The Squad Effect

Chapter 3 | Intransigence

Taylor and I were lounging on the couch in our dorm room. I could tell that we were both barely awake. The orange glow from the window that was in the bedroom reflected off of the floor in the living room. It should be illegal for school to start so early. Carter's so lucky that he doesn't have an eight A.M. class.

"We should probably go down to the cafeteria, babe." I suggested, trying to suppress a yawn. Taylor nodded slowly. We get up and grab our keys and backpacks off the coffee table before making our way to the door.

After getting our food and texting our friends where we'd be we, we made our way down to the Quad. The sun was fully out now and shining over all of the tables except one. I basked in the cool breeze that passed Taylor and I as we sat down at our own table. Almost as if on cue, I looked towards the doors that lead into the dorms to see Aaron and Jack on their way to meet us at the table. The two boys sat down across from us when they arrived.

"Anyone seen Carter?" I asked while taking a sip of my orange juice through a straw.

"Yeah, he said he doesn't have an eight A.M. class, so he won't be rushing to come and eat with you guys." Carter yawned before chuckling at his own joke and walking up to sit at the table.

"Hey, how was your night?" Taylor asked while smirking. "Did you smash?"

"No. I didn't. He slapped me when I actually tried to grab his ass. That boy's a sneaky ass b***h. He told me that he wasn't gay, but I don't believe that for a millisecond." Carter shook his head.

"So, if you didn't smash what did the rest of your night consist of?" Aaron asked.

"Kept to myself, trying to save face. I deserved to keep my dignity. Thus, we ignored each other." Carter shrugged. "He hates me, and I hate him. So, I think my plan for the rest of the year will be to torment him."

"Have fun with that. Anyway, what are all of your first classes?" Jack asked will popping a potato wedge into his mouth.

"Health." Taylor and I said in unison.

"I've got gym." Jack smiled contently.

"English." Aaron nodded, an uneasy look was evident on his face

"Ok, so, maybe we'll have better luck next period." Taylor tries to lighten the mood before we began to pack up our food trays. Carter walked off in the direction of the dorms as Jack and Aaron tidied up their trays.

Taylor and I traversed the Quad on our way to health class. Once we arrived we saw our good old friends from yesterday; Matt, Shawn and Nash.

"Leave an empty seat on either side of you once you sit down. I don't need you talking to your friends throughout my class." An old-looking teacher says as we walk in.

I took the seat next to Nash, so I could harass him for the rest of the semester, while Taylor took the seat between Shawn and Matt.

"H-hi Taylor." Shawn stammered, clearly trying too hard to sound natural. Why say anything at all? Taylor gave him a very quick but calm head nod before refocusing all of his attention on the teacher. I noticed that Nash had leaned back in his chair in order to mouth an order to Shawn.

"Oh, hey Nash! Isn't it just a lovely coincidence that we ended up in the same Homeroom?" I asked politely. Just as I expected, Nash turned to me slowly, giving me the worst glare I had ever received. "I've barely even said anything to you, what's your problem with me now?" I asked curiously as the teacher began to introduce herself.

"Here's a hint. Mirror, mirror on the wall who's the queerest of them all? Cameron Dallas has little class, that's why he likes it up the ass." Nash sunk down in his chair, his annoyed expression never leaving his face.

"Are you saying that you're mad because I won't let you have s*x with me?" I completely twist the message he was trying to get across. "If that's the case then you're about to be mad for a very long time, or at least until you buy me dinner first." I teased.

"I'm straight." Nash muttered angrily.

"Pardon? Did you just say you want to go out on a date?" I asked, seeing how far I could push him before he snapped.

"I said that I'm straight. You deaf faggot." Nash rolled his eyes. I gave him a sarcastic smile, that was masking my sudden utter hatred for this boy.

"Use that word again and I will get the entire football team to drown you in your own hair grease, you little rat." I spoke out of the side of my mouth since the teacher was looking in my direction.

"You think I'm scared of those trash bags with arms?"

"Take a shower greaser." I spit back before turning back to the lesson.

"You'd probably want to watch, faggot." Nash says.

