DUSTED MELODY [BL]

CHAPTER6:joke

The harsh school lights glared down on Enzo's red eyes. Yesterday's crying felt like sandpaper on his face. School felt miles away, a scary place full of whispers and mean stares. He slumped into his English class, head down, hoping to disappear into the worn-out chairs.

But something new cut through the usual mess. In the empty seat at the back, sat a boy who looked different than anyone Enzo had ever seen. A black mask, like a bad guy in a movie, covered the bottom half of his face. Long sleeves clung to his arms even though it was super hot outside. The whole outfit screamed "weird," standing out from all the normal jeans and t-shirts.

Enzo couldn't help but laugh meanly. What a weirdo! Mrs. Johnson, always happy, smiled brightly at the new kid. "Okay class, settle down. Today, we're learning about super sad stories written by Shakespeare – perfect for this strange summer, right?" She looked at the masked boy. "And everyone, this is our new classmate, Mateo."

The name hung in the air. The boy shifted nervously, picking at a loose thread on his sleeve. Enzo peeked again, curious but also mean in a way he didn't understand. "He probably hides his face because he's ugly," he mumbled to himself.

Suddenly, a loud giggle broke the quiet. Nix, the class joker, poked Enzo from behind. "That's right, dude! He totally is weird and ugly, duh!" he whispered loudly, forgetting to turn off the microphone on his desk.

Everyone gasped. All eyes turned to Mateo, whose face turned red even under the mask. A single tear rolled down his cheek and disappeared into his sleeve. He wiped it away quickly, wanting to disappear.