Boy In The Shadows (Trilogy) by A.M. Snead

Author:A.M. Snead [Snead, A.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-07-14T00:00:00+00:00

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“Hey, watch where you're going, you fuckin' dyke.”

The cutting words exploded through Sam's head seconds after a hard shoulder crashed into him, knocking him back against the lockers. He hit hard and dropped his books and folder, his English assignment scattering onto the floor. Passing students didn't bother to try and avoid walking on the papers, but just snickered and laughed at him as he knelt on the hard, ugly green floor and attempted to grab his papers without anyone stepping on his hands.

He hadn't even seen who had hit him. Some jock most likely. It didn't matter. He wasn't stupid enough to try and get them in trouble.

A tightness squeezed his jaw as he forced back the tears burning his eyes. Most days he managed to avoid the bullshit, being very careful to dodge the bodies of the other students, staying to the sides of the hallways, never making eye contact with anyone. He did his level best to be as invisible as possible, to just make it through and one day be free of this place. But now and then, like today, he would slip up and get caught in the cross hairs.

Sam reached for one of the pages laying on the dirt scuffed green tile and grabbed it as a sneaker stomped down on it, causing it to rip in half.

“Sorry about that,” the owner of the sneaker smirked, but Sam didn't look up. The kid walked on, him and his friends laughing and tossing back taunts. Sam steeled himself and let the hurtful words glance off him.

The bell rang and the hallway was suddenly filled with a rush of feet, sneakers squeaking on the hard floor, classroom doors opening and closing, lockers slamming. He scooted back and sat against the row of lockers behind him, getting out of the way of the rush, and watched his papers being stepped and stomped on, crinkled up and ripped.

Hugging his knees to his chest, he pressed his face down against his arms. In minutes, the hallway was silent, the faint jumble of voices within the classrooms muffled by the closed doors. The second bell rang, echoing loudly, warning that anyone not in class was now tardy.

Sam sat unmoving. He didn't care if he was late to class. Didn't care if he made it at all. His arms squeezed around his knees and he fought the tears. He wished he could just turn off his feelings, close himself off completely so it didn't matter what anyone said or did to him, he would just be numb to it. He knew if it didn't hurt him, they would leave him alone. If there was no pain on his part, they would gain no pleasure and get bored.

The rubber sole of a sneaker squeaked on the hard floor. Sam kept his face pressed down, tightening his grip on his legs. Maybe if he sat completely still he really would become invisible. It was always a mistake to make any sudden moves around predators.

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