[Name] walked through the library again, finding a secluded spot where he could sit and read, staying away from the main part of the library where most of the activity was.
Just as he was about to settle down, someone else also sat next to him; quite close as well. Ignoring the other person for a few minutes before he looked over, he saw that it was Micheal. Reading the same book as him - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith - and from the looks of it, the latter was quite enraptured in the book itself. Nose close to the pages, eyes flitting between the pages, although quite gentle with the handling of the book, something that [Name] was quite happy about, he does value books quite a lot, it was one of his pet peeves if anyone were to treat a book badly in front of [Name] that person would immediately lose all sorts of interest or attraction to that individual.
They continued to read until the librarian announced that they were nearing the end of lunch, which was 14:05, and the last lesson was to start at 14:15.
"What lesson do you have?"
Michael brought out his timetable and checked it, "I have history."
"Which class?"
"Classroom 49."
"Ah, same. Let's go then."
They walked through the hallways that were not yet filled with the throng of students and then they both waited outside their classroom, waiting for their teacher to let them in. As they continued in silence, both kinds just stood there, awkwardly.
"...I never knew that you were in the same class as I was."
"I kind of always noticed you."
[Name]'s heartbeat loudly, he could hear the blood rushing through his ears. As Michael continued to talk about his feelings, not noticing that the other had seemingly shut down. [Name] had heard these things before, and ignoring the pain in his heart he turned his head to the side, ignoring the ringing in his ears.
"Why?"
"What?"
"You shouldn't have... I-I don't know how to respond."
Michael's hands grasped [Name]'s in his own and gazed into the other's eyes. A small, sincere smile on his face as he spoke up again, "Please, don't feel obligated. I just wish to stay by your side."
"What if I die?"
"[Name]? Why would you say that?"
He chuckled before shaking his head and ignored the question, refraining from answering and that is what made Michael frustrated. [Name] disappeared into his head, and had stopped talking, it was like he had seen so many things, and he all of a sudden looked so much older than he was.
"I am sorry that I had sprung this on you. Please. I hope this doesn't change anything between us."
[Name] took his hands back and smiled, "Wanna walk home together?"
They headed into the classroom.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Michael waited for [Name] by the gates of the school, standing in the shade away from the burning sun. Voices were raised as the students pooled out of school, and Michael sent [Name] a text and the other responded within a few seconds saying that he was going to be out in a minute because there was something he needed to talk to his form tutor about.
The students continued to mill around the gates, socialising and screaming at each other, the onset of a headache was getting to Michael.
"Apologies about that, shall we go?"
The two walked in relative silence, a few questions here and there but apart from that they just enjoyed the presence of the other before they went their separate ways; [Name] was quite happy that he had become a good friend of Michael's, but the feelings that had developed meant that he got too close. That wasn't what he had intended, because he knew that in all the words he had gone into, he was destined to die. That was his fate, and he could do nothing to change it, he can only change the previous story to be something more interesting. But, now here he was, wishing to be able to belong to a world, rather than being flung into so many different ones.
[Name] groaned slightly, he disliked this. Every time he went into a different world, he would have made one of the characters attached to him. Without meaning to either. Now he was living Elliot's life out for him; he always seemingly became the protagonist's story, [Name] would have liked it a bit more if he was some side character of a story. Well, he thought, I was in the previous ones.
Taking out his keys he opened the door and stepped inside, he greeted his dad who put dinner out in front of him before setting off for his evening shift.
He left his food and followed his dad to the door, and after saying goodbye he hurriedly scarfed down the food it was [Favourite Food] and he loved the way Elliot's dad made it. Staring out the window for a moment in a daze [Name] took out his phone and put on a video of Gordon Ramsay screaming at the other poor chefs.
His toxic trait was thinking he could cook better than them; laughing, [Name] savoured the food and planned how he would spend his evening in his head.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Michael smiled down at his homework as thoughts of [Name] crept into his head, the other's mannerisms, kindness and serenity were something that made his face burn ever so slightly; even if this was immature, he was glad that [Name] acknowledged him at least and didn't immediately reject him.
But that look of [Name] still gives him something to dwell on. He really wished to help in whatever way he could.
A sense of apprehension curled in his gut as Michael looked out at the orange and purple evening.