October

Beauty Be a Flower

When lunch came around, he decided that he would find things out with Yleed once and for all. He steeled himself up for the conversation as he walked down the hallway towards the cafeteria. His backpack hung unusually heavy on his shoulders, but that still didn't take his mind off the fact that he was about to confront Yleed.

He entered the cafeteria, which was a loud, cacophonous mess as usual. Everyone was at their respective tables. The popular kids, the preppy ones, the athletes, the druggies, the emos, the wannabe gangsters, the actual gang affiliates, the rich ones, the shit starters, and finally, the outcasts. Corbin belonged to the latter group. The only other people that sat with him were Yleed, Aristos, and a boy named Drew that barely ever said a word. He also hated showing people his face. No one was really sure why, as he didn't talk, but he almost always kept the lower half of his face covered. Whether it be with a scarf, a mask, or part of his sweatshirt. Corbin had only seen it once and it was by accident.

Corbin crossed the room and approached his table. Aristos was on his phone and Drew was deeply reading a book. Yleed was just sitting there waiting for Corbin. He smiled as their eyes met, and Corbin felt his misgivings start to chip away. He sat down next to Yleed and felt his small, cold hand brush against his arm. Yleed looked up to him. Aristos glanced Corbin's way and their eyes met for a moment. He raised his eyebrows as if to say 'C'mon, do it.' Corbin halfway nodded and then looked back down to Yleed. He was still looking expectantly up to him and he batted his dark eyelashes once. Outside, thunder rolled. Rain had begun to fall a couple minutes before but it picked up without a doubt.

His beautiful, deep blue eyes. The way the light caught in them made them seem like a midnight blue sky sprinkled with stars, or like the white crests of waves in a heavy ocean crafted of sapphire and adoration. Corbin looked down into them. Yleed spoke softly.

"I heard you wanted to ask me something." His words were careful and delicate. Corbin blinked. Had he? Had he really had something in mind? He looked back over at Aristos for a moment, but he was on his phone again. Drew was still deep in whatever book he was reading. He blinked again and said,

"Uh, do you wanna come over after school today?"

Yleed grinned and flicked his eyes down for a second. He looked back up to him.

"Sure, that sounds like fun."

Corbin smiled too, though his mind seemed almost slow; like fogged over glass.

"Alright, I'll just walk you home then? Would that be okay with you?"

Yleed nodded happily.

"Certainly. I can't wait."

Corbin gave a bit of a nod and turned his gaze away. And so, the lunch period continued in a similar fashion. As Corbin came back from cleaning off his tray, Aristos looked up at him. Yleed had left a moment or so before to go to the bathroom. Aristos looked kind of pissed. He

said,

"What the hell? I thought you were gonna ask him."

Corbin just looked back at him, confused. His mind still didn't seem right, but things were beginning to piece themselves together. He looked around wearily and said,

"Ask him? Ask him what?"

Aristos shook his head and then ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

"What do you mean 'Ask him what?' You came over to my house all upset about how distant he was being, and you don't even remember that you were going to ask him about it? What the fuck, man?"

Corbin looked down at the table top. The questions were slowly returning to him in the same fashion they had earlier that morning. He had been upset. Yes. He had wanted to ask Yleed about why he was asking this way. But why hadn't he? Why? Corbin put his face in his hands and then looked back to Aristos.