Didn't I say something about leaving? Why Yes I did. Obviously I have not left yet, and I plan to post something every few days until I do leave.

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High School Drama: The Bet.

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Heaving a sigh of relief, Pend dropped his backpack onto the floor and slumped into his seat at the table. "Thank god for lunch," he muttered, poking at the food he'd bought.

"Clearly," Aaron said, glancing at the mush that was on his plate as well, "you mean the chance not to be in class, and not the meal itself."

Pend ignored him. "I don't know what they expect us to learn from all this," he said. "I can't possibly have enough brain capacity to remember historical trivia, mathematical formulas and why Emma's eyes keep changing color in 'Madame Bovary.' When is this shit going to be useful in life anyway?"

"It's not," Jackson said, sitting down to join them. "Have you got all three tests in one day as well?" he asked.

Pend nodded. "I'll fail all three of them at this rate."

"At least you don't have all those thoughts rattled around in your head once a day during football practice. Not like Jackass here."

Jackson sneered at Aaron across the table. "Still upset I stole your girl?" he asked. "I was doing you a favor."

Aaron sat up straight and opened his mouth to respond.

Pend groaned and dropped his head to the lunch table. "Please don't start this again," he moaned. "Remember when we all used to be friends?"

Jackson smirked at him. "Poor Pending here is just jealous that he doesn't have a girlfriend."

"Oh god," Pend groaned, not lifting his head from the table, "why would I want one of those?"

"Attention, sex and someone to do things with on a weekend; why else?" Jackson asked.

Pend sat back up. "Don't I get enough of that from my boyfriend?" he asked.

It felt like the whole lunch room fell silent to stare at Pend, eyes widened in shock and breaths drawn sharply in.

Pend glanced around at his two friends, who were really the only two sitting in silent shock. "Oh, lay off. It's not like you didn't know," he said.

"We did?" asked Aaron.

Pend shook his head. "I've told you I was gay a dozen times by now, and I make jokes about it all the time. How could you not know?"

"Well," Aaron said, looking back at the food on his tray. "I always thought you were joking."

"Yeah," Jackson added. "I figured you were proving how masculine—yet open-minded—you were by pretending and joking."

Pend put his head in his hand. "I can't believe this. All this time and none of you knew?"

"Hey, guys," said Mark as he arrived at the table. "How are you?"

"Hey, Mark," Aaron said. "Did you know Pend was gay?"

Mark chuckled. "'Course, man. Totally flaming."

"No, like really gay," Aaron insisted.

Mark frowned at him. "Really really?" he asked.

Aaron nodded.

"Naw," Mark said. "Can't be."

"I am," Pend snapped. "Gay as they come. I've got a boyfriend and everything."

"You serious?" Mark asked.

Pend groaned and let his head drop back to the table. "Some friends you guys are."

"So, if you've got a boyfriend, how come we've never met him?" Jackson asked.

Pend looked up enough to frown at him. "Of course you have," he said.

"Well, then who is it?" Aaron asked.

Pend turned his frown onto Aaron. "If you can't figure it out, I don't think I'm going to tell you."

"Is it Tony from Algebra?" Mark asked. The other three turned to look at him. "What?"

"Please give me a little credit for having taste," Pend said.

"Well, he's gay," Mark said.

"And fat, ugly and mean," Pend muttered. Three shocked gazes were directed toward him. "What?" he said. "It's true."

"Who else in this school is gay?" Jackson asked.

"Are you kidding me?" Pend said. "You have to start with the process of elimination for this? You can't just figure it out?"

"Well," said Jackson, "clearly you've been dating this guy for awhile, and we've yet to notice. Since you refuse to tell us, what choice have we but to guess?"

Pend shook his head. "I cannot believe you guys."

"Let's make a game of it!" Aaron said suddenly. "Let's make it a bet."

"Yeah!" Jackson said, punching a fist into the air. "If we can guess who it is by the end of school on Friday, then you'll buy us pizza; if we can't, we'll pool and buy for you and this mystery guy."

"But you've got to bring him, for proof," Mark added.

"It's not exactly an equal bet," Pend pointed out.

"Well, you've kept him a secret this long without even trying," Aaron said, "so it shouldn't be too much harder for you to keep him a secret."

Jackson nodded. "Besides, as your friends, we're feeling a bit betrayed, since you've never mentioned this guy before."

Pend sighed. Jackson had a point. Besides, pizza wasn't all that expensive, he could afford it. "Fine," he said. "But I'm not going to give you any clues or anything."

"Fair enough," Jackson said, holding out his hand. Pend shook it, and they were agreed.

