Cupid's silver arrow (GirlxNB)

Sixteen

It's sunny when I make my way to school, a cap on my head so I don't have to squint at the merciless ball of fire heating us. It's October, why is it suddenly so hot?

Fuck global warming, man.

"Hello, Archie," Benji says, sliding beside me on Chemistry, his blue and pink tie-dye shirt too summer-vibes for Fall. "How was Saturday with Olivia?"

I shrug, feeling my cheeks heat. "It was nice. We ate pizza," I look away for a second, "I'm teaching her brother how to shoot."

"What," he blinks, shocked, then laughs, "how the hell did that happen?"

"I made a deal with him," I say, feeling silly for having made a pact with an eight-year old. "I'll teach him to shoot if he stops annoying Olivia and helps me with a thing."

"A thing?" He arches his brow. "Are you scheming with a kid, Archer?" Benji teases, and I feel a half-smile forming on my lips.

"Maybe I am. That kid's the devil according to Olivia. And Grace."

"Yeah, if Grace agrees-" he gets cut off by the bell, and sighs before opening his notebook and quickly putting his hands together. "May the Lord have mercy on my soul."

I chuckle at how dramatic he is, opening my own notebook to take notes. It's not hard for me, but I pay extra attention since I'm helping Olivia with it now - I must know it before I can teach it.

"Do you know what you'll be going as on Halloween?" I ask Benji as we leave, and my eyes follow Olivia a little, until she takes another corridor, away from us.

"I was thinking of Pumpkin King," he says, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

"You'll need an enormous pumpkin to fit that big head of yours," I say with a smile, and he flicks my ear.

"Shut up," he laughs, "are you coming with me and Max at least? I know you don't like big parties."

I nod, "yeah, sure."

Again, who am I to say no to free food?

I just hope I don't have to put on a costume.

I could go as Jonathan, the human from Hotel Transylvania. We're both gingers, and then I'd just need an orange undershirt and a brazilian soccer shirt. Would anyone even recognize it as a costume? Would they think I was aiming for Neymar? He's not a redhead, though. Fuck, it's only on Saturday, why am I already thinking about it?

I sigh, leaving Math class with Benji. It's still sunny, but the wind blowing is cold, and now I wish I had brought a hoodie too.

"What do you think about eating in the cafeteria today?" Benji asks as we watch the branches swaying in a borderline violent way, yellow leaves falling to the ground.

"Sounds good," I say, and we both turn on our heels towards the cafeteria.

Kids pass by us, some football boys bumping into me with a snicker and I glare at them, squaring my shoulders a little. How can they be so childish? Aren't we all almost eighteen? At least Peanut-boy was a proper transphobe.

I roll my eyes as Benji pushes the doors open for us, the heavy smell of french fries hitting my face full force, together with the loud yelling of dozens of teenagers.

Is the cold really that bad?

I prepare myself, making my hand into a fist in my pocket, the noise almost too loud for me.

"We can eat in the stairs," Benji says in a low voice, a little frown in his brows. And I can't do anything but nod, itching for my headphones as we wait in line with our trays. I pay for my sandwich and for the juice bottle before waiting for Benji so we can head out.