"Don't start a fight. It's not worth it.” I told Elliot as I reached out to grab his arm and he glanced over at me.

“If he doesn't get a beating then he just won't stop,” Elliot said.

“And that makes you better than him?” I was a bit annoyed at his response.

“Yeah, go with your girlfriend. I heard that he enjoys it from his other school. Must be why you keep him around.” David said loudly I felt people turning to stare at us now.

I paused as I looked and I instantly put my head down feeling suddenly exposed. Elliot turned around to David as he shook out his arms from my hold and I couldn’t bring myself to stop him. Who told this to David? It was a lie, but what he said also felt like he knew more about me and I don’t know where he heard a story like that. I was frozen and I must have blanked out because the next thing I know the teachers were trying to separate David and Elliot as they were beginning to fight with each other. Elliot had his nose bleeding and David's shirt was a mess as if Elliot had knocked him to the ground with scrapings on his arms.

I took a step back away from them and I couldn’t breathe because I’m starting to panic. Who told him this? Was that why he was bullying me? My thoughts were all over the place and I started to feel a bit faint. Elliot was now trying to talk to me, but I couldn’t understand what he was saying and everything around me was starting to blur. I must have fainted. First I was trying to understand what Elliot was saying to me after the fight with David and I’m now opening my eyes having the light from the window shining on my face from the nurse's office. I slowly looked around and saw Elliot sitting beside me looking at his phone before he noticed that I woke up.

“Hey, you’re finally awake,” he said as he put his phone down.

“What happened?” I mumbled.

“You fainted. I brought you here to the nurse's office. They said you’ll be okay after some rest, but to be careful for the next few hours in case you have some dizzy spells since you almost hit your head. One of the teachers was able to grab you as you were falling, but we weren’t sure if you hit your head.” he said. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

I slowly sat up and shook my head, “I’m fine.” I said in a small voice. “Can I go home?”

“Yeah, I promised that I would take you home. I told your mom and she was worried, but I told her that she didn’t have to come by,” he said as he helped me get out of bed.

“You told my mom?”

“No, the school did, but I had the chance to talk to her on the phone before hanging up on her.” He said.

I noticed there was a bloodstain on his shirt from the nose bleed he had and his cheeks were a bit swollen.

“I told you to not fight,” I told him.

“Sorry. I just got really mad at what he was saying and you just let yourself follow beside him.” He said as we started walking out of the office.

I was walking slowly, I still felt a little weak, and when we finally walked outside I turned to him. “What was I supposed to say?”

“Obviously to shut his mouth,” he said as he walked over to his car.

“It's not that easy. This is why I was mad. I just don’t want to get involved and deal with all this again.” I told him as I got in the car. “Did you get in trouble?”

“Kind of. David got called in the principal office and since my coach was there, he benched me for the game on Friday,” he said as he started driving towards my house.

“That’s why I told you to not get involved. Why can’t you get that I don’t want you to get involved? You don’t get that there’s always a consequence.” I tell him, feeling frustrated.

“There doesn’t have to be. Not always,” he said as he pulls up to my place.

“But there is. This is why I said I didn’t want us to hang out for a while.” I said as I got out of the car.

“Okay, but I don’t.” He said as he parked the car and got off the car so he could face me.

“I do.”

“For what? Why do you suddenly want space?” he asked.

“Because I like you!” I shouted. “I like you and it’s making me confused. You don’t like guys and I respect that, but I can’t help how I’m feeling. I like it when you come by; I like how you always know when I’m feeling down or check on me; I never feel alone when I’m with you.” I tell him as I face the floor feeling embarrassed to look at him. “And I don’t want you to go out with Jennifer.”

Elliot didn’t say anything and I took this chance to turn away as I believe I just told him all that.

“Michael,” Elliot called me as he followed.

“Please, don’t. I’m not going to school tomorrow and I probably won’t see you at your game... Don’t overthink it too if I don’t text you back or anything. I'll also get over my feelings towards you so don't worry about me.” I said without turning back to him. “But you should still get this. I was bullied before. I know how it gets and I’m not trying to start anything again. You don’t get how horrible that feels to deal with.”

When he didn’t respond I took this chance to continue walking and went inside the house before he could try to stop me again. I leaned against the door and sighed heavily as I tried not to think about what I just said. Once I calmed down, I walked over to my bed and laid down feeling tired and I wasn’t too sure if I should fall asleep. I was about to close my eyes when I heard the front door open then my mom stepped into my room. For a second I wanted to pretend to sleep, but I moved to sit up and she had that worried expression.

“Are you okay?” she asked as she sat down beside me.

“Yeah. What did they tell you?” I asked.

“That some kid was bullying you and you fainted. Your friend Elliot was also in a fight,” she said and reached out to brush my hair. “Hun, do you think maybe it's better to be homeschooled instead of attending public school? I’ve never felt so worried about you going to school like this before. None of this ever happened at your last school.”

I wasn’t too sure how to answer her and I paused before I turned to her, “I don’t know. Mom, what should I do?” I said. “I told Elliot that I like him.”

She was taken by surprise at the new topic and she stuttered for a second, “I...I didn’t know... I didn’t know that he is-”

“He’s not,” I said and leaned back against the headboard. “I told him that I like him and I don’t know what to do... I mean, of course, I’m not expecting anything because he’s straight, but I shouldn’t even think about him like that. Not right now with all this going on.”

“Well, I agree with that. I actually wouldn’t want you to be seeing someone until things are more settled. Not in the state that you are in...” she said, carefully, hoping her words wouldn’t offend me.

I glanced over at her and nod, “I know, but I don’t think me leaving school will help either.” I said as I looked down at my covers. “Mom, can I go over to dad’s this weekend instead of next week?”

“Are you sure?” she asked, surprised.

“Yeah... I think I want to be away for a bit.” I said. “I don’t think I can face Elliot right away after what I told him and I want to think about what I will do with school.”

She didn’t answer right away, “Let me talk with your dad and see if he’s fine with it.” she answered.

“Okay,” I said.

“Well, I’m going to make dinner... Are you hungry?” she asked as she brushed her hand over my cheeks. “You look a little pale.”

“I... I’m not too hungry, but I’ll eat.” I answered her as I reached for her hand to hold. “I love you, mom.”

“I love you too, hun,” she said as she gave me a small smile then made her way out of my room.