incarceration //phan

thirteen

Robert
Being treated like the class dunce was fun at times, he'd get a few laughs (sometimes at a joke he'd made purposely); but more often than not it just meant that he was never taken seriously by anyone. It got on his nerves from time to time; sure he wasn't particularly bright, he didn't know a whole lot about the First World War or how to effectively use the quadratic theorem - he was a walking irony considering his ability - but that, however, most certainly didn't mean he couldn't fathom a single intelligent thought.

Granted, he wasn't a big thinker - spontaneity was more his thing and it had never failed him before. Planning ahead had simply never come naturally to him, and he wasn't concerned about it to the extent he'd learn how to filter what he did and said either.

"Marcus knows that there's something up with Dan and his friends, I'm telling you - I heard him talking to Cat last Wednesday." he tried to explain to his friends.

"Are you sure?" Connie questioned.

"You wouldn't question it if Dodie told you the same thing." he argued back, a little annoyed.

"We - yeah, that's because -" Dodie tried to reason.

"That's because you're smart and I'm not?" he finished the sentence so she didn't have to.

"Not at all, we just -"

"There's no point in lying to me. You know what? I'm honestly so sick of you guys treating me like I'm stupid all the time. I'm actually trying to be helpful but all I get in return is you lot all giving each other the 'oh crap he's got an idea again' look."

"We're sorry -"

"That's what you always say, but what's changed since last time?" he said, getting up and walking away from Connie and Dodie.

He didn't like to argue with his friends, and didn't do it often. Whenever he'd become the punchline of a joke or two, and had to withstand yet another "oh, you're so funny." or "points for thinking on your feet." - he'd simply remind himself that he was helping to keep the peace; he kept holding onto the idea that things would get better. But, as expected, there would inevitably come a time in which he'd put his foot down because he'd well and truly had enough. And that moment just happened to be one of those said times.

Being able to remember everything had its disadvantages, it meant he could recall every negative thing that had been said both to and about him. He had a strange tendency to remember all the negatives and push any remaining positives to the very back of his mind.

Connie appeared next to him as soon as he'd walked far enough for her and Dodie to become nothing more than small figures in the distance. The ability was often rather convenient for her, she could travel out of the academy and into the villages below it or go from one end of the grounds to the other within seconds; but it also meant she could catch up with Robert even if he mustered the energy to run away from her at full speed.

"I don't wanna hear it." he told her before she could speak, with no signs of his cheery personality intact.

"Fine, grumpy - we'll give you space for a bit, come back when you've calmed down." she said in retaliation and then leaving just as suddenly as she arrived.

Robert had made his way from his usual spot and up to the courtyards, which was deserted with the exception of a couple of people stood about in various places. He sat down on the courtyard bench closest to him and crossed his arms, ready to begin his sulking.

"Erm, hello?" a boy greeted the person next to him in a somewhat confused manner.

"Hi." he responded back grumpily, not really registering who it was until he looked to his left. Marcus.

"If the wind changes your face'll stay like that." he remarked.

Robert didn't really appreciate his attempt at a joke. Half out of fear, he didn't make any sarky comment on the fact he really wasn't in the mood.

"Seriously, you have the face of a child who's dog just died - I'm actually getting depressed looking at you. What's wrong?"

"Tired of not being taken seriously." Robert mumbled back.

"Oh?" Marcus was a little confused, seemingly trying to understand what he was trying to get at.

"Dan's planning something, I can tell you if you want me to." he started rambling, forgetting who he was talking to. "But I know you already know so I don't really need to tell you. But no one believes me when I say that you know about what they want to do."

"Exposing friends - accidentally or on purpose - for petty reasons is literally one of my all time favourite hobbies, but we know about it already and we're sorting it out." he responded in a manner that was almost friendly; too friendly.

"Sorting it out?" Robert questioned the lack of detail in Marcus' answer.

"Uh-huh." he was clearly adamant on not giving any extra details.

"I get how it feels, you know? To feel like inferior to people, perhaps your brain doesn't work in the exact same way as everyone else's - but that's okay. It's something unique about you, truth be told I'm not the smartest guy in here, I don't know most of the answers to the questions we get asked during discussions - but I wouldn't be able to think of an answer so quickly, correct or not."

"I get what you're saying, I just don't like that the only redeeming quality I have is being able to make up dumb answers that people find funny every now and again."

"Do you feel like you're constantly in other people's shadows?"

Robert slowly nodded his head. He felt like that more than he'd like to admit.

Snap out of it. Do you remember who it is you're talking to right now? his brain tried to tell him, but he was far too caught up in a conversation with someone he felt understood him to care.

"You could always hang around with us for a while - if you'd like to, that is."

"Yeah, maybe I will."

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Lethal's over 25K views and this is on 3K, tysm I'm so shook