"Is it Clayton Messinger?" Aaron asked. Clayton was head of the swim team, but as fit as that left him…

"No," Pend said, shaking his head.

"How about a clue?" Mark asked.

--

The four had ended up in the same Spanish class, much to the annoyance of their teacher, and so headed off that way after lunch. The other three were still guessing ("That one?" Mark asked, nodding at a passing freshman; Pend ignored him), and were no closer than they had been at lunch.

"Hey, Miles," Pend called out, seeing his oldest childhood friend heading the other direction down the hall.

"Hey, Pend," Miles called back, swerving his path to meet up with them.

"These idiots apparently didn't realize I was gay," Pend said, gesturing at the guys behind him.

Miles rolled his eyes. "That's lame," he said, "I've known since-"

"And we've made a bet that if they can't guess who my boyfriend is by Friday they'll take me and him out for pizza," Pend continued quickly.

Miles laughed. "Sweet deal," he said. "I'll be sure not to tell them, then. See you after school," he added before wandering back on his way to history.

"Dude," Mark said, "Miles knows?"

Pend rolled his eyes. "Miles has apparently known longer than you, idiot."

"And he's met this alleged 'boyfriend' of yours, too?" Jackson asked, making air quotes.

Pend sighed and hung his head. "Yeah," he said, "he has."

"How does he know?" Aaron asked, glancing down the hall after Pend's departing friend.

"He's my neighbor, my oldest friend, and apparently far more observant than any of you idiots," Pend said. He turned away and finished walking to the Spanish classroom, his friends trailing behind.

--

The week dragged by. It seemed that half the school had known Pend was gay, and also who his boyfriend was. It was completely new news to the other half of the school, and the split soon became apparent as those who didn't know asked those who knew, and those who knew wouldn't tell.

Pend wouldn't answer anyone who asked; just his three friends who were in on the bet, although once everyone figured this out they would hand lists to those three and have them run all guesses by Pend.

Pend denied everyone. Even the few where the other guy claimed to be his boyfriend he denied. They were all false, of course.

And as the days dragged by, Pend wondered that his friends couldn't see what was in front of them.

--

Friday finally arrived.

Then, slowly, oh-so-slowly, the end of the school day came.

Pend went home directly after school, where he told his mother he'd be out for the rest of the day, changed his shoes and went across the street to Miles' house.

"A whole week and they couldn't figure it out?" Miles asked, pulling Pend into a hug.

Pend sighed. "I really need to find some new friends," he muttered into Miles' shoulder.

Miles laughed and patted his back. "There, there," he said. "Even if they are unobservant, at least they are loyal."

"Yeah," Pend said. "That or they really want pizza."

Miles laughed.

--

A few hours later found Pend and Miles sitting at a booth in the Pizza Place, waiting for Pend's other friends to arrive.

Aaron, always early, was there next. "Pend!" he said, waving as he sat down. "Oh, hey, Miles. Can we still guess?" he asked.

Pend glanced at Miles, who was sitting next to him at the booth. "You can," he said, "but it won't change the outcome of the bet."

"Rogers from history?" Aaron asked.

Pend shook his head. "You already guessed him. Three times."

"So it's really not him?"

Pend frowned at his friend. "Just because you think he's hot, does not mean I am going out with him."

"Dude," Aaron said. "I never said he was hot."

Pend rolled his eyes.

"Your boyfriend late?" Jackson asked as he slid into the booth beside Aaron.

Pend's jaw dropped as he turned to stare at Jackson. "What?" he said.

"Hey, Miles," Jackson said. "We're not buying for you, though. Just this clown and his 'boyfriend.'" He used finger quotes again.

Miles, his own mouth slightly open, turned to Pend. "They really don't get it, do they?"

"I told you," Pend said.

"It's Fry, from third period, isn't it?" Mark said as he walked up to join them.

Pend squished even closer to Miles so Mark would have enough space to fit with them on the bench. "Guessing's over, and no, it's not Fry."

There was a length of silence.

"So who is it?" Jackson asked finally. "And how long are we going to have to wait for him to show?"

Pend buried his face in his hands. "I cannot believe you guys," he said. He felt Miles' hand slide up his back and into his hair.

"Want me to tell them?" Miles asked, pulling gently so Pend tipped his head back.

Pend smiled at him. "Better show; they aren't so good at tell," he said.

"Okay," Miles said, leaning down to press their lips together.

Maybe now Pend's friends would get it.

"Dude," Mark said. "Isn't that, like, cheating?"

--

End

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