Just a dream (I can feel you staring at me)

Chapter three: New people, strange behavior

Griffin was actually quiet the good student as Finney learned.
He tried to listen in class, was rather quiet. Not that Finney was complaining about that though, he liked it.

It was just relaxing not having to talk to someone new all the time.
Additionally, it reassured Finney that this part certainly wasn't part of his nightmare. He hadn't even remotely interacted with Griffin before today.

Finally their teacher, Mr Black, had come into the classroom. The teacher was a rather unusual teacher compared to his colleagues, he actually seemed to enjoy teaching the students.
So the rather eccentric, middle-aged gentleman had his leather bag with documents with him again today and put them on his desk.

“So, sorry for my lateness. There was a small delay, so I couldn't come directly." he explained to himself, and yet, despite the change that Griffin was now sitting next to him, Finney felt a familiar emotion.

In his dream, Vance Hopper had shown up that day, and while he'd rather have nothing to do with the guy – honestly, he scared Finney – he'd heard that he'd apparently gotten into a fight before class started.

Griffin besides him looked up, looking at Mr. Black, and had a slightly confused expression on his face.
Then he raised his hand, cautiously and uncertainly, as Finney could tell by his slight hesitation, but decided against it before her teacher's eyes could land on him.
Instead he looked at Finney, nervous but with an unreadable twinkle in his eyes.

Curiosity, maybe also excitement. Finney had no idea, especially why the boy was reacting like that.

"I bet it had something to do with Pinba - erm Vance Hopper." Finney tilted his head slightly, confused by what the boy next to him was talking about.

Had he seen Vance somewhere in the schoolyard? No, Griffin had come quite early, so he certainly hadn't seen him directly. But maybe the gossip had gotten to him faster than Finney.

As far as Finney could tell, he was the outsider and the victim of his school, while Griffin was simply ignored by most. So Finney could very well imagine that he had just heard the gossip.

"He came to school?" he asked back quietly instead and Griffin nodded.

"I've heard that if he misses much more, he'll be held back again."
“And where the heck do you get that from?” he asked surprised, and the younger boy shrugged.

“It seems like it has it’s.. perks of being invisible for so many years.”

“Nobody did. You spent so many years invisible, and then every kid in the state knows your name.”

Finney felt himself getting dizzy. His vision blurred again, the classroom walls replaced by the dirty and depressing gray walls.
Under his body he felt an almost broken and old mattress.
He wanted to vomit.

Suddenly he felt a nudge against his arm. It pulled him out of his thoughts.
Confused, he blinked for a moment before looking at Griffin, who was just staring at him.

“Is everything well?" he asked, and Finney nodded.

“I was just thinking." he murmured, and Griffin left it at that.

They didn't know each other, why should they ask each other about something like that? It would be strange to talk about it with others. With anyone other than Gwen or Robin.
But even that thing he couldn't trust them with. They would think he was crazy.

Mr Black started talking about some story.

The story perfectly captures how the author feels about this, something in Finney said. That was what the teacher would say next.