "nah why do you stand on the right if you are left footed? Go to the position on the left in the midfield and Steve can be in defence just behind you and Me and Noah will be in central midfield to help out, okay with that?" he smiled reassuringly and I nodded although not really knowing what was being agreed to apart from standing on the left, we took up our positions with John in goal, on Andy's team James was their goalkeeper. My aim was just to keep up with the others and not to fall to far behind, Steve help me as much as he could and kept saying "push up" which is football code for move forward, as the ball came towards me and hearing a shout of pass I just kicked the ball hard and straight in front of me and and saw one of the boys run onto my pass, honestly, it was just a relief that I didn't miss kick it with my feet getting sucked in the mud. He then called me over "we have a corner everyone in the box" not knowing what was expected of me my thoughts were just move forward until the goals were quite close and there were a lot of players around me so moved away slightly to make some space, the ball took a deflection off someone's legs and rolled towards me and I heard a shout of "HIT IT" but needed to wait until the ball was on my left foot and kicked the centre of the ball in the sweet spot, low but not particularly hard, out of the corner of my eye saw James jump up high but the ball stayed low and unbelievably I scored a goal, me score! There were cheers and suddenly He was running up to me and hugged me. The moment He embraced me a rush of comfort surrounded my feelings I felt protected and for this all to brief moment, as the warmth of his body soothed my body it was as if it was just the two of us and nobody else was around. All to quickly our hug was over, I realised this was a thing in football but was still in a state of shock about scoring and being hugged, wasn't something that I was expected yet I didn't regret it happened, as we walked back to kick off again he smiled at me and I smiled back.
After the match was over we started to head back to the changing rooms my friends were teasing me in a jovial way about my goal "you scored! Poor James as the goalie he will have to retire after this" Steve joked and James added "with you waiting to kick the ball I though you were going to kick it high so jumped up to cover the top corner" His voice didn't sound bothered at all "I was waiting for it to go onto my left foot" I explained, we continued to banter through getting changed "you're the first name on my team" His lips formed a sly smile "oh no it will take me another four years before I score again" I joked and we all laughed and for once we were making just as much noise as the guys in the other changing area and also for the first time I didn't worry about having to get changed with everyone.
Apart from Games and Science the only other time I'm with John is during the journey on the school bus, which is still noisy and uncontrollable as ever. We are on the top deck now and John has formed a group of friends mixed from Years 9 and 11 all as annoying as him and it's even more irritating that they they stay with me for the whole of the journey. There are five in this gang including John a boy and girl in Year 11, her brother on Year 9 and another girl also in Year 9, they would tease me and call names, the usual high school bully nonsense. There were a few incidents that changed this horrific experience, firstly when the bus became more vacant with students getting off at various stops I always placed my bag on the seat next to me, mostly to stop any unwanted people from John's gang sitting next to me. As I was gazing out of the window ignoring the idiotic noise I looked around to see my bag was gone, her brother had grabbed it and they opened it and started looking though everything taking out my maths book whilst laughing. The only option was to confront them, standing up "give it back... now" I looked coldly at them "what you gonna do?" Snarled John I walked over and grabbed her brother at the wrist and squeeze and twisted hard and with my other hand pulled my bag away "now my book!" Coldly looking at the Year 11 boy, letting go of the boy's wrist, taking my maths book sat back down desperately trying not to show I was shaking with nerves, after this I would keep my bag on the floor. The another occasion I could hear some whispering from them and it sounded like they were plotting something and the girl from Year 9 sat next to me the Year 11 students behind me and John and the Year 9 boy in front and a claustrophobic feeling swept over me, I got up and push past and sat towards the front "she likes you and wants to sit next to you" John shouted, which I ignored and could hear sniggering, she sat next to me again "hi" spoken innocently yet deceivingly and she slid closer to me on the seat and I push myself as close to the window as possible then she put her hand on my knee then onto my leg, if she was expecting any reaction there was nothing, she started to move her hand up my leg and still nothing from me, no emotions I felt nothing maybe I had shutdown all senses due to the awkward situation She looked at me "maybe we could do more, I'll add you as a friend" she got up and joined the others a few minutes later a notification went on my phone, I didn't look. It was my stop next, picked up my bag and headed down to the lower deck of the bus, as the bus pulled up at the stop I stepped down breathing a sigh of relief glad the experience had ended, checked my phone and there was a friend request waiting for me which I rejected and vowed never to travel on the school bus again!
YOU ARE READING
MUD - An LGBT+ Story
Teen FictionSome coincidences happen for a reason, some actions have a different meaning, someone can be more than friends. Whilst adjusting to life in high school a chance encounter moves his life along a new path of self discovery, forgiveness and acceptance.
