Act Naturally [teotfw]

chapter one: absolute beginners

SONG: WHERE IS MY MIND - PIXIES

Jasmine's   p.o.v.

English May. Humidity slips through the spring's unripe fruits and a sultry breeze rocks the wispy leaves.
Frothing ivory clouds swelled against the navy blue sky as the sun poured its warmth onto the expectant earth.

It was on this buzzing summer day that I happened to meet a very peculiar and reticent boy who intrigued me almost immediately.
It was a new school, a new life, but something about the people here told me that it was the same old trap. The same social norms and constitution, the same mediocre school lunches, nagging and monotonous teachers, but somehow this random made it all just slightly more bearable.

He sat beneath the lavender-hued shade of a gnarled beech tree on a patch of velvety moss, subtly bopping his head to music on his Walkman, wearing a scratchy grey sweater and baggy black jeans stained with mud.

He sat up suddenly and took his headphones off as he noticed my presence approaching, and looked at me, mouth slightly agape, as though I was a Martian, though somehow his stare seemed less cruel than the others.

I offered up a friendly smile and began to speak to him;

"Hi, I'm the new kid here. The name's Jasmine. Yours?"

He stammered a response, "J-James."

"Nice to meet ya. Do you care if I sit here? It's too noisy inside for me."

"Ok."

He nodded weakly, and I smiled again before sitting down next to him, finding a comfortable spot on the ground.
I gazed down at the school lunch in disgust, but he ate his silently, indifferent to the quality.

"So, you're the new exchange student from America?"

He blurted out awkwardly, staring down at his plate sheepishly.

"That's me." I chuckled, "Though I've been living in Spain for the past four years."
I added rather oddly and absentmindedly stirred my plastic spoon around in the grey paste, supposedly mashed potatoes.
He nodded and looked straight ahead into space.

"The food's pretty shitty."
I remarked, giving a look of disdain towards the stuff.
"Yeah." He smiled shyly at my bluntness.

"Don't think I can eat this. Want some candy?"
I asked, fishing through my bag for the remnants of my Spanish snacks.
"Ok."

I poured him a handful of chocolates before giving myself some.
"Thanks." He said as he nibbled at them slowly.
"Don't worry about it."

I replied warmly, before I began to eat my own ration.

"Whatcha listening to?" I asked, taking an interest in his authentic yet very beat up Walkman.
"Oh, dunno.. just some old cassettes."
He shrugged and avoided looking at me.

"Can I see?"
"Ok."

I opened up his Walkman and found the cassette.

"SURFER ROSA,  PIXIES" scrawled on in messy handwriting adorned the yellowing label.

"That's an amazing album. You've got some great taste."
I said with a smile, causing his cheeks turned peach as he tilted his head down.
"Thanks." He muttered, smiling ear to ear. He didn't get compliments often. I could tell.

"Have you lived here all your life?"
I asked, trying to make small talk as I watched a cluster of monarchs swarm some wild lavender bushes.
"Yeah."
"Do you travel?"
"I want to."

"I think this school is a dead end." I said flatly, munching on a candy rather dismally.
"Yeah." He agreed, that amused smile stretching quietly across his pale lips.

Cute.

"You seem like the only interesting person around in this shithole.
Wanna meet after school?"
I asked abruptly, avoiding eye contact with him.
"Ok."

The bell rang and he got up quickly, mumbling farewells beneath his breath as he disappeared inside.