Backpack Boy

I swung a bag over my shoulder. My mother always said I was going to have back problems from the damn thing, but it was trustworthy, and I liked it.

It was basically the only thing I liked about school. The backpack. It had lasted throughout my entire school career. It was useful. And it’s big enough to hold all of my shit.

The thing I hated most about school was the people. Not just the students. The teachers and staff, too. Everyone here seemed to regard me with dismissive comments and disappointment. It seemed so unfair. I got good grades. I was in clubs. But everyone still gave me a wide berth in the halls. Even club members.

Call me antisocial. But I think I’m more anti-society. The people aren’t bad. It’s what they’ve been raised to believe that’s the problem.

Right. That’s why they stare. That’s why they hate me.

I’m gay.

I think the first boy I had a crush on was probably Adam Jackson. He was a geek who loved a lot of the same music and games as me. Everyone called him AJ. I wish I had chosen my crush wiser. I finally worked up the courage to tell him, and not only did he reject me, but he told the entire fucking school.

Now? I’ve learned to hate every person in the school, and the way they judge me. All but one, and he is my current crush. His name is Sean. He is biologically female. So no wonder he’s actually okay with me. I doubt he sees me the way I do him. He’s got loads of friends. They don’t know he’s trans. Only I do. Maybe that means I’m special. I don’t think so. I’m just similar.

And I hate Spanish class. For two reasons. One, the teacher and the students are homophobes. Two, it’s boring. I wish I had the same Spanish teacher as Sean. His teacher is awesome. She’s super nice and lets them listen to music in class. So. Freaking. Jealous.

But, I’m not in Sean’s spanish class. I’m in Mr. Owens’s.

And he’s an asshole.

"Jacob Asher?" A boy across the room raises his hand. Did I forget to mention that Mr. Owens had the voice of Siri. It sounds like a machine. He speaks so fucking blandly that it's just awful.

"Michael Barret?"

*UNFINISHED*