Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:42:28 EDT
From: HnstSkr4@aol.com
Subject: The Mirror and Nothing More - Rewrite of Chapter 8

Warning: This story doesn't contain any sex.  It's the story of gay teens.
None of the characters are based on real people nor are they meant to
resemble any living or dead people.

Let me know what you think of the story by emailing me at
_Hnstskr4@aol.com_

I want to thank everyone who has emailed.  I also want to thank those who
have read the story.  It means a lot hearing from you.  Please continue
reading!  There is a lot more to come.  I own all rights to this story.

Chuck B.

I've got such a great response to the story and would love to hear from
everyone who reads it.

** Quick Note:

I'm going to take a different route with the story.  The story starts off
with the attack that leads to Doug's introduction into the story as well as
Pete's fall from the group.  The change will keep Pete in as Alex's man.
Let me know what you think.  Without any more interruptions, I give you the
long awaited chapter of The Mirror and Nothing More.  Enjoy and again let
me know what you think!

The Attack - Pete's POV

I stepped outside during lunch hoping to get a breath of fresh air.  I
thought it was odd that Alex didn't sit with us at lunch but maybe he had
something else to do.  I looked towards the tennis courts.  I caught sight
of a fight.  I think Alex has made me a bit of a softy.  Making my way to
the fight, I realized the guy getting beaten up was Alex.  He was already
on the ground. A small pool of blood lay on the right side of his head.
Two guys were pounding on him.  No time to run back and get help, I'll have
to stop this myself.  I can handle these thugs.  With my loud, intimidating
voice, I yelled "Hey back off!" as I grabbed one of the guys by the throat.

"Stop!"

I yelled to the other guy.  He just looked at me and laughed.  I dragged
his buddy till I could get close enough to knock him to the ground.
Dropping the other guy, I pushed his friend away from Alex.  For whatever
reason, they decided to leave the scene, which was fine with me. These
guys, Parker Robinson and James Page, are two of the smaller guys on the
football team.  They must have been the ones who were giving Jeff and Alex
all the threats.  If I didn't have restraint those guys would have been
pounded.

"Alex!"

I was panicked.  Alex's head was sitting in blood.  He didn't even respond
to my voice.  My mind was running a mile a minute.  What was I supposed to
do?  I quickly pulled out my phone and called 911.

"What is your emergency?"

"I'm a student at Anderson High School.  Umm... I'm... I'm out back by the
tennis courts.  My friend has been attacked by two other guys and he's
bleeding from the head.  He's not responding."

"Is there any staff around?"

"No it's lunch time!  I'm going to call the office on my cell phone."

"Okay, I'm going to send an ambulance to your location.  Please call the
high school's office!"

Once they hung up with me, I called the school's office.


Normally, I would have brought up the phonebook but I figured it was
quicker just to dial the number.  It seemed to take forever for anyone to
answer.

"Anderson high school main office, how can I help you?"

"Ms. White, this is Pete Butler.  I'm out back by the tennis courts.
I... I... have Alex with me and he's in bad shape.  I caught Parker
Robinson and James Page beating him up.  He's hurt bad.  I've already
called 911.  Please help!"

"Pete, I'm going to page Nurse Karen and Mrs. York."

Sure enough she hung up and I heard the announcement over the loud speaker.

"We have a Code Orange by the tennis courts.  I need a nurse and Mrs. York
to respond.  Again, we have a Code Orange by the tennis courts.  Staff
please respond accordingly."

I remember learning about first aid in health class.  It was something
about not moving any injured person.  I took his hand and squeezed it.  All
I could do was hold him.  It was then that it hit me; I removed my jacket
and placed underneath his head.  "Hold on big guy, help is coming!"  I
hoped he could hear me even though he didn't respond to my voice.

As I looked at him, I couldn't hold back any more.  Tears started to stream
down my face.  I don't remember the last time that I cried.

"Alex, I love you.  I love you!"

Why I didn't tell him more often?  I knew about the threats that he was
getting. I should have been out here with him.  What good am I?  It seemed
to take forever for anyone to get here.  At least, I could hear the sirens
coming closer.  The principal and Nurse Karen came running out of the
building.  Nurse Karen told me to step away from Alex.  I stood up and
started crying harder.  Mrs. York pulled me aside.

"Pete, do you know why Alex was out here?"

"No I never saw him at lunch.  I just came out to get a breath of fresh
air.  When I came out I saw a fight.  As I got closer, I saw... I saw two
guys beating up on Alex."

"Don't worry Pete; they are already in the office with two police
officers."

She stepped away from me and went over to talk with the nurse.

I watched as the paramedics worked on Alex.  All I could feel was anger.  I
wanted to crush those guys.  They deserved to be beaten like Alex was
treated.  I want them to be carted off to the hospital.  I watched Alex
being placed into the ambulance and my heart broke.  The tears were back.
I want him to have his justice.


Admitting It Out loud - Pete's POV

Mrs. Young took me aside.  She saw the pain in my eyes as I stood by
watching Alex.  I noticed her having problem getting her thoughts together.
She looked into my eyes and just asked "Peter, are you gay?"

Why is she asking me this?  Shouldn't she be more concerned about Alex?  I
tried hard to get the words out.

"Yes, yes... I'm gay."

She asked me if my parents knew and I told her, "No.  I'm afraid that my
parents won't understand."  When she heard that, she promised me that they
wouldn't find out.  She thought it best that I go home and relax.


Ms. White called my home and she advised my mom to pick me up.  I heard her
say, "Peter has witnessed a brutal attack at school, and Mrs. York thought
it best that he go home."  As I walked to my locker, I realized that I
didn't feel any different about myself now that I had told someone that I
was gay.  There were no bells, whistles, or fireworks as I told Mrs. York.
Somewhere between my locker and returning to the office, my world began to
make sense.


Things now make more sense.  All those butterflies that I felt when my
brother's friends were around were not because of my shyness.  They were
because I thought they were hot.  Alex is one of my best friends and I'm
hoping he'll be okay.  I only have two gay friends, Alex and Jeff.  I'll be
honest though Alex is more my type.  We are both masculine and we enjoy the
same activities.  I've also known Alex for a whole lot longer.  Now I just
need a chance to tell him how I feel.

It wasn't until I knocked Jeff down in the hallway, that things started to
click.  Alex was angry with me and I knew it.  Luckily, Alex worked through
being mad at me.  It was that same day that I erased "faggot" from my
brain.  It took me a couple of hours that night to write my note to Alex.
Now he's in the hospital and all I can do is wait.

Ask Alex and he'll tell you that waiting isn't something that I'm good at.
I got on the phone called his house.  It rang seven times, before I hung
up.  I even tried calling his cell phone.  It ended up being pretty
pointless but it was worth it because I got to hear his voice. I want to
know how he's doing.  I finally decided to go up to the hospital.  Maybe
his parents will be there.

* Okay guys this is the end of this part.  Hope you enjoyed it and I
promise there will be more coming.  This one is a bit shorter than the
others.  What do you think?  Do you like the new and improved Pete?  Here
is my email again:

Hnstskr4@aol.com