Surviving Elite High Read Free Page A

awe.
    “Come here,” Nick insisted as he placed his left arm over my shoulders. He pulled me into him. “I'll take you home.”
    We walked outside and yes, I was freaking out! I had never been so close to anyone like that before, I mean, besides my mom and my two best friends. What I am trying to say is that I had never been so close to another guy before. I loved the security that his tight embrace offered me since, for the first time in my life, I felt protected. That was the one thing that I wanted most in the world. I wanted protection.
    Nick took me to his new 2009 Shelby Mustang. It seemed like every year he had a new car, but always a Mustang. Nick loved Mustangs. Mustangs, sports, and girls were among his favorite things in the world. And sex. Nick loved hot, wild, animalistic sex. How did I know that? Ask anyone in Elite High. We all knew Nick's life, or at least we thought we knew.
    I quietly sat on the passenger seat and studied him as he drove me home. He was born to look cool and be cool. His aviator sunglasses gave him a cockiness that I envied. After a short stopped at Baskin Robbins, he dropped me home. My house, compared to Nick's luxurious mansion, was a dog kennel. His tree house was probably bigger than my residence. He quietly stared at me from the comfort of his car.
    “Meet me tomorrow at the library. I was going to tell you that, but you dashed out the door. Do you play any sports? You're built for speed.”
    My face got red while I smiled nervously.
    “No, I don't. Thanks for the ride home and for the ice cream.”
    “No problem. See you, kiddo.”
    Nick started his car and sped down the street. I stood there, watching Nick drive down the street for a couple of minutes. He was the opposite of what I originally thought. I imagined him to be an egocentric jock that couldn’t care less about me or anyone else. Surprisingly, he was not selfish. He was Nick Wild Hawk: the hero, the lover, the friend, and athlete extraordinaire. I could go on and on, but on that day, I saw a side of him I had never seen before. I saw his compassionate side. I turned around and walked back into my world. For a few seconds, I had been inside his world, but now, I had to face my own reality.
    I stepped into my house. It was dark. I tried to turn on the light, but the bulb was burnt out. I walked into the kitchen and headed straight for the refrigerator. It was empty as usual. I honestly did not know why I bothered to check each time I got home. I guess that I always wanted to find something inside. I found a few stale bagels and a jar of jam on top of the kitchen counter (or in other words, my dinner for the night). I walked into my room and locked the door. As I plopped on top of my bed, I observed my almost empty room. At least I had a bed, a closet, and a small black and white television, although cable was off limits. I did have a thin wire that I attached to the window from my television set. With that technological innovation, I managed to get a few local channels. It was better than nothing.
    I began to remember my day, my sexual tormentors, my friends, and Nick. My heart pounded at the thought of Nick standing in front of me. He was perfect and completely out of reach. Nick would never see me as anything more than his shy tutor. He deserved better, much better. With these and many more thoughts, I dozed off into a deep sleep.

Chapter Two
     
     
    It’s not like I don’t know that I am gay. I’ve been aware of that since pretty early on. Yes, I am gay, but I would never have the courage to say it out loud. First, there’s my mom. What would she say? Would she still love me? Would she understand me? Would she hate me? Would she disown me as her one and only son? As for my father, I never once met the guy! And honestly, I did not want to meet him. I never once asked my mom about him and, in reality, I do not even know his name. He abandoned me when I was born. He simply left. He didn’t want the responsibility