After School Activities by Dirk Hunter

feel
    better?” he demanded, shoving me up against the locker, fists bunched up
    in my shirt. Unshed tears were gathering in his eyes. “Is it? You can’t land
    the Jewish faggot of your dreams so you’ll settle for me?”
    The pressure Adam was exerting on my chest was kind of painful,
    but I didn’t care. I was just happy he was actually talking to me again, and
    it felt good to have him touching me, even like this. Besides, I kinda think
    maybe I deserved it. I grabbed his wrists so he wouldn’t let go.
    “No, it’s not like that. I swear.”
    “Oh yeah? Well, what is it like?”
    Well, here we go. I thought. I still had no idea how to explain myself, but I finally had him listening so I’d better dive right in. But before I could even begin, an all too familiar voice broke in.
    “Now, now, boys. I’m getting pretty tired of finding you two like
    this.” Mr. Cortez stood there, arms folded, looking stern.
    Adam immediately let go of me and pulled his arms out of my grip
    with barely any effort. He took off down the hall, and with him went all
    my hopes of reconciliation. Every last scrap of self-control I had snapped.
    All the frustration and anger that had been slowly building for over a week
    burst forth.
    “God damn it, you fucking idiot ! Do you have any idea what you just did? That was the first time I have gotten him to talk to me in fucking
    weeks , but you just had to butt in and ‘rescue’ me, ’cause that is apparently the only thing that validates your worthless existence.”
    Mr. Cortez took a step backward under the force of my anger. At that
    moment I realized exactly what I’d done, and how stupid it was.
    “I mean… no, fuck it, that’s exactly what I mean. Don’t worry, I’ll
    just show myself to Mr. Hayes’s office.”
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    After School Activities

    CHAPTER TEN
    DINNER THAT night was a strange affair. I had kind of figured that
    after getting a phone call from the principal explaining exactly what I
    had done and that I was suspended for the next week, there might be
    some degree of, I don’t know, punishment perhaps? At the very least,
    some scolding, maybe a withheld dessert. The kind of things parents
    are supposed to do, you know? Instead, dinner was painfully,
    awkwardly normal. Cheery even.
    Neither of my parents made any mention of my suspension. They
    only talked about work, like usual. Meanwhile, I was practically
    jumping at every loud sound, expecting the fire and brimstone parents
    are supposed to rain down in this situation. It only got worse the longer
    it took to come.
    But dinner ended and still no yelling or recrimination. I leaped to do
    the dishes, hoping to lessen the punishment that obviously had to be coming. Only it never came. My parents turned on the TV in the living
    room like it was a completely normal Friday. Finally I slunk back to my
    room. I wasn’t in there for more than a minute when Dad knocked on the
    door. Here it comes , I thought, the yelling, scolding, grounding. I didn’t look up when Dad opened the door. I kept my eyes firmly fixed on the
    floor, looking out of the corner of my eye at Dad’s feet standing in the
    doorway.
    “You ready to talk about it?”
    He didn’t sound angry at all. I was incredulous. “What?” I asked,
    looking up. Dad was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed.
    “Everything that’s been going on. Ready to talk about it yet?”
    “That’s it?” I asked. Dad raised an eyebrow. “I mean, no yelling, no
    punishment? I was suspended. Aren’t you mad?”
    Dad shrugged.
    65
    Dirk Hunter

    “We’re a little disappointed, your mother and I. Well, more me.
    Your mother finds this whole thing kind of funny, especially making
    you squirm all throughout dinner.” My jaw was resting on the floor, I
    was certain. Dad laughed at the look on my face. “Listen, Dylan,
    you’re a good kid. We know that. We also know that you haven’t been
    yourself lately. I’m going to take a wild guess and say it