The Exchange Program

Thinking

       Skwisgaar couldn't stop thinking about Toki and his scars. The only people he could think that would do such a thing were his parents. Punishments like that weren't allowed at school. At least, he hoped not. He didn't know much about the scrawny freshman. Just that he was Norwegian and looked happy to be in their group. Were his parents the reason he was so skinny? Sure, he had seen some skinny guys at their school, but not like Toki. He could count almost every rib when he took off his shirt. Not to mention the scars. All of those scars on his back. Crisscrossing and overlapping. Some looked like they were still trying to heal. They were deep and angry, standing out immensely on his gaunt skin. He shuddered. They weren't puncture wounds. They looked as though they were created from a whip. How could his parents do that to him?

Sure, his mother never paid much attention to him and was never around, but she never abused him like that. The times that she did, she had always been drunk and slapped him for asking where she had been. But, that was the most he got.

Skwisgaar was relieved to be in America, away from Sweden, away from his mother, away from the bleak, desolate cold. He imagined Toki could relate to that in some aspect, at least. Probably more than he could comprehend. But, he needed to talk to the younger man about those scars. He was only a kid. 15 and saying that he deserved them. 15 and saying that they weren't important. No wonder he looked at new things with such curiosity and awe and acted so childish sometimes. No wonder he flinched from Skwisgaar. No wonder he was quiet and drawn close to himself. He thought it was because he was just a freshman. And, maybe, in some aspect, it is. But, Skwisgaar assumed that it was more than that. A lot more than that. There was still so much to learn about Toki Wartooth. And, he was planning on finding out.

The problem was going to be getting the brunette to open up. He seemed to like Skwisgaar the most, so he figured it wouldn't be too much of a challenge to get him talk to him, at least. He figured he'd corner him in the hallway at school tomorrow. And, if he couldn't find him there, he'd wait until their next rehearsal. He sighed and gently grabbed his guitar. What was with this kid? What was with his parents? He decided that he was going to keep this to himself for now. The others didn't need to know and Toki trusted him with the knowledge of his scars. He'd get more information and leave telling the others up to Toki. They weren't his scars to share, after all. It wouldn't be fair to the younger man to go and tell everyone. Tomorrow, he decided. He was going to talk to him tomorrow.