Chapter Text
It was just a normal day at school. Key word: was. It wasn’t anymore. Colton punching Rahul wasn’t an everyday thing.
“You called my sister a lesbian!” Colton shouted. Everyone was looking at them. Rahul had no clue why Colton was so pissed about this.
“Your sister told me she’s a lesbian!”
Apparently that was the wrong thing to say, because Colton fucking punched him after that. While the whole class watched. Rahul clutched his cheek.
“What the–” Rahul was interrupted by Colton putting him in a chokehold. God, he’s strong. Not the time for those thoughts. Rahul hoped he wasn't blushing.
Rahul fought Colton’s hold and fell to the ground, where Colton kicked him.
“Colton!” Ms. Mateithotw (most amazing teacher in the history of the world) yelled. “I think you should step outside.”
Colton hesitantly walked outside. Rahul could hear some people out in the hallway, including the substitute teacher that looked just like Benson Boone. He strained his ears, but couldn’t figure out what was being said.
He hoped Colton wasn’t in trouble. Even though he had just beat Rahul up. But they were friends, so of course Rahul cared for him. More than Colton knew. More than Colton could ever know.
Fuck. What if Colton was homophobic? What if that was why he got so angry when Rahul called his sister gay?
What if Colton could tell Rahul was gay?
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Colton was sitting in the administrator’s office. His leg wouldn’t stop bouncing up and down. He had been in this very office many times before, but this was the first time he was actually anxious about it. He couldn’t stop thinking about Rahul. The hurt on his face and the blood trickling from his nose.
Colton didn’t mean to punch Rahul. It was just instinct. He thought, “What if Rahul realizes my sister isn’t the only queer one in the family?” So he panicked. And punched Rahul. And put him in a chokehold. And kicked him while he was on the ground. Adrenaline made him do weird things, okay?
How the hell was he supposed to explain why he did that to Rahul? Unless he was ready to tell his best friend he was gay (which would pretty much be a love confession, ‘cause none of the things he did around Rahul could be considered platonic unless he was straight).
He was about to just accept the loss of his beloved friendship when the administrator walked in.
“Colton,” he said disappointedly, “this is the third time you’ve been in my office this month. What happened this time?”
“Eh, you know, I uh…I sorta punched a kid…and pushed him on the floor…and kicked him…”
“Colton, violence is never the answer.” Mr. Admin passed him a reflection paper. “You’re going to have to fill this out and reflect on what you did, and you’ll be having detention today.”
Dammit. It was a Wednesday. Wednesdays were when he played basketball at the Y with Rahul–
Oh. Rahul.
Yeah, those plans had been ruined before he got the detention.
“Fine.” He scribbles some words onto the reflection sheet and goes straight to the room for detention. He doesn’t even sneak his phone in, too busy thinking about Rahul.
When detention ends and he checks his phone, he has zero texts from Rahul. Confirmation that he fucked everything up. Colton puts his head in his hands.