Like Minds - To my beloved Maraclea

Chapter one - The new boy

Nigel:

"...Bless us Oh Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen."

After the common prayer everybody sat down on their chairs and got to their dinner, which many were eager to do all along. Of course you could make all your students pray before their meals, when you threatened they'd else get nothing at all. That didn't mean you could make all of them like it.

Nigel was one of the few who didn't mind. He was taught no different under the strict authority of his father. How could someone complain, when they knew no different?

For someone who was new entirely to this school, he didn't stand out much. He blended in perfectly well with the other students, which was not that strange considering everyone was made to wear the same uniform. Still, no one seemed to notice him at first. No one, except one other person in the hall.. Alex Forbes. Somehow he noticed him right away, as if he felt the odd boy's presence by mere instinct.

And just as he thought of him, asked something to his friend sitting next to him, Nigel looked up, as if his name had just been called. Like he could hear what you were saying though this was technically impossible.

Alex:

"...Bless us Oh Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen."

Those were the phrases Alex always mumbled. The reasons why he still took the effort to say them were they were required and his dad didn't wanted to be embarrassed in front of the whole school - even though they already knew how difficult he could be.

As soon as everybody had finished the phrases, they took a seat to stuff their selves with food. As Alex poked in the dished meal, Josh - which sat next to him - suddenly began to speak.

'Who is the new guy?' he asked him softly while pointing at the boy on the other side of the room.

Alex glanced up, following his stare and shrugged his shoulders lightly while he sheaf a amount of food in his mouth.

'I don't know,' he answered shortly. Alex saw how the boy glanced up, like he knew that they were talking about him. Alex blinked a few times and glanced at my dish again.

'Did you actually know that I saw them placing a new bed in your room. He's probably going to be your new room mate.'

Alex glanced up when he realized what Josh just told him and gave him tap with his elbow.

'That's bullshit,' he answered irritated.

'Yet they did.'

Then, when he glanced at the boy again - which seemed to enjoy his meal - he stood up while lifting my hand up in the air.

'Could I have the persmission to leave, sir?'

One of the teachers glanced up while frowning slightly.

'To where, mister Forbes?'

'To the bathroom.'

'Couldn't you do that later?'

'Well that's hard to say sit, It's quite urgend bussines.'

He motioned that could go and turned back to his dish as Alex nodded grateful. When he stood up, he glanced once at his friends, his dish and then at the boy again - which still seemed to pay his attention on his meal. After that, he walked right away, but not to the bathroom. That was just a way to get out of there. Now he was able to look if Josh had been honestly.