Chapter Text
“Hey, did you hear some Year 9 has come out as gay?”
"Huh? No?” Nick Nelson looked up from his phone. His classmates were sitting around their usual table, chatting idly until the bell rang for form group.
“Yeah, d’you know Charlie Spring from 9H? Apparently he’s gay.” Otis somehow always had his fingers on the pulse of Truham.
“Where did you hear that?” Nick was never a fan of gossip, but it wasn’t like much interesting ever happened. He did know Charlie Spring - small, quiet guy in the year below theirs. He’d never really given him any thought before. Who cared if he was gay?
“It’s going round the whole school,” Otis replied, shaking his head at Nick’s lack of awareness.
“He’s been getting a lot of shit for it, I think,” Sai chimed in, in a way that attempted to convey indifference, but Nick could sense his concern. Sai had always been Nick’s favorite.
“I mean, this is an all-boys school! What did he expect?” Christian rudely butted in. He was certainly not Nick’s favorite.
“I think it’s a disgrace,” Harry Greene leaned in from his place atop the table. “I don’t want some poof fagging out over me.”
“Who says he’d even find you attractive?” Sai said, rolling his eyes.
“Are you serious mate? Look at me?” Harry grinned cheekily, prompting even more eye rolls. “Anyway, my dad’s always said us Greene men have to put the poofs in their place.”
“Oh yea? How would you do that?”
“Dad says Greene’s have a gift. We get it when we turn 16. Fags just naturally obey us.”
“What the hell are you talking about, mate?” Harry’s tall tale was too much even for Christian.
“It’s true! Dad had a best friend growing up - turned out to be queer, and even tried hitting on Pops. After kicking the shit out of him, dad used his gift on him and the guy never craved dick again. Was dad’s personal servant for ages ’til he moved out of town.”
“Shut up, mate, you’re so full of shit,” Nick laughed weakly, just wanting Harry to stop spewing his nonsense. His eye caught Ben Hope’s, who’d been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the conversation. Ben looked away.
Nick felt sorry Charlie would have to deal with assholes like Harry, but it wasn’t really his business. He hardly knew the boy, after all.