Get Lost, Cat Eyes!

12

'Why are you always taking pictures of me?' Samba blushed as he tried to shy away from the camera.

"Well ... how else am I supposed to see you when we aren't hanging out?" another photo of Samba was snapped before Antonio had decided that he had taken enough. He looked at the last photo he took and smiled at it. "Plus, you're just too damn cute to not have photos of. I'm surprised Luce isn't all over you like he should be. He only seems to be so when it is convenient for him. Fucking jerk."

Samba couldn't hear the last part of Antonio's statement, but he could hear the jealousy in his  tone throughout the previous parts. How could he not though? Sure his voice hadn't been loud. But the way he said it ... his jealousy was louder than an elephant trumpeting  in the world's quietest room. And it wasn't just evident in Antonio's tone. He could also see it when he looked at Luce. Or the way he looked when Luce was mentioned. 

Or ... maybe that wasn't jealously. 

'Let's not talk about him right now.' Samba declared, drinking the rest of his juice. He didn't like talking about people behind their backs unless it was in a totally positive light. And although sometimes he failed to live up to his rule, for the most part, he was good at following it. 

Talking about someone behind their back, especially in a negative way (and even sometimes in a positive way) can always go wrong. Words can be misheard or twisted. Samba didn't need any drama considering the fact that he couldn't really defend himself verbally. Things could go downhill fast and he just didn't need any of that in his life. 

Samba's hazel hues flitted around Antonio's tray, looking for any remaining food that he liked. Alas, Antonio's tray was also wiped clean except for a little shriveled up, brown-ish piece of lettuce. 

Gross.

"Okay. Well, what are you doing after school?"

'The usual. Homework, staring at my fish and then playing video games until it's time to eat. And then more gaming until I pass out.'

"Ha. Sounds like you have a super packed evening. I guess there's no point in asking you to come over."

'What? No. I'll come over. Do you guys still have Benny?'

Benny had been Antonio's dog. A cute golden husky. Very dramatic, friendly dog with the most beautiful brown eyes. 

"No. He died last year. I was out of town to visit my grandparents. And I came back and my mother told me he had died. Honestly, I think Sean killed him. Sean hates dogs. But my mom insists that he was hit by a car." He scoffed. And if the way he was squeezing his plastic spork was any indicator as to how angry he was, he seemed to be very very angry. "More like he was hit by Sean's car."

'Who is Sean?'

"My mom's new husband." Antonio noticed the slight frown on his friend's face. So he quickly added in, "My dad isn't dead. They just finally got their divorce finalised. Not that it makes a difference, He's still a deadbeat piece of shit. Now he's just a deadbeat piece of shit nowhere near me. Which I suppose is a little better."

'Is Sean better or worse?'

The warning bell signaling the near-end of the lunch period went off causing the students in the cafeteria to begin cleaning up their messes and gathering all their stuff. 

Well ... the ones that cared and didn't want to be late to their next class. The delinquent students just continued to lounge around.

Antonio took Samba's empty tray and empty juice bottle from him and compiled them onto his own tray so that there'd be less to carry up. "He's significantly better." He answered with a shrug. "I mean ... he still killed my dog. So he's forever a piece of shit in my book. But personality-wise, he's better than my father." Antonio stood up and headed to the nearest trash can to dump the trash and put the trays down. 

Unfortunately, the trays weren't the only things getting put down.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Samba saw two students approaching him, both with half-empty bottles of apple juice in their hands. But the juices were the least of his concern. He knew the look in their eyes all too well. 

They weren't coming to say hello. 

"Hey, bub." One of the males greeted, not sounding very friendly at all. "Word around the area is that you're a mute fag? And you're fucking with our boy Luce. Tainting him with your gayness."

Samba froze in his seat with eyes wider than dinner plates, of course unable to really say anything.  So instead he just gulped and regained as much as his cool composure as he could and then stood, preparing to gather his stuff and leave the cafeteria. At this point, it didn't matter if he left with or without Antonio. He just wanted out. 

"He ain't gonna answer you, D. He's mute." The other boy said, taking a swig of his apple juice, looking Samba up and down with eyes that judged him harder than any judge could. He didn't like it one bit.

"Great. Which means that no one will hear him when I - "

"When you what?" 

Both boys turned around and faced Antonio who had just returned at the perfect time. He must've been godsent or something the way he kept popping up at the right times. 

"This don't involve you, Ant. This is between me and this twink right here."

"This twink is my friend. And he has a name, dickbrain."

"If I cared to know his name, I would've asked." The first boy retorted with a smirk. "Besides, what's your deal with him? Why are you all up on his dick? Are you a fag too?"

"Fag or not I'll still beat your ass if you fuck with him again. I'm only gonna tell you once. Next time there won't be a warning." Antonio sneered. 

The antagoniser looked him up and down with a nasty scowl on his face and then looked at Samba before looking at his partner. "C'mon Brian. We'll deal with these pussies later." 

A quiet breath of relief was heard from Samba and Antonio immediately diverted his attention to him. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you? I'm sorry I took so long. I ran into someone."

'Not physically.' Samba shook his head and then offered him a sad smile. 

He guessed that he had judged the school too early. Perhaps the students weren't as nice as he thought they'd be. He should've known. No one seems to like people who are  ... well ... different. And having someone who can't really defend themselves is just another magnet to pull bullies towards them. Like he's wearing a target on his forehead that says, 'pick on me. I'm mute and can't tell you off for it.'

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

'Not really. Let's just head to class.'

So that's what they did ...