Ill-Fated Calf-Love

Akaashi

Middle School. Akaashi hated it. He'd gone to a small primary school, but middle school was too big, too loud, and he stood out with his advance placement classes. By lunch the second day, he'd found a spot to hide out behind the bleachers, getting his teachers' permission to skip classes and hide away to read. For two months, his hiding spot went unnoticed.

Then he met him.

Akaashi had gotten to school early, hiding away in his spot long before other students arrived. He didn't pay mind to the obnoxious laughter coming from the pair as they stumbled past the bleachers, hoping they'd keep going as everyone else had.

"Hey, you're that kid in my gym class that's never there right?" He was tall, leading over him, black hair falling into his eye.

"Who are you?"

"Kuroo Tetsurou. Pretty sure I'm in your fourth hour gym class. This is Yaku. You have science together." Akaashi glanced at Yaku who was shorter with reddish-blonde hair. "What are you reading?"

"A book for english," he responded, closing it so they could see the cover. He couldn't help but hope they'd leave if he kept his answers short and disinterested.

"How do you do that," Kuroo asked, taking a seat next to him.

"Read?" Akaashi suppressed the urge to groan as Kuroo got comfortable.

"No, not go to your classes. Especially gym. How are you passing with such a high grade when you're never there?"

"I'll see you at lunch, Kuroo," Yaku said, running off at the ringing of the bell. He waited for Kuroo to follow his friend, but he just sat there, waiting for Akaashi to answer.

"I clean the gym after school, so the teacher lets me pass without being there. I only have to show up for testing."

"What about your other classes?"

"I pick up the classwork and homework after school and turn it in the next day." Akaashi didn't know why Kuroo was so interested in him, but he found that he didn't mind talking to him as much as he initially expected.

"I wish I could do that, but I can't learn on my own. Classes are just so boring."

"Shouldn't you go to your first hour then? Won't you be in trouble for skipping?"

Kuroo shrugged. "I didn't get the homework done for it anyway. Math is not exactly my greatest subject," he confessed, rubbing at the back of his head.

"What's so hard about it?"

"You'll help me?"

"Yeah, I guess. I'll try at least. I've never tutored anyone before."

They spent the rest of the hour that way, Akaashi guiding Kuroo through the equations, so immersed that they both jumped at the ringing of the bell.

"I can't miss this class. Thanks for the help. See you later!" Kuroo shoved his work in his bag and sprinted away before Akaashi could think to reply.

With a shake of his head and a smile, Akaashi returned to his book, feeling a little lonely in the absence of the other boy's presence.