jethro and Louis compiled stories

finally important

I never liked my name. I never liked my house. I never liked my school, my friends, my family, my room my clothes. I was never happy. Times were tough for a long time. I never liked girls I never liked...me.... I tried to accept myself for who I was. I was different. I was original. I wasn't normal. But I was noble. There's nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man. True nobility is being superior to your formal self. Ernest Hemingway said that. I got it from a movie. A movie definitely not about Ernest Hemingway. Never liked him either. I was taught in school that he was important. To this day I still don't know why. I guess he thought differently than everyone else. So why aren't I important? Why isn't Jethro Sumner important? I guess I'm not important to myself. Then came the day I met someone I found truly important. Truly magnificent. He became a new student to my school. Just moved to Arizona from across the Atlantic Ocean in the Great land of Britain. Manchester to be exact. I first saw his face in the front office when I was leaving the vice principals office. He was standing there with his parents avoiding the principals gaze. Mr. Norton did have that effect on people, though. The boy I saw was looking at the floor. A backpack slung over both shoulders. The straps gripped tightly in the boy's hands. He looked up for a moment and looked right in my direction. I found myself pausing. But his eyes weren't on me. There were behind me. Moving with the people that walked around me. It was that moment that I first craved his attention. But he looked away. I blinked and turned around. Snapping myself out of this odd trance I had found myself in. I gripped the hall pass tighter in my grip and walked out onto the campus. The hot September sun momentarily blinding me as I steered toward my destination. I had gotten in trouble for refusing to answer a question in class. I didn't like speaking in front of my peers. They mocked me behind my back. Except they weren't subtle they were actually glaringly obvious. That's what irritated me the most. At least have the decency to hide it. Speaking in class was pointless. If I was right congrats I've opened myself up to ridicule for being a know it all. If I get it wrong congrats I've opened myself up to ridicule for being an idiot. I sighed and dragged my feet along the shaky walkway. I walked back into my class and handed the teacher the slip. I sat down in my seat and slumped down a bit. Why didn't he see me? He looked around me. His eyes skimmed over me. But he didn't see me. Maybe I was invisible to people I might actually tolerate. What was I saying? I don't even know his name. "Louis Ricard," my teacher said suddenly. "Welcome. Have a seat over there." I looked up and saw him. He walked to the seat Ms. Marlowe gestured to. It was all the way across the room from me. Louis. Why did that fit him so well? I shifted in my seat and looked at my desk. The rest of class went through without bother. Then the bell rang. Louis waited for everyone else to leave before following behind. I stood by my desk and watched him. When he walked out the door I released a breath. It shouldn't matter who he is. I'll never talk to him. I picked up my bag and left. I didn't see him for the rest of the day. When the final bell rang I flinched out of my trance. Finally. I can go home. I stood and quickly left the room. I turned on my music and stuck my hands in my pockets. My eyes trained on the ground. I kept my feet moving quickly. Desperate to get to my car. I looked up too late. "Ah shit sorry!" Louis said when he bumped into me. He hit me hard. I took a few steps back and took out my earbuds. Louis was jittery. I furrowed my eyebrows. He knelt down to pick up his papers. I hadn't even noticed they fell. I scanned him. His hands were shaking pretty badly. I found myself kneeling down to help him. I handed him the papers I collected and he looked to my face. "Thank you," He whispered. His accent was different. Not different as in British I am very aware of how that accent is. But it was his. There was something unique about it. "I'm Louis," the boy said blushing a bit.

"Jet," I replied. He and I straightened and stood. He struggled with gathering the papers. He smiled a bit. I swallowed and my breath hitched. "Do we have any classes together?" He asked shifting. I licked my lips. "I don't think so," I lied. "I um...I should go. Nice to meet you." I turned and walked away. My eyes clenched and I frowned. "Oh," I heard him mutter. "Ok." I internally cringed as I walked. Why did I do that? God why did I do that? I walked to my locker and opened it. Then hit my head on the locker above it. Groaning. Fucking hell. I repeatedly hit my forehead. I think what I did was panic. I don't know. I pulled back and got ready to go home. God his voice. I got to my car and climbed inside. Then slumped on the wheel. My phone buzzed. That never happened. I picked it up and looked at the screen. I had a blog where I posted writings of mine even though I didn't care if anyone read it. There was a comment on one of my poems. One about how other people's opinions don't matter and it only matters how you feel about yourself.
I've been a fan of your work for months now. Things in my life have changed a lot and your writing really makes me feel closer to home. Thank you.
My eyes widened. I looked up and scanned the parking lot. Holy crap. I shook my head and tossed my phone into the passenger seat. I started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. I always dreaded the drive home. Having divorced parents isn't what the movies play it out to be. It's always stressful and moving back and forth between two households makes an unstable mental stronghold. I pulled up to The townhouse I lived in half the time. It was my mother. She and my younger brother didn't get along much. Then again no one got along with my brother. I walked inside and climbed up the stairs to my room. No one was home yet and I was grateful. I dropped my bag by the door and climbed into my bed. I hated sharing a room with the demon sibling. I curled up in my bed and closed my eyes. A soft smile haunting my vision.