Just get out and stay out

I stared at the overhead in Math class thoughtlessly. The overhead light shone directly into my eyes, causing my vision to fill with circles of light. In the background, I could hear the substitute teacher telling us about the conjugates of imaginary number. “Wohwoh woh woh woh”. Like the teacher in Peanuts, it all eventually faded to unrecognizable sound. I think I would have gone into a mental coma had I not noticed something worth my interest in my peripheral vision.

Thomas was talking to Charles. Charles, who had fallen off the face of the earth, who had found Jesus and was walking around like he was a living example of how the Lord can help you overcome temptation. Charles, who was handing a flyer over to Thomas.

The bell rang, dismissing us to lunch. I grabbed my bag and leapt up out of my seat and over to Thomas.

“What’s that?” I asked nonchalantly, ripping the flyer from Thomas’s fingers.

“Oh, Charles invited me to go to his church’s youth group tonight,” Thomas answered, looking up at me with confusion, but that same stupid look of earnest that shone from his eyes. He was so naive.

“Charles invited me to go to his church’s youth group,” I mimicked and shuddered.

“You okay?” Thomas asked.

“Oh, I’m dandy,” I replied sardonically. “But Marie-Claire wanted you to come over to her dorm room tonight. Something about old movies. She’d be so disappointed....”

Thomas’s eyes lit up brightly and he cut me off. “I’m sure Charles won’t be too offended if I don’t show up.”

“That a boy,” I murmured, patting him on the back. Of course, if there was one thing Thomas would choose over being polite and sociable, it was Marie-Claire. However, this didn’t address the Charles problem. That would fall to me.

After school let out for the day, I headed back to my dorm room. It was an odd sensation, since I usually only headed there with someone else and lately I’d just been going to Marie-Claire’s dorm room. I went inside and blanched at the sight. My entire bookcase had been overturned. When had that happened?

“Oh,” I murmured, smirking to myself. “Suzsana Dickerson.”

I grabbed a thin black shirt off the floor and sniffed it. Clean enough. I took off my uniform and pulled the shirt on over my head. I stared at the mirror for a moment before heading over to Charles’s dorm. At the moment, I had no intention of seducing with him, but looking nice around a deeply closeted gay boy had to help.

“Hello?” Charles said as he opened his door. When his eyes fell upon me, his lopsided smile turned to a blank look of disapproval.

“Long time, no see,” I exclaimed. His blank expression didn’t change. “We need to discuss some things.”

“No,” Charles replied, grabbing the doorknob. “We really don’t.” Just before he could pull the door closed, I slipped inside his dorm room.

“I don’t bug you a lot, do I?” I said, resting my hands on the top of my head. “I could. I could ruin you, frankly. But you decided to turn to Jesus or whatever, and I’m not going to waste my time wondering whether your “really” happy or just farther back in the closet. No offense.”

“Your point?” Charles said, crossing his arms across his chest. The boy has nice arms, I mused to myself.

“What?” I murmured, staring at his biceps. “Oh yes, I had a point. Don’t fuck with Thomas. He’s not going to join your cult.”

“What?” Charles sputtered.

“I mean, not to be conceited or anything, but the only reason that you’re even talking to him is that he associates with me and this makes you “fear for his soul” or whatever.”

“No,” Charles denied vehemently. “No, that’s not it at all. It’s just that I thought he might want to come.”

“Your church isn’t touching him,” I said. “I mean, does your church even know why you had your little spiritual awakening?”

“What?” I heard a voice say behind Charles. Artemis, who was simply wearing a towel, came out of Charles’s bathroom. “Beckingham,” Artemis stated coldly. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the very same...” I launched into.

“We were discussing our church,” Charles cut in and glared at me. Artemis laughed.

“You didn’t invite him to Youth Group, did you?” Artemis asked Charles. Charles simply shook his head, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. “Good, you’re not welcome.”

“And why the hell not?” I exclaimed, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Because God hates fags,” Artemis stated and glared at me.

“...And the French,” Charles added, trying to lighten up the situation. Artemis and I both stared at him blankly.

“The French?” Artemis asked.

“I mean, everybody hates the French,” he shrugged.

“Wasn’t Genevieve french?” I asked. Artemis laughed and Charles turned red.

“Well, I guess Genevieve won’t come either,” I said. “I’m sure you were used to that when you guys went out.”

Artemis looked at Charles quizzically and I turned to leave. When I got to the door, I turned around. “By the way, idiots. Premarital sex is a sin. See you in hell.”

“We didn’t...” Charles exclaimed, but by the time the rest of the sentence came out of his mouth, I had shut the door. I have a feeling Charles will stay away from Thomas.