The Barefoot Violinist

Changeling

Monday morning, Bennett was on his way to school. Victor had decided that they would all drive together. Bennett complained but was shouted down by the others. Now he was seated next to a grumbling Blue, who was scowling at Ellie's back.

"I called shotgun, why am I sitting in the back?" she grumbled with a pout.

"Because last time I checked, you weren't my girlfriend." Victor pointed out sarcastically, while Ellie ignored Blue to smile at him.

Bennett had to laugh at Blue's, Fuck off. There was no way to ever forget her. He turned to look out of the window. Today he had to face the school again. He wasn't nervous or scared, he was resigned to his fate. There will be whispers and stares, pity in everybody's eyes. But at least there will be silence. That was the great thing about being a pariah at school. Everybody left you alone. Everybody... except for them.

When they got out of the car, he noticed Blue scanning the grounds through narrowed eyes.

"Blue, stop." he put a hand on her arm, knowing that she was going to be overprotective of him the whole day. She'll probably skip classes to make sure he's okay, he thought.

"Listen, I'm going to cut classes to stay close to you," she confirmed exactly what he was thinking.

"It's okay Blue, really. Nobody is going to want to be near me now, anyway. I'm the kid that got put in hospital remember?" he looked at her with a dead expression in his eyes, his shoulders slumped. "Look, you can walk me to my locker and if nothing happens, I'll see you at lunch, right? he bargained, suddenly feeling tired.

"Well, I don't like it, but okay." she frowned up at him. "Just the same, I've put my number on speed dial on your phone. So long press one and I'm there."

"Okay," he smiled. "Wait, when and how did you get into my phone? It's brand new and I had a security lock on it!" he asked temporarily stunned.

"Bennett, please." she rolled her eyes at him. "My dad's in jail and my brothers are running the business. Getting into a new phone is a piece of cake!" she let out an exasperated sigh as if his question was stupid.

"Wait? What's your dad in for? And what business? Are you like a mafia heiress or something?" he squinted down at her half in shock, half wanting to laugh.

"God Ben, you get so caught up in that damn violin, you forget half the shit I tell you. Well, I'm not going through that story again. Your whiney, naggy questions really got up my nose the last time remember?" she scowled up at him impatiently.

"I don't actually." Bennett reminded her. Then he burst out laughing at the horrified look on her face. 

"What the fuck?!!"

"I'm just messing with you. Come on, really, I'm fine." he dragged her off to his locker. 

As Bennett walked through the school doors, his shoulders slumped further, and the hoodie he had on covered most of his face, as he kept his eyes down. His blond mop of hair obscured the rest. He was almost invisible again... This was going to be a long day, he thought to himself with another resigned sigh.

When they got to his locker, students stopped to stare as he walked by. He didn't look up, imagining them whispering to each other, pointing at him, some laughing, others with pity. The pity was the worse. It was useless to him. If they didn't help, then why show pity? He could feel the bile rise in his throat.

"What the fuck you looking at, mother fucker?" Blue's loud shout brought him back to his surroundings. He looked up to see a boy about their age looking at her with eyes like a deer caught in headlights.