Mystery of Love

1

Theo is seemingly innocent, shy, pessimistic, introspective, disinterested, yet empathetic. Or at the very least, he acts indifferent in the presence of intimidating figures, such as those he deems to be capable of affecting him emotionally with just a stare. It was not his fault that he was so terrified, considering his history of being bullied by his own best friend back in middle school. It was the kind of betrayal that would make him cringe when he thought about those awful memories. He didn't understand why he could never stand up for himself. In the end, he just wanted to be the invisible character, being left alone in a corner and eventually graduate from high school. He had no qualms about having made this decision...

The hot sun was making everyone frustrated. The long queue did not ease the situation. There was a huge crowd of incoming students trying to enroll into their new school. Like the other commoners, Theo joined the queue and waited patiently to purchase his new uniform and books. After an hour, he was given a box filled with all the things he needed. All that was left is to sort out the administrative matters and that was it for registration day.

Theo placed the box on a table and took a seat. He wasted a moment to take in the surrounding environment, imagining the next 4 years of his life.

It was a good school, not the standard of an Ivy League, but the facilities were impressive and it was only a few stops from his house. Though he was an introvert, he was hoping to make at least one close friend that he could stick by. It was ironic. The only person he ever trusted betrayed him. However, if he were to be completely honest with himself, he would admit that he was grateful to have met Zack.

Just to be clear, he never hated Zack. Even when he harassed him daily in class, he never retaliated. But the real reason was because he did not know why he bullied him. It was like he skipped the whole reasoning part and went straight to feeling depressed like some pathetic victim. It was only weeks later that he found out the real reason.

Zack and Theo both had feelings for a female classmate. Or at least that was the narrative that Zack had made up in his mind.

𝘐'𝘮 𝘨𝘢𝘺. Three simple words that could have cleared up the whole misunderstanding. It was too late, the damage had been done. And that was not a realistic solution since he wasn't ready to announce his sexual orientation. By the time Zack realized his rookie mistake, the friendship had already been severed. He tried to reconcile, and Theo had accepted his indirect apology, but their friendship was never the same again. All he could think about were the bad memories.

On certain days like that day, he would truly reminisce about the good times they had together. After all, they shared a similar sense of humor. Maybe if Zack actually admitted his mistake directly rather than inviting him to play basketball, they would still be in touch.

His thoughts were interrupted by an announcement. "Please make your way out once you are done with registration." Perhaps it was too ambitious to make friends on registration day.

Theo decided to explore the school facilities before leaving. The school foyer was spacious. Upon entering the school, one would immediately be greeted with a scenic view of the bamboo garden. Walking deeper into the school compound, he found the school canteen which offered a wide variety of cuisines to choose from.

He bought a packet of apple juice and loitered around. He noticed that the football field was right next to the school canteen, and he had to walk a narrow path to the end of the school compound in order to reach the gym room and basketball court. There were several classroom blocks scattered at random positions, almost forming an arch shape around the school foyer.

The facilities were definitely more sophisticated than the ones in middle school. It felt like an unnecessary exploration, since the facilities will be introduced to students during orientation week.

As Theo was strolling towards the exit of the school, he glanced around, trying to decipher how different the people were in high school. He wanted to integrate into his new life as smoothly as possible. And the way to achieve that is by understanding the culture of the school.

As Theo turned his head, he noticed a pair of inquisitive eyes staring straight into his. The eyes belonged to an unfamiliar figure seated at a stone table. The stranger had the build of an athlete. He had muscular arms that threatened to tear through the thin fabric he was wearing. His chest was well-defined and he looked fitter than the average boy in high school. His tanned skin complimented his small, squarish face and sharp jawline. He had messily-styled spiky hair. His facial and bodily features radiated a strong sense of masculinity that gave off the impression of a charming person.

Theo paid no attention to him. He thought he might just be a loner or that he was waiting for someone. Either way, he wasn't sure why the stranger kept looking at him.

"Probably a weirdo." Theo silently remarked.