•••

It had been a full week, and Jonathan still had no clue who wrote that horrible note. He'd asked Sherwin if he could keep it and try to figure out the handwriting, but it wasn't recognizable.  He'd read it so many times, he had it practically memorized. Sitting at the desk in his room, he went over the note again in his head.

"I have evidence."

Evidence of what? Was someone stalking them?

"If I see your faggot ass around Jon again..."

Kylee liked to use that word a lot. But Jon had already ruled her out, given that Sherwin received the note in first period and Kylee had been in Jon's class at the time.

"...both of you are going to regret it."

So, what were they planning to do? Out them to the whole school? Everyone already knew Sherwin was gay, but what would happen to Jonathan?

Jon shuddered, imagining himself in Sherwin's place, constantly dealing with stares and whispers, being shoved in the halls. Sometimes even spat on. I can't let them do this to us, he thought, digging his fingernails into his palms. I have to find out who wrote this and make sure they know who they're dealing with.

•••

The following day was Wednesday, November 11th. Jon had walked to Newgate as early as possible to make sure he could catch Sherwin when he arrived and talk to him. The sun still hadn't risen yet when Jonathan settled on a branch of one of yard's trees. But before he could pull out his book, there was a commotion by the gate. Peering from behind the tree trunk, he spotted several girls laughing and gossiping. One of them was holding something he couldn't see.

As he continued to watch, one of them glanced up and made eye contact. It was Ginny. She snickered and whispered to her friends, who each in turn looked at him and giggled. In silent response, he stared them down, but they just laughed even harder as they walked away.

They must know something, he realized, and decided to follow them to eavesdrop. Carefully climbing down, Jonathan left his stuff behind and slowly closed in on the group of girls, ducking beneath bushes whenever one looked his way. Eventually, he got close enough to hear them.

"...an you believe it? He's really outdone himself this time." "Like, it's soo bogue!" "Personally, I think it's fa-"

Jonathan sneezed, and they went silent. Shit. He crouched behind a particularly thick bush, praying that they wouldn't find him.

"Is someone over there?" he heard Ginny whisper. Their click-clacking footsteps came closer...closer, until they were almost on top of his hiding spot. Suddenly, a whistle echoed from Jonathan's right.

"Whooop, yo chicks!" someone – probably Raymond – shouted at the group of girls. Thank god, Jon thought, and he could breathe again as the girls were distracted from their previous suspicion of the foliage.

After waiting for them all to go inside the building, Jonathan headed back to where he left his stuff by the tree, but was mortified to see Dante standing there, leafing through his notebook. "What'd'you think you're doing, man?" Jon confronted him, grabbing for his spiral. Dante just chuckled and held it out of his reach, when a slip of paper fell out and drifted to the ground.

"Ooh, what's this?" Dante questioned, picking it up before Jonathan could even react. It was the note. "Huh, I thought Sherwin had this."

"What do you mean?" Jon asked, letting his arms drop to his sides. "Did you write this?" Anger sparked inside of him, but the flames were put out with Dante's next answer.

"Hah, no. You wish," he joked, tossing the battered index card and Jon's notebook on the ground. "Catch you on the flip side, Jonny-boy." The jock left him standing there, absolutely flabbergasted. Why would he wish that Dante had written it? What were people not telling him? So many unanswered questions flew through his mind, he didn't notice Sherwin until the ginger was waving in front of him.

"Hi, Jon," Sherwin greeted with his dimply, crooked smile that always made Jonathan's knees go weak. The freckled boy was wearing a dark green, knitted hat today, which made him look even more adorable that usual.

"Hey, Pumpkin," he said, grinning when Sherwin blushed. Works every time. He looked around to make sure no one was there, then took Sherwin's arm. "Follow me," he told him, tugging him towards the edge of the school grounds. "I gotta talk to you."

Jonathan found a secluded spot behind a cluster of trees, which grew where the two walls met. He sat down on the yellow grass, and Sherwin followed suit. Then, he proceeded to fill him in on everything he discovered that morning. When he was finished, Sherwin squinted his eyebrows in concentration.

"So...if Dante didn't do it...and neither did Kylee, that leaves..." he trailed off.

"Literally anyone," Jonathan replied, rubbing his temples. "It doesn't have to be anyone we know. I mean, they did refer to me as Jon, but I know almost everyone in this school."

"Wait, didn't you hear one of those girls say, 'he's really outdone himself'?" Sherwin asked, his brown eyes getting wide. "If they knew about it, which they probably do..." Jonathan gasped.

"We might have a lead!" he exclaimed. "Okay, when you go to first period, take note of every guy in your class and tell me during science." Jon couldn't believe it. They finally might get an answer!

Jonathan reached over and hugged Sherwin in his excitement. Sherwin giggled as he picked him up and spun him around. He was surprisingly light. Jon set him down, and the ginger was still grinning with his arms around Jonathan's neck. What a cutie.

"Don't worry about anyone today," Jon told him, fixing his hat, which was lopsided. "We're gonna figure this out."

After sharing one last embrace, they walked back to the building and reluctantly went their separate ways.

•••