On the way back to class Susan was shoulder barged, she took a tumble down half a flight of steps. She lay for a second, dazed and in pain. "You should watch where you're going dyke." Spat the girl who had shoved her. It was one of the popular girls who always had a gaggle of friends hanging onto every word she said. "Perhaps if you weren't checking out the girls in front of you, you would have seen where you were walking."

Suddenly a male voice said, "Fuck off Tanya," a bulky body interposed itself between Susan and the girl. "It was obvious you did that on purpose." He took a step forward, forcing the girl to take a step back and stumble over the bottom stair, falling on her arse.

"Perhaps if you feel so threatened by someone else's choice of partner you should take a long hard look at yourself, maybe you're compensating for something? Or perhaps you’re jealous? Doesn't feel so nice does it, someone casting those same aspersions back at you!" He looked around at the speechless hangers-on shaking his head.

Looking back at Tanya he continued, "Someone else's gender preferences don't mean they lust after every member of that sex. Take me for example, I'm firmly hetro but I am actually repulsed by you, and it's nothing to do with what's under your clothes, it's what's inside that makes you so vile."

He held out his hand to Susan and helped her to her feet, "Did she hurt you?" He asked, still supporting her arm as they walked away.

"No, just bruised." She admitted.

"Good, let me walk you to class." As he said that Heather joined them.

They walked away, leaving the girl on the ground surrounded by her posse "I heard what you said, aren't you the one that accosted Susan at the gate the other week?" He nodded self-consciously, "why the big change of heart?"

"Well, Jo knocked some sense into me, literally. Also, Susan has been hanging out with us at lunch, I can see why Jo likes her." Susan blushed a little at this.

"So, want to come ice skating this weekend?" Heather impulsively asked him.

"Heather, you can't just ask someone to someone else's birthday party!" Susan exclaimed.

"Sure I can, he can be my dance partner! So, what do you say?" The poor boy looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights. "I'll take that as a yes, it's starting at six in the burger place next door."

"Erm...okay?" The boy managed.

They got to their maths class and sat down, all three a little shocked after the event, though perhaps for different reasons.