Pretty Eyes & Bow Ties

More Friends

After a few minutes of texting directions back and forth, I finally found Karma in the cafeteria. Shuffling over to her, I tried to ignore the stares I could feel on my back.

"Sit down!" She smiled, noticing my uneasiness.

I sat to her left while Eden was on her right and waved shyly at the the three new people sitting on the bench across from us.

"Guys this is Haven. Haven this is Rye-"
She motioned towards a tan teen with short silver dyed hair and small gages.
"Benny-"
A pale teen with a dark grey hoodie, a black beanie, and sapphire blue eyes outlined with dark rings.
"And Marcus."
A dark skinned teen with short black hair and whiskey brown eyes

After the introductions the group went back to their own conversations.
"So how did third go?" Karma asked as she scraped some excess applesauce out to the cup.
"Fine. Eri's in that class with me."
"Oh really? You talked to him?"
"Sort of. I kind of blurted out that he had pretty eyes to spite some assholes who were making fun of him."

Karma's eyes widened in surprise, the spoon handle comically hanging out of her mouth.
Eden giggled at her girlfriend and smiled at me.
"That's really nice of you. Stickin' up for a guy you don't know."
I shrugged.
"No one deserves to made fun of." I murmured, poking at what seemed to be a cafeteria tuna salad sandwich.

I pursed my lips as I felt someone's eyes on me again. Sighing, I looked up. Over Karma's shoulder I spotted Eri sitting alone at the table behind us, staring at me. We locked eyes for a second before he quickly looked down at his food.

I decided not to question it, sticking with poking at my 'food' until the bell for fourth period rang.
I dumped my trash and followed Karma to our next class, catching sight of Eri's eyes again before they vanished as fast as they appeared.

'I wonder why he keeps looking at me?'

"Hm." I hummed aloud.
"Something wrong?" Karma asked as we walked, kicking me from my thoughts.
"Hm? Oh! N-no. Just thinkin'."

The girl seemed to buy it, turning to converse with her girlfriend once again.
"Hey Haven!"
I jumped and turned towards the unfamiliar voice. The silver haired teen from lunch walked up next to me.
"Hey! Um..Rye, right?"

The teen smiled and nodded.
"Spot on!"
Their enthusiasm made me smile.
"I had a quick question for you." Rye said, suddenly serious.
"Y-yes?"
"If I'm not being too forword, what pronouns do you prefer?"

The question made me stumble for words.

We were silent for awhile before I answered.
"I don't really care but they is fine." I mumbled.
Rye smiled again.
"Alright. Just making sure."
"And you?" I asked.
"He/him."
I nodded in understanding.
"I'll catch you later." Rye smiled before leaving to dash off towards a classroom.

It was weird to me. Having someone ask what I preferred. I was so used to people just guessing or misgendering me for so long so I just...stopping caring.

No matter how short the conversation had been, It racked my brain for the last few periods of school. 

Forth was AP Euro History with Karma, Eden, and Mr. Jonefree. A brit with rusty red curls atop his head and emerald green eyes sat snuggly on either side of a big nose that seemed fitting on him.

Economics for fifth with only Karma and Mr. Heyllis, a tall man with a lumberjack beard and dark, calculating eyes.

Sixth and last period was P.E. Aka hell.
First I had to change in the bathroom instead of locker-room since they didn't have gender neutral changing rooms 'yet'. Next, the teacher separated the class by girls and boys, leaving me standing confused in between the two.
Lastly, he completely humiliated me.

"Alban. What are you doing?"
Mr. Braggley asked when he noticed me.
"S-standing?"
The man pursed his lips in annoyance.
"I meant why are you just standing there? Go to your side."
"I-I don't have a side."

I could hear other students start to giggle or mutter things to each other.

"Just pick a side, kid." The man sighed irritatedly.
I turned to the groups and bit my lip.
I was alone this period.
No Karma or seat in the back of the class to hide.

'Go with the girls and get picked on. Go with the boys and get beat up.'

"Haven."

I turned and locked eyes with a familiar pair.
"E-Eri?"
The taller teen smiled and beckoned me over to the boy's side. I walked to his side and Mr. Braggley continued class. We simply did a bunch of basic exercises and ran until the bell rang, the whole time I tried to stay next to Eri even if we hardly talked throughout the entire class.
I gave Eri a simple wave and left back towards the PE office to get my bag and to the bathroom to change.

'School's over.' I messaged Dad as I left to bathroom, which was thankfully unisex.

'Pops is on his way. -Dad'

I slipped my phone back into my pocket and walked out, moving to wait in front of the school.

"Hey Haven!"
"Eri." I smiled pleasantly as the boy trotted up to me.
"I just wanted to thank you again...for what you did for me earlier." He mumbled, fiddling with the hem on his shirt.

"No problem. And thank you. Don't know what I would've done during PE."
A car pulled up to the curb and beeped it's horn.
"Oop. That's my ride. I'll catch yah tomorrow."
"Y-yeah. For sure."

We waved to each other before I opened the car door and slipped in.
"Who was that?" Pops asked skeptically, watching as Eri turned and walked down the sidewalk.
"A guy from some of my classes."
Pops hummed before pulling into the street and driving home where Dad was waiting with dinner.

"So how did school go today Kiddo?" Dad asked, twirling some spaghetti onto his fork.
"Good. Made some friends."
"Oh really? These friends have names?"
"Well there's Karma, Eden, Rye, Marcus, and Benny. And...Eri?"

"You don't seem so sure about this Eri kid." Pops piped up, holding a piece of garlic bread in one hand and scooping some spaghetti into his mouth with the other.
"Well...I think we're friends...but i'm not too sure. We hardly had a true conversation all day."
"Well, hopefully you two do end up as friends. You can never have too many friends. But the others so far sound nice."
"Yeah. Rye asked me what pronouns I prefer."

Through my peripheral vision I could my parents share a look.
"That's nice of...um."
"Him." I chimed, grabbing a piece of bread.
"Yes. Him."

The rest of dinner was filled with similar conversation, discussing each other's days before we finished and went our separate ways.

I went and finished what little homework I had before I settled down for the night. I plugged my phone in to charge and turned onto my side, slowly drifting to sleep with the muffled sounds on the movie my parents were watching downstairs.