Prologue

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by takemetothe_lakes

by takemetothe_lakes

Steve Pie

I sit alone in the cold, desolate debate room. Couples practice debating their arguments fervently, but I am silent. I have no one. I am done. I should just quit debate. Countless thoughts swarm my brain until I sense a new figure entering the room.

He seems to glow, a warm contrast against the frigid classroom's aura. However improbable it is against the sea of stares at this newcomer, his dark chocolate eyes find mine. He seems to walk in slow motion towards my table. On the outside, I am calm. Cool. Collected, even. Internally, a panic attack. Flaring, pressing the Red Button of Doom. Dying, although my mind is alive.

"Hello," he greets warmly and with a smile. I freeze, put on the spot. The once raucous nature of the Debate Room quiets down to a gentle, timid murmur. At least fifty ears await my response. Well, technically, it's one hundred because everyone has two ears. Duh. Despite my shock, I manage to form a comprehensible sentence, "Ah, um, hello!" The boy stares at me blankly, albeit seemingly surprised by my enthusiasm. Little did he know, he was the first person in months to engage in conversation with me.

He clears his throat. "You see, I've only just joined the debate team. I noticed you were sitting alone, so I was wondering if I could, um, practice my whole spiel with you?" I blink, taken aback by his proposal. He wants to be my debate partner? Is that what he's asking?

"Uh, sure. Yeah. Of course." I quickly respond, noticing his awaiting expression. "What's our, um, task?" He asks. I internally curse for forgetting our goal. I suppose I was too busy sulking about being alone to remember what Mr. Lee wanted us to do. "Oh! We have to research this first..."

The new boy and I were having such a good time together. Smiling. Laughing. Moments of comfortable silence. We hadn't even noticed that Debate had ended and the majority of people there had left. I glance at the time on my Chromebook. "Oh, it's already 5:29. We have to leave now." I sounded a little subdued. I wouldn't be able to see this kid until next week.

"Ah." He shared my dissatisfaction with an equally depressive tone. "I just realized, I never caught your name," he drifts off as he begins to pack up. I jump up from my chair. "Steve. Steve Pie." I smile. "What's your name?" He responds almost immediately, "Peter." I just manage to catch the smirk on his face as he walks out of the class, leaving me alone with my thoughts. "What an interesting boy he is," I think to myself out loud. Interesting indeed.

I can tell we'll be really great friends.