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It was 6:00am when the alarm rang out for Masons first day of 6th grade, he grumbled nosily and hid his head under one of the pillows under his bed as he willed for the noise to stop, eventually giving up and pressing the button on the top of the alarm to get the insistent buzzing to stop, tossing back the covers and trudging across the hall to the bathroom to get ready.

Kurt could hear heavy footsteps moving across the hallway upstairs and chuckled to himself as he turned to face Blaine handing him a cup of coffee "Seems like sleepy head is awake at last." Kurt smiled to himself as he sat next to his husband as their 10 year old daughter Jasmine sat besides the pair happily eating her toast before her carpool came to pick her up for 5th grade.

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"Stupid school;" Mumbled Mason under his breath as he made his way over to his closet to see what he was going to wear for the day, he picked out a grey v-neck t-shirt and dark wash skinny jeans before gelling back his curly mousey-brown hair quickly and walking downstairs to get food before walking to school.

"Morning;" Mason all but mumbled before grabbing milk out of fridge and pouring it over a bowl of chocolate cereal.

"Good morning sunshine." Kurt happily chirped walking over and kissing Mason on the head "Oh, I wish you wouldnt use so much gel." Kurt sighed and moved back to his seat whilst Blaine stood to leave for work, kissing his husband, his daughter and finally Mason before walking out of the door.

The rest of breakfast was mainly Jasmine talking about how excited for 5th grade she was.

"What about you Mason?" Kurt asked looking over at him.

"Huh?" Mason asked as he had drowned out the sound of his sisters much too chipper voice long before his name was brought into conversation.

"Are you excited for 6th grade?"

"Of course;" Mason lied "I should probably get going." Mason excused himself placing his bowl in the sink and kissing his dads cheek before grabbing his back and walking out of the door closing it behind him with a relived sigh.

The truth about Mason Anderson-Hummel was that the boy didnt have very many friends and was finding it harder than most to be accepted within school of course he had a few good friends such as Jamie and Lily they were great and they were always there for him but they were only in a few of his classes.

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"Oi, fag-spawn," Mason turned to face one of the bigger boys in his year, Tom. Tom had been his worst nightmare since 1st grade he was always tripping him over or pushing him, but since Tom found out about the fact that Mason had 2 dads the teasing had gotten worse.

"What Tom? I dont have time." Mason said automatically crossing his arms over his chest almost in defense.

"Going to meet your boyfriend?" Tom sneered; the two boys following Tom laughed as if it was rehearsed."

Mason rolled his eyes "Jamie is just my friend." Mason rolled his eyes trying not to show how nervous he actually was.

"Sure, we see the way you look at him. Youre just as sick as your parents, thinking it's okay to like boys. Youre sick in the head." Tom stated pushing Mason backwards
Mason pushed Tom back in retaliation "Am not."

"Whatever." Tom shrugged and threw a punch into Masons stomach winding the boy before pushing him aside and walking past into the school gates and to their first class.

Mason sat against the tree, winded and feeling sick after his confrontation, the pain in his stomach slowly subsiding as his clutched his hand over it.

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The bell rang.

"Mason Anderson-Hummel." The teacher called for the second time before looking up over his laptop screen and scanning the class for the missing pupil and sighing.

"Lily, Jamie, do you know what's keeping your friend this morning?" Mr. Clark asked as he always did every morning.

"Hell be here." Jamie said looking forward and scowling at Tom knowing that his best friends absents must have something to do with him, Tom scowling back just as Mason walked through the class room door.

"Late again, Mr. Anderson-Hummel? The teacher remarked as the rest of the class snickered.

Mason took a seat behind Jamie, still clutching his stomach and his clothes slightly dirty from sitting against the tree.

English class continued as usual.
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Mason walked out as soon as the bell dismissed them Lily and Jamie hot on his tail.

"Mase...Mason." Jamie called.

"Slow down." Lily called.

Mason stopped dead in his tracks and looked at them both biting his bottom lip angrily.

"What?" He asked throwing up his arms in frustration.

"We just want to know youre okay." Lily said reaching out to touch Masons shoulder gently to which he moved back, away from the touch.

"I'm fine, I'm always fine." Mason said backing himself against the wall as if he was trying to disappear from sight.

"Mase," Jamie grabbed Masons hand causing Mason to push Jamie away.

"I'm not gay. I'm not. I'm not my parents." Mason shouted before sinking down the floor tucking his legs into his chest.

"Whoa...I never- we know youre not gay, Mase. Even if you are, it's okay." Mason said looking over to Lily hoping for back-up but she seemed as shocked by Masons outburst as he was "What did Tom do?" Jamie asked kneeling in front of his seemingly broken friend and touching his shoulder gently.

Mason lifted up his top to show off the purpling bruise that Tom gave him before first period; it was fist shaped and darker in colour where Toms knuckles had made contact with the sensitive skin of Masons Stomach.

"Mason!" Lily gasped looking at the bruise on his stomach "You have to go to the nurse.

"No." Mason said angrily pulling down his top again as the bell rang for second period.

"We better go." Lily said and Mason stayed sat where he was.

"I'm staying here" Mason stated "You go Ill see you at break." Mason said and Lily thought about it for a moment and nodded before walking off to class.
"And you." Mason said referring to Jamie.

"Buddy, youre my best friend, if youre skipping, so am I." Jamie smiled and sat besides his friend in silence.
They sat like that for several minutes.

"Why me?" Mason sighed laying his head onto his best friends shoulder.

"Because theyre jealous of you, buddy." Jamie smiled and wrapped an arm around his best friend and chuckled "But you have to tell your dads, theyll know what to do about it." Jamie suggested.

"No, not yet anyway, Tom will stop. He will." Mason said as he relaxed into his friend and found himself letting his thoughts wonder to the way Jamie smelled or the way he felt with Jamie's hand wrapped around him the way it was "I'm not gay" Mason said to himself.

"Youve been saying that for 6 years, Mase." Jamie sighed "Just come to me if he starts, okay?"

Mason laughed in spite of himself "Yeah then hell definitely think youre my boyfriend."

"I don't give a shit, Mase, let him think what he wants, but if he tries anything come and get me, okay?"

Mason was about to refuse until Jamie gently grabbed his chin and forced Mason to look him in the eyes."Okay?" then suddenly Mason was lost into the deep green of Jamies eyes and all he could do was agree.

"Okay."
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Mason trudged home with Jamie and Lily as he always did, his was the first house they stopped at on the way back he said a quick goodbye to his friends and went inside and straight upstairs as he always did as both his dads would be at work for a little bit longer and his sister wouldn't quite be back yet, he went into his room, locking the door, finding the small razor he had taped to the underside of his shelf's before pulling down his jeans to reveal a handful of scars covering his thighs now pressing the small sharp razor against the skin of his thigh closing his eyes he thought about how pissed Jamie and Lily would be if they saw what he was doing right now.

Mason took a deep breath and let the metal slide across his skin cutting his porcelain white flesh open and allowing scarlet blood to surface and roll down his thigh in droplets, he repeated this a few times before going to the bathroom and cleaning his razor and cuts before pulling his trousers back on and getting on with his school work.

*Beep*

Masons phone sounded with a text from Jamie

Jamie (4:05pm)
You know Ive always got your back.
-J

The text made him smile more than it should have; after all they were just friends. Mason was not gay.