Star-Crossed by Jo Cotterill Page B

don’t think so. What do you think Sam?”
    Sam takes your other elbow and pins you against the wall with it. You gasp and try to wriggle free, but the pair are strong, so you stay right where you are. Reuben steps forward threateningly.
    â€œGet off her or—”
    â€œOr what? Are you going to crack our ribs?” They laugh. “I’d like to see you try.”
    One of them grabs your bag off your shoulder and tips it upside down. All of your things fall out. You struggle against them again, but there’s not much you can do except kick out at Sam’s shin. He lets go of your arm to grab his leg, but Travis regains hold of the one that Sam had before.
    â€œWhat do you think you are doing, bitch?”
    You wrench yourself forward, and Reuben pulls you towards him. “Get the hell off her, you jerk, and go find someone else to grunt at.” You stumble away and stand behind him, rubbing your arm, glaring at Travis.
    Sam stands up straight and Travis cracks his knuckles, and they corner Reuben, who stands firm and doesn’t back away.
    â€œWhat did you just say, fag ?” Travis asks in a menacing tone. His dark eyes just got darker, and you swear that he also got a little bit taller.
    Reuben doesn’t flinch. He just stands there, looking blankly into the bully’s face. It’s not like this is the first time someone has insulted him because of his sexuality.
    You remember when he came “out” at school – when people began to know that he preferred guys to girls – and the mixed reaction that it got. Some people accepted who he was immediately, no questions asked. They said that it didn’t matter what he preferred, he was the same guy and it was stupid to think any different. Others took a little bit of getting used to it. These people, who the day before they found out had hugged Reuben when they saw him, now smiled awkwardly at him when he passed them in the corridor, made forced conversation to try to prove that they were “all right with it”, then moved along as quickly as possible. The remainder, thankfully a tiny minority, still avoid Reuben like the plague and, whenever they cross paths, give him abuse until he either walks away or gets so angry that he lashes out.
    Part of that minority is stood in front of you now. These boys are as homophobic as they come, and the fights that have gone on between them and Reuben in the past four years have resulted in mutual hatred. This hatred grows every time they meet.
    You are slightly shaken by the guys, but Rubes isn’t fazed at all. He is standing tall and strong. You can almost feel the power radiating from him. Sam and Travis look just as strong, though, and they are giving Reuben the same stare – one that could melt a snowman. There is a weird silence between the boys that seems to scream their loathing more than any words could. You don’t know what to do. You feel quite powerless.
    â€œI told you to let her go and leave her alone. Let us past. ”
    The boys move in. “Not a chance, Lucan…” Sam growls.
    His balled fist rises up and draws back, but Reuben stays where he is. Like you are watching in slow motion, you see Sam’s fist start to move towards Reuben’s face.
    â€œ HEY! ”
    Sam’s hand stops mid-flight.
    Thank God .
    â€œWhat’s going on? What are you guys doing ?”
    The person who had shouted runs up to the group and puts himself between Reuben and the other two. You shut your eyes in disbelief.
    Why is he always the knight in goddamn shining armour?
    â€œWhat’s he done this time?” Chris asks Travis and Sam. They don’t answer, but just glare at Rubes over his shoulder. Sam shakes his head and pushes Travis gently away, towards the common room.
    â€œCome on, man. Let’s just leave it.”
    The guys walk away, leaving you with a silent Chris and a murderous Reuben. Chris turns around to face