I turned my entire body towards Nash before pushing his chair over onto the ground. The loud sound of him hitting the floor caused the entire class to look back at our row. I shrugged at all the people who were staring at me. Suddenly Nash's arms were wrapped around my neck, pulling me down to the floor on my chair as well. I elbowed him in the stomach which caused him to let go of my neck. I flipped over and punch him in the jaw with as much force as I could muster in the short swinging distance. I punched him again and again. He was able to gain leverage when he grabbed onto my hair with one hand and pushed my body away from him. He sped over to me, landing a few punches to my face. I kicked him in the chest which knocked him back down onto the floor. He laid on the ground, trying to find a second wind.

"Apologize." I ordered while grabbing him by the collar.

"For what? Telling the truth?" He began to punch anywhere on my body that he could reach, and I did the same.

"MR. DALLAS AND MR. GRIER GO TO THE PRINCIPALS OFFICE, NOW." Professor Waldorf yelled at the top of her lungs.

I stood up, noticing that Nash was seething and had a cut lip. I groaned before turning and storming out of the classroom. As I walked down the hallway alone, I passed a group of mousy freshman boys who wouldn't stop staring at me.

"Don't you have anything better to do, like math homework or jacking off into a sock?" I insulted them, the adrenaline still pumping through my veins. The boys quickly looked back into one of their lockers. I rubbed the bridge of my nose as I felt a headache coming on. The tip of my nose tickled, so I quickly scratched it, noticing blood on my fingers when I took them away. Damn it.

The door to the principal's office is ajar. I walked in and plopped down in an empty leather chair, beginning to relax my aching body. The principal handed a box of tissues to me. I took a few to clean my nose up before putting the box back down on the desk.

Soon enough, Nash entered the room and sat down in the leather chair beside me, taking a tissue from the box for his lip, without glancing at me once.

"Nash Grier, I see this year's not off to a great start either." Principal Jankovic shook her head.

"You shouldn't assume that I was the one in the wrong. You know, golden boy started the fight by pushing my chair over." Nash scoffed.

"Ms. Jankovic, he called me faggot. My identity was threatened, was I supposed to take that lying down?" I groaned while crossing my legs at the ankle.

"That's how you take most things." Nash muttered.

"Mr. Grier, I've gotten reports of multiple occasions where you have used that derogatory term. First things first, you cannot speak to our students or allies of the l***q+ community in such a manner. It's inappropriate and downright rude." Mrs. Jankovic scolded him.

"Ms. Jankovic, if I may interrupt, I am not gay myself, but I do have friends who are a part of the l***q+ community, thus I choose to stand up for them when need be. I think that an appropriate punishment for Nash would be some type of sensitivity class or club, so that he and the l***q+ community can live in harmony." I put on my most convincing and proper voice, hoping to avoid punishment.

"Well Mr. Dallas, I will take that into consideration. As for your punishment-"

"Miss, with all due respect, I'm the victim of hate speech in this situation. What type of message will punishing me send to the student body?" I questioned while leaning forward in my chair.

"I will have to corroborate Mr. Grier's story with the teacher, but it seems to me that you initiated the fight. There's a consequence that comes with fighting Mr. Dallas, you should know that. I think we should first begin with an apology from both sides." She suggested.

"Nash, I'm sorry for starting the physical fight," I sighed while furrowing my eyebrows, my headache launching into full swing.

"Cameron, I'm f*****g sick and tired of looking at your busted face." Nash spat blood onto my shirt.

"Miss, you can't expect me to have an equal punishment to this ignorant, lame excuse for a human being. He's being intransigent!" I almost shouted.

"Funny how when we're in the principal's office you know what intransigent means, but I've seen you struggle to identify the word cat." Nash insulted me, again, not glancing at me once.

"Alright, that's enough from the both of you. Mr. Dallas, two week's detention, to be served with me every evening." She pointed one of her long, wrinkled fingers in my direction. "Mr. Grier, head to the infirmary, we'll discuss your punishment later." Principal Jankovic dismissed him. Nash shot her a bloodied smile before standing up and exiting the office.

"Miss, there's gotta be something else I can do. I have to run try-outs next week." I shook my head.

"You have other teammates. They can run the try-outs. I just wanted to tell you, Mr. Dallas, that I expect violence and aggressive behavior from Mr. Grier, but not from you. I know that you can do better. You know right from wrong, so make the right choice. Head to the infirmary please." She gave me a solemn look before gesturing to the door.

