Infatuated

I [updated]

Lucas was used to a life of melancholy. He was quiet, and he was used to being teased and being left alone. He was used to the attention being on Claus. Always. And when tragedy after tragedy hit, he grew accustomed to that, too.

His dad had stopped paying attention to him eventually; all he cared about was scaling the forest and mountains to look for his brother.

"Why don't you tell him to give up?" Was a question he was asked so, so often. He wanted to tell them he wanted to, but he couldn't. He just couldn't. How could he?

When Lucas got to this new house, he wanted to be filled with disappointment as usual, but anything would be better than his house being burned down again and again. And he was definitely tested by whatever higher entity there was, because the house had its whole back panel missing, the floor was destroyed, and any trace of furniture had been attacked by wild animals and used as their bedding.

His dad had the first glimmer of... something in his eyes in a while. Lucas felt a bit of hope seeing that, but instantly wondered where they were even going to live in the meantime. His dad seemed to have it already planned out, they would stay in a hotel while he fixed up the house. Lucas knew it couldn't be long, though. If he could keep building houses he could fix one in no time.

He liked this town, Onett. It wasn't overdeveloped with stores outnumbering houses -- the people looked genuinely happy and there was nothing to attach bad memories to. There wasn't greed corrupting the streets or anything like that... It was nice. It was nice to see some humanity again.

But school. He was dreading school.

And upon walking in, he realized he underestimated that dread. There were so many kids, convoluted hallways, and he was alone. He stuck out like a sore thumb, his eye bags contrasting his pale skin, donning a sweater in eighty degree weather, and not to mention his trembling. If it weren't for adults helping him to class, he would've just hidden in the bathroom after getting lost. And now there was no one to talk to, no one to help him get adjusted or help him feel better.

-

Lucas sat down after finally being guided to his second class- he was too lost to find the first one in time before the period ended. He sat in a corner that no one was paying attention to and shuffled his things under his desk quietly.
"Okay, attention, everyone. Before class starts, we have a new student and I want you to help him feel welcome." All eyes turned towards him. Great. Couldn't the teacher at least warn him?

"His name is Lucas, and I don't want to hear that you haven't tried to help him. Please help him feel welcome here."

Lucas started sweating, he wanted to cry and disappear. So he tried to manage a small wave, but his hand was shaking as he held it up and it weakly moved side to side. Some kids waved back, but most just glanced over. He didn't understand why small things like this caused him to feel this way. His anxiety continued to skyrocket until the teacher gave him a textbook and started to teach, taking the remaining attention away from him. He drowned himself in the words on the page, no matter how foreign they were.

-

And now for lunch. He hated lunch. He didn't eat that much as is, and with the eyes of hundreds of people that could possibly be directed at him at any time if he did decide to eat didn't help his appetite return either. Getting food would make him seem more normal, right? But what would not eating do? He decided to get food anyways, and of course whispers barely attempted to be hidden followed. They probably weren't towards him, why would they be? But he couldn't help convincing himself they were. He sighed and kept close to the wall, eyes to the ground.