Verre

i.

"You're fake," he murmurs as her friends were drowning themselves in high-pitched laughter meters away from them. She stills and her grip on his wrist loosens. Madison empties the half-filled juice he accidentally spilled on her brown chunky boots on the tray beside him, spoiling his lunch. A taunting smile creeps on her mouth but he sees her becoming tense. "Obviously, so fake."

"C'mon girls, this freak just proves he's a complete loser with those glasses," she rolls her eyes on him as she says that and either of the girls laughs at her remarks. He only looks at her through his glasses and she rolls her eyes one more time. "Get out of my way, weirdo!"

That wasn't the first and last time their ways have crossed. They're classmates and seatmates in Math.

"We have homework?" she murmurs with shock evident in her voice. Of course, she doesn't know. It's Math for goodness sake. Unknown to what she's doing, her eyes were glued to watch his side profile and he feels it, but he doesn't have the guts to look back. Not when she shines bright, against the light coming from the window. "I did mine. Don't know 'bout you," he successfully avoided her eyes and pretended to continue to read manga on his phone.

"Ah, manga again. A total freak," she rolls her eyes when he doesn't respond and proceeds to grab his worksheet. Even when she snatches his math homework, he never meets her eyes to send her any look—annoyed or intimidated, anything. It irks something in her. He should be giving her reactions. "You don't mind me copying this, right?"

"Don't care," he finally gives up scrolling on his phone and just dips his head between his two arms to attempt faking sleep. Or maybe an attempt to not have a longer conversation with her.

Thankfully, she stays silent until their teacher comes. Another subject that they shared was PE, the subject that she dislikes the most.

"Stalker," she accuses him but doesn't push him when he touches her sprained ankle. He moves quickly to kneel next to her as if he's used to tending to people. Madison feels more irritated when she sees him furrowing his eyebrows when she whimpers with the simple pressure he applied. His serious expression awakens something in her. "Are you sure you're not making it worse, weirdo? I'm going to call everyone's attention if you hurt me more."

"Shut your mouth," his baritone voice sounds demanding and he twists her ankle gently but with force. Madison stilled, her hands clutching on either of her sides, against the dusty cold floor. There was still the pain but it had thankfully lessened. She visibly relaxes when she feels her ankle at ease and he's quick to stay away from her scrutinizing eyes. He never meets her gaze and it irritates her for an unknown reason. "Call your fake friends and tell them to bring you to the infirmary."

"They're not fake," she bites her lower lip and looks at her foot as he moves to put it back in her black Chuck Taylors. He follows her gaze and shakes his head, unconvinced of what she had said. "Can't you just carry me there? I left my bag in the locker and I can't just shout. Also, if I make you call—"

She was cut off when he suddenly held her lithe back. Sid carries her bridal style and it's a good thing that students were in their classes because if not, she'll push him off even when he's the only support she has. Madison can't be seen with this funky guy. That was what she's worrying about, but on top of the list, it should be the fact that she was in his hold, his arm and hand on the expanse of her legs and the other on her back. The injured one feels the hot feeling in her whole face.

"Weirdo. Move your hand off my waist," she slaps his left hand but he doesn't move nor say anything. Still no response. She frowns at that and gives a scrutinizing gaze to him. Sid doesn't mind her judging face. The probability of her doing a 'fashion evaluation' on him isn't low. "Why don't you wear a silver frame instead? This brown frame gives grandpa vibes."

As she's about to touch his eyeglasses, he pushes the door with his foot and she's automatically squeezed between his arm and chest. She purses her mouth and stills momentarily. The next second she opens her eyes, she's already on the bed. The nurse comes over and he's gone.

Nothing changes. She and her friends still pick on him whenever they have the chance to. Madison doesn't know why they do, but she does because she got used to it. Besides, it's not like Sid was telling them to stop. He doesn't give them any reactions at all.

One time in History, he decides to cut class and he coincidentally spots her on the bench behind the building with her head down. That's his favorite spot on campus.  She shouldn't be bothered, he thinks. Sid was planning to climb the tree instead of sitting on the bench. He walks silently but she still feels his presence. They locked gazes and put her head down again to wipe her tears that very moment. 

"Go away," she lifts her head, side-eyeing him when she's sure her eyes don't have any trace of tears. But what about the tear-stain of her cheek? Sid looks rather annoyed as he marches on her spot. She doesn't dare to look up when he sees a pair of black chucks. "Go away. Or I'll shout."

"Stop with those empty threats," he holds her chin with force, and even when she wants to fight it, she eventually meets his eyes. Madison gulps and almost tears up when he sees his expression. He sure sees right through her that it pains something in her chest because no one just gets to do that. Was she imagining things or Sid looks like he's close to tearing up as well? "What are you doing?"

"You were crying. No need to deny it when it's very much obvious," his solid finger caresses her chin and she almost stumbles down with how much that gesture weakens her. She secretly wishes for a hug, but she knows that would be straight up odd to ask. Madison's other wish was to meet his eyes but his gaze was hovering all over her face except her eyes. "Quit acting like you're perfect."

Her mind was probably having some problems but she was able to revive her senses to slap his hand away only for him to grip her wrists. Not those words.

"You and your group of friends act like you're on the surface," his deep voice sends shivers on her skin. Wind whirls, some of her hair strands went array but he was quick to push them to the back of her ears. Whatever he's trying to do wasn't helping at all. It's stirring up everything in her hazy mind for the reason that she can't be exactly mad or be touched with how he perfectly perceives her.  "Making it seem like you're all put together when you're just like everybody else. Except you're better at taking photos."

"Per usual, you and your funky thoughts," she throws her a smug smile and forcefully pushes him. He lets it be this time and handles the challenge of maintaining eye contact that he never accepts before. The reason behind why Sid keeps on telling him things like this, or the fact that he's maintaining eye-contact with Madison sends a strange tingle through her bloodstream. "If that's how you see it, that's because it probably is. I look all put together because I am. Everyone knows I'm exceptional and yes, I definitely take better photos than anyone in this school."

"You're making everything a show. Not a hard thing to see," even when they're so close to drawing a line just to mark their 'space', they stand a little too near next to each other. "It's not hard to see when you're an outsider. When you're not involved, or get the littlest exposure to the scene, you will get to read and see more," his words struck the right plucks in her insides. However, she's not exactly open with admitting that this instant. "Quit with these words, weirdo!" her voice seethes with his blunt words but she knows deep down that he's speaking the truth. Stone-faced slowly gives a tight-lipped smile, as if wanting to just get that reaction from her and was now satisfied because he was successful.

"Only if you stop as well," he smiles bigger, teeth flashing, a smug one at that and she feels her heart swell. Sid sat down next to her uninvited, but not unwelcome nonetheless. Madison had stopped crying and she felt him move to lie down with arms behind his head. She shamelessly stares and he pretends he doesn't feel it. "No need to be fake with me. I won't buy it."