You're My Favourite Subject

seven

·Jonathan·

I lingered behind them as we walked, my head down and my hands in my pockets.
Jon and Leslie were talking and Thayne had his headphones in.
None of them spoke to me or even acknowledged me, I wondered why they even wanted me to come.
I looked up once or twice but really only knew where I was going by following Thayne's shadow.
I hadn't noticed it stopped until I bumped into him. Surprised, I stumbled and lost my footing, falling on my ass. Both Thayne and Jon laughed but Leslie helped me up, going by the smirk on his face I knew he still found it humorous.

"Watch where you're going." Said Thayne before entering the corner store we were now at, not really in any tone. I nodded.
Jon dropped his cigarette and stomped it out before following Thayne, Leslie and I of course joined.
I sort of just followed Leslie around the store, I didn't actually need to buy anything.

"Want a pack?" Leslie asked, I looked up to see him holding out a packet of gum, I shook my head and he shrugged, shoving the packet into his pocket.
Is he going to steal those?

"Y-you're paying for them, aren't you?" I ask a little quietly, Leslie chuckles a little and turns to me.

"Haven't you ever stolen something?" He asks me, I shake my head.
"Well, you're not gonna tell. Are you?"
My words get stuck in my throat with the way he looks at me, his eyes glaring into mine.
A little scared, I shake my head again, he nods with a small, satisfied smile.

"Got a few dollars, Jonathan?" Asked Thayne as he enters our isle, Jon is behind him. Still intimidated by Leslie's glare, I reach into my pockets with out question, or looking, and hand Thayne whatever note I had.
"Thanks man." He said, not even concentrating on me as he walked to the counter

"C'mon." Leslie told me and walked past, I followed him and Jon out of the store and waited for Thayne. I stood by myself against the wall while Jon and Leslie waited near the curb, talking again.
I noticed Leslie look up at me and point few times while talking, obviously mentioning me - even worse, they laughed a little but I couldn't hear their conversation.
I looked away.
I'm not really their friend, am I? I thought to myself.
Thayne then walked out with a box of cigarettes, already lighting one. He handed one to both Leslie and Jon as well as a lighter.

"Jonathan, come on." He said, they'd already started walking, I ran to catch up. Leslie threw his arm over my shoulder and took a drag of his cigarette before holding it out to me.

"I-i don't smoke." I mumbled, he rolled his eyes.

"Have you ever even tried?" He asked with a bit of sarcasm in his voice but mostly amusement, putting the cigarette to his lips again.

"N-no."

"Try it." He said, offering it to me again. I pause, deciding.
I don't really want to...
"Live a little." He says in an innocent tone.
I sigh, taking the cigarette from his hand and bringing it to my lips.
I see Leslie smile a little but even before I take a drag I feel the smoke drying my mouth.
I took a puff of the cigarette, inhaling the intoxicating smoke.
The dry smoke clouded up in my lungs and I almost dropped the cigarette as I started coughing.

"You gotta get used to it," He said, taking back the cigarette, "it gets better."
I nodded, not being able to stop my coughing fit as easily as I hoped.
We walk back to school almost silently. Leslie offers me the cigarette a few more times before we get back and me, being the idiot overcome by peer pressure that we all know I am, agreed.
We get back only a few minuets before the bell, Thayne and Jon stayed by the fence, finishing their cigarettes but Leslie and I began walking to our next class.
I pull out my time table, sigh, I have maths.
I didn't know where my room was, I wanted to ask Leslie but I was a little nervous about how he'd speak back to me.

"L-leslie?" I mumbled his name quietly.

"Mm?"

"Do you, uh, do you know where this room is?" I show him my time table, pointing to the room number under what I had.

"Across from performing arts, know where that is?"

"Yeah...." I put my time table back in my bag, "Thanks."
Leslie nods in response, we soon reached the main school building. Leslie walks toward the cafeteria doors, the bell hasn't rung so Lin would still be there

"You coming or not?" Asked Leslie after noticing I stopped.

"Uh, I'm gonna go around." I say and turn, I hear Leslie ask why but pretend I don't.
I walk to the front of the school and slip through the closed doors.
The corridor is empty and I only now notice how much I smell like cigarettes.
I set my bag down and search through it for deodorant.
I swear I brought some.
Finally I find it and spray it onto my clothes but it quickly runs out.

"Fuck."
I throw empty the deodorant tin in the closest bin and continue to my next room. The bell rings before I reach it and then there's too many students in the way to find it so I wait. (For it.)
When most others had gone into their rooms, I run to mine so I'm not late.

"Mr Reid?" I ask -more so pant- when I reach what I hope is the right room. He nods,
"I'm Jonathan, the new kid."

"Yes I know." He says, fumbling through the papers on his desk until he finds what I assume is the roll. "Have a seat."

I turn and the first person I see is Lin and one of his friends.
He turns to me and I look away, pretending I don't see him.

"Jonathan, sit here!" He calls me over, just great.
I sit next to him but avoid looking at him, I hope he can't smell the smoke.