Back To Our Roots, Book One

LXXIII. When You Spend Six Hours Straightening Your Hair And He Hates It

Sawyer didn't talk to Kurt or Blaine much, a bit intimidated after what Blake had told him.

He woke up before both of them, getting dressed.

He caught his reflection in the mirror and wrinkled his nose in distaste. His hair was so curly.

He found his hair straightener in his bag and plugged it in, attempting to straighten his hair.

After what seemed like hours, he was finally done. It actually looked really good.

It was really long, so he pulled it back into a ponytail, loving how smooth it was.

He headed down to breakfast, sitting across from Blake. "Hi."

Blake's jaw dropped. "Did you straighten your hair?"

He grinned. "Maybe?"

"Why?"

Sawyer's smile turned to confusion. That wasn't the reaction he expected. "What do you mean, why?"

"It looks so stunning when it's curly."

"I can't just walk around with curly hair," Sawyer said, as if it was obvious.

Blake tilted his head to the side. "Why not?"

"It's not... I don't know, it's just not acceptable."

The bell rang before he could elaborate, and they went their separate ways.

Sawyer was navigating the halls, trying to find his first class.

"Wha– I– Oh, sorry, I didn't see you," he apologized, having run into someone.

"It's okay. Do you need some help finding your class?"

Sawyer paused apprehensively. Besides a small scar running through his eyebrow and his athletic build, he looked harmless. "Yeah, if you don't mind."

The boy helped him to his class, navigating the school like it was his own house. People immediately parted for them, which made Sawyer worried that he had accidentally gotten the help of a popular kid. There didn't seem to be any admiring looks, though. Maybe they were just polite?

He walked into the class, over to the teacher's desk. "Ah, you must be the transfer," he said.

"That would be me. Um, where should I sit?"

He gestured vaguely, looking busy. Sawyer looked over, seeing an empty seat in that direction.

He walked over to the desk, sitting down and getting his things out.

"Alright, we're doing a writing exercise today. Write down your answers to the questions on the board, discuss with your partner, and we'll repeat."

They were silent for a couple minutes before Sawyer turned to the boy beside him. He started, realizing it was Thad. It was just his luck, really, to be seated next to the wild card popular kid.

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

"Um, I said acceptance for the first one," he said softly.

Thad looked over at him and down at his paper. "I said it doesn't exist."

2. What is your greatest fear?

Sawyer chuckled. "The second one? I said dying and being forgotten."

He bit his lip. "Can I not share that one?"

3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

"Yeah, definitely. Um, three? I said my hair."

"Pretty much every physical trait I have," Thad said softly.

They continued going through their answers, some of Thad's answers making Sawyer laugh so hard it became silent.

7. On what occasion do you lie?
When I don't want to tell the truth.

10. What is the quality you most like in a man?
Non-assholeishness.

11. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
See previous answer.

14. When and where were you the happiest?
The womb.

17. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
I'm not dead yet.

27. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
William Henry Harrison Sr. He was president for thirty-one days before he died. He got absolutely nothing done.

32. How would you like to die?
I wouldn't.

37. What do you think is worth waiting for?
Death.

There were two things still tucked in the back of Sawyer's mind. What his answer to the second one, his greatest fear, was, and how there were those rumors about him when he seemed so sweet.