The beginning

Although this story is based on a real situation, what was experienced is a small, innocent anecdote. The rest is part of my imagination and what could have been if I had chosen page 7 of "choose your own adventure" instead of page 5.

In high school, gym class was in the afternoon. After finishing the morning shift, we had an hour and a half of rest before having to go to the gym.

I was always a bit chubby, and honestly, I hated that class. Not because it was difficult for me, but because of the constant teasing from my classmates, which the monitor did not stop. I would almost say that he encouraged it. Even today, it's a painful memory.

A less perceptive mind might think that the harassment I was exposed to should have had an erotic effect on me. That would be a mistake and a failure to understand the difference between consent and lack of it, between creating reality through an agreed-upon convention and gratuitous aggression.

For those of us who didn't think it was worth going home, since it consumed a large part of the time we had between classes, we usually stayed in the nearby portals or in the school cafeteria.

I preferred to be alone, to avoid the inevitable. Therefore, if the weather was good, I chose the first option.

Among those who followed the same routine was Daniel, a boy who was my classmate but a year older. He had repeated a grade and had, let's say, a bad reputation. He had repeated the grade because he had missed many classes, and on the days he did attend, he would fall asleep while the teacher was talking. The latter was still happening, although he no longer missed as many classes.

I was quite innocent and impressionable at the time, so I assumed what was said about him was true and gradually developed a growing prejudice against him.

In hindsight, even without knowing what I know now, the reality was different. He was not a dangerous boy. In fact, he was more respectful than those who criticized him and had no real malice. He always walked alone and spoke little, except for some outbursts during class, which I now understand were more to get attention than anything else.

But as I said, I was quite prejudiced. Well, I still am, although my prejudices may have changed.

So, when he approached me that noon, sat down next to me, and started chatting with me, I immediately went on alert.

After a couple of sentences and awkward silences, the real reason he had approached me became clear in a few words:

"Are you gay?"

I denied it with a vehemence that I hoped would transform an uncontested fact. It wasn't out of shame or self-ignorance, but because I didn't want to give those who amused themselves at my expense more material. I had always been clear about who I was, but I also knew that the outside response wouldn't be entirely positive.

"What's wrong if you like boys? My sister is an actress, and I know m...