Changes - Part 2.4
Changes
Part 2.4
by Dego
Author's Note: This is a series about a fox. If you'd like to read, please begin with this section and worry about earlier or later sections in the future. You should be able to pick up the story from right here, as the characters are very relatable. If you want to read more, just follow the links or search Part 1 from my profile. I welcome your view.
The story is split into 10 sections and numbered 2.0, 2.1, 2.2... and so on. Generally, I will post a new section each day, but specifics about this can be read in my journal. Please enjoy.
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Charlie hurried to his computer class as soon as the bell rang in the hopes of avoiding, well, anyone. There were just a few seconds following the bell announcing the end of class when the halls were still empty, and Charlie took the opportunity to make it as far as he could to his computer class, not stopping for anything.
At computer class, Charlie quickly headed to his assigned seat in front of a computer monitor, situated between a slutty vixen and a gigantic footballer. He tried to hide his face from both of them, but the vixen's feminine intuition immediately picked up on Charlie's problem. During class, she motioned to her computer screen which had a text reading: "Aww hun, wat happen to ur face?"
Charlie brought up his own on-screen notepad and replied: "Don't worry about it. Problem with a jerk."
The vixen stuck out her lower lip and gingerly placed her paw on Charlie's leg. Charlie felt comforted and smiled until he discovered her ulterior motives when she started lifting the leg of Charlie's shorts. He angrily forced her paw off him and turned to his computer exercise, typing.
A few minutes later he reached up and felt the tender spot, which caused him to wince. The fox was filled with anger and contempt for Ethan. He cursed the otter under his breath. Now he really hoped he and Jack could figure out a plan.
At the lunch table anyone could see that Jack and Charlie were not to be disturbed. They both leaned in from their spots on the opposite side of the cafeteria table and were having an intense conversation, during which barely either one got a bite to eat.
"I just can't decide what to do with him right now." Jack said. "We can't really report him because then we'll be exposed to our parents and the entire school."
Charlie looked down for a moment imagining what his parents would think, not to mention becoming an overnight public enemy to possibly the entire public school system's wealth of insecure homophobes.
"Charlie!"
"Wha, oh, sorry. Go on."
"And we can't just fight back because that'll escalate the problem."
"Plus he has a ton of friends." Charlie added.
"That's true. Maybe we could find... some way.... to" Jack gestured back-and-forth with his hands as though that could help him think. "I dunno, prove to him that gays aren't so bad."
Charlie felt a twinge of surprise being blatantly labeled that way, gay, but he avoided voicing his concerns. Maybe he was gay anyway; he didn't know. "And how will we do that?"
"Well you know that a lot of... furs like him are just insecure about their own problems?" Jack had to pause for a moment to find the right word to describe Ethan, without being too disrespectful.
"Mmhmm." Charlie said as he took a bite of his sandwich.
"Well maybe we could exploit that."
"How do you mean?"
"I don't know yet." Charlie rolled his eyes. "Look, all I know is that right now we need to stick together. You don't deserve this treatment." Jack motioned to the left side of Charlie's face.
Charlie turned away to hide his embarrassment and said "Speaking of which, how am I supposed to explain this to my parents?"
"Oh, I didn't think about that. Maybe... Well it's not that bad. Maybe it'll just clear up. It's really not too obvious."
Charlie smiled weakly. "I hope so. So how can we stick together?"
Jack took a thoughtful sip from his milk carton. "Let's trade schedules. That way I can know where you are and you can know where I am so we can help each other. We have to face our problems and fight back if we have to. Are you with me on this?"
"I... guess." Charlie worried about the implications of fighting, something he knew he wasn't good at.
"I need your full commitment on this, Charlie."
"I will do what I can." Charlie reached into his backpack and recovered his class schedule, then passed it to Jack who took a thoughtful look.
"Ok. From what I can tell from this," The akita pointed at the schedule "you and I are unfortunately on nearly opposite ends of the school most of the time."
Charlie groaned.
"It's not that bad! How about we check up on each other during passing period, in the middle of school? If either of us don't show up, we know something's gone wrong."
"But what am I supposed to do if you don't show?"
"Come looking for me! Like I said, we have to stick up for each other."
"But Jack, I'm no good at fighting. Look at me!" Charlie held up his arms and expanded his chest, showing his slenderness.
"It may not always be about fighting. But even if it is, I think just having you there will give me something to fight for. You know, love conquers all!" With that, Jack punched his fist in the air and smiled.
Charlie laughed, then said seriously "I don't want you to get hurt."
"And I don't want you to either. It's not like I'm gonna be going around picking fights. Just until we clear this up with Ethan, somehow, it's best if we check up on each other."
"Alright. Will do." Charlie reached over and accepted his class schedule back from Jack. The akita then dug out his own schedule and passed it to Charlie.
"You're right; we're on opposite ends..." Charlie exhaled slowly. "Crap."
He passed Jack's schedule back.
"Well anyway, now we know generally where the other will be. Come looking if I don't report." Charlie laughed somewhat nervously at the military term. The akita tried to console him with "I'll do the same for you."
Charlie reached across the table and took hold of Jack's paw, squeezing it tight. "I feel better knowing we're together on this. Here's to hoping it all works out ok." The fox gave Jack's paw a tight squeeze and felt him squeeze back. They smiled at each other, then the akita looked over Charlie's shoulder to check the time on the giant cafeteria clock.
"It's 11:41." He said. "We gotta eat!"
"Oh, right!" Charlie detached paws and began to wolf down his food, to which Jack did the same.
At the sound of the bell, Charlie and Jack left together to go to their mutual Spanish class. Charlie was really happy and felt much safer while walking the halls with Jack, who held his head high and walked briskly and confidently. But this time the pair decided through an unspoken consent not to hold paws, since they didn't want any more publicity much less any more enemies. They entered Spanish and sat down next to each other, with the fox on Jack's left, like always.
During class both furs paid attention to the basic Spanish exercise in greetings and followed along with the pronunciation when prompted. Charlie kind of subconsciously thought about Ethan, and he knew Jack was doing the same. When the class was instructed to find a partner and practice the greetings and goodbyes, Charlie and Jack had a laugh at each other's funny accents.
The bell for study hall signaled discussion time for Jack and Charlie, since the Spanish-speaking cougar was fortunately lenient with her classroom expectations.
"Did you think about a plan?" Charlie asked Jack.
"I'm kinda mulling it over in my head and I came up with some possible solutions..." Charlie smiled widely and straightened up in his chair in anticipation. "Buuut I'm not really sure that they're gonna work." Charlie slumped again.
"Well what are they?" He asked.
"Since Ethan is probably ignorant, I was thinking that if we just showed him more gay furs in this school that he'd be more accepting. You know, so we're not like the only two that 'break the rules,' or whatever. Exist outside the norm." Jack used two fingers to quote his last sentence.
"And how many gay furs do you know?"
"Well..." Jack rubbed the back of his head. "That was kind of the main problem. I can think of a few that I've found out are closet gays, but that's about it."
"Then that's not going to work."
"Right. Hmmm. The other idea was that we just tell administration..."
"No" Charlie interrupted.
"But...."
"We are not telling administration."
"Ok, fine, I wasn't really 100% on that either. But we have to make the agreement here and now that if things get too bad we'll both tell our parents AND school administration. Just... for our safety."
"Jack, my parents have no idea that I could, uh, be gay and I have no idea how they'd react." Charlie visibly shuddered as he thought back to Lucas, who had been hit across the face for revealing his non-straight sexuality to his parents.
"My parents don't have any idea either." Jack shrugged. "But, I mean, we have to come out sooner or later and better to do that than be dead!"
Charlie sighed deeply and slumped his shoulders. He thought silently for a moment and finally said "Fine. But as a LAST resort." The fox was not prepared to come to terms with the possibility of being gay. Not that it was a bad thing, just something that Charlie knew had a kind of stigma attached to it. Especially in the realm of high school.
Jack stealthily passed his paw across the row to Charlie. The fox looked down, then back up at Jack who gave a confident nod and reassuring smile. Charlie reached out, took hold, and felt the familiar squeeze of his boyfriend's paw. He was beginning to find immense comfort in just that tiny action.