Ringgggggggggg!!
The bell rang and a group of students from Western and Asian backgrounds began to exit their classrooms. They carried bags and personal belongings that reflected a mix of luxury brands and well-worn items. Some students, sporting fashionable attire, obviously came from affluent families, while others, such as Adrian, were among the lucky scholarship recipients, walking with a quiet sense of purpose.
A group of varsity athletes rushed down the hallway. The tallest one, probably their captain, accidentally bumped into Adrian, sending his books and pens scattering across the floor. The captain didn't even look back, just kept going with his team, leaving Adrian to pick up his things alone.
"What do you want to eat guys?" one athlete asked.
"What about some barbecue?" proposed a blonde guy with dimples, flashing a big smile.
Another athlete playfully hit him on the head and said, "Idiot! Didn't the coach warn us against eating greasy food?!"
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The athletes' loud voices slowly died away as they left the hallway, leaving Adrian in silence. He let out a soft sigh, feeling completely worn out, and started to pick up the items scattered on the floor.
Because of his OCD, Adrian always liked his things neat. He carefully stacked his books and notebooks from biggest to smallest and then arranged his papers by color, going from light to dark. It was a small routine that helped him feel in control.
Still lost in his own thoughts, he opened his locker. But the moment he did, he froze. The tiredness that had been in his eyes was replaced by a flat, empty stare.
"Here we go again," he muttered to himself, a resigned feeling washing over him.
Adrian's eyes dropped to the open locker. He reached inside, his fingers brushing against something smooth and cool. Suddenly, he pulled out a small stack of three photographs. His attention was immediately drawn to one of them. Adrian picked it up.
The photograph showed a man with dark, tousled hair, reclined in a bed. A modest blanket was draped just enough to cover his lower body, leaving his chest and neck exposed. There, a scattering of red marks, stark against his skin, caught Adrian's eye. Despite these blemishes, the man's face was serene, his eyes gently closed. He appeared to be in a deep, undisturbed sleep, an almost impossibly peaceful expression etched upon his features.
That person was him.
Adrian's eyes squeezed shut, a tight, desperate clench. He then crumpled the photo into a tight ball in his hand. He took a few slow, deep breaths, trying to steady himself before he opened his eyes again. The other two photos met the same fate, crushed into balls and then shoved deep into his pocket.
With a new composure, Adrian carefully put his now-neatly arranged books back into his locker. He then reached in and pulled out his rubber shoes, letting them drop to the floor. He quickly swapped his current shoes for the rubber ones.
A loud bang echoed through the hallway as he slammed the locker door shut. He held the key tightly in his hand, a new idea beginning to form in his mind.
I should really put a tape inside my locker, so no one can slip photos in there again. Adrian thought to himself, walking out of the building.
As he headed for the school's front gate, a group of students caught his eye. There were two girls and five boys, all gathered around a bench. Some sat on the bench, while others perched on the nearby table. One guy in the middle held a phone, and they all seemed to be watching something amusing, with frequent laughs and giggles.
Adrian's steps slowed. He hesitated, wondering if he should just walk past and act like he hadn't seen them. He felt a strong hunch that the person in their video was him, and he really wanted to avoid more trouble. His life had been difficult since that night.
Adrian felt he had to choose a different route. The school actually had two gates: a front one and a back one. People often joked that the back exit existed because the very wealthy school owner, who enjoyed skipping classes, found it convenient.
The walk to the back of the school was quite a distance. Still, Adrian chose it, hoping for some quiet before heading to his part-time job. He just wanted to avoid any problems.
Suddenly, a pretty piano tune drifted through the quiet pathway. Adrian reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
Seeing the name on the screen, Adrian didn't hesitate to decline the call.
He frowned, confused. He had changed his number, so how could that person still be calling him?
Lost in thought, Adrian kept walking, not really paying attention to where he was going. Suddenly, his foot hit something. He looked up, ready to say sorry, and saw the very last person he wanted to see.
The person opened her mouth, softly whispering, "Adrian..."
Adrian immediately looked away and moved to his left, attempting to walk around her.
But the woman, Gabrielle, quickly followed, trying to keep pace with him. "Adrian, stop avoiding me!" she called out.
"We don't have anything to talk about, Gabrielle," Adrian said, picking up his walking speed.
Gabrielle, falling behind, started jogging and then positioned herself directly in front of him, blocking his path with her arms spread wide. "If you continue to avoid this matter, it will never come to an end!"
Adrian stopped walking and stared at her, a mocking smile appearing on his lips as if she'd said something ridiculous. "Really? Aren't you the one who isn't putting an end to it? If that's not the case, then what are all of these?!"
Adrian continued, his voice getting louder, "Are you really trying to blackmail me with this? Your behavior is crazy, Gabrielle, you're scaring me, do you know that?!" He yelled, then threw the crumpled photos directly at Gabrielle's face.
The crumpled pictures hit her and fell to the ground. Realizing what they were, Gabrielle took a deep breath and looked at Adrian, whose anger was clear in his reddened eyes.
"Adrian..." Gabrielle tried to reach out to him, but Adrian pulled his hand away. "Adrian, I love you..."
"You know that, right?" she added, her voice shaky.
Adrian swallowed hard and avoided her gaze. For some reason, his chest felt tight, and it was hard to breathe.
"Why him?" Gabrielle asked, tears filling her eyes as she took a step closer. "I...I've always been here for you, supporting and protecting you, helping you with everything you needed. I've treated you kindly. So why isn't it me? Why can't you see me? Why won't you look at me??"
"Gabrielle, I'm gay," Adrian stated simply.
"I know, but I love you. I wanted to be with you. You are the only one who has made me feel this way. I'm ready to do whatever it takes, Adrian, please...." Gabrielle pleaded, reaching for Adrian's hand again, but he slapped her hand away.
"Gabrielle, I've already told you that I'm gay! What you're saying right now is disgusting to me!"
"No please, let's work on this and give it a chance. If you want to be friends, t-then we can do that. Let's take it slow. Adrian, please." Gabrielle was now openly crying, begging with her eyes, trying to hug him.
The emotions Adrian had been holding back for an entire week suddenly burst out. He couldn't control it anymore, and a tear finally slipped from his eye.
"Our relationship is beyond repair, Gabrielle. There's no way to mend it!" He pushed her aside and ran off.
Gabrielle, in tears, could only see Adrian's back as he hurried away. Her legs gave out, and she fell to the ground.
As she stared at the wrinkled photos scattered before her, her hands shook as she gathered them one by one. She then glanced in the direction Adrian had taken and whispered, "Why won't you look at me?"