I pushed myself out of the seat and left the room. I knew that going to the infirmary would only make me angrier, so instead of heading there I went back to my room, to see if I could nap off this headache and clean up the blood that was drying on my face.

As soon as I entered the dorm room, I made a beeline for the bathroom. I looked under the counter for something to clean my face with. I ran a rag under hot water before cleaning up the blood that trailed from my upper lip to my chin. I exhaled deeply at the calming feeling, but unfortunately my headache raged on. After throwing the washrag into the hamper, I lifted my shirt to see if any physical damage had occurred. In the mirror I was met with a huge red patch going all the way up my left side. This would surely bruise.

"I really hope he's worse off." I sighed to myself before throwing my orange shirt into the hamper as well. I exited to the bathroom and laid down on the couch in the living room, ready to take a nap. It only took forty-five seconds to conclude that I wouldn't be able to sleep. My mind was swimming and I couldn't calm it down long enough to doze off. An involuntary tear rolled down the side of my face and into my hairline. I hadn't been in a fight since junior high, and this fight was bringing back toxic memories.

Why did everyone think I was gay? Is it because I'm nice because if so, f**k that. Everyone should be nice in the first place. I can't stand xenophobes.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. I forced myself out of the couch and wiped away my tear before finally answering it. I was met with a girl who was about my height, with brown hair that was styled into two long French braids. She was very tan and could only be described as gorgeous.

"Cameron Dallas?" She clarified while discreetly checking out my bare chest.

"Yes?" I replied while leaning against the doorway and rubbing my temple. I was in too much pain to flirt, so I decided to remain relatively neutral.

"I heard what happened to you and I just wanted to let you know that Nash was a b***h for doing that. I'm Nash's step-sister, Ellie. Just know that... someone's on your side." She smiled.

"Thanks." I nodded.

"God, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have interrupted you like this." She covered a portion of her face with her hand sheepishly.

"That's fine. I appreciate somebody checking on me. It was really sweet of you." I reassured her, so she wouldn't go back to her room feeling embarrassed.

"Oh, thanks. Well, you should probably get some rest. If you wanted to talk some more, my Snapchat is EllieBelly20. That is if you don't have a boyfriend or girlfriend who won't like that."

"Well I have no significant other to watch over my Snapchat, so I'll message you." I shot her a charming smile. She nodded before waving goodbye and walking off down the hallway. I pulled out my phone, immediately opening the Snapchat app and adding the cute username to my list of friends.

Another knock at the door came just as I was sending a picture of my face to Ellie, so she could confirm that it was me. I put my phone down on the coffee table before opening the door again. Nash barged in as soon as the door was unlocked and almost trampled me.

"What in Jesus' name are you doing? Get the f**k out!" I say pushing him toward the door with all of my remaining energy.

"Was that my sister?" He asked, his voice rising.

"Yes, actually it was." I muttered while continuing to push him out of the room. He wrapped his hands around my neck and began to choke me, pinning me up against the wall. I had to think quickly before he choked me to death in a blind rage. He's homophobic, so maybe something s****l will get rid of him. I brought in as much air as I could before letting out the loudest fake moan I was able to muster. I grabbed onto the sides of his leather jacket and leaned my head back as much as I could.

"Harder!" I commanded proudly as I felt his grip on me begin to falter. His hands shot quickly back to his sides, slapping my hands away from his jacket.

"What are you doing?" Nash's voice cracked as he stared at me in disgust.

"You found my kink, congratulations." I smirked. Nash turned and left immediately pushing past all of my friends who were now standing in the doorway. Once he had left, my friends promptly closed the door so that they could badger me in private.

"So, let me get this straight, that whole fight you guys had in the classroom was a s****l thing?" Aaron asked, an amused smile finding its way onto his face.

"No, it was a hatred thing. I'm still not into dudes, I just needed him to leave. Clearly my plan worked because he's not still here." I shrugged before going to take a seat on the couch. I groaned at the contact my damaged side made with the couch.

"That looks like it hurts." Taylor pointed out, a look of concern evident on his face.

"You know what'll make you feel better? Pizza." Carter answered his own question. There was, what seemed like, the hundredth knock on the door today. Carter opened the door, revealing the maintenance guy, who always picked up our pizzas from the front doors. We all thanked him as Carter took the pizzas and drinks before beginning to serve the rest of us.