Dear Diary,

I haven't written in this diary for a week, and for that I apologize, it's just that my life really has gone to shit. The bullying got worse, Lyle won't leave me the fuck alone, and Becka is still kinda upset I moved seats all the way to the back. I've been cutting every single day.

This week has been totally uneventful, nothing worth writing about really. Well except....

Today, I was running from Chad and his crew of human jock straps. They shoved me into the locker and I punched Chad in the face so hard he spat out blood. Then they got real pissed and started to chase me. I ran into one of my new hiding spots. I always found hiding spots in my school, places where I can take naps and skip class and hide from bullies and people I hate. I ran into the janitors closet, according to other people it's unused since apparently years ago the old janitor who hated their life hung themselves in this closet. Some people say this school is haunted by his ghost or some crazy shit like that. I believe the janitor things, I mean, if I were a janitor I'd hate my life too. But not the ghost thing. So I ran inside and slammed the door shut, making sure to lock it. I slid my back down against the door and tried to catch my breath. I started to look around, it was pitch black in here since the lights were off. After I while I got up and walked towards my napping spot. A stack of old textbooks and dodge-balls which I piled together into a sort of comfy resting spot. The soft dodge balls were the cushioning. I through myself onto the pile and moved around until I got comfortable when I felt something touch my arm. I instantly screamed and shot up, I heard someone else yell. I nearly had a heart attack! All of a sudden the lights turned on, I rubbed my eyes and looked up at the other person. For a moment there, I actually thought it was the janitors ghost. I let out a small sigh of relief. But wait? This was my spot!
"Who the fuck are you?" I asked. He just stared at me with side eyes.

"It's you! Remember me? Who am I kidding of course you don't." I heard him say the last part under his breath.

"I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong person..."

"Your names Mark Cromwell right?"

"....how do you know my name?"

"We were in the same class in the 7th grade, you know...until you got expelled I think...haha." He said awkwardly. "It's-it's ok if you don't remember me. I always sat the back of the class anyways. You know..just..observing from a distance."

"Right...."

"My-my names Dylan Harper." He said scratching the back of his neck.

"Hey." He sat down next to me.

"Soooo...you ..come here often?" He said awkwardly.

"You mean, here in this closet? Yeah." There was an awkward silence.

"So, how long have you been at this school? I haven't seen you around."

"I've only been here for, what? Like...three weeks. Since the beginning of the school year."

"And how do you like it here at lakeside?" I looked away from him.

"I hate it here."

"Really? Me too." He said with a half smile.

"Why do you hate it here?" I asked out of curiosity.

"I just do. This school is filled with horrible people. You think they're nice people, until they realize that you're different and they start treating you like useless garbage. That's why I spend most of my time here in old janitors closets. Haha. Why do you hate it here?"

"....did you see all the stuff online?"

"No, not really. I don't really do social media." I just nodded, "why, did people say bad things about on the Internet?"

"......"

"Well...don't listen to anything they say, ok?" He said scooting towards me. I scooted a bit away from him. When I did that he actually looked a bit....disappointed?

"So, did you make any friends here yet?" He asked. I nodded.

"Only one though."

"That's still good. I've lived in lake side for going on four years and so far I have a total of ...zero friends..haha." He said awkwardly laughing and then frowning almost like he realized how sad that was. "Anyway, maybe we could hang out." He said smiling at me.

"Sure... I guess."

"Super! Hey, 3rd period classes are starting soon. You should get going."

"Yeah." I noticed that he wasn't getting up. "Aren't you going to class?"

"Oh! No..."

"You're gonna skip?" He nodded.

"Yep, like I said, I spend most of my time here."

"Cool." I sat back down next to him.

"W-What are you doing?" His cheeks looked kind of red.

"I'm skipping with you."
We spent all of 3rd period in this closet. I got several messages from Becka asking where I was for the whole day. I sent her a text back.

"Who's Becka?" He was reading the text over my shoulder. I moved my phone. "Is she your girlfriend?" He asked.

"Girlfriend? No."

"Do you like her?"

"As a friend? Yes."

"Oh...ok.."

"So...you said we were in the same class in the seventh grade?"

"Yeah. It's ok that you don't remember me. No body ever does really." He said sadly.

"Oh...well..I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be. Hey, it's almost the end of the day, we should maybe go to our lockers." I nodded and we went to our lockers. He followed me all the way to my locker, then we both went to his which was surprisingly right across from my locker. After that we both walked home. Which apparently he lives down the street from my house. If we have close houses, lockers and even were in the same class at some point, then how come I had no clue who he was before today? I mean, I've never really paid too much attention to my other classmates so I guess that's why. Oh, and I guess I forgot to describe him so future me knows what he looks like. You know, because I easily forget certain people. He has blue eyes, black hair, really pale and pasty white skin, and glasses. Like a nerd, an attractive nerd. But still a nerd. Today was actually ok, if you don't count the morning where Chad was chasing me down the hallway. What does Lyle see in him?