Page 100 of This is Me

“Twins,” I muttered, following Cooper inside.

“So, the plan is, hopefully, next Friday night, you, Andy, and Blaire come to my place, and then we go to the ball together?” Cooper asked, moving in beside me to wash his hands.

“That is the plan… your mum won’t mind?” I asked hesitantly. I hadn’t even thought about Cooper’s mum when organising this in my mind.

“It'd be fine. Mum’s still a bit off from the break-up with my dad, but we’ve settled into the new house. She’ll be happy that I have friends.”

“I’m sorry, Coop.”

“Don’t be. I’ll let her know what’s happening.” Cooper shot me a smile before his face suddenly dropped, and I turned to follow his gaze.

“And what the fuck are you doing in here?” Mitchell asked, moving further into the bathroom, and I could see why Cooper’s face had dropped.

Mitchell’s face was contorted in a horrible way that made it seem like he was about to pull a knife out and go on a sudden rampage through the school. Or just stab the two kids in the bathroom with him. Unfortunately, that was Cooper and me.

“Personally, I was just peeing. Washing my hands now,” I answered innocently, trying to keep my voice level, though it wasn’t working.

Mitchell was probably one of the biggest homophobes in the school. He used to hang around with Donny, but ever since Donny had planted his fist in Mitchell’s stomach, they no longer spoke.

Donny had seemingly gotten rid of the hatred he had felt for me, and we had spoken a few times over the past month. He was actually a decent guy and had personally invited Cooper and me to his party after the school ball.

Apparently, we were the first to be invited. I hadn’t given him an answer yet. I didn’t want to have a repeat of my own party.

Not surprisingly, though, the party wasn’t my concern right now. After Donny had left Mitchell curled over in the hall, Mitchell had sought out other students like him. Sadly, he had found a few. Now, the four homophobes, transphobes—and a lot of other phobes they fall under—all ran together.

Due to how many people in the school looked up to me in a way, and saw me as no different from them, there usually wasn’t any problems. Cooper, Trent, and I often had people around us to stop anything from happening when the goon squad were around.

Our luck had apparently run out. And, sadly, my comment had made Mitchell angrier.

“Funnily enough, I wasn’t talking to you,” Mitchell snarled, continuing to walk closer, and I backed away into Cooper. “I’m talking to the thing behind you.”

“The sink?” My heart was pounding fast, and I could feel my whole body trembling.

“She shouldn’t be in here.” Mitchell took another step forward, and I felt Cooper behind me trying to hold me steady.

“Move, Pete. It’s okay. He’s right,” Cooper whispered into my ear, trying to move around me, but I stopped him. Even though every fibre in my body was telling me to get out of the way.

“I have no problem with making you move, faggot.” Mitchell’s words stung. My heart fell to the pit of my stomach, and I couldn’t stop my hands from shaking.

“Well, that’s rude,” I muttered and in the blink of an eye a blinding pain shot up the side of my face, and I fell to the cold tile floor, causing pain to ripple through my whole body.

“What the fuck did I just say?” Mitchel snarled in my ear, and I could feel his hot breathe on my face as I lay curled up in a ball on the floor, trying not to cry.

Considering my situation and the extreme pain in my face, I was doing an excellent job of keeping them in.

However, as he stood up straight again, and the thought that everything would be okay dashed through my mind, I heard Mitchell’s feet move. In an instant, I felt his foot slam into my stomach, and Cooper yelled as more pain cascaded through my body.