Lucid Me

Chapter 4 - An unexpected incident

"Should we start?" Samuele asked.

"Su- sure!" Liam stuttered.

"Stop stuttering!" he thought to himself.

Liam showed Samuele around. He gave him the same tour Marc had given him the day before. Samuele was also thrilled when he saw all the different buildings and possibilities. Especially when sitting in front of the soccer field, Samuele felt like being at home.

"This is a dream," Samuele said, staring at the field, "It's even bigger than the one in my hometown!"

"When did you start playing soccer?" Liam asked.

"Officially, when I was in first grade. But I used to play with my dad when I was way younger."

"That's nice!"

"Yeah," Samuele murmured, "it was some great times with my dad."

"Was...?" Liam asked carefully.

"He died last year in a car accident."

"Oh man, I'm sorry for you."

"Thanks!"

An unbearable silence spread between the two boys. Liam could hear the leaves above them rustling in the wind. He didn't know what to say, but he also felt like saying nothing was just the right thing to do. The boys were sitting there silently, watching the empty field. Suddenly, some boys and Armin appeared. The boys were carrying wood to the middle of the soccer field.

"What are they doing?" Samuele asked.

"There will be a campfire this evening. It's a meet and greet. Even though I keep asking myself who they want to greet, haha. From what I know, the only two new high school students are the two of us!"

"So we are the new ones!"

The two of them smiled.

"The new ones," he thought.

Out of nothing, Liam got that feeling from before again. What is going on with me? He looked at Samuele in such a way that the other didn't notice him. What was it that made him so intriguing? Was it his appearance? Or his mesmerizing eyes? Or... his body?

Armin got a phone call. Liam couldn't figure out what Armin was saying, but he sure seemed concerned.

"What's going on there?" Liam wondered.

"You think something happened?" Samuele asked.

Armin talked to the boys and then rushed away.

"Strange," said Liam.

"Something definitely happened there. Should we go check?"

"Yeah, let's check!"

Liam and Samuele got on their feet and followed Armin. They ran from the soccer field, through the courtyard, and into the campus. Once they caught sight of Armin, they sprinted next to him.

"What happened?" asked Liam.

"Marc," Armin said, his voice shaking, "He was somehow involved in an accident!"

"What?" uttered Liam.

Liam started breathing heavily. Hopefully, nothing serious happened!

"How is he?" Samuele asked.

"I- I don't know," stuttered Armin, "I mean, he seemed fine when talking to me, but I need to pick him up and ask what happened in detail. I'm sorry that this happens the first day you're here, Samuele!"

"You don't have to apologize."

Having only the well-being of Marc in his mind, Armin didn't even notice that Samuele spoke German fluently.