Lemon Row

Chapter 5: Strange acquaintance

The bright morning light was glaring into Rowe's dark chocolate eyes which pierced through his head along with his friend's latest morning gossip. His smoothed back hair was beginning to mess up since the heat was a little overwhelming. "Did you guys hear about the new rules for the class like the whole partner thing?" The kid with the bright yellow hair asked. His name was Sidero, the hot-headed over protective friend who is usually tired of questions that have to do with boring work. "That thing is terrible! We can't even switch our seats! They are permanent and they won't do anything about it!" He hissed gripping his fist tightly.

Horace began to tidy up his collar and looked over to them. "Speaking of which, the new squad of popular girls are now easy to spot. They all have pink hair." Rowe began to think of Merewin again. Even though they never really met, he still wished to make an effort to meet her, but he doesn't think that he can make himself presentable to her. Even with his bad habits, he knows he won't be good enough and he knows how much of a coward he is.

When they made it into the entrance of the school Lemuel was rummaging through the garbage and people were watching and murmuring amongst each other. "Whoever is his partner for the year, I feel sorry for them." Horace said with pity. Lemuel turned to them and pulled out a perfectly unopened package of candy. "Look what I found!" He beamed. Rowe's friend group was confused and the kids around them looked at them. Rowe knew Lem was talking to him and his heart began to race anxiously. His friends laughed it off and pretended to act naturally as they walked back into the building.

Rowe was still stuck and frozen in place as Lemuel began to approach him. He knew if everyone knew they will pity him or talk about him behind his back just like what they did with Lemuel. And so he pretended to ignore him and pass by as if yesterday never happened. Lemuel stopped as soon as their paths crossed each other's and turned back to see another stranger he thought was familiar. He shrugged and just opened the package and began to snack on the disposed chocolates.

The class bell rung again and Rowe slumped in his seat with his face burrows in his arms covering his face. Lemuel entered the room with the disposed chocolates and kept munching away. "I mean I get it. A lot of people don't want to ruin their image from hanging out with me, but that kinda hurt." He mumbled sitting back down in his seat.

Rowe knew the decision he made was selfish, and that heavy feeling inside his wasn't just his fear of the perspective of his peers but the guilt of denying his relationship with Lemuel.