Forever Flows From Friendship

Friend Arrow

This year was going to be different than last year. Alec felt sure of it, or at least he was determined to make it so. Okay, so last year he'd gone to gym twice when he was supposed to be in social studies, and yes he hadn't really interacted with anyone apart from Magnus and his teachers.

But this year was gonna be so much better. Alec was going to learn how to make friends if it was the last thing he did!

He'd already picked a target.

In his computer tech course there was this kid who always sat beside him. Though he'd never spoken to Alec yet, the fact he was willing to sit there every day without assigned seating made Alec think he was a worthy target for friend making practice.

"Okay but still it's not like you are going to shoot him with a friend arrow?" Magnus chuckled at Alec as he explained the plan during their lunch hour.

"Hey at least I'm trying!" Alec shot back, feeling a little hurt. "How many friends in your grade have you made?"

"Whatever," Magnus just rolled his eyes. "Only what, three more years of this and I'm out here anyway. Like it matters."

"Sure feels like it matters," Alec mumbled back.

Unlike every other school Alec had ever heard of, including the ones he saw on television, his school didn't have a bell. Instead the lights flashed off and on when it was time to get back to class after a break.

"See you after school," Magnus said once the lights were back on. They walked together down the hall, then split off to their separate classes.

Alec arrived at his computer class way more nervous than he knew he ought to be. Like really, why was he worrying so much? Worse case scenario this guy just refused to talk to him or sat somewhere else and then he wouldn't be any worse off than he was now, right?

Once the teacher gave them their assignment and set them to work, Alec decided it was now or never.

"Um hi," Alec said, turning to face the blonde kid on his left.

"Hey," the guy said back before looking at his computer screen again.

"I'm Alec," Alec said, unsure how to start a conversation.

The guy chuckled. "I know," he said.

"How?" Alec asked.

"Sometimes I listen during the attendance call," he explained.

"Oh," Alec said, feeling silly.

At the start of every class the teacher would call out their names and each student had to indicate that they were present, usually by saying 'here' or raising their hand. Alec had just never bothered to match names to faces.

"You're, um, more observant than me, I guess," Alec mumbled.

"But not nearly as good at math," the guy replied.

"Huh?" Alec said, taken aback.

"I take it that means you didn't realize I sit behind you in Math class?" the guy said.

"With Ms. Forrest?" Alec asked, taken aback.

"The very one," the guy said. "Every time we do a test you are always the first one finished."

"I am?" Alec replied.

"Yeah you are," the guy laughed. He had an easy laugh, but still it didn't feel like an insult. "Names Jace, which you'd know if you'd look up during attendance."

"Sorry," Alec sighed. "I'm not very good at this kinda thing."

"And by this kinda think you mean noticing the people around you?" Jace inquired.