Tian couldn’t remember who, exactly, he heard it from first, but he could remember what it felt like.
“Hey, did you here? Jake is gay.”
A different Jake.
“Jake Machin, you mean? Yeah, I did.”
A sudden burst of amazing hope.
“Hear how it happened?
“How what happened?”
“How he was outted.”
...only to be overpowered by fear…
“No. It wasn’t voluntary, then?”
...complete fear…
“Definitely not.”
...and anger…
“Here’s how it happened…”
...and disgust.
o0o0o0o0o
Tian was a whirlwind as he raced up stairs and corridors, knocking past students of all aged with little more than a half-assed “sorry” as he went. He didn’t care for pleasantries, not then. The only thing on his mind was Jake.
Jake, the kind boy with a shy infatuation for music.
Jake, the awkward weirdo who hung upside down during casual conversation.
Jake, always so… ashamed with the subject of love, who had just been outted to the entire school.
Tian was so afraid for him.
He just hoped that Jake was okay.
Panting lightly, Tian finally reached the dorm Jake once said to be his. He took a moment to gain his breath before knocking gingerly on the door.
“Jake?” Tian began. His tone was careful, soft, with a lace of well-placed worry. “It’s me, Tian. Are you there?” As an afterthought, he added, “I just… want to see you real quick. If that’s okay.”
Tian waited patiently for a response, repaired to press this time if Jake tried to push him away. It was a big deal… A big deal that, if Tian knew Jake at all, was going to affect him. Deeply. Negatively. It was a big deal, and he couldn’t just leave Jake alone, whether he wanted company or not.
He just… needed to see him. Tian needed to see his friend and try, at least, to show him it was okay. And that he didn’t need to be ashamed. Because if the rumors were true, Jake was locked in his dorm, alone, and he had been there for a while. And that wasn’t okay. That wasn’t okay with Tian at all.
@Wolfie
“Hey, did you here? Jake is gay.”
A different Jake.
“Jake Machin, you mean? Yeah, I did.”
A sudden burst of amazing hope.
“Hear how it happened?
“How what happened?”
“How he was outted.”
...only to be overpowered by fear…
“No. It wasn’t voluntary, then?”
...complete fear…
“Definitely not.”
...and anger…
“Here’s how it happened…”
...and disgust.
o0o0o0o0o
Tian was a whirlwind as he raced up stairs and corridors, knocking past students of all aged with little more than a half-assed “sorry” as he went. He didn’t care for pleasantries, not then. The only thing on his mind was Jake.
Jake, the kind boy with a shy infatuation for music.
Jake, the awkward weirdo who hung upside down during casual conversation.
Jake, always so… ashamed with the subject of love, who had just been outted to the entire school.
Tian was so afraid for him.
He just hoped that Jake was okay.
Panting lightly, Tian finally reached the dorm Jake once said to be his. He took a moment to gain his breath before knocking gingerly on the door.
“Jake?” Tian began. His tone was careful, soft, with a lace of well-placed worry. “It’s me, Tian. Are you there?” As an afterthought, he added, “I just… want to see you real quick. If that’s okay.”
Tian waited patiently for a response, repaired to press this time if Jake tried to push him away. It was a big deal… A big deal that, if Tian knew Jake at all, was going to affect him. Deeply. Negatively. It was a big deal, and he couldn’t just leave Jake alone, whether he wanted company or not.
He just… needed to see him. Tian needed to see his friend and try, at least, to show him it was okay. And that he didn’t need to be ashamed. Because if the rumors were true, Jake was locked in his dorm, alone, and he had been there for a while. And that wasn’t okay. That wasn’t okay with Tian at all.
@Wolfie
