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“Gay!” A voice called in a rude voice.
I looked over at Mike, and then at the bully. Gay bashing on the first day of a new school year. Yay. It just makes my day to realize that this year would be such fun. I sighed heavily, and dropped my messenger bag to the floor.
“It’s funny how the school councilor always always says that there isn’t any bullying at this school. Personally, I’ve come to the conclusion that there always is.” My voice had a nice polite tone to it, with a biting Southern edge to it. Eight different schools had perfected that accent.
It was past September, past the first day of the school. I’d moved here because my family likes to move. That’s my story, and it’s nearly true.
The bully moved to hit Mike, and I slid between, blocking the fist. I didn’t hit back. I stood between the bully and Mike.
“I’m fine,” Mike protested at my back. I didn’t bother to answer.
“You touch him again, I will end you.” I didn’t look like much then, five feet tall, black hair, and burning blue eyes. But I was dead serious. The bully took me as such.
It’s funny how everybody thinks bullies are dumb or have good reasons for being the way they are. It’s funny how I really do not care, because harassing people is wrong, not matter what kind of spin you stick on it.
The bully, Sarah (ah, you’re sexist about bullying, now isn’t that ironic), walked away.
“I don’t need a girl to save me from a girl.” I turned to Mike at his words. He wasn’t scrawny like you would think. Bullying doesn’t know gender, size, or any other type.
“Good. Meet me after school so we can make sure this doesn’t happen again.” My mom worked in Engineering, but she was a Marine first.
“I’m not less for being gay.” He was angry. Good.
“I didn’t say you were.” I grinned at him. “Some people just don’t know it yet. Geez, your body has figured out a way to escape women. You get to be unashamed of hugging people or showing emotional reactions. You get to have all those stereotypes to deal with, so no, I don’t think you’re any less or more for being what you can’t change, what you shouldn’t want to change.”
The military didn’t breed acceptance, but my mom marched in Pride long before DADT was repealed. My mom was a firm believer that everybody should be screwed over by the same system that straights were. She’d only switched to Engineering to be home more often for my sake.
“Why do you even care?” Some days, I lose faith in humanity.
“Because I can. Meet me after school.” I left him, heading for class. I didn’t think anything more needed to be said.
I shuffled through the school day. I’ll let you in on a little secret: all schools are the same. The material may be different, but after a while both the building and the people start to drift into the next school like water from different sink taps. I want somebody to make it a rule that the ‘new student’ doesn’t have to introduce themselves eight times a day, in front of the rows of bored kids. I got my notes, assignments, and textbooks. Somehow, somehow I’d maintained a 3.7 GPA through eight moves around the world.
I met Mike after school.
“Where’d the black eye come from?” I asked shortly. It wasn’t from this morning, too fresh.
“Mike’s friends aren’t scared of you. Too stupid.” I resisted the urge to poke at it. They’d also sharpied his face with ‘FAG’. Ah, the classics, they die so suddenly. I tossed Mike a bottle of hand sanitizer.
“Works a charm,” I told him cheerfully. I flipped my phone up and snapped off a picture of his face and black eye. “You tell the teacher?” He rolled his eyes at me. “Tell the principal yet?” He shook his head. “Come on, I bet he’s still there.”
“I’m fine,” He snapped bitterly. I looked at him.
“Well, I think it’s always better to tell people why you’re doing something before you do it.” He looked at me confused. “Piggly Wiggly has pink spray paint and some other things.” I led to the way to the principal’s office.
“Mr. Wright,” I began all friendly like. “My friend here has been harassed by a group of students here.”
He shrugged his shoulders. They always do. I smiled cheerfully. “It’s a hate crime, Mr. Wright. I can report it to the FBI and police.” I smiled at him again. His face tightened in anger.
“Now, look here, Brasket, I’m warning you-” I had the mental image of Mr. Dursley roaring at a scared kid.
“I’m warning you, Mr. Wright, I’ll not have my best friend a continuous victim in this school.”
“On what authority?!” He barked at me. Ah, I’d been raised in a military environment. I’d breathed and exhaled drill and screaming adults. I’ve had combat-ready Marines roar at me before I’ve had my coffee (do not steal their coffee). It takes a little more than a detention to scare me.
“Mine, as a citizen I have the right to contact the police if I think somebody is under threat or the LGBT community if I suspect harm to any person who is not strictly heterosexual, even if that person is heterosexual, I have the right to go to them if a person’s sexuality is being attacked.”
He was red by this time. I took the time to note that it was a lovely color.
I know people would prefer it if I took out my revenge against the cops, and the other statues of justice and authority. However, if you keep sticking things in the shadows, nobody will ever remember to fight for your cause. Matt Murdock tried the law, before he went Daredevil.
“Now, I know you have security footage. I suggest you use it.” I left, pulling Mike behind me. He kept looking at me weirdly.
“I thought I didn’t need to be saved?” He asked.
“Yeah, well, I need him to be aware of why you’re hitting up Sarah and her cronies if he doesn’t do something.” I knocked shoulder with Mike carefully. “It’s always better if somebody can’t say you didn’t try to fix mistakes peacefully. It keeps you out of jail, and makes the person a liar if they try to deny it.” I looked over at him. He was wearing nice clothes, but that doesn’t mean much around here. “What are your parent like?”
“You mean if they know?” I nodded, and he nodded back. “They don’t know how bad it gets, and I don’t want them to know,” he hastened to add.
“Cool. Text them, and say that you’re hanging with me for a couple of hours.” He did, and we left the school parking lot.
“I live on base so, come on.”
And so it went. Mike never had to lay a hand on Sarah. I taught him out to trick the school security cameras, and make glitter bombs. The local LGBT community eventually interfered on his behalf. The school may or may not have gotten a little desperate. A few marines might have helped.
I stayed mostly out of it, because it wasn’t my battle to fight. I’d already won my war a while ago.
I still baked Mike a rainbow cake for his birthday. He got me a small black ring for mine. I didn’t ask how he knew or why(I told him a week after we met). I placed it on a chain and wore it everyday.