He Left Sparkles in his Wake

A Not so Warm Welcome

(Play the song whenever you like. It's just there so you can listen to the same song a Richard)

Richard let out a shaky breath as he walked onto the train platform with his luggage and book bag in tow. He merged in with the sea of blue jackets and walked with them to the front gate of Asagao Academy. As the gates slowly swung open, he attempted to wet his dry mouth; the group divided in two as the boys and girls went their separate ways to the dorms.

"Bluebell, 411. Bluebell, 411. Bluebell, 411." Richard chanted under his breath as the wave of males entered the Bluebell building. He mentally thanked himself for packing light as he carefully scaled the multitude of staircases to reach the fourth floor. He walked to the end off the hall and fished the key out of his pocket. It turned easily in the lock to reveal a cluttered room that looked like it had seen better days. Richard sighed and set his bags down before he propped the door open with a desk chair. He turned around and began walking down the stairs; as he neared the second floor, he collided with someone else.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!" Richard exclaimed apologetically from the ground. He immediately began picking up what the other person had dropped: a soccer uniform, a soccer ball, some shin pads, and cleats. As he stood up, a boy elbowed him out of the way.

"Faggot." The boy sneered as he passed Richard but was then on his way. Richard sighed and looked at the boy he had bumped into. He was taller than him, not like that was hard, had light brown hair and a matching beard, and green eyes.

"I am so sorry. Do you need help carrying these to your room?" Richard offered. The boy smiled and nodded.

"Don't worry about what happened, but yeah, if you don't mind. I'm on this floor which is a plus." The boy responded. They exited the stairwell and started walking down the hall.

"I'm PeanutButterGamer or PBG. What's your name?" PBG asked with a smile while reading the numbers on the door.

"Oh. I-I'm Richard." He replied nervously. Introductions normally didn't go well for him. PBG stopped in front of a door and opened it easily with his key. "Um...do you happen to know if there are any cleaning products in Bluebell?" Richard asked quietly. PuhBuhGuh set his stuff down and grabbed the items from the shorter male.

"No. Not really. But some buddies of mine should know! Follow me. Hey! Are you new here? Where are you from?" He rapid fired off questions.

"I'm a transfer student. From the US." Richard replied after a pause in the conversation. PBG walked out of the room with Richard at his heels like a lost puppy; they walked down the stairs and out onto the lawn in front of Bluebell. Three men stood clumped in a group conversing with each other. The tall male walked confidently towards them with the anxiety ridden child behind him. Richard received strange looks, not like these were unusual for him.

"Hey guys! Paul, are there cleaning supplies in Bluebell?" He asked the group nonchalantly and then moved to the side to reveal Richard. "My buddy here wants to know."

Richard flushed out of fear and gave a courteous nod. The olive skinned man placed his hand to his chin and thought for a moment. He nodded and pulled out a notebook and pen.

"They're in the closet across from the bathroom. Name and room number?" He listed off, sounding like an unhappy, unmarried secretary. Richard stood up straighter and puffed out his chest slightly.

"Jones. Richard Jones. Room 411." He stated with mock confidence. The man uncapped his pen and scribbled something onto the paper while a red headed man stepped forward.

"Is it messy? Damn, we didn't clean all the rooms. Sorry." He stated apologetically. The third man cleared his throat loudly to obtain everyone's attention.

"That was the room of Peter Puckman. He was expelled last year for underage drinking. By the way, you will be the only one on that floor this year." He stated bluntly. Richard nodded and thanked them all for their help and went back to his floor to begin cleaning. He turned on one of his favorite happier songs on repeat and started sweeping to the music while lip syncing. Then he mopped, then dusted, changed the sheets, then unpacked. He sat four plants that he somehow managed to get on an airplane and not have then get crushed and or die on the desk closest to the window and opened the thick drapes to let the sunlight in through the thin curtains. With no roommate, he danced around the room to the song and happily placed things where he like: dress clothes in the closet with his suitcase, casual wear in the dresser, books his desk, a notebook and a pencil next to the plants on the spare desk, and old sheets on the top bunk. Content with his work, Richard put everything away and headed down the stair to map out the campus. As he walked out the door, rude comments were flung at him.

"Fag!" "Gay-wad!" "Curly haired loser."

"Great. No matter what country I'm in I'll be bullied." He mumbled to himself. Richard stalked the campus to learn where the buildings were, all the while he was tormented by passersby. He walked until he found a secluded place where only vegetation surrounded him. He walked down the dirt path until he was at the base of a tree. Richard opened his mouth to confide in the tree but was cut off by feet tapping along the path. He darted to the other side of the tree and peered cautiously around it; a boy, no, a man walked down the path in an Asagao uniform but a peculiar jacket. It was teal rather than blue and had a patch on the breast that looked like two little shoes. His hair was about as long as Richard's and his blue eyes seemed clouded with thought. Richard's heart leapt nearly out of his chest at the sight of him. A kindred spirit perhaps? Not trying to be a creep, he watched the man walk past the tree in the light of the setting sun and, to Richard's amazement, it appeared as though he left sparkles in his wake.