You're My Favourite Subject

Two

•Lin-Manuel•

I'd seen him as I walked into the performing arts class. I'd felt his eyes burning into my back constantly during the lesson. I'd watched him stare off into the distance as I walked out of the room. I wondered if he was just staring at something, or if it was actually me he was interested in.
My friend, Anthony, had told me he was staring at me. That he'd walked over to us when Mr Jackson had told us to make groups of four. I felt kind of bad that we had already got together in a group and couldn't include him.
I don't know why I didn't look back over at him during class. Just didn't feel right.
Now I was sitting next to him at a lunch table, asking for his name.

"This is, Jonathan," Philipa answered for him, which I cracked a small smile at.
The kid looked nervous. And I guess he had a right to be, big school and all.

"Well, Jonathan, are you going to eat anything?" I smile as he stutters and stumbles over his words.

"I-I.. uh... I wasn't very hu-hungry..." red slowly makes its way across his cheeks.

Poor kid. I decide that he does need to eat at least something. That would be enough, so I grab him by his wrist and pull him up with me. I weave my way in and out of crowds, dragging him behind me. He stumbled a lot but eventually got used to the fast pace. I tugged him toward the canteen line.
Grabbing hold of a tray I shoved it at his chest and gestured to the food.

"Spaghetti day!" I smiled widely at him. He does manage to smile slightly back at me. It's a start.

We waited in line for what seemed like an eternity. Moving slowly forward. Snails could have beat us in a race.

"Is this really worth it?" I hear Jonathan speak softly, unsure if he wants me to hear him.

I look over to him; he's hunched over in a nervous manner, holding the tray close to his chest. He was looking ahead of him, obviously uncomfortable.

"I dunno man, the spaghetti's pretty good." I slide my hands into my pockets, holding the tray under my arm.
Jonathan shrugs.
"You'll regret it if you don't." I smile over at him, reassuringly.

Slowly we get closer to the lunch-lady. The line wasn't even that long, the lunch-lady was just being slow and probably sick of her job. Jonathan tentatively held out his tray and the lunch-lady scooped up some spaghetti and dropped it onto his tray. Jonathan slowly backed away and stood aside as the lunch-lady did the same with me.
Slowly dropping spaghetti onto my tray.
We manoeuvred through flocks of people. I dragged Jonathan, more slowly, behind me, balancing the tray on one hand like a waiter.
Making our way back to the table I dropped into my seat, once again pulling Jonathan down next to me.
I notice Jasmine is smiling at Jonathan, maybe trying to hold back a laugh. I mean c'mon, I'd be laughing too if some new kid was being dragged around, by some other kid, like a dog.

I pick up my fork and twirl it in the spaghetti, and then shove the fork into my mouth. Spaghetti day is always the best. I eat another forkful and look over to Jonathan who is mindlessly poking at his food.
"Hey.. eat up it's good." I nudge him with my elbow.
He looks up at me and I watch red cross his cheeks. "Uh yeah.. sorry..."
He stops poking at his food and scoops some up, then eats it. I watch his expression closely. It slowly changes from the innocent, i-don't-want-to-be-involved look to one of amazement and enjoyment.
"This is really good!" I hear him exclaim.
"Yeah, I know!" I nudge him again playfully and then continue eating my serving.
"Is all the food this good?" He asks after swallowing another mouthful.
I shrug, "Sometimes, spaghetti day is always the best though."
Soon all of the spaghetti is gone from both our trays.
I turn to Jonathan, "Whatcha got next?"
I watch as he shuffles through his bag, which is at his feet, and pulls out his timetable.
"Uh..." his eyes scan the page, "History."
He hunched forward again, nervously. Looking straight ahead. But I noticed that his eyes darted towards me every now and again. Just to steal a glance. Oblivious to everyone around us, I just watched him. Watching as his cheeks flushed red. He trained his gaze ahead of him and stopped trying to look at me. I couldn't help but smile at the kid, he was pretty shy. I don't know if that is just a normal trait or just because he's new and unfamiliar to everything.
"I'm pretty sure I've got History next as well." I spoke as if I hadn't just been staring at him. No. Watching him. Not staring.
As if on cue the bell sounded and Jonathan instantly stood, taking his bag with him. I breathed out a laugh. He started walking away but I reached out and grabbed hold of his wrist.
"You're going to get lost y'know.. unless you know where the classroom is.." I spoke slowly.
He slowly looked over his shoulder back down at me.
"N... No." He turned around as I stood.
Letting go of his wrist, I slung my bright pink and purple bag over one shoulder and hooked my thumb around the bag strap. The bag was my sisters, mine broke and she offered up hers until we could get a new one. Anthony had already snapped a photo of me with it, he'd said it'd be blackmail.
"Let me show you." I said and gestured to Anthony, Okieriete (or better known on the 'street' as Oak) and Daveed to follow.
We walked away, Renee, Philipa and Jasmine trailing slower behind us.
We turned a corner and began the not-that-long journey to the classroom.