Quiet Boy in a Noisy World

6

"Good morning."

The words are spoken with ease, tone soft and gentle, if Sam wasn't listening his words would've been engulfed in the sea of conversations, he almost wonders if Colby would rather be apart of the large crowd rather than hung up with him, stuck in the sidelines.. alone and pitiful looking. At the thought, Sam wonders why he's continuing to come up to him, maybe he feels pity for him. Who wouldn't? Arriving new to a school that seems so busy and caught up in rumors he's sure he would feel some sort of sorrow for the single soul that doesn't dabble in any sort of conversation.

"I'm sorry for yesterday" the words make his brows scrunch, what had he done wrong? He looks at him, confused expression displayed for the brunette to do as he pleases with it, stare, judge, laugh at the expression that may make the blonde look ugly with the gross crease between his brows. He looks away at the thought "why?"

"For lunch. I should've asked you beforehand, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, and for that I'm sorry."

His words tug at his heart, he never had anyone care for his uncomfortable feelings, never even thought of him in that way. He bites back his smile and nods once "it's okay" the other hums softly "you sure? Promise I didn't make it uncomfortable?"

He wasn't uncomfortable with his presence perse, but the thought of sharing stories and his opinion made him uncomfortable in a way. The thought of crumbling his walls and showing his vulnerable side to some stranger makes him timid.. scared, even. He knows it's not the normal vulnerability but he can't help but feel it when expressing himself, just like how he can't help but sound annoying when talking about himself.

"Promise."

The chatter and laughter is brought down to a minimum as the bell blares through the building, the last loud sound that follows after hushed whispers and final laughs being clattering of chairs as students make their way to their seats. It's not too long before the teacher begins to talk, ordering the class to pull out their notebooks.

Soft zips of zippers and thumps of books fill the class, pages fluttering and side conversations over lapping the noise. Colby gently nudges Sam's arm "you got a pencil I can use?" he doesn't take long to make up his mind, handing over the pencil in hand knowing his spares are buried within other writing utensils and sticky notes, not wanting to keep the other waiting as he digs it up "thanks" Sam nods once, leaning down and unzipping his bag for a second pencil.

When class finally ends everyone is packing up, getting ready to file out of the class. Sam stands patiently, eyes falling to the pencil gently gripped in Colbys hand, he wants it back, it's his favorite pencil. He doesn't get to ask though, not that he was going to, the bell rings and they're spilling out of the room and going separate ways.

--

"I would like you guys to discuss your answers with the people around you, I do not want to see anyone not participating so, to avoid this I would like you to turn around and talk with the tables behind you, each should have a group of three or four."

The blonde can't help the scowl on his face nor the drop of his heart, he watches as the column he sits in all find their people, quickly forming a conversation much like the rest of the room, chatter filling the classrooms atmosphere.

He grabs onto his paper with a slight tremble of his hands, twisting his body to turn around, eyes landing on the two boys talking about something that's not the task at hand. The blonde doesn't dare interrupt, keeping his eyes on the table infront of him, fingers fidgeting with the pencil in hand.

"How's it going boys?" Sam doesn't speak, lets their side tracked conversation stop and gaze at the teacher "uh- great" Jake lets out and Sam watches as she places three books on the table, the same book they just had a lecture about, meant to share their answers to the opinionated questions on their paper.