As The World Falls Down

The Gravepine

Over the next few days, the white-hair boy was a hot topic at their school, no one seemed to know anything about him, the lack of information drew more attention to the boy, like moths to a flame. It was quite a big school, not everyone knew or cared about some new student, but still. All kind of kids would approach him in school canteen or the yard. Junior, senior, popular kids, school goths, mostly in group though. Blonde Ambition, three blonde-hair girls in his year who was supposed to be popular, approached his table one day, where he was sitting alone. Jana had snorted at that and muttered, 'At least I have more guts. They pratically ambush him', which was actually true. Jana indeed was the only one who ever went by herself, no one seemed to dare to talk to him alone. It was funny in a way to see how people who had been there for years was somehow felt intimidated by a new, solitary kid. It was not like he was particularly threatening, he was not big or muscular, he wasn't even very tall. His build was medium, taller and bigger than him, a bit broad-shouldered, but lean, though he looked solid enough to knock someone out easily. It's more to do with the air around him, the way he carried himself, charged with something that you were not sure what of, but better to be cautious about, like a biohazard warning you steered clear from, but also oddly attracted to. The boy himself didn't seem to bother making any friend. When people talked or asked to join him, he nodded to them apparently in a polite manner that bordered on half-irritation, half cool amusement, let them chattered, answered shortly or only smiled wryly, never addressed personal questions.

Despite the aloof, almost sardonic reactions, or maybe because of that, people seem to be fascinated by him or scared or both. And there was the fact that he was hot. After Blonde Ambition failed attempts, because he didn't seem to be interested in any of them —which somehow they found to be insulting—, a handsome, dark hair senior who was openly gay, liked to wear colourful fashionable shirts or jackets, had the courage to approach him alone one day. This small event at lunch generated a lot of attention, apparently almost everyone had the same question in their mind.

"Damn, he has balls allright," Jana commented.

"What if he's homophobic or something?" Amber asked with a half-surprised, half-scared expression on her face.

"Probably beat him up, it's like calling him gay in some way," Jana was grinning like she was watching a prank show.

Robbe couldn't shut up at this. "Calling him gay? Who thinks like that? So you mean, if you are gay, you can't talk to a boy with unclear sexuality? Can't be friends? Or even if he's like straight?"

"Hey, hey, I am just kidding. What's all the heat?"

"Come on, Jana, that's a bit much. It's not like he's flirting with him," Zoe said. The others were also looking at Jana disapprovingly.

"Okay, okay, I am sorry. Sorry, Robbe, my bad," Jana threw her hands up.

Robbe rolled his eyes in a whatever gesture. He looked back to the boys, trying to read Sander's reaction. He didn't seem to treat him any different from the others. Well, at least he's not an asshole, like his so-called friends, Robbe thought, a bit bitterly. Sander was saying something, gestured at the boy across from him and the senior giggled. Sander smiled back in what Robbe thought was friendly but not encouraging in that way.

"That's a first," Luca commented.

"Still doesn't mean he's gay. People can be friendly, he probably comments on his clothes or something." Robbe said in what he hoped was a natural voice.

The dark-hair senior talked with more vigour now, but Sander responded in his usual aloof way. The senior left after some time to join his friends. Sander didn't look up or seemed to be aware of the tension that left the table, people pretended to go back to their lunch or whispered with their